French Laundry Reservations

[Schneier]

I noticed on the Blue Hill thread that you posted that you had reservations at FL on Feb 18. It seems that it is much easier for you to secure reservations at FL. Is this because you have become a regular diner? What "tricks" are you using?

I thought that the FL is closing at the beginning of the year for several months, so that Keller can open his New York restaurant.

My guess is that reservations are much easier to get when the restaurant is closed. Less useful, though.

Bruce

[bilrus]

I noticed on the Blue Hill thread that you posted that you had reservations at FL on Feb 18. It seems that it is much easier for you to secure reservations at FL. Is this because you have become a regular diner? What "tricks" are you using?

I thought that the FL is closing at the beginning of the year for several months, so that Keller can open his New York restaurant.

My guess is that reservations are much easier to get when the restaurant is closed. Less useful, though.

Bruce

This is an old thread I resurrected. That reference was to February of 2003.

I am going in November. Originally that was going to be the hiatus, much to my chagrin. But now it is after the first of the year - 2004.

[Stone]

When they say two months in advance - they do mean two months to the day, right?  In other words if I want a reservation on November 12th I should be calling on the morning of September 12th - right?

Yes. I called today and got reservations for 11/9. I picked up the phone at 10:10 on a whim. Got connected by 10:15 and then listened to the recording for 20 minutes for them to pick up. I got the last four-top (no more sixes either).

[bilrus]

Stone - that's what I like to hear - encouragement.

If I got in FL and played 18 at Pebble or Spyglass, that would make for a pretty good trip, don't you think?

[Stone]

Indeed. I look forward to being your date.

[tanabutler]

Another alternative is to try Manresa, in Santa Clara County. David Kinch was compared to Thomas Keller, and it might be the next best thing.

[chasmartel]

FWIW, you can also get a reservation at FL by just showing up around 10AM two months before you want to go. I did once a couple of years ago, and was offered my choice of times & location (garden or outisde). Except for the driving, the whole transaction took about 3 minutes.

And now you can reward yourself with a treat at the Bouchon Bakery down the street.

[IrishCream]

Which is exactly what I did 7 weeks ago. It was also amusing to watch the staff arrive in jeans and old tees carrying their service clothes on hangers...but then, I am easily amused. Though if you are trying for a weekend night , you might want to arrive a bit earlier. I got there at 9 and was the 2nd person in line. By 9:45 there were about 20 or so people waiting...don't know if they all got reservations.

Edit to add: for those, like bilrus, who can't just drive up to FL, the first thing to do is try to get a reservation on open table starting at midnight (I believe but am not sure Pacific Time) on the calendar date two months ahead of time. (I wonder what happens if you want a reservation for 11/31?) If that doesn't work start calling at at 9:30 am PT. But I confess, I tried the calling for weeks before I gave up and drove up there. The really, really safest thing would be to "bribe" an eGer who lives in the neighborhood to run over for you. I am a 2 hour round trip away, sorry.

Edited September 11, 2003 by IrishCream (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

Here's yet another EASY way to get a reservation...

Bribe one of us locals to go to FL at 10:00 a.m. exactly two months to the day before you want your reservation.

I've got a relatively open schedule and could be enticed with an appropriate carrot dangling in front of me...

[estufarian]

Yes.  I called today and got reservations for 11/9.  I picked up the phone at 10:10 on a whim.  Got connected by 10:15 and then listened to the recording for 20 minutes for them to pick up.  I got the last four-top (no more sixes either).

So you were the one blocking me!

Also called on 9th and got in for lunch on Nov 9.

Either it's getting easier to reserve or we got the special eGullet line.

[Stone]

Just try to keep your voice down and don't start a fight.

[bilrus]

I'm in.

I told myself I (and my wife) would call for 1/2 hour. Finally made it through at 1:29 eastern). Got the last table for two at 9:30.

Thanks for the advice and tips (and offers to take bribes).

