The Toughest Reservations In LA Right Now (And How To Get Them)
At any given time, there are a handful of LA restaurants where trying to get a table is like trying to get on the 101 at Highland and exiting at Barham—you just can’t. Right now, these are those restaurants. The spots on this list aren’t necessarily the best restaurants in the city, but they are the hardest places to book a reservation. We think you should know if they’re worth the effort, and if so, the best way to go about getting in. Below, you’ll find our verdicts, along with info that’ll help you snag that table (or bar seat). Check back for regular updates.
Unrated: This is a restaurant we want to re-visit before rating, or it’s a coffee shop, bar, or dessert shop. We only rate spots where you can eat a full meal.
Verdict: The food at Alba is solid, but you’re going to this over-the-top Italian spot for the scene, which is wild even by West Hollywood standards. Think boozed-up housewives stuffing focaccia into Birkin handbags and dudes with one too many shirt buttons undone. If the night calls for getting dressed up and having a messy group dinner, this is the spot to do it.
Reservations are posted a week in advance, and release times vary. Options are limited if you don't want a 10:15pm table, but we’ve had consistent luck setting up availability notifications. Also, the bar is first-come, first-served.
Verdict: Years after closing in SLS Beverly Hills, high-end testing menu spot Somni has been resurrected. And as fans of the original Somni, we look forward to getting there very soon. This rebirthed version in West Hollywood is currently the most expensive meal in the city at $495 per person, which features 20+ avant-garde, Spanish-leaning courses, flower petals and all.
Somni offers just 14 seats, with only one dinner seating per night at 7:30pm, Wednesdays to Sundays. So plan ahead: Reservations are released a month in advance on the first weekday of each month at 1pm.
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Verdict: There are several reasons why Somerville is booked out three months in advance, including its beautiful mahogany-clad interior, the live jazz band that plays the occasional Tyla cover, and the fact that it’s co-owned by Issa Rae. The fact that it’s one of the only upscale dinner options in the neighborhood probably has something to do with it, too. The gussied-up comfort food here is good for the most part—get the scallop crudo and fried chicken sliders with caviar cream—though not as memorable as the actual dining experience. But for a big, splashy, jazz-filled night where you wouldn’t look out of place in a fresh sports coat or midi dress, Somerville is as fun as it gets.
Weekends are packed solid, but as long as you give yourself a few days notice, scattered late evening tables are available during the week. Keep in mind that the live band stops at 9:45pm so try to get in as early as possible for the full experience, or show up early for drinks at the bar.
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Verdict: Going back to its days as a pop-up, we’ve firmly believed Quarter Sheets makes top-tier LA pizza. Our feelings haven’t changed one bit. Now located in a small Echo Park dining room that looks like somebody’s uncle’s basement, this retro pizza parlor specializes in thick square pies and nostalgic desserts, including a triple-layer princess cake with arguably a larger following than the pizza.
After years of being walk-in only, Quarter Sheets now takes reservations. The bad news: those reservations disappear in minutes. Tables are released two weeks in advance at 9am, and they do still take some walk-ins (but prepare to wait at least an hour).
Verdict: If you’ve shown up to Holbox on weekends, you’ve seen the gargantuan lines. The good news? Beyond the á la carte menu, this famous mariscos stall also offers a twice-weekly $130 eight-course tasting menu at the counter. The less good news? Reservations disappear in an instant. The tasting menu is a great value and worth the effort, though—expect several raw dishes similar to what you’ll find on their regular menu, followed by hot dishes unique to the tasting menu, including abalone tamales with plantain mole or dungeness crab tacos.
Holbox’s tasting menu is available Wednesday and Thursday nights only, with seats released on the first of the month at 11am for the following calendar month.
Verdict: This moody California-leaning izakaya from the former Gjelina chef has Abbot Kinney buzzing. Booking a table could take a week, but the payoff includes fun highball cocktails and delicious, pared-down Japanese small like little gems with smoked shoyu, pork belly gyoza you’ll want to order by the dozen, and assertively grilled vegetables that might not be in season next week.
Online reservations are released 30 days out at midnight daily. For walk-ins, plan on lining up before doors open at 5pm, or arriving after 8:30pm—you'll likely be seated at the wrap-around bar either way.
Verdict: The sushi at this women-led, eight-seat omakase spot in West LA leans traditional and is delicious across the board, albeit on the understated, nuanced side—like listening to a public radio jazz program. At $250 for 18 courses, you’re served a generous amount of sashimi, seared seafood, and nigiri, all of it sourced from Japan and served on gold-lacquered plates. While we might not suggest it as a first stop for the omakase newbie, Mori Nozomi should be on any serious sushi fan's checklist.
Reservations for the following month are released on Tock every Sunday at 10am. Book around then and you’ll generally find a slot available, or just keep an eye open for week-of cancellations.
