10 trickiest places to get a table in London (and how to get in!)

10 trickiest restaurants to get into in London

One Club Row, Shoreditch

Bringing a louche New York vibe to London, Shoreditch’s new One Club Row is already a worthy hit. The vision of owners James Dye and Benjy Leibowitz, with chef Patrick Powell leading the kitchen, it’s a moody, glamorous spot with a dedicated martini menu, pianist, and one of the most Instagrammed doors in London. Powell’s menu is a delight – think jalapeño gougères and perfectly seasoned steak tartare. Ten bar seats are reserved for walk-ins, though competition is fierce. oneclubrow.com

Alternative: Head downstairs to The Knave of Clubs pub for Irish oysters, rotisserie chicken and Guinness – all first-come, first-served at dinner, or make a booking for lunchtime. theknaveofclubs.co.uk

The Devonshire, Soho

The magic behind Soho pub The Devonshire comes from chef Ashley Palmer-Watts, publican Oisín Rogers, and Flat Iron founder Charlie Carroll, serving British classics with a generous helping of Irish charm. The upstairs dining room is the hot ticket, but the ground floor pub and terrace are always open for pints – you’ll see the Guinness The Dev’s become famous for, lined up for lightning-fast service. Food highlights include prawn and langoustine cocktail, a hearty lamb hotpot, beef cheek and Guinness suet pudding and sticky toffee pudding. The weekday set lunch at £25/29 for two/three courses is excellent value. Extra tip: the whole of the roof terrace is ‘reserved’ for walk-ins. thedevonshirelondon.com

Alternative: Go for pints and pies at The Blue Stoops in Kensington, buzzing with happy drinkers and diners. thebluestoops.com

Mountain, Soho

From Tomos Parry (of Brat fame), Mountain brings Welsh and Spanish fire to Soho, literally – many of the dishes are cooked over open flames. The grilled whole turbot, a nod to Parry’s signature dish at Brat, is a must-order, as is the smoky wood-fired lamb and burnt cheesecake. Walk-ins can try their luck at the counter and reservations are taken as late as 10.30pm for the truly dedicated. mountainbeakstreet.com

Alternative: For a fully Spanish meal, head to Nieves Barragán Mohacho’s excellent Sabor, with asador (grill) on nearby Heddon Street. saborrestaurants.co.uk

Plates, Old Street

Kirk Haworth oversees the kitchen, alongside his General Manager sister Keeley. Plates is the UK’s first plant-based restaurant to earn a Michelin star. His inventive vegan cooking is hyper-seasonal and beautifully plated – favourites include the intricate Feast of Farah, slow-cooked leeks with frozen verjus, and cacao gateau. It books out months in advance. Seats at the dining bar give the best view of the action and solo diners are encouraged; it is often a little easier to find a spot here. Check @plates_london on Instagram for updates, as cancellations are posted here. plates-london.com

Alternative: Gauthier Soho offers a refined, fully plant-based tasting menu in a classic townhouse setting. (Alexis Gautier’s sister vegan restaurants 123V and Studio Gaultier are more laidback.) gauthiersoho.co.uk

Nina, Marylebone

Mod-Italian Nina is quite the scene – Brand Director, Yaroslava Malkova and Managing Director & Artist, Lunara Bramley-Fenton have the midas touch when it comes to making spaces that feel intimate and laidback, with imaginative contemporary art and gorgeous lighting. Must-tries include anchovy bruschetta, beef carpaccio tonnato, bottarga linguine and dark chocolate sorbet. As with Bottarga, its sister site in Chelsea, evening bookings vanish super-fast. nina-london.com

Alternative: Carlotta, part of the excellent Big Mamma group, is fun, vibey and just around the corner. (It’s also consistently busy but a 6pm dinner isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.) bigmammagroup.com/italian-restaurants/carlotta

Oma, Borough Market

This Greek-inspired sensation has both an enviable position overlooking Borough Market and a menu of dreams; breads, spreads, crudo, and grills that sing, thanks to founder David Carter and team, who regularly travel to Athens and the islands for inspiration. Oma has a 30-day booking window and prime times are mostly unavailable unless you plan ahead, so move quickly once reservations open. Some space is saved for walks-in and reservations manager Alice Pezzali says: “Timing is everything – aim for low-peak hours, immediately when the restaurant opens or later in the evening. Check in with the host; they can provide insights on wait times and take your contact info to notify you if a table opens up due to a no-show or last-minute cancellation." oma.london