[bugsy]

any locals out there willing to accept a nice bottle of wine to stand in line

to get me a rez for dec. 7 or 8

e-mail me johnmantis@bacchusimportersltd.com

[elfin]

My boss is honeymooning in Napa in June and is a last minute guy. He wants to go to the French Laundry but has not made any reservations to date. How far in advance must he book to secure a table for 2? Any inside tips regarding the place I can drop-best nights, best table etc. also if there are some other not to miss places -does not have to be expensive but good food, quaint/ charming etc. (Thanks-I need all the brown nose points I can get- I have a mortgage and two babies!).

[bilrus]

Reservations need to be made 60 days in advance to the numerical date starting at 10am Pacific time. On the day I made my reservations I got the last dinner table for 2 at about 10:30 am.

The tip I wish I had heard before going was the idea of having one person order the regular tasting menu and the other to order the vegetarian tasting menu. Twice as many tastes - if your dining partner is a close friend who is willing to share. I would assume two honeymooners would be willing to do that, but you never know.

[KatieLoeb]

The reservation book is opened two months to the date ahead of the desired reservation date. So if he wanted to book a table for June 15th, it wouldn't be accepted before April 15th.

Getting through to actually *get* the reservation is the hard part. Phone line is CONSTANTLY busy, so it's best to use a phone with a "redial" button on it. And even if you do get through, the day might already be booked solid if you aren't one of the first callers of the day.

The only way I got a reservation for my honeymoon was to have a wine purveyor friend of mine to get a friend of a friend's hairdresser's uncle's third grade teacher's son's ex-girlfriend-who-was-also-Chef-Keller's-ex-girlfriend to intervene on our behalf. Or something like that.

[winesonoma]

Any time you feel that your really important try to get a reservation at the French Laundry. Kinda knocks ya down a notch. Show up in person in the am 2 months before or the real secret is to know someone in Yountville cause he does local's lunch and dinner sometimes.

[russ parsons]

a friend of mine had great luck on opentable.com. at this point, i'm still not sure what the re-opening date will be.

[melkor]

It seems unlikely that they will reopen before May, so odds are there will be a rush for two months worth of reservations whenever they start taking them. It should be fairly easy to get a table at the tail end of the two month window that shows up with their re-opening.

[Kim WB]

I'm sure your boss has already booked his hotel, but for anyone else interested, If you stay at the lovely Auberge du Soleil, the concierge there will be able to secure you reservations with advance notice.

[TheBoatMan]

We stayed at the beautiful Oak Knoll Inn in Napa a few years ago. They secured us reservations at the French Laundry with no problems for a prime time spot. I think a lot of the local B&B's probably offer this service, maybe not. But it's definately a perk that some can offer. Saves you all that aggravation. Good Luck.

[paul mitchell]

Whatever happened to cold hard cash. Especially American Greenbacks that rule the modern world. $500 would probably do it put in a pretty card that says your friend (boss) has some degenerative disease and one of his last wishes is to eat at the French Laundry.They'd never ask him about it because in this day and age it would be "insensitive". What happened to the good old times of flashing some bills at the door?

[bilrus]

I read somewhere that they get reqests like that on a daily basis - some legitimate, many not.

[Mulcahy]

If your boss stays at the Villagio or its sister property, the Vintage Inn, the concierge can secure reservations. They get two tables a night (early and late seating -- I'm not sure if that's each property gets two tables, or they split the two tables). Anyway, the sooner the concierge gets the request the better because they "reserve" their requested tables in the order that the requests come in. They actually go to French Laundry every morning at 9 am with other concierges from the Valley and stand in line to book the tables 60 days in advance. (Had the good fortune to have them land us a table twice, once on my honeymoon, and once on my 30th birthday).

Edited March 1, 2004 by Mulcahy (log)

[Really Nice!]

Does anyone know if the fire at Per Se has an affect on the reopening date for The French Laundry? I called on March 1 for about 45 minutes, which they advertised for a long time as the opening date for the reservation line, but it was busy.

They originally advertised on the phone line that they would be open in mid April. But, as I said, I called March 1 and it was busy all day so I don't know if things have changed due to the fire in New York.

Does anyone know when they'll open in Yountville?

Thanks!

-lav