Philadelphia’s Hardest Reservations (and How to Get Them)
Chefs and owners at Philadelphia’s busiest restaurants share their tips on how to get a coveted table.
Dinner at Her Place in Rittenhouse. / Photograph by Ted Nghiem
There’s an art to making restaurant reservations. From insider newsletters to last-minute openings, here are tips on how to get in from the minds behind the city’s hard-to-get tables.
Jesse Ito of Royal Sushi & Izakaya / Illustration by Michelle Kondrich
Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi & Izakaya
“Be ready when the reservations open 30 days out. If we’re full, definitely hit Notify to get yourself on the waitlist. Resy will notify you if something opens up, and this happens more often than you’d think. But my biggest tip is that the izakaya portion of the restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so we’re always open for walk-ins.”
Phila and Rachel Lorn of Mawn / Illustration by Michelle Kondrich
Phila and Rachel Lorn, Mawn
“Join the Notify list on OpenTable and continue to check back. We tend to see some cancellations two days prior when reminder emails go out as well as the day of after the confirmation texts are sent.”
Amanda Shulman of Her Place Supper Club / Illustration by Michelle Kondrich
Amanda Shulman, Her Place Supper Club
“Make sure you are signed up for our newsletter (through our website!) and follow us on Instagram. We include a calendar of upcoming release dates, dates we are open, and special events in the newsletter, and it provides the most advance notice for releases.”
Michael Solomonov of Zahav / Illustration by Michelle Kondrich
Michael Solomonov, Zahav
“The long Zahav bar is back in full swing as the spot for folks walking in, where now you can also dine à la carte.”
Published as “Table Tactics” in the February 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
