How to get into popular Asheville restaurants

Patience can be a virtue.

Table Asheville

Fried chicken and caviar are part of a weekly Sunday special at Table this spring.

Photo by Nicole Starkweather

Table of Contents

Table for… none? We know rejection can be all too common when trying to find a reservation (or walk in) at a popular Asheville restaurant. But don’t take it too personally. Whether you’re hoping for a bite at Chai Pani or Neng Jr.'s, a few tricks of the trade can boost your chances. Master these, and you’ll never go hungry again.

👀 Keep eyes on Insta

Make sure to hunt down restaurant accounts on Instagram, where many reservation announcements are made. You’ll also want to bookmark Tock and OpenTable pages and refresh them like you’re buying Taylor Swift tickets once table availability goes live.

Where this might help: Vivian, a fine dining spot in the RAD, regularly posts about reservation openings on its Instagram page. Filipino eatery Neng Jr.'s also shares on its Instagram stories when new, often last-second openings emerge.

Be flexible on meal times

Most tables get snapped up quickly during prime meal times, but if you don’t mind eating at slower times, you can still find great seats.

Where this might help: Cúrate Tapas Bar offers a lunch service Friday-Sunday which usually has openings. Chai Pani also recently shared that the best time for locals to stop by is lunchtime from Monday-Wednesday.

And while a typical brunch wait for Sunny Point Cafe can be upwards of an hour, the dinner service — which includes breakfast specialties like the huevos rancheros and fried chicken biscuitsoften involve no wait at all.

🍸 Sidle up to the bar

Hop up onto that stool — restaurant bars are the best for those flying solo or if you want to grab a last-minute meal.

Where this might help: If you want Table-quality food without a reservation, check out the attached bar for craft cocktails and a late-night menu of small bites like oysters, wings, and a killer cheeseburger.

More from AVLtoday
More than 1,000 of the unique works of art on the walls of the global steakhouse chain were created by WNC artist and UNC Asheville graduate David Soileau.
Summer may not officially be over yet — but pumpkin spice season is in full swing. Get your fill of the flavor at these Asheville spots.
Check out our guide to the many meaningful murals you can find around our city.
Check out some of the year’s cheapest flights leaving our local airport.
The Asheville chapter of this nonprofit organization introduces local veterans to highly trained canine companions — and they need volunteers to raise the puppies.
Find inspiration, innovation, and collaboration during a week dedicated to building local business.
See what’s in store for the inaugural festival from the literary nonprofit and get acquainted with some of the authors who will share their work.
What you need to know about the unique festival blending history, arts, and culture.
The NC Division of Parks and Recreation acquired 238 acres of high-elevation land as park of the state park’s land protection plan.
Find a local group of fitness friends to keep you motivated, introduce you to new tracks + trails, and make sweat-breaking a social occasion.