Getting a reservation at The Eighty Six in NYC is less “make a reservation” and more “convince Manhattan you deserve one.” The intimate West Village steakhouse at 86 Bedford Street has quickly become one of the city’s toughest tables—and with just about 10 tables, supply is very much not meeting demand.
So how do you actually get into The Eighty Six? First, forget blindly refreshing Resy. The restaurant directs diners to DoorDash for reservations, while current reservation guides report that tables are released roughly two weeks in advance. The trick is to be ready when availability appears and move fast.
Your other option? Walk in. The Eighty Six says walk-ins may be accommodated when cancellations or no-shows create openings and recommends arriving promptly at opening. The restaurant opens daily at 4 p.m., while The Infatuation reports that the restaurant typically holds a handful of bar seats for walk-ins. Translation: showing up early isn’t desperate—it’s strategy.
And once you finally get through that famous door, don’t blow it. The Eighty Six has a Smart Elegant dress code, limits parties to four, and warns that reservations obtained through bots, unauthorized transfers or resale can be canceled.
The payoff is an intimate West Village steakhouse in the former Chumley’s space, complete with old-school glamour, serious steaks, caviar and cocktails that know how to dress for dinner.
In other words, getting a reservation at The Eighty Six NYC is difficult—but that’s apparently the point. In a city where everyone wants the hottest table, sometimes the hardest part of dinner is simply getting invited.