Verdict: Pizzeria Sei’s distinctive Tokyo-influenced pies are worth planning your night around—and given the limited size of the space, you might have to. Along with dinner service, Sei offers a ten-course “omakasei” for $150 on Tuesday nights, a three-hour festival of carbs featuring creative pizza-esque dishes.
Last-minute reservations are generally open before 5pm or after 9pm, with primetime slots open a week in advance. Tuesday night “Omakasei” reservations drop a week prior on Wednesdays at noon, with 16 slots that book quickly.
Verdict: This minimalist sushi counter in Gardena—from the chef behind Katsu Sando and the now-closed Kura Sushi—serves a $250 tasting menu that's up there with the best omakase spots in LA, and a fairly decent value for what you get. The nigiri here mixes traditional Japanese techniques with Korean touches, and though dishes change with the seasons, you can expect things like monkfish liver tarts with caviar, cut rolls with soy-marinated crab, and sea trout sashimi during the 19-course meal.
10-seat Sonagi is only open Friday-Sunday, which means just 30 slots per week. Bookings require a deposit and are released 30 days in advance at midnight. Sign up on their waitlist for any cancellations.
Verdict: This red sauce Italian joint from the people behind Bar Flores and Lowboy will make you—and the other diners having friend hangs and tiramisu dates—fall into a deep nostalgic trance. Bask in the room’s dinner-party energy, slosh back icy martinis in a booth, and down chicken parm and lasagna bolognese like a person with a medical degree told you they’d cure a bad day.
Reservations are released daily, 14 days in advance at 10am. Without a rez, try walking when they open at 5:30pm, as a large portion of the dining room is set aside for walk-ins. Otherwise, expect to wait an hour-plus for a table.
Aside from early-bird slots at 4pm, Anajak's dinner service is often booked weeks in advance. Getting a seat at the 14-course omakase is even harder. Cancellations happen though, so sign up for notifications or try calling.
Verdict: Despite international accolades and attention from culinary filmmakers, fame hasn’t really gotten to this quiet Japanese tasting menu spot in Palms. It’s still one of the premiere fine dining experiences in LA, and its 13-course modern kaiseki is unique and deeply personal. At $300+ though, we'd be hard-pressed to recommend it for anything other than a Very Special Occasion.
N/Naka releases a week's worth of reservations a month in advance every Sunday at 10am online. These sell out quickly, so act fast. We'd also suggest emailing to ask about any openings from last-minute cancellations.
Verdict: Anyone who says the food at Dan Tana’s is bad is wrong. Anyone who says the food at Dan Tana’s is incredible is also wrong. At this quintessential Old Hollywood spot, the red sauce Italian dishes are only part of the experience—you’re here to schmooze with friends, drink too many martinis, and pay tribute to one of LA’s iconic dining institutions.
Dan Tana’s is a place where regulars get preferential treatment, which isn't surprising when reservation books date back decades. Calling last minute rarely works. Calling six to ten days in advance will usually result in a table.
Verdict: This high-end omakase spot hidden in the basement of a Little Tokyo office building is desgined for sushi geeks with deep pockets. You'll pay $300+ for about 20 courses of appetizers, sashimi, and nigiri, prepared behind an elegant wood counter. Other omakase spots in LA offer better value (and frankly, are a little more fun), but if eating the absolute best nigiri in the city is your main priority, Kaneyoshi is worth the bucket-list investment.
Reservations for the coming month are released on the first on the month at 3pm, and usually disappear in minutes. Bookings tend to be easier at Sawa, their ten-seat cocktail and omakase bar next door.
Verdict: In most ways, Melisse is pretty much what you’d expect from a tasting menu-only spot that’s been open in Santa Monica for over 20 years. There are foams, intricate presentations, and servers who have spent a lot of time learning dish placement choreography. And yet, it doesn’t feel stale. If you're down to spend, it's a good option.
Reservations are released a month in advance, and we'd suggest booking at least two to three weeks before your dinner. There’s a strict no-cancellation or rescheduling policy, and if either occurs, you’ll be charged full price.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardmembers can unlock access to primetime reservations on OpenTable through the Visa Dining Collection. Find exclusive bookings here.
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Verdict: One of the OG tasting menu restaurants in town and a place that put LA fine dining on the map. Almost two decades since it open, this fancy seafood spot remains the epitome of high-class, high-quality dining.
Reservations can be made up to two months in advance, so we recommend booking a table online, then following up over the phone if you'd like to move it sooner. Day-of reservations are also occasionally available at the bar.
Verdict: While we’ve never had a bad meal at Hayato, the overall experience at this high-end kaiseki counter is serious and a little stiff. There’s no music and only scattered conversation from the chefs. If your focus is solely on elegantly prepared Japanese food, consider it a destination, but there are also other options for exciting omakase meals in town.
Reservations are released on the first of the month at 10am and vanish instantly (there are only 7 seats per night). Hayato tends to prioritize bookings for regulars, but if you're persistent in joining the waitlist, it'll eventually pay off.
