One question, for the restaurants where it matters.
About Hard to Book
Hard to Book answers one question for the restaurants where it matters: when do the tables open? It lists the 100 hardest restaurants to book in the world whose tables open at a known moment, and for each one gives the release rule, the platform, the deposit and cancellation terms, and the second chances.
How the top 100 is ranked
Each restaurant gets a Hard to Book score from three public signals:
| Signal | Points |
|---|---|
| The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, No. 1 to 10 | 10 points |
| The World's 50 Best, No. 11 to 50 | 8 points |
| The World's 50 Best, No. 51 to 100 | 5 points |
| Three Michelin stars | 6 points |
| Two Michelin stars | 4 points |
| One Michelin star | 2 points |
| Each press list of the hardest reservations, 2024 to 2026, up to three lists | 4 points |
The top 100 is sorted by score. Ties go to entries confirmed by the restaurant's own pages, then alphabetically. A restaurant is listed only once its page is complete, with at least 3 pictures of the place, each credited to where it was published. One that publishes too few usable pictures makes way for the next one by score.
Who is in the top 100
Only restaurants that release their tables at a set time we can cite: a number of days ahead at a set hour (rolling), a set day each month for a later month, or a set day each week. Famous restaurants that book by email, by invitation, by newsletter or in announced seasons are left out, because there is no moment to count down to.
Where the facts come from
Every rule is read on the restaurant's own website or its page on the booking platform. Where those say nothing, a named press source is used and the entry says so. Nothing is guessed. Each entry shows its sources and the date it was last checked.
The countdowns
The pages work out the exact moment tables for any date are released, from the restaurant's rule and its local time zone, including daylight saving changes, and show it in your own time zone.
Corrections
Restaurants change their rules without notice. If a rule here is out of date, write to info@moltkebenjaminsen.com and it will be checked and fixed.
Hard to Book is not affiliated with any restaurant or booking platform. It is a Moltke Benjaminsen / MB Alpha project.