Impossible-to-Book Restaurants?

Question

I probably shouldn't publicly reveal this secret, but one of my great joys is blizzard dining. 

I go to restaurants one normally can't get into, waltz to the table of my choice, and treat it as casually as a meal at Sizzler. I've never mustered the chutzpah to open my laptop and work at-table, but that'd be the ultimate expression of my blizzard dining credo. Blizzard dining has nothing to do with normal dining. It's a whole other thing. It's about luxuriating in the reversal of the standard supply/demand equation in super-popular restaurants.

It's supposed to blizzard on Tuesday, and I need to be in town that night anyway to watch "The Americans" (pretty much the highlight of my week).

Can anyone suggest a restaurant anywhere in east 20s, 30's or 40's that's normally booked solid months in advance, which we can crash? Needless to say, it must be GREAT and not just popular. Expensive's ok (blizzards are rare), but not super-expensive.

Answer

Wow, how nice to see you here.

I don't have a suggestion for you, but just wanted to add that even during Restaurant Week, I sometimes strolled into a booked-up restaurant early, at the very beginning of the meal hours, asked politely about a table, and 90% of the time they obliged.

Answer

Upland (Obama family fav, including last week's visit)
EMP (of course)
Yasuda
GT
The new Union Square Cafe

A little south, ABC Kitchen

NOTE: Obama 44 Deli is apparently a hot table ;)

Answer

Your secret's safe. There's a good reason why people don't go out in blizzards. I used to live in a neighborhood that had a ton of Vietnamese restaurants. It would take more than a blizzard to get them to close and it was a treat to have the place to myself in bad weather. Now that I'm older and less adventurous, ordering in fills the void.

Answer

No suggestions here, but I just wanted to mention that I do the same thing during the Superbowl.

Answer

Gramercy Tavern! Actually, it's not that hard to get a spot in the Tavern area at the front, but the fine-dining area at the rear is so lovely and cozy. 

Mercer Kitchen, but it's loud.

Second the new Union Square Cafe.

You could head down to Soho and try to crash at Balthazar.

In my own version of blizzard dining, i would march up to the 50's though and snag a spot at La Grenouille.

I'm here now, having thought coming in March would mean forsythia and daffodils. It is WINDY and COLD!

Answer

Hhmm. I should pay more attention to the weather. 
Gabriel kreuther fits the bill

Answer

Haha! :D

This is also a thing when there is a large tube strike in London.

Answer

You run the risk though of getting a second string kitchen, don't you?

Answer

Haha, it's no secret - I've been fond of it for years. Although the snow is going to start Monday night and be all done by Tuesday evening (though it'll still be nasty and slushy and slippery out) so maybe you want Monday to be your walk-in dinner, I dunno..

Honestly, aside from the BIG places like EMP, most joints aren't -really- booked solid on Mondays and Tuesdays. Especially in Midtown. 

Head downtown to Le Coucou. I can't imagine a better dish during a blizzard than the Tout le Lapin. If you can get a table by the window to watch the snow fall, even better. Or Momofuku Ko, there'll probably be cancellations. And I'm betting there won't be a wait at Ssam Bar either. 

Back up North, maybe O Ya? They're a budget-buster, though. There's Le Bernardin. A smidge cheaper but more creative than LB there's Aquavit. For something a little cozy & hidden-away, Sakagura... I haven't done a kasieki at Hakubai - only simple stuff - but Chef Sono from Kyo Ya speaks lovingly of them, been meaning to go back at some point for the full experience. I'll take his word on it. That said I'm not even sure you can get the kaiseki without pre-ordering. Kajitsu could be another great choice, if you're cool going vegetarian for the evening.

Answer

Two or three years ago when we had one of those blizzard-of-the-century forecasts that caused the city proactively to shut down the subway and ban cars from the streets, a friend and I walked (walking right in the middle of the streets, since there were no cars!!) over to The NoMad and had a wonderful meal at the bar (the bar at The NoMad, not The NoMad Bar!). It is, of course, right in your desired geographic area, and I firmly believe it deserves its hype.

Not at all in your desired geographic area, but I've really been digging Augustine.

Answer

Agreed!! I love a good blizzard meal! Last month I had a lovely lunch at the new Union Square Bar when that storm hit. It was wonderful watching the snow fall from the big windows in front and diving into their Candele Pasta. I'm also contemplating a meal at Gabriel Kreuther tomorrow...

Answer

Must confess that while everyone else was suffering through Hurricane Sandy a few years back - everything, including Starbucks, was shut down - we waltzed into Nougatine and had a fine lunch the day after the hurricane while watching them begin the clean-up along CPW. I have never seen Columbus Circle devoid of traffic before or since. Am hoping to eat as well through this blizzard as I did then...

Answer

What did you decide Jim?

In that area there are almost no Impossible-to-Book tables like Gordon said. One place that comes to mind that isnt there is Lilia. I've been trying to come back for months

I dont know about hotel restaurants like the NoMad since you risking the chance of being surrounded by stranded tourists. Besides I feel like its not what it used to be

Is The Americans really that good? I stopped watching after the first few episodes. Loving the Vikings now

Answer

A good idea but isn't there a good chance the chef will be snowed in up in Greenwich?

Sign Up to Unlock the Map View

Your post has been published!

Impossible-to-Book Restaurants?

Discussion Summary

ABC Kitchen

Union Square Cafe

Gramercy Tavern

Sushi Yasuda

The Mercer Kitchen

Aquavit

Kyo Ya

Kajitsu

The NoMad Restaurant

Nougatine at Jean-Georges

Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture

Blue Hill

Minetta Tavern

More from Chowhound

Trending Discussions

Quick Links

Latest Discussions

Cookbook of the Month

Dish of the Month

Weekly Menu Planning

Get fresh food news delivered to your inbox

Chowhound

Policies

Content