Chicago · Modernist tasting menu · OpenTable

How to get a reservation at Alinea

How to get a reservation at Alinea in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Tables are booked on OpenTable. Release rule on file: 15th of each month at 11:00 AM CT for month after next (e.g., Jan 15 -> March).

Difficulty and odds on this page are a Midnight Table estimate, not official Resy or OpenTable data.

Near impossibleOpenTable

Alinea is a Modernist tasting menu room in Lincoln Park. Tables are booked on OpenTable (moved from Tock for dates from Nov 2026 - verify). 15th of each month at 11:00 AM CT for month after next (e.g., Jan 15 -> March).

Reservations open

15th of each month at 11:00 AM CT for month after next (e.g., Jan 15 -> March)

This comes from the restaurant's own page. Schedules still change, so confirm before the drop.

Strategy

How to approach Alinea

Near impossible · 5/5

Editorial estimate. On Midnight Table’s researched hard-to-book list for this city (rank 1). Release note: 15th of each month at 11:00 AM CT for month after next (e.g., Jan 15 -> March). Sellout speed is not a live platform feed, and this is not a guarantee.

Platform: OpenTable.

Walk-ins on file: No.

If you miss it

A Midnight Table estimate, not a feed from Resy or OpenTable, and not a guarantee.

The secrets

Insider tips

  • New dates usually land on the 15th at 11:00 AM CT, about two months out. January 15 is the drop for March. The Gallery and the Kitchen Table run about three and a half hours. The Salon is the shorter, individual-table menu: about two hours for two people and two and a half for four to six.

    confirmed by restaurant Alinea

  • Tickets are prepaid and non-refundable. With 72 hours' notice they will move you to another date in the same calendar year. After that, they will not change it, and a missed night is not credited toward a later one. More than ten minutes late can mean missing part of the menu. If you are running behind, email host@alinearestaurant.com.

    confirmed by restaurant Alinea

  • Dress is elevated casual. Jackets are not required. A 20% service charge is on the bill. Valet starts at 4:45pm and is $19 a car. Corkage is one 750ml bottle per person at $125, and it cannot be a wine already on the list. They will not build the menu around an aversion, and they cannot strip egg or dairy. Allergies need 72 hours' notice at hospitality@alinearestaurant.com.

    confirmed by restaurant Alinea

  • Gift cards cannot be applied inside the OpenTable checkout. Book first, then email hospitality@alinearestaurant.com with the card number, the amount, a photo of the card, and the reservation date, time, and name.

    confirmed by restaurant Alinea

Last checked October 18, 2026. Paraphrased from public sources. Policies change, so confirm with the restaurant.

On file

City
Chicago
Cuisine
Modernist tasting menu
Booking platform
OpenTable
Difficulty
Near impossible · 5/5. Midnight Table estimate.
Release rule
15th of each month at 11:00 AM CT for month after next (e.g., Jan 15 -> March)
Walk-ins
No

Questions

How do you get a reservation at Alinea?

Alinea books via OpenTable. Waitlist/notify: Check platform.

When do Alinea reservations open?

15th of each month at 11:00 AM CT for month after next (e.g., Jan 15 -> March). Source status: From the restaurant's own page. Confirm on the booking page before the drop.

How hard is it to book Alinea?

Near impossible (5/5). That is a Midnight Table estimate, not live availability and not official Resy or OpenTable data.

Does Alinea take walk-ins?

No.

How do people get a table at Alinea?

New dates usually land on the 15th at 11:00 AM CT, about two months out. January 15 is the drop for March. The Gallery and the Kitchen Table run about three and a half hours. The Salon is the shorter, individual-table menu: about two hours for two people and two and a half for four to six. Tickets are prepaid and non-refundable. With 72 hours' notice they will move you to another date in the same calendar year. After that, they will not change it, and a missed night is not credited toward a later one. More than ten minutes late can mean missing part of the menu. If you are running behind, email host@alinearestaurant.com. Dress is elevated casual. Jackets are not required. A 20% service charge is on the bill. Valet starts at 4:45pm and is $19 a car. Corkage is one 750ml bottle per person at $125, and it cannot be a wine already on the list. They will not build the menu around an aversion, and they cannot strip egg or dairy. Allergies need 72 hours' notice at hospitality@alinearestaurant.com. Gift cards cannot be applied inside the OpenTable checkout. Book first, then email hospitality@alinearestaurant.com with the card number, the amount, a photo of the card, and the reservation date, time, and name.

Does Midnight Table sell reservations?

No. Midnight Table sends alerts and helps with planning and booking. Every reservation is made in your own name on the restaurant's own platform, and Midnight Table does not resell tables.

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