How to get a table at Lafayette Tavern in Richmond
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Inside the sexy, instant classic. Photo: Karri Peifer/Axios
The most in-demand reservation in town right now is Lafayette Tavern, the Giavos family's sexy new Near West End restaurant.
Why it matters: We went to the source, Constantine Giavos — the creative mind behind the restaurant and creative director of the Giavos family restaurants — to get the skinny on how to score a seat.
The big picture: Social media has been flooded with questions about how to get into the hotspot.
- The chophouse-inspired restaurant blends casual and high-end (burgers and caviar are on the menu), modern and retro (cocktails shaken by white-jacketed bartenders), and throws in some whimsy for good measure (grasshoppers and Pacino).
- And it's been booked solid since it opened in January.
Zoom in: Here are Giavos' tips:
🔔 Set reservation notifications. OpenTable, which Lafayette Tavern uses, will alert you when cancellations open up a spot.
🌅 Go early. Doors open at 4:30pm, and people start lining up 15-30 minutes in advance for a walk-in bar seat.
🌖 Go late. Seats typically open up after 9pm, especially on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
🍸 Make it a nightcap. Dinner service stops at 10pm, but drinks and vibes keep going until 11pm (11:30pm on weekends).
🙏 Be nice. The hosts are the gatekeepers, and while they can't make empty tables appear, they can take your number and reach out if there's an opening, "if you're extra nice."
- "They definitely remember the pleasant guests, trust me," Giavos says.
- Plus, if they add you to the waitlist, you can enjoy a cocktail at one of the outdoor tables the Tavern just added.
🤫 Insider info: Lafayette Tavern opens reservations for the following month at midnight on the first of the month, Giavos says.
- That means May reservations drop on April 1.
If you go: Lafayette Tavern is open 4:30-10pm Tuesday-Sunday for dinner at 1011 Lafayette St.
Editor's note: This story was updated with additional details