Difficulty getting reservation at Alinea

[nextguy]

I just have a quick question for those that have eaten at Alinea. How hard is it to get a reservation? I am hoping to visit sometime in the fall and I am curious about how far in advance I should call. Are there any days of the week that are easier than others? Also, is Chef Achatz still in the kitchen?

Thanks!

[jesteinf]

Reservations for midweek are easier than the weekends. If you want to go on a weekend, I would recommend calling the day the reservation book opens for the month you'd like to go (which is 2 months in advance). So, if you want a reservation sometime in October you should call on August 1.

Chef Achatz is regularly in the kitchen.

[KD1191]

Haven't been in over a year, but I imagine it's only become more difficult. They recently changed to a single-menu format, which I imagine may have smoothed things out a bit. I would suggest calling 2 months in advance and be flexible with dates and times. Once we were able to book a Saturday dinner with only 3 weeks notice but we had to take a very late seating.

My understanding is that Chef Achatz is almost always there.

[nsxtasy]

Getting a reservation at Alinea is not like doing so at the French Laundry, where you get only busy signals the minute they start accepting reservations, and when you get through an hour later, they're full. I do recommend making the reservation the first day they accept them, just to be sure, but often they still have them available for the first week or two for Saturdays, and another couple of weeks later than that for other days of the week.

Also note that they are open for dinner on Sundays, if that works for your plans. They are closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

[nextguy]

Ok thanks everyone. I will probably try to reserve an early dinner for either a Wednesday or Thursday.

[mxkupc]

This year I actually had the most difficult time I have had getting through in 4 years. I did get a busy signal for about 30 min to the point that I was panicked and convinced I'd never get through. All worked out though...I got my first choice time and date.