Restaurant reservations in London: how requests work when OpenTable is full

When a London restaurant shows as fully booked online, that is the public inventory — not a final answer. SM Concierge can ask the restaurant directly. We cannot invent a table, a chef meeting, or a private room that the venue will not confirm.

What to send

• Restaurant name (and a second choice)
• Date, sitting (lunch or dinner), and how late you can eat
• Number of guests and any dietary constraints that affect the booking
• Occasion only if it changes the request (birthday cake, private room)
• Who the booking name should be

What we do

We contact the restaurant or a known host and ask for the sitting you named. If that sitting is gone, we ask for the next sitting, a different night, or the bar/counter if that is acceptable. We tell you what was actually offered.

We do not claim a reserved allocation at named Michelin rooms, and we do not sell introductions to chefs.

When it is confirmed

A table is booked when the restaurant has accepted the name, date, and guest count. Until then it is a request. If we cannot source the first choice, we say so and stop, or we book the alternative you approved.

Request a table. Related: hotel checklist.