Alternative: Head downstairs to the souvla bar and sister restaurant Agora. It’s 70% walk-in with limited bookings. For the shortest wait, aim before 5.30pm or after 9pm. Founder David Carter says: "Admittedly, the queue can be quite long – but with crisps and a frozen margarita in hand, it could be a lot worse." agora.london

Bouchon Racine, Farringdon

Chef Henry Harris and self-described ‘co-owner and floor monkey’ David Strauss bring all the good things to their French bistro above a Farringdon pub. By which I mean snails, rabbit with mustard sauce and bacon, cod with saffron and mussels, crème caramel – and a French-led wine list, served with grace and humour. The best way to bag a table is to call – yes, on the actual phone – between 9-11am – after that, they’re head down, facing service. You might get lucky and it’s 100% worth it. The pub downstairs is a lovely place to hang out. bouchonracine.com

Alternative: The French House has a tiny dining room above a pub with a reputation as the best known pub in the world's naughtiest square mile. It’s not a cinch to get in here either but email if online reservations are full and they’ll squeeze you in if they can. frenchhousesoho.com

Goodbye Horses, De Beauvoir

The work of Alex Young and George De Vos, with ex-Papi and Planque chef Jack Coggins in the kitchen and wine director Nathalie Nelles curating an ultra-natural list. Weekly changing sharing plates – cheese toasties, oxtail ragout, clams – are served alongside a vinyl soundtrack. The building has been lovingly restored with local crafts and materials, creating a space that feels both raw and refined. A handful of bar seats are saved for walk-ins – but arrive by 5pm. Or try lunch on weekends (from 2pm) when it’s slightly quieter. Head to The Dreamery (its sister ice cream and wine bar across the road) at 4pm for a pre-drink and you’ll be first in the queue for a table when Goodbye’s doors open. goodbyehorses.london

Alternative: Soho’s Bar Crispin majors on seasonal, sustainable small plates and mainly European organic and biodynamic wines. crispinlondon.com/bar-crispin

AngloThai, Marylebone

AngloThai, from husband and wife team John and Desiree Chantarasak, brings their unique vision for contemporary Thai-British cuisine to Marylebone, blending the bold flavours of Thailand with modern presentation and innovative techniques, while still respecting traditional cooking styles. Must-tries include crab cracker with caviar and Blythburgh pork chop, paired with a wine list that champions thoughtful producers and superior craftsmanship. When it won a Michelin star it became tricky to secure a table for its unique tasting menu at dinner, but early mid-week lunch reservations can be easier. anglothai.co.uk

Alternative: Named for its wood-fired oven and knocking out grilled meat and claypot noodles, Kiln doesn’t take reservations and recommends you ‘just drop in and we'll get you seated as soon as a space is available. You're welcome to have a drink while you wait if there's room, or we can always take your number and send you a message when your table is ready’. kilnsoho.com

AngloThai Brixham Crab, Exmoor Caviar & Coconut Ash Cracker copy

Fonda, Mayfair

Santiago Lastra, of acclaimed Mexican restaurant Kol, opened the more casual Fonda in 2024. It’s quickly become a hot London hangout, welcoming the likes of Dua Lipa, Keira Knightley and other celebrity clientele. Much of its appeal is Lastra’s warm hospitality, critically acclaimed cocktails and modern interpretations of regional Mexican cuisines; cured bluefin tuna belly; aged ribeye on a wheat tortilla topped with grilled cheese; monkfish tail in adobo madre. It’s at full capacity most nights of the week, but refreshingly, Fonda keeps back a number of tables each service to welcome walk-in diners, in an attempt to create a more relaxed restaurant culture. fondalondon.com

Alternative: Thayer Street’s Santo Remedio Casona & Cantina is an always-welcoming, great-value, laidback Mexican with vibrant interiors and must-try baja style fish tacos and sashimi-grade tuna tostadas. santoremedio.co.uk/marylebone