Last week, Bangkok fine diners loudly and proudly applauded the inauguration of two Bangkok restaurants onto the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 list. Surpassed in Asia only by Japan (with 3 entries), it became apparent that the dining scene in Thailand is only growing stronger and becoming more globally recognised. National pride aside, this also means that Bangkok has some of the most hard-to-book restaurant tables in the world. Be it fine dining or casual street food, here are the most impossible reservations in the city.
One of the top activities for Bangkokians is to go out and eat. We’re not big at-home cooks, unless Mum is visiting or we’re in our family homes. Most of our condos don’t have ovens and only tiny stove tops, and many of us find pride in having tried the newest restaurants in town. We live for flaunting our food on Instagram, and we enjoy the exclusivity that comes with eating somewhere that is famously hard-to-book.
If you’ve dined at any of these tough-to-book restaurants below, consider yourself very, very lucky. From complex reservation systems to advance payments, limited seatings, and hard-to-catch chefs, these Bangkok restaurants are the crème de la crème of the dining scene — or at least, the crème de la crème of impossible reservations.
[Hero and Featured Image Credit: No Name Noodle via Facebook]
The most hard-to-book restaurants in Bangkok: Casual dining
Jay Fai
Jay Fai tops our list of the most hard-to-book restaurants in Bangkok as a table at this renowned Michelin-starred street food restaurant is actually not possible to book. The official Instagram page for Jay Fai asks for “walk-in only,” and those who know Jay Fai will know that simply walking in may mean at least a 2-hour queue. However, those who want (and need) to try the chef’s world-famous crab omelette will know this is worth it.
While it used to be possible to email the restaurant for a reservation (responses took days but it worked), at the time of writing, Jay Fai is doing walk-ins only.
Find out more at Jay Fai.
No Name Noodle
No Name Noodle is not only one of the most hard-to-book restaurants in Bangkok, but it is also one of the hardest to actually get a booking for. This is because the Japanese specialty ramen restaurant by Chef Shin Inoue serves only a limited number of bowls per day.
No Name Noodle changed their reservation system on 18 June 2023, asking for a THB 300 deposit per person. Reservations can only be made on a week-by-week basis, and card authorisation is required of all reservations. Whilst there are multiple seatings, there are only between 2-7 seats available at a time. In case of cancellations or no-shows, a THB 500 cancellation fee will be charged per person.
Find out more at No Name Noodle, or try you luck on No Name Noodle’s reservation page.
Baan Nual
Baan Nual opened quietly a few years ago, and has managed to retain its hidden gem aura for some time. Given it’s location in the Old Town it remains relatively ‘hidden’ from the mainstream, and given it’s unconventional Thai dishes it has achieved real ‘gem’ status for lovers of traditional, satisfy-your-soul Thai cuisine. Once housed in a wooden shophouse, Baan Nual recently upsized, and relocated to Phra Nakhon.
In contrary to Jay Fai, Baan Nual is a reservation-only restaurant, though this doesn’t mean reservations are easy to come by. The reservation system isn’t complex (you message them on Instagram), yet the waiting list can reach up to a few months. Dishes also have to be ordered in advance (and no special orders can be made on the day), and it is advisable to come with a group of friends as portions are quite generous.
Find out more at Baan Nual.
Jeh Oh
Jeh Oh is so hard-to-book that various third-party apps have found a way to monetise selling reservations to this restaurant. It’s no joke. Located in the Chulalongkorn University area, the tom yum street food eatery has grown extremely popular, and is serving more than just students on a daily basis.
It is possible to go old-school and call Jeh Oh on the phone, though it is tough to get a reservation this way. Most people call the number merely to check how long the walk-in queue is, and the staff do kindly and honestly share how it’s looking. Services like Klook allow for online reservations, though they may come with a price. Do keep an eye on Jeh Oh’s social media pages, as the restaurant is often closed.
Find out more at Jeh Oh, or try your luck by calling the restaurant: +66 81 682 8816 or +66 64 118 5888. You can also reach Jeh Oh on Line @jo113.
Homeburg
How long would you wait for a good burger? In the case of Homeburg, the wait may be very long, but the experience will prove to be worth it. Possibly the most hard-to-book burger joint in Bangkok, Homeburg is led by Chef Taiki Tsubota, a true “burger geek” who has perfected the art of the perfect hamburger. At Homeburg, the burger is presented in various ways and through meticulous means, leading diners to appreciate this dish in all its beauty. It is served in almost fine dining style in a chef’s table setting.
