How to Get Into Baby Bistro, the East Side’s Coolest Restaurant

Congrats on the New York Times review! How has it affected your bookings since it was published?

Andy Schwartz: It’s great that people are saying really nice things about the restaurant and it’s definitely making a difference for the business. It’s a small restaurant, so on the weekends, even before [the review], we were already booking up … but now it’s five days a week, all the same amount of covers (75 to 82 people per night), right at the cap that we accept, with hundreds of Notifies.

How many seats are in the restaurant and the back patio?

I’d say 36.

Do you accept walk-ins?

We always keep the front patio for walk-ins, which has a few benches and small tables, and stools with taller tables. We can take another eight to 10 people out front. They’re mostly two-top tables, but four can definitely be done. And most nights, with some rare exceptions, the whole menu is available out front. 

If someone was planning to walk in, what time and day of the week would they have the most luck?

The best bet for walk-ins is right at opening. There’s almost always a few tables that are open from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. Generally, there are also openings between 9 to 9:30 p.m.

When do reservations open to the public?

Two weeks out at 10 a.m.

How quickly do primetime weekend reservations get snatched up?

The day that they’re released. 

What’s a workaround to that?

Every day when we send out confirmations at 4 p.m. the day prior to reservations, we see a slew of cancellations. I always tell people to set the Notify feature and be ready at 4 p.m. the day prior. 

How long is your Notify list?

It depends on the day. Sometimes it’s just in the 40s and 50s. And on weekends, it’s maybe north of 200. Some of those people just do it [without planning to actually go], so [the number] always feels a little inflated.

What’s the most popular day and time that gets snatched up on reservations?

It’s 5:30 to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

Are there certain days where there is a better chance to get a primetime reservation?

Tuesday through Thursday.

Are there any other tricks to getting someone seated?

If there’s a special occasion, or if someone is coming from out of town, or just really wants a reservation, email me at info@babybistrola.com. I’m usually happy to book them outside of the two-week window.

What’s the maximum party size you can book?

On Resy, the cap is six people. But if a guest emails me for a reservation outside of the two-week window, we have two options for parties of eight. When it’s more, then we’re talking about a buyout.

In your opinion, what’s the best seat in the house?

My go-to is in the dining room at table 16, which is at the end of the first row of tables when you walk in. There, you get to see the back patio outside, you get to see the kitchen, and you get to see a snippet of the little room tucked around the corner. 

Would anyone be able to request that table?

They can give a preference but because of how delicate the timing is for all these things, I can’t absolutely promise anyone a spot unless they maybe have a 5:30 p.m. booking, but it gets harder as the night goes on.

Is the back patio heated?

There are some mobile heaters that we set up, but I would suggest a jacket in the winter.

How would you suggest ordering for two people?

If it’s your first time, the best move is to order all five courses and dessert, which are designed to be eaten in a progression [down the] menu and shared between two people. So, if you have four people, you should order two of everything.

What should they definitely get if they’re not planning on ordering the whole menu?

I’d do the bread course, and as a curve ball, add on the fennel Caesar  — it’s got radish, jicama, sultanas that are plumped back up in jasmine tea, an anchovy Caesar dressing, and bread crumbs from the onion bread. And then, it’s really hard to decide between the two protein-forward dishes. The squid stuffed with luxury rice is a little richer as a risotto-style dish. If I were there for a light dinner, I would do the Spanish mackerel, which is a really delicate and beautiful dish. For dessert, the pinenut cookies are wonderful.

[Ed. Note: the menu at Baby Bistro changes frequently.] 

Are there particular wines that people are gravitating toward?

We’re selling a lot more white wine than I anticipated, which I love to see because when I’m left to my own devices, I’m usually drinking white wine. We source from a very small amount of Californian producers, but there’s been a really warm reception to those wines. But because everything we [carry are from wineries with] small production, we don’t have specific bottles to mention since we change them out so often. I’ve added a “server’s whim” option to the glass list. Everyone that works here really knows their stuff and we taste a lot of wines.

It’s Saturday night at 6 p.m. at Baby Bistro. Can you set the scene? 

Right at 6 p.m. is when you feel this momentum change. We’re almost fully seated and everybody is getting over being polite like they are in the beginning. It’s always eerily quiet right at 5:30 even as people are piling in, since they haven’t yet gotten comfortable enough to talk loudly. So, by 6 p.m., you’ve got some drinks in hand. It’s usually right when [the room] gets this energy — everyone orders the bread course right from the jump, and then, it’s kind of an assembly line at the pass at the kitchen. By 6 p.m., you’re usually getting into the other dishes and you can feel the intensity of the restaurant picking up steam and servers flying around. The amount of conversation really picks up and then carries through the night.

What’s the music like?

We play this huge playlist that I’m sure everyone on staff is incredibly sick of, but each night, it’s on shuffle. There’s “Es Facil Amar” by Albert Hammond, and then I love this really good “Haditouni” track by Douaa that has sweeping Arabic vocals over poppy jazz-funk. I had Miles and the staff send me playlists, and my dear friend Vince Campillo (aka Mr. Palomar) has shown me pretty much all the world music we play and makes some playlists for us as well.

What do you love about working at Baby Bistro?

I’ve always loved team places. I really enjoy working with this group of people. I trust and respect them. There’s a lot of monotony in these jobs where you’re cooking and talking about the same stuff, and you’re supposed to cook the dishes and serve them with as much joy, respect, and intuition for what people want to the best of your ability every day, table after table, moment after moment. My favorite part of working at Baby Bistro is watching people lean on each other to get it done.

What else about the Baby Bistro experience should people know about?

Come with the expectation of enjoying dinner. When places get really hyped up, it changes expectations. It’s great that so many people are talking about the restaurant, but the restaurant is just what it is and I hope that people come to experience it and engage with us. Sometimes the menu or certain courses or wines might not sing to them, but I hope that people see the principle and the level of attention, intention, and care behind all of these things. That’s all any of us can really control here. Everything is being done to the absolute best of our ability every day, so I want people to hopefully feel that in each moment of their time here.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.