While we have used Open Table, the online reservation service for restaurants, when in Chicago or on other travels, we had never thought to use it here locally in Madison.
However, while visiting Eno Vino’s site in order to get the number for reservations and to check out the menu, we found a link to Open Table. We then followed the link and made a reservation; it was easier then even picking up the phone.
Here is how Open Table describes their service:
“When you book a table on OpenTable.com, your reservation is instantly recorded in the restaurant’s computerized reservation book – the same one the restaurant’s host uses to track all reservations. (It’s the black terminal you may see when you arrive at the restaurant.)”
Unlike other “online” reservation services which rely on faxes or table allocations, OpenTable has live Internet connections into the restaurants themselves. So restaurant availability information is up-to-date, and your reservations are confirmed.
A quick search of the Open Table site showed 62 listings for Wisconsin, and 8 for Madison itself (although it’s now 7, with the closing of Cloud 9 Grille). Most of the listings tend to be for Milwaukee.
As you can see from the list below, the list is heavy on the steak/seafood restaurants that are popular with the business expense account crowd.
- Capitol ChopHouse – Madison
- Cloud 9 Grille – Madison
- Eno Vino Wine Bar and Bistro – Madison
- Fresco – Madison
- Johnny Delmonico’s – Madison
- Ocean Grill – Madison
- Otto’s Restaurant and Bar – Madison
- Ruth’s Chris Steak House – Middleton
What’s even more fun for the tech geek/foodie is its iPhone app. With the GPS capability of the iPhone, you can stand on a big city street corner and have it check for restaurant reservation availability within walking distance from where you are standing. Ars Technica covers all the benefits in this glowing review.
With only a couple options currently here in Madison, the service is probably most appealing to those out-of-town business travelers who are looking for an open reservation without having to find a phone book. But for any foodie traveling to Chicago (262 listings) or Manhattan (753 listings), Open Table is a great resource for hard to find reservations.
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