How to get a table at a busy Vancouver restaurant

Some of Vancouver's best-known restaurants are booked solid on weekends, and the ones that do not take bookings have lines out the door. Getting in is less about luck than about knowing how restaurants manage their tables. Here is how to improve your odds.

How far ahead should you book a Vancouver restaurant?

It depends on the place and the night:

Situation	How far ahead
A weeknight at a neighbourhood restaurant	A day or two, often the same day
A Friday or Saturday at a popular spot	One to two weeks
The most talked-about restaurants	As soon as tables are released, sometimes a month ahead
Groups of six or more	Two to four weeks
December, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day	Several weeks
Dine Out Vancouver	Soon after bookings open, before the festival

Many restaurants release tables on a rolling basis, for example 30 days ahead at a set time each day. If a place is always full, find out when it releases tables and book then.

What if a restaurant is fully booked?

Do not give up. Try:

1. The waitlist. Many online booking systems let you join a waitlist and notify you when a table opens. Cancellations are common, especially the day before.
2. Calling. Some restaurants hold a few tables back or know about cancellations before they appear online.
3. The bar. Many restaurants keep bar seats for walk-ins.
4. Arriving at opening. The first hour of service is often the easiest time to walk in.
5. Booking a weeknight instead of the weekend.
6. Going late. A 9 p.m. table is often available when 7 p.m. is not.

How do no-reservation restaurants work?

Some popular Vancouver spots, particularly ramen shops, brunch cafés and casual restaurants, do not take reservations at all. Usually you put your name down with a host and wait nearby; some send a text when your table is ready. Arrive before opening, go at off-peak times, or come with a small group, since parties of two are seated faster than six.

Do Vancouver restaurants charge for no-shows?

Some do. To protect themselves from empty tables, a number of restaurants ask for a credit card to hold a booking, especially for large groups, tasting menus or busy dates, and may charge a fee if you cancel late or do not show up. Check the cancellation policy when you book. If your plans change, cancel as early as possible; a small restaurant can lose a whole night's profit to a couple of empty tables.

How do you get a table for a big group?

Groups are harder because most restaurants have only a few large tables. Book early, be flexible on the day and time, and ask about set menus, deposits and private rooms. Restaurants built for sharing, such as Chinese banquet halls, Korean barbecue and large brewpubs, are the easiest for groups.

How do you book during Dine Out Vancouver?

Dine Out Vancouver usually runs from late January into February, with hundreds of restaurants offering set menus. Reservations open before the festival starts, and the most popular restaurants fill fast. Book as soon as you can, and consider lunch or a weeknight, which are easier.

What is the easiest time to get a table in Vancouver?

If you are flexible, timing does most of the work. In general, from easiest to hardest:

1. Weekday lunch, at most restaurants that are open for it.
2. Sunday to Wednesday dinner, especially early in the week.
3. An early sitting, around 5 to 5:30 p.m., any night.
4. A late sitting, after about 8:30 p.m., when the first rush is leaving.
5. Friday and Saturday at 7 to 8 p.m., the hardest slot in the city.

January, outside the Dine Out Vancouver weeks, and the rainy months are generally quieter than summer and December. If a restaurant you want is always full, try the same room at 5:30 p.m. on a Tuesday before giving up on it.

Is it rude to book several restaurants and cancel?

Yes, if you do not cancel promptly. Holding several bookings and not showing up costs restaurants real money and takes tables away from other diners. If you book a backup, cancel it as soon as you decide, ideally well before the day.

What should you say when you book?

Mention anything that will help: an occasion, a dietary need or allergy, a high chair, accessibility needs, or a request for a quiet table or the bar. Restaurants cannot always accommodate requests, but they can only try if they know.

How do you find restaurants that are easier to get into?

Not every great restaurant is hard to book. Many excellent neighbourhood places are full of regulars but rarely booked out weeks ahead. On Mosey, you can see where people actually ate and what they ordered, follow friends whose taste you trust, and keep a list of reliable places that are easier to get into on a Friday night. Mosey Gold marks places diners rate highly, and it cannot be bought.

More guides to read next:

• Holiday dining in Vancouver: the Christmas Market, festive menus and booking tips
• How to rate a restaurant fairly: a guide for Vancouver diners
• How to spot a good restaurant in Vancouver before you sit down

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.