12 Hardest Restaurants to Get a Reservation in Shanghai

A reservation at a good restaurant in Shanghai is often hard to come by. After trying it out, here is a list of the restaurants where it is the hardest to get a reservation in the city.

If there is any restaurant you like from this list, we recommend making your reservation in advance to avoid disappointment.

PS: When we called for inquiries, it was in mid-January. The reservation information is for reference only.

Getting a reservation at Jeju Izakaya by BELLOCO requires some stroke of luck. You will need to follow their social media account for at least half a year before being allowed to make a reservation. The system opens at 0:00 on the 15th of every month, and slots are fully taken up within ten seconds. 

There is only one simple concave bar in the store, with a total of 8 seats around, and the restaurant takes three rounds of seating every night. 

The restaurant serves a seasonal menu and incorporates Western, Japanese, and Chinese cooking techniques with traditional Korean ingredients.

Address: No. 1095-1 Yuyuan Road

Average bill: RMB 730 per person

Reservation guide: Follow the official WeChat for 6 months before you can make a reservation, and the next month's reservation will be open at 0:00 on the 15th of each month

In November, Harrods's first tea room in China opened in Shanghai, and guests had to make a reservation at least three weeks in advance. 

Indulge in a British afternoon tea experience with exquisite tableware and great service.

Scones, Harrod’s biscuits, and chocolate bears are popular must-order items, and the afternoon tea set for two people is great to enjoy the full experience.

Address: F1, Cha Mansion, No. 420 Weihai Road

Tel: 021-62276857

Average bill: RMB 525 per person

Reservation guide: 2-3 weeks in advance

SUSHI AOI, which specializes in Omakase, costs only RMB 600 for dinner, and its quality is similar to Japanese restaurants in the RMB 1000 range.

The store has only ten counter seats and two private rooms. The place was fully booked until June 6, when we inquired.

The eight pieces of sushi in the set are curated based on the available ingredients of the day, and they are presented in order of taste, texture, and flavor.

Address: F5, Henderson Metropolitan, No. 300 East Nanjing Road

Tel: 13764992868

Average bill: RMB 483 per person

Reservation guide: 5 months in advance

Charcoal Player is a creative Chinese restaurant specializing in food grilled over charcoal, and there are less than 30 seats in the restaurant.

There is only one set menu in the store, consisting of ten dishes. 

The chef uses an interesting mix of charcoal and fire to cook the dishes and provides the diners with an incredible culinary experience. 

Address: Room 03, F5, TX Youth Energy Center, No. 523 Middle Huaihai Road

Tel: 18721260594, 13818654564

Average bill: RMB 886 per person

Reservation guide: 1 week in advance

SHIHEYUAN, which opened in Shanghai last year, was very popular as soon as it opened, and reservations up to a week in advance are required.

The brand invited a professional design team to create a minimalist-themed interior décor.

SHIHEYUAN is a new Beijing restaurant. The mutton is served in a customized barbecue pot with green onions, coriander, and cumin.

Try out interesting sides here, like the foie gras wrapped with homemade hawthorn slices, which is a new and unique way to enjoy foie gras.

Address: F4, IFC, No. 8 Century Avenue

Tel: 021-58757773

Average bill: RMB 430 per person

Reservation guide: 1 week in advance

Tempura·Tianji is located on Yongjia Road, and only frequent customers can get a reservation here. 

Photo from Dai Tata

There are only eight seats in the store, and Chef Yoshida has worked for many years in the famous Michelin-starred tempura restaurant, Mokichi, in Tokyo.

Here, there are as many as 30 delights for one meal, each meal takes about 3.5 hours to complete. 

Photo from Dai Tata

Currently, Tianji is looking to open a new store with a larger area.

Address: F1, Building 2, SURPASS COURT, No. 570 Yongjia Road

Tel: 021-61517008

Average bill: RMB 2280 per person

Reservation guide: Frequent customers’ introduction + reservation

KOR Shanghai serves both as a restaurant and a bar. Diners will need to book a week ahead for a bar seat and two weeks in advance for a booth seat.

The outdoor terrace space was also officially opened in April last year.

KOR's dishes garnered a huge following. Dishes here are creative and delicious, made by Executive Chef Jenson Pei.

Address: South Court of Wheelock Square, No. 1717 West Nanjing Road

Tel: 021-52980651

Average bill: RMB 590 per person

Reservation guide: 1 week in advance for dinner

DA VITTORIO SHANGHAI is an Italian Michelin-starred restaurant founded by the Cerea family. Since June 2019, it has been in Shanghai, and its popularity has never faded.

Dinner seats are always booked out in advance every time before the holidays. If you want a seat that offers scenic views, get a reservation as early as possible.

The restaurant has a fresh white decor with an elegant and simple design. Recently their art gallery restaurant, NEW WAVE, opened in UCCA.

Address: F3, North District of BFC, No. 500 East Zhongshan No.2 Road

Tel: 021-63302198

Average bill: RMB 2571 per person

Reservation guide: At least 1 month in advance

Owned by DeAille and Simon, Obscura uses ingredients from all over the world to create modern Chinese dishes richly rooted in traditional food, wine, fragrance, and tea culture.

With only 11 seats, the restaurant looks deceptively simple, but each detail and design here has a luxurious touch.

The two chefs often travel across China. Based on traditional Chinese elements and culture, they bring delicious food from all over the country to the table.

Chef DeAille Tam won the "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2021" Award for Best Female Chef in Asia and is the first woman in Chinese Mainland to win this prestigious title.

Address: No. 538-2 Xikang Road

Tel: 19121471147

Average bill: RMB 2520 per person

Reservation guide: Make reservations through their official WeChat mini program. New rounds of reservations open on the 1st and 5th of each month.

Sushi Aoki has a strict reservation-only system and has been visited by many guests.

The restaurant is located on the Bund. There are one 3-people private room, one 8-people private room, one 4-people private room, and a private room only for VVIPs.

Wagyu beef slices are grilled and wrapped in sea urchin and caviar, making it a satisfying treat. The sea urchin rice and signature airy sushi are also worth trying.

Address: Room L108, Yifeng Galleria, F1, No. 99 East Beijing Road

Tel: 021-62378668

Average bill: RMB 2111 per person

Reservation guide: 2 weeks in advance for lunch, 1 month in advance for dinner

Oriental House took the city by storm with its Taizhou cuisine. In recent years, it has opened several stores and remains popular.

The owner is a Taizhou native, and the menu is mainly based on Taizhou flavors. The chef has was once the Head Chef of Japanese cuisine for eight years and worked at the Michelin restaurant 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo.

Each dish is unique, and authentic traditional snacks are also found here.

Address: F3, North District of Kerry Center, West Nanjing Road

Tel: 15821012960

Average bill: RMB 291 per person

Reservation guide: 1-2 weeks in advance

Photo from Rachel Gouk

HIGH YAKI is an old high-end Japanese yakitori restaurant in Shanghai. Reservations need to be made at least half a month in advance to dine here.

Photo from Rachel Gouk

The signature chocolate M9 Wagyu beef and A5 Wagyu beef are must-try dishes. For sea urchin lovers, it is recommended to try the sea urchin with beef tartar and sea urchin bibimbap.

Address: No. 481 West Jianguo Road

Tel: 17701743405

Average bill: RMB 809 per person

Reservation guide: 2 weeks in advance