The Bank Tavern, a beloved pub and restaurant in Bristol, has earned a remarkable place on the list of the world’s most exclusive dining spots. Ranking sixth in the top 20 ‘hardest reservations in the world,’ it stands as one of only two UK restaurants to make this prestigious global list.
Renowned for its mouthwatering roast dinners, The Bank Tavern attracts such high demand that reservations vanish faster than Glastonbury festival tickets. Interestingly, it outperforms the notable London eatery Nina, which holds the 17th spot on the same list.
This ranking was created by Dojo, a restaurant booking specialist, which analyzed restaurants worldwide based on reservation waiting times, customer demand, and social media followings to determine exclusivity.
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At the very top sits The Lost Kitchen in Maine, USA, a venue known for its unique reservation system where diners must mail a postcard to be randomly selected each year. Following closely is Rao’s in New York, a members-only club that has cultivated a loyal customer base over decades, including visiting celebrities.
Many restaurants in the rankings require waiting times between 90 and 365 days. The Bank Tavern demands a full year’s wait, with bookings for their coveted Sunday roast opening annually in early January and selling out within mere minutes. The venue boasts a strong online presence with over 14,000 Instagram followers and a monthly Google search volume exceeding 12,000, feeding its reputation as one of the globe’s most sought-after dining experiences.
In 2024, the 2025 booking system launched at 10 AM on January 2nd, and all available Sunday lunch slots were claimed within just 13 minutes. The pub staff commemorated this remarkable rush on Instagram: “2025 Sunday lunch is fully booked. You crashed our website and everything went in 13 minutes.”
The Bank Tavern’s appeal draws notable visitors, including American rugby star Ilona Maher, who sampled its famed Sunday roast before joining the Bristol Bears Women in 2024.
A BristolLive journalist who recently secured a last-minute spot described the Sunday lunch as “simply incredible” and “time stopping,” underscoring the pub’s exceptional culinary reputation.
Here is the full top 20 list of the world’s most exclusive restaurants, as ranked by Dojo:
- The Lost Kitchen, Freedom, Maine, USA
- Rao’s, New York, USA
- Disfrutar, Barcelona, Spain
- House of Prime Rib, San Francisco, USA
- El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
- The Bank Tavern, Bristol, UK
- Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
8=. Damon Baehrel, New York, USA
8=. Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark
- La Mercerie, Marseille, France
- Mugaritz, Gipuzkoa, Spain
- The Little Inn at Little Washington, Washington, USA
- Firedoor, Sydney, Australia
14=. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
14=. De Librije, Zwolle, Netherlands
- Mesa 1, Punta de Mita, Mexico
- Nina, London, UK
- Tsuke Edomae, Austin, USA
- Orso, Anchorage, USA
- Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train, North Woodstock, USA