DinnerElite is a reservation-alert service for New York City's hardest-to-book restaurants. It watches Resy and OpenTable around the clock for cancellations and fresh drops at 224 tracked restaurants, then emails you the moment a table matches your preferred dates, times, and party size. With over 500 members and 1,000+ tables caught, it's built for diners who want to stop refreshing booking pages and start eating.
What is DinnerElite?
DinnerElite is a web-based reservation alert service focused on 224 of NYC's most sought-after restaurants, including Carbone, 4 Charles Prime Rib, Don Angie, Lilia, and Balthazar. You input the restaurant, dates, times, and party size; it monitors Resy and OpenTable 24/7 and sends an instant email when a matching table opens. The service also publishes a drop-time guide for each restaurant—showing which platform it books on, how far ahead tables are released (e.g., ~30 days for Carbone), and when reservations open—so you can plan or rely on alerts.
Key Features
- Restaurant tracking — Monitors 224 NYC restaurants, each with its own booking platform, lead time, and drop-time guide (e.g., Carbone ~30 days out on Resy, Don Angie ~7 days out on OpenTable).
- Platform integration — Watches both Resy and OpenTable simultaneously, covering whichever platform each restaurant uses for reservations.
- Instant email alerts — Sends an alert the second a cancellation or newly released table matches your watch criteria; the email links directly to the open table.
- Personalized watch criteria — Set specific dates, times, and party size; Premium adds advanced time and party-size filters for tighter matching.
- Drop-time guides — Detailed data for all 224 restaurants on booking lead time and release timing, accessible via browse all guides.
- Marketplace for resold tables — Browse reservations that other diners are selling if you can't wait for an alert (currently 2 tables available).
- Free forever plan — Watch one restaurant free with no credit card; Premium ($10/mo) and Expert ($29/mo) add unlimited watches, priority alerts, and team booking.
- No bots or bidding — You book on your own account with no stored passwords; alerts simply link you to the open slot.
Who should use DinnerElite?
- NYC food lovers — who want a table at in-demand restaurants like Carbone or Tatiana without spending hours refreshing Resy or OpenTable.
- Visitors to New York — who have a limited window and need to secure a reservation at a specific top restaurant; set a watch and get alerted when a table opens.
- Special-occasion planners — who need a specific date, time, and party size for a birthday or anniversary; DinnerElite filters alerts to exactly your criteria.
- Busy professionals — who can't time a restaurant's release drop and prefer to be notified rather than plan around a drop schedule.
What can you do with DinnerElite?
- Set-and-forget alerting: Add a restaurant with your desired dates and party size, then receive an email the moment a matching table appears instead of manually checking.
- Plan around drop times: Use the drop-time guides to know when tables are released (e.g., Lilia ~14 days out) and either try to book at that moment or let alerts catch cancellations.
- Buy a resold reservation: If you need a table sooner, browse the marketplace for reservations other diners are selling—no waiting required.
- Delegate booking on the Expert plan: Request a table at any tracked restaurant and DinnerElite's team will book it for you, with priority human support.
How does DinnerElite work?
- Pick your restaurants and dates — add any tracked restaurant to your watchlist with the times and party size you want. The free plan watches one restaurant forever.
- DinnerElite checks Resy and OpenTable around the clock, catching cancellations and fresh drops the moment they appear.
- You get an email alert with a direct link to the open table, and you book it on your own account in seconds.
Pricing
DinnerElite uses a freemium model with three tiers:
- Free — $0/month. Watch 1 restaurant, receive instant email alerts, and browse all 224 NYC restaurants.
- Premium — $10/month. Includes unlimited restaurant watches, advanced time and party-size filters, and priority notifications.
- Expert — $29/month. Everything in Premium, plus a team that books your tables, requests at any tracked restaurant, and priority human support.
Annual plans include 2 months free (effectively $100/year for Premium). A 30-day money-back guarantee refunds you in full if you don't receive a single alert.
FAQ
Is DinnerElite free?
Yes. The free plan lets you watch one restaurant indefinitely with instant email alerts—no credit card required. Paid plans start at $10/month for unlimited watches and additional features.
Which restaurants does DinnerElite track?
DinnerElite tracks 224 New York City restaurants, including Carbone, 4 Charles Prime Rib, Tatiana, Semma, Lilia, I Sodi, Don Angie, and Balthazar. Each restaurant page shows its booking platform (Resy or OpenTable), lead time, and drop-time guide.
How fast are the alerts?
DinnerElite monitors Resy and OpenTable 24/7 and sends an email alert the moment a matching table opens. Alerts link directly to the open table so you can book immediately on your own account.
Am I guaranteed to get a table?
No. DinnerElite provides real-time alerts, but you must book yourself. If you don't receive any alert within your first 30 days, the 30-day money-back guarantee refunds your payment in full.
What does DinnerElite cost per year?
Annual plans include 2 months free, so Premium costs the equivalent of $100 per year (10 months at $10/month). Expert annual pricing follows the same 2-months-free structure (10 months at $29/month = $290/year).
