The tucked away Bank Tavern, in Bristol, is the most difficult eatery to get a reservation – anywhere on the planet.
Located in John Street since the 1800s, the pub reopened bookings for its famous Sunday lunch after clearing a four year waiting list last year.
It opened spots for tables at 10am on New Year’s Day for the year and all dates were filled by midday.
The pub, hidden away in the centre of the city, has just seven tables, with space for up to 40 diners.
Sharing the news on Instagram, The Bank Tavern team said that “tables sold out quicker than they could have imagined”.
It later wrote: “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who supports us and wants to come in for a Sunday roast.
“We didn’t expect bookings to sell out quite as quickly as they did today!
“If you didn’t manage to book a table this time – please check the calendar on the booking section of our website every so often.
“If someone else cancels their table, their slot will automatically become available. Thank you all for the continued love for our little boozer. Happy New Year!”
The Bank Tavern had to stop taking new reservations in 2019 after winning the Observer Food Monthly Awards 2019 – turning a six month waiting list to four years – because demand became unmanageable.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020, it meant some bookings across two years were missed, and cancellations were offered those who missed out.
The pub could then open the diary again for 2024 when the backlog from last year was cleared.
The pub shared success stories of those lucky enough to have booked a Sunday table.
One said: “Secured the elusive @thebanktavern Sunday roast booking.
“Let’s see what all this fuss is about then.”
Another called it “a great start to the year” as they can “finally take their parents when they visit”.
An unlucky commentator wrote: “Missed out! Been trying for years!!”
Someone compared the process to getting Glastonbury tickets, writing: “I feel like I’m going to Glasto! I’m in!”