Homeburg does two seatings a night when they’re open, and reservations can be made by sliding into their DMs on Facebook. From there, it’s burger lottery.
Find out more at Homeburg.
Fran’s
Given that Bangkok has a lot of brunch spots, it was tough to understand the popularity of this hard-to-book restaurant at first. But Fran’s is not just any other brunch spot. Helmed by Chef Chalee Kader, Fran’s velvet eggs and bacon have reached cult Bangkok foodie status, and justify the months-long wait list.
Fran’s always announces when reservations open, at least a month in advance, and bookings are taken up to three months in advance. Naturally, the weekends are the toughest to book.
Find out more at Fran’s, or try your luck on Fran’s reservation page.
The most hard-to-book restaurants in Bangkok: Fine dining
Sorn
It could be argued that Sorn is as famous for its food as it is for its tough reservation system. It is known as the most hard-to-book restaurant in Bangkok, and diners are often making reservations months — if not a full year — in advance. Sorn is a 2-Michelin-star restaurant that specialises in Southern Thai cuisine, with a special spotlight on sustainable ingredients. It is helmed by Chef Ice Supaksorn.
Advance payment is required to secure your reservation at Sorn, as they take no-shows very seriously. The restaurant only does one seating per night when it is open, so reservations are hot tickets (and require advance payment, too). Insider tip? Keep an eye on their social media accounts for sudden availabilities.
Find out more at Sorn, and try your luck on Sorn’s reservation page.
Gaggan Anand
Notorious Chef Gaggan Anand is no stranger to owning a hard-to-book restaurant in Bangkok. Before he opened Gaggan Anand, he could be found at Gaggan, once named the best restaurant in Asia for four consecutive years. In 2023, his newer restaurant, Gaggan Anand, ranks at no.2 on this list, and is still as difficult to reserve. The chef plays with creative and complex techniques to serve up progressive Indian dishes here, and fans are always trying their luck to catch Gaggan Anand here himself. He is a bit of a rare sighting, which likely also adds to the allure.
The 14-seat chef’s table restaurant takes two seatings a night, and requires advance payment to make a reservation.
Find out more at Gaggan Anand, and try your luck on Gaggan Anand’s reservation page.
Le Du
It has never been easy to get a table at Le Du, and it’s about to get so much harder. Named Asia’s Best Restaurant 2023, and taking the no. 15 spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 list, Le Du is no new name on the Bangkok dining scene, though it is on an impressive upwards trajectory this year. The Michelin-starred modern Thai-inspired restaurant is the brainchild of Chef Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn, and is centred around Thai seasonal ingredients. Le Du, while its name sounds French, is also the Thai word for ‘season.’
As Le Du does multiple seatings a night, the chances of getting a table here are slightly higher, though it could also mean that you would have to dine quite late. Le Du’s reservation system also allows you to be added to the wait list if your chosen date isn’t available.
Find out more at Le Du, and try your luck on the Le Du reservation page.
Samrub Samrub Thai
Samrub Samrub Thai is one of the most notable Thai restaurants that has come into the spotlight in recent years. Describing itself as the ‘private kitchen of Chef Prin Polsuk,’ the restaurant aims to serve diners in an intimate Thai family style, with an ever-changing menu featuring local ingredients. Like a best-kept secret, Samrub Samrub Thai is famously hard to book. Whilst Chef Prin is in the kitchen, it definitely helps to get on the good side of his wife, Thanyaporn ‘Mint’ Jarukittikun, who handles the front of house.
Reservations require an advance payment, and menus may change without prior notice. Cancellations less than 7 days before dining will also not be refunded.
Find out more at Samrub Samrub Thai, and try your luck on the Samrub Samrub Thai reservation page.
Potong
Potong was recently listed as a newcomer on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, ranking at no.88. It’s fine testament to the work Chef Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij has put in since opening just over a year ago, after becoming the youngest and first-ever female chef to receive the Michelin Thailand Opening of the Year Award, too. These days, it is hard to get a table at Potong, but it is not impossible. Those who wish to get a taste of the “memories of textures and spices” through Chef Pam’s progressive Thai-Chinese cuisine stand a fair chance of snagging a reservation inside this beautiful Sino-Portuguese building.
In comparison to others on this list, Potong only requires a THB 1000 deposit per guest to make a reservation. There are also multiple seatings for dinner throughout the night.
Find out more at Potong, and try your luck on the Restaurant Potong reservation page.
This story first appeared on Prestige Online Thailand, and has been edited for content.
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