There are six realistic ways to request a seat at a hard‑to‑book restaurant in Japan. This page sets them side by side. Every figure about another service comes from that service’s own pages, read on October 3, 2026; where a figure is not published, we say so and do not estimate it. We are one of the six, so read our section with that in mind, and check each service’s current terms before you book, because they can change.
The six routes
Booking direct. Works wherever a restaurant takes web bookings or a phone call in a language you speak. On TableCheck, some restaurants offer a paid priority reservation option from ¥390; on OMAKASE, the reservation fee is ¥390 per seat and is not refunded if you cancel; Ikyu is another web route. It does not work where a restaurant takes bookings only by phone in Japanese and you do not speak Japanese.
Tableall. Books restaurants on its partner list only. Booking fee ¥8,000 per seat, not refunded at any point; the course is prepaid, with service charge and tax included. About 20% of bookings are pre‑purchased seats sold instantly; the rest are requests. Course cancellation fees apply on a published schedule. Full guide.
JPNEAZY. Lists restaurants across many prefectures and cuisines. For course reservations, a handling fee of 10–15% of the course price, set per restaurant, with the course prepaid; for table reservations, a fixed amount set per restaurant, with the meal paid at the restaurant. The fee is charged only when the restaurant confirms and is not refunded after that. Cancellation requests must reach JPNEAZY by 12:00 JST on the restaurant’s cancellation deadline. Full guide.
Pocket Concierge. Operated by Pocket Concierge Inc.; its terms also cover dining services offered through American Express. You pay when the reservation with the restaurant is concluded. The terms provide for a usage fee set separately by the company and not refunded for any reason; the terms do not state the amount. Where the restaurant has not set its own cancellation policy, the terms set 50% of the total three and two business days before, and 100% one business day before and on the day. Full guide.
Hotel concierge. Varies by hotel. Some desks call restaurants in Japanese for their guests at no separate charge; others charge a fee or limit the service to staying guests. Ask your hotel what it offers before you rely on it.
Shoku Noren. Our desk. We call restaurants in Japanese from Tokyo. The booking fee is ¥6,000 per seat at a restaurant in our collection and ¥12,000 per seat elsewhere, charged only if we secure the table and you approve it. You pay the restaurant for the meal on the night, and the restaurant’s own cancellation terms apply. We do not book introduction‑only restaurants, transport or lodging. How it works.
Side by side
All figures about other services as of October 3, 2026.
| Direct | Tableall | JPNEAZY | Pocket Concierge | Hotel concierge | Shoku Noren | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fee model | Usually none; OMAKASE ¥390/seat; TableCheck priority option from ¥390 where offered | ¥8,000/seat + course prepaid | 10–15% of course (course reservations); fixed per‑restaurant amount (table reservations) | Usage fee set separately by the company; amount not stated in the terms | Varies by hotel | ¥6,000/seat (collection); ¥12,000/seat (elsewhere) |
| What you pay, when | Depends on the restaurant’s payment setting | Card authorized at request; fee + course charged on confirmation | Fee (+ course for course reservations) charged on confirmation | Paid when the reservation is concluded | Meal on the night; hotel fee if any | Fee charged only if a seat is secured and you approve it; meal on the night |
| If no seat is found | Nothing | Authorization released within 72 hours | Nothing charged | Nothing charged | Depends on hotel | Nothing charged |
| Booking in English online | Where the platform offers English | Yes; instant booking for pre‑purchased seats | Yes, by request | English site available | Through the desk | Request in English; we call in Japanese |
| Cancellation | Restaurant’s policy | Fee not refunded; course: 50/70/100% or 70/80/100% by timing | Fee not refunded after confirmation; restaurant’s policy on the meal | Usage fee not refunded; restaurant’s policy, or the default 50/50/100/100% schedule | Restaurant’s policy | Restaurant’s own cancellation terms |
| Introduction‑only restaurants | No | Partner list only | Not stated | Not stated | Ask the hotel | No |
Sources, all read October 3, 2026: Tableall FAQ; JPNEAZY cancellation policy and JPNEAZY help center; Pocket Concierge Terms of Use; TableCheck help center; OMAKASE help center.
Who each route may suit
- Direct suits anyone whose restaurant takes web bookings, or who can make the call in Japanese.
- Tableall suits travelers who want to book in English online, end to end, with the course prepaid, at a restaurant on its partner list, including the pre‑purchased seats it sells instantly.
- JPNEAZY suits travelers who want to send a request in English online, from a wide list of restaurants and cuisines across Japan, with a fee that scales with the course price.
- Pocket Concierge suits travelers who want to pay for the reservation online when it is concluded.
- A hotel desk suits guests whose hotel calls restaurants for them.
- Shoku Noren suits travelers whose restaurant takes bookings by phone in Japanese, who want to pay the restaurant on the night, and who want to be charged only after approving a seat we have secured.
How to choose
- Check whether the restaurant takes web bookings. Look it up in our release calendar. If it lists TableCheck, OMAKASE or Ikyu, booking direct is usually the simplest route.
- If it takes bookings only by phone, compare the fee with the course price. On a ¥12,000 course, 10–15% is ¥1,200–¥1,800. A flat ¥6,000 equals 10–15% of a ¥40,000–¥60,000 course; Tableall’s ¥8,000 equals 10–15% of about ¥53,000–¥80,000; our ¥12,000 for restaurants outside our collection equals 10–15% of ¥80,000–¥120,000. The fees also cover different things, so compare what is prepaid as well.
- Decide whether you want the course prepaid. With Tableall and with JPNEAZY course reservations, the course is paid in advance; with us and with JPNEAZY table reservations, the meal is paid at the restaurant.
- Read the cancellation terms. Each service sets its own rules on its fee; the restaurant’s own policy applies to the meal or is built into the service’s schedule.
- Ask what happens if the answer is no. Tableall, JPNEAZY, Pocket Concierge and we charge nothing when no seat is found; ask a hotel desk about its own terms.
What no service can do
No service can open an introduction‑only restaurant or create seats a restaurant has not released. Some restaurants, such as Den, do not accept bookings made through a service; we can still request those in the name of the guest who attends, and if the house declines a booking arranged on a guest’s behalf, we will tell you and nothing is charged. Our guide to why you can’t book Japan’s best restaurants explains the background.
To request a seat through us, tell us your dates, or read how to use a restaurant concierge in Japan first.
To see TableCheck, OMAKASE, Ikyu, Tableall and Pocket Concierge side by side, read Japan restaurant booking sites compared.