Hard-to-Get Reservations for restaurants in Australia

by OpenTable Australia

Updated 02 December 2019

With fresh dining concepts from some of Australia’s most acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs as well as tried and true classics, there is always a diverse range of cuisines and flavours to enjoy. Although there are countless restaurants to choose from across Australia, some are so popular it can be tough to get in without a reservation. Check out our list of these hard to get into restaurants in Australia and book your table in advance so you can coast right in and enjoy.

Vue de monde

4.9

4.9 (1583)

$100 and over

Modern Australian

Melbourne CBD

About the restaurant

Vue De Monde is one of the most elegant fine dining restaurants in all of Melbourne. The cuisine has an edgy approach to the regional specialties and uses simple, seasonal ingredients and local and sustainable meats and produce. There is high demand to get in here for dinner so make sure to book your table in advance in order to enjoy a meal here on the 55th floor of Melbourne’s iconic Rialto building.

Top review

JackyC

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent service. Balance of some of the dishes were a little off. Delightful Marron tail and soufflé.

St Andrews Beach Brewery

4.4

4.4 (1135)

$40 and under

Modern Australian

Fingal

About the restaurant

It’s not easy to get a table at St. Andrews Beach Brewery, but if you can secure a spot at this casual dining spot you will have a truly awesome experience. Located on Truemans Road in the Fingal neighborhood, St. Andrews makes beer, as you would expect with a brewery, but they also operate a world-class horse training facility and serve a really stellar menu. Come in and enjoy small plates, share plates, salads, pizzas, burgers and more that pair perfectly with the range of craft beers.

Top review

HelenT

Dined 6 days ago

What an unexpectedly novel experience. Horse race themed with tables in stable like space and great selection of beers and snacks…The GF burrito bowl was great! All our requests were accommodated. This was much appreciated and made for a very pleasant afternoon. Thanks!!

Grain Bar Sydney

5.0

5 (2)

$40 and under

Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service

Sydney CBD

About the restaurant

Grain is one of the city’s most beloved and well-stocked Whisky bars, featuring a vast selection of both single malts and blends from around the world and local to Sydney. Already 180 bottles deep, the selection is constantly growing. Grain doesn’t disappoint when it comes to dining, either. They offer everything from gourmet burgers to charcuterie to Whisky-cured salmon to stuffed cronuts and more. The Charcuterie Platter or the Smokey Meats Platter are great pairings for a whisky tasting. Just don’t forget to book a table in advance to make sure you get a seat.

Top review

Bling

Dined on 13 May 2023

Excellent evening with large group - great venue for a pre dinner drink!

The Woodhouse Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (2458)

$41 to $100

Steakhouse

Bendigo

About the restaurant

If you’re looking for an excellent casual restaurant in Central Victoria, check out the popular Woodhouse Restaurant. It can be hard to get into, but the food here is worth it. They specialise in premium beef, grass-fed and dry-aged meats, many of them cooked on a char-grill. You can also sample pizzas cooked in the wood-fire oven and a delicious range of desserts.

Top review

RosB

Dined 2 days ago

Excellent staff. Sommelier Steven provided a very warm welcome. He certainly makes you want to be a loyal customer. What an asset he is to Woodhouse and Bendigo! The food was absolutely beautiful. Wait staff warm friendly patient. So lucky to have Woodhouse in Bendigo.

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Popular dish

Sher Wagyu Scotch Fillet

Popular dish

Mcivor Farm Pork Belly

Experience

2 course Express Lunch with Beverage

Donovans

4.7

4.7 (1353)

$100 and over

Modern Australian

St Kilda

About the restaurant

Donovans ‘house on the beach’ is a lovely and laid back place to dine right on the St. Kilda beach front. It offers a memorable dining experience with a bay side view, excellent Mediterranean inspired food and a homey, casual atmosphere. Plan your visit in advance as they tend to book up most nights! The menu focuses on seasonal produce and popular charcoal dishes and the wine list features local Victorian vineyards and Australian and international wines.

Top review

yummyfoodreviewing

Dined on 1 Jan 2023

Very nice food, lovely setting. Only thing I would say is they the service is a little slow… we waited almost one hour for our food. But otherwise lovely place.

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Popular dish

Bombe Alaska for two

Popular dish

Old-fashioned chicken pie

Popular dish

Linguine with seafood

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