Quick Links
The most exclusive restaurants in the world can have many reasons why it's hard to snag a seat. There's crazy locations, astronomical prices, and popularity causing insane wait times. Still, these restaurants tend to be so good and worthwhile that many foodies around the world will do whatever they can to earn a coveted table or reservation. It's mind-blowing to think that the richest of the rich may be able to skip ahead in line and get on the guest list, but even then there's no guarantee they can cut the line entirely and dine whenever they want. Here's a list of ten of the most exclusive restaurants worldwide.
Fäviken - Järpen, Sweden
What isn't exclusive about Fäviken? It's run by famous chef Magnus Nillson, there are a limited amount of tables, you have to prepay for your meal (no refunds), and the location is so obscure you need to be given specific coordinates to get there. Seriously, it's in the middle of arctic Sweden. Despite all of those hurdles, people still scramble to grab a reservation. With all of the meals prepared with ingredients gathered or hunted in the local village, it's easy to see why people are vying to snag a seat.
Damon Baehrel - New York, USA
It's not hard to see why someone would want to eat at Damon Baehrel. Guests are shown to a table -- the only table there is -- and served a 20 course, five-hour meal handmade by the chef (Damon Baehrel, of course) using only ingredients harvested on the property. Rumor has it that reserving your spot now will likely ensure you'll have your meal... in ten years. Yep, it'll take you ten years to get a table. Still, many food aficionados opt to put their name on the list in hopes of getting their exclusive meal in ten years time.
Solo Per Due - Vacone, Italy
If you really want to go all-out on your anniversary, there's nothing more romantic than Solo Per Due. Marketed as "the smallest restaurant in the world", there's only one table for two people to dine at.
With a staff that waits on you hand and foot, a luxurious interior and a menu serving up different Italian dishes every day, this restaurant is the pinnacle of elegance! If you have a little extra to splurge, you should try and reserve the personalized fireworks display that Solo Per Due offers. This is a date night that surely can't be topped!
Rao's Restaurant - New York, USA
Rao's Restaurant values tradition and family -- to the point of exclusivity. While the place has been serving up authentic Italian cuisine since 1896, you can only dine there if you're part of the "family". Rao's has a list of "regulars", and you can only attend if you are on that list or are a guest of someone who is. It'll be a rare opportunity if you can join people like Woody Allen, Billy Crystal, Rob Reiner, Nicholas Pileggi, and Danny Aiello as a "regular". Fortunately, there are also locations in Los Angeles and Las Vegas that are much more accessible.
Mesa 1 - Punta de Mita, Mexico
This "restaurant" at the luxurious W Punta di Mito resort is just one table that seats up to twelve people. The table resides at the center of a lake, accessible only by using stepping stones that disappear once all guests have been seated. With only one seating per night, it'll likely take you a lengthy amount of time until you get to enjoy your meal no matter how early you make your reservation. Still, a seven-course meal at a dining table made out of a Parota tree trunk from the local forest? We get what the big deal is.
Talula's Table - Pennsylvania, USA
Another restaurant with only a single table for the entire establishment, Talula's Table specializes in gourmet farm-to-table meals. Reservations become bookable at 7 a.m. local time every day, but you won't be able to enjoy your meal until about a year later.
The meal runs about $145 per person (if you include gratuity and the corkage fee) and you'll get to enjoy eight courses over a period of four hours. If you don't have the patience to wait a year, Talula's Table doubles as a market that you can stop by anytime.
Club 33 - Various Locations
Sure, you can join Walt Disney's legendary Club 33. All you need to do is pay $25,000 (plus a $12,000 annual fee) and wait about fourteen years. Then, you can finally enter and grab a burger. The original Club 33 is in New Orleans Square section of Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and there are also locations in Tokyo Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland. There are also rumors of locations opening up in various areas of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Unfortunately, membership is not universal -- you'll only be able to buy access to one location.
Markham's - Florida, USA
Disney is all about that exclusivity! This restaurant is only accessible to those who live in the gated community of Golden Oak, which is Disney's housing complex. The cheapest home there is about $2.2 million, so once again you'll have to dish out a bunch of money to dine here. That said, you can try to befriend someone who lives there and enter the restaurant as a guest. The menu changes weekly, and the chef tries to use locally sourced ingredients when possible, so it definitely sounds like a cool dining experience. Who knows? Maybe the effort to get in is worth it!
Sukiyabashi Jiro - Tokyo, Japan
This sushi restaurant wasn't always exclusive, but ever since the Netflix documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi was released, the place has been the hottest restaurant in the town. The documentary focused on owner and chef Jiro Ono, and people adored learning about the passion he has for crafting sushi. Now, you must be a local and speak Japanese if you want to reserve seating. You'll also have to call on the first day of the month for that month's seating -- that is, if the line isn't busy and the call actually goes through. The meal takes only about 19 minutes, but costs around $300!
Wolvesden - ???
Do you think you are someone that famous chef Craig Thornton would enjoy spending time with? If not, then you can't eat at Wolvesden. Sorry! Wolvesden isn't as much of a restaurant so much as its a dinner party. It's held sporadically for 16 hand-picked people at a random location in the United States (often Craig's loft in New York.) You can sign up to dine with Craig by e-mail, but the chances he'll select you for the experience are slim. Craig is only looking for the most interesting and fun people to hang out with, so just being rich or famous won't cut it. You'll have to charm the guy somehow. Good luck!
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEq6CcoJWowW%2BvzqZmpa2oqr%2B6e8yoqq1lla2wrcHSoq2eZaKawLWt1KuYp6yjYravedOhnGavn6e5pXs%3D