Web Wonder

LAist does its best to check out the restaurant scene in our favorite hometown, but sometimes we admit that we just don’t like to pick up the phone and make the dreaded reservation call. We know, we know. We’re lazy. And we hate dealing with haughty hostesses and manipulative maitre d’s. So imagine how thrilled we were when we stumbled on Open Table. This wonderfully orchestrated web site allows us to quickly scan dozens of restaurants in our area, check for available seating times and even earn points for using the system that can be redeemed in the future for Open Table Dining Cheques. We get an email confirmation immediately after submitting our reservation and most of the restaurants issue a follow-up call to let you know they received your booking. What a novel idea…they call us! LAist likes to tell them that we’re awfully busy at the moment, but perhaps they’d like to call back later when they won’t have to wait so long.

Some of LA’s hottest restaurants are already a part of the system, including Koi, Chi, Mix Restaurant, Sushi Roku and The Little Door. More seem to be joining the fray on a daily basis, so many that even a cursory check on Valentine’s Day brought up plenty of last second possibilities for even the worst procrastinators among us.

Open Table, we salute you. Now get us some water and bread. We’re hungry.