The Bank Tavern, a beloved pub and eatery in Bristol, has earned a prestigious place among the world’s most exclusive restaurants. It is one of only two UK venues featured on the list and holds the impressive number six spot in the top 20 ‘hardest reservations in the world’.
Famous for its sought-after Sunday roast dinners, which attract long waiting lists and bookings as fiercely competed for as Glastonbury tickets, The Bank Tavern even outshines London’s Nina restaurant, ranked seventeenth on the list.
This exclusive ranking was compiled by Dojo, restaurant booking experts who evaluated the difficulty of securing tables worldwide. Factors such as reservation wait times, demand, and social media presence were all considered to unveil the globe’s most coveted dining spots.
READ MORE: Idyllic South West Nature Reserve Balances Wildlife and Visitors
READ MORE: Somerset Bank Holiday Recycling Collection Changes
Topping the list is The Lost Kitchen in Freedom, Maine, USA. Its unique reservation system requires diners to send a postcard with their details and an optional note, after which reservations are chosen at random, typically in April.
Rao’s in New York claims the second position as a members-only restaurant famed for its loyal, long-standing patrons, including numerous celebrities.
Other top contenders include Disfrutar in Barcelona, House of Prime Rib in San Francisco, and El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, all known for extensive wait times ranging from 90 to 365 days.
The Bank Tavern demands a 365-day wait, with bookings for its legendary roasts opening at the start of each year and selling out in minutes. The pub has amassed 14,400 Instagram followers and receives 12,100 monthly Google searches, factors that helped secure its high rank worldwide.
Located on John Street in Bristol, the pub launched its 2025 booking system on January 2 at 10 am, and in just 13 minutes, every reservation was snapped up. The pub’s Instagram highlighted the frenzy: “2025 Sunday lunch is fully booked. You crashed our website and everything went in 13 minutes.”
The rapid booking followed closely after American rugby star Ilona Maher, who signed a deal with Bristol Bears Women in January 2025, visited The Bank Tavern and sampled its iconic Sunday roast.
A journalist from BristolLive, who recently experienced the roast thanks to a last-minute cancellation, described it as “simply incredible” and “time stopping,” affirming the pub’s culinary reputation.
Complete List of the World’s 20 Hardest Restaurants to Book:
- The Lost Kitchen, Freedom, Maine, USA (postcard only)
- Rao’s, New York, USA (members only)
- Disfrutar, Barcelona, Spain (365-day wait)
- House of Prime Rib, San Francisco, USA (365-day wait)
- El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain (330-day wait)
- The Bank Tavern, Bristol, UK (365-day wait)
- Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico (180-day wait)
8=. Damon Baehrel, New York, USA (365-day wait)
8=. Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark (90-day wait)
- La Mercerie, Marseille, France (180-day wait)
- Mugaritz, Gipuzkoa, Spain (180-day wait)
- The Little Inn at Little Washington, Washington, USA (180-day wait)
- Firedoor, Sydney, Australia (180-day wait)
14=. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy (90-day wait)
14=. De Librije, Zwolle, Netherlands (180-day wait)
- Mesa 1, Punta de Mita, Mexico (180-day wait)
- Nina, London, UK (180-day wait)
- Tsuke Edomae, Austin, USA (180-day wait)
- Orso, Anchorage, USA (180-day wait)
- Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train, North Woodstock, USA (180-day wait)