Plan Steakhouse Reservations For This Time For The Best Experience

If you're planning on spending a chunk of change on a restaurant steak, you're likely expecting to have the best steakhouse experience. That means great service, tasty food, and good company. With that in mind, you might want to think twice about what time you're placing your reservation. We reached out to Sam Hazen, executive chef at Palladino's Steak & Seafood, to find out more about it.

"For me, 6:00 to 7:30 is the best time for a steakhouse reservation," Hazen told The Takeout. "Dining early ensures attentive service, fresh staff, and avoiding peak rush hours." Restaurants do their very best to ensure great service from open to close, but when things get busy there's only so much the staff can do. Arriving just before most everyone else gets you fed on time without having to worry about long waits.

"The latter half of this range is often primetime for restaurants, especially steakhouses, so if the restaurant is not fully equipped and prepared, then there may be a backlog in the kitchen," Hazen continued. "Service should be consistent no matter the time of the day, but this could cause a bottleneck in service." Of course, this really only works if you aren't late for your restaurant reservation. 

Just because 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. is ideal for steakhouse reservations doesn't mean it's going to be the right choice in every situation. If the restaurant only takes reservations in very limited numbers or has a small dining room that allows them to focus on the few customers they have no matter what time it is, you probably don't need to worry much about what time you're going in.

For more typical steakhouses that do struggle with service at peak hours, you may still want to pick a different time depending on who you're going with. "If you are joining us with young children, an earlier reservation may be better for them before the restaurant gets busier and louder," shared Sam Hazen.

Some people may scoff at the idea of eating dinner at 6:30, so that's also a factor. If you're planning a date during the week, for example, you may want to double-check that your reservation time gives your partner enough time to get ready after work. In other words, feel free to use your best judgment and adapt to the circumstances as needed while armed with the knowledge that arriving a little bit early will typically net you better service.