How to Get a Reservation at COTE NYC (2026 Guide)
James Williamson·· 7 min read
Key takeaways
- 1.COTE Flatiron reservations open on Resy 30 days ahead at 10 AM ET, and part of the room is held for phone bookings at (212) 401-7986.
- 2.The grill tables are built for four or more. Parties of two or three have been limited to the first or last seating.
- 3.About 4 in 10 COTE dates our members watched saw a table come back, usually about five days out. A Quenelle watch texts you when one appears.
- 4.No walk-ins in the dining room, but Undercote, the bar downstairs, takes walk-ins. The newer COTE 550 on Madison opens 14 days out.
COTE reservations are built for groups and early planners, and that's why so many people miss out. The Korean steakhouse at 16 West 22nd Street in Flatiron opened in 2017 and earned a Michelin star within its first year. It's still one of the most requested tables in the city. Tables open a month ahead, the grills are sized for four, and a couple hoping for 8 PM on a Saturday is up against everyone.
There are more ways in than most people try. COTE takes bookings by phone as well as on Resy, tables come back often in the last week, and there's a walk-in bar downstairs. Here's what I'd do, in order.
COTE Reservations: How the Booking System Works
COTE Flatiron books through Resy, on a rolling 30-day window that opens at 10 AM ET. Resy's listing says so, and Quenelle confirmed it on the live Resy calendar in April 2026. Each morning at ten, one new date opens, a month out.
What else matters:
- Some tables are held for the phone. COTE's operations team told Resy that part of the room is released online and part is held for phone bookings. Reservationists answer at (212) 401-7986, from 10 AM to 10 PM.
- The tables are built for four and up. All the grill tables at COTE seat four or more, mostly fours and sixes. Parties of two or three have been taken only for the first or last seating. That rule comes from a 2023 interview, so it may have loosened, but it explains why couples see so few times.
- No walk-ins in the dining room. Resy's listing says COTE is reservation-only and sends walk-ins to Undercote, the bar downstairs.
- Read the cancellation terms before you confirm. COTE doesn't publish them outside the booking flow, so check what the Resy confirmation screen says about late cancellations and no-shows.
Prime time in New York, according to COTE, is 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Earlier and later seatings are where you'll find room.
How to Get a Table at COTE, Ordered by Reliability
1. Book the 10 AM release, 30 days out
This is the front door. Count back 30 days from your date, set an alarm for 9:58 AM, and be on COTE's Resy page with your party size already entered. Weekend prime times go in seconds, so take the first slot that works. A 5:30 PM or a 10 PM Butcher's Feast is the same meal.
A party of four gives you the most choice by far. If you can turn a dinner for two into a dinner for four, do it.
2. Call when Resy is empty
COTE recommends calling a person if nothing appears online, and that isn't a formality. Because part of the room is held for the phone, the reservationist may see tables Resy doesn't. Call right after 10 AM, and be flexible on time and specific about party size. Don't expect a table held without a booking.
3. Catch a cancellation in the final week
Of the 250 or so COTE dates our members have watched, about 4 in 10 saw a bookable table come back. When they did, it was usually about five days before the date. Parties of four that become three or two, and groups that change their plans, put tables back into Resy all week.
Turn on Resy Notify for your date. It's free, but it goes to everyone on the list at the same time. A Quenelle watch checks COTE's Resy inventory around the clock and texts you the moment a table appears, with a link to book. That's the fastest way I know to catch a mid-week opening. It doesn't promise one.
4. Walk into Undercote
Undercote is COTE's bar downstairs, and it doesn't take reservations. It has been listed as open Tuesday through Saturday, and it's a good way to experience the place without a booking. It isn't the Butcher's Feast at a grill table, but it's your realistic walk-in option when the dining room is full. Nothing is guaranteed, so go early in the evening.
5. Try COTE 550 instead
In April 2026, Simon Kim opened COTE 550 at 550 Madison Avenue in Midtown, alongside a bar called Bar Chimera. It's a flashier room, with a DJ up front and a 1,400-bottle wine cellar. Quenelle's records show it opening on Resy 14 days ahead at 10 AM, so it's a good option when Flatiron is full a month out. The Butcher's Feast there is pricier, at $115 to $118 per person, because it starts with a cube of toro.
What COTE Actually Is
COTE is Simon Kim's Korean steakhouse, now the flagship of his Gracious Hospitality group, which also owns COQODAQ a block away. Every table has a smokeless grill in the center, and the staff cook the beef for you. It holds a Michelin star, which it earned in its first year.
The order is the Butcher's Feast: four cuts of USDA Prime and American wagyu beef, banchan, a savory egg soufflé, two stews and a soft serve to finish. The Infatuation lists it at $82 per person in Flatiron. Add a bottle from the very good wine list and dinner for four climbs quickly. For a bigger occasion, ask about the steak omakase.
Is COTE Worth It?
Yes. There are more Korean barbecue restaurants in New York now than ever, but COTE is still the most polished. The meat is excellent, the service runs like clockwork, and the Butcher's Feast is one of the better values among the city's starred restaurants.
It's at its best with four people. You get more of the menu, better times and a table that suits the grill. As a couple, it's still great, but you'll probably eat at 5:30 or 10 PM. If that sounds like a compromise, consider Undercote or another night.
When to Skip COTE and Book Somewhere Else
If you need a specific prime-time table for two this week and Resy is empty, skip it this time. Book something confirmed and set a watch for a later date.
- COTE 550, on Madison Avenue, is the same idea in a newer, louder room, with a shorter booking window.
- Keens Steakhouse, in Midtown, is the classic American steakhouse alternative, with the mutton chop and the pipe ceiling, and it's far easier to book. See our Keens guide.
- COQODAQ, a block away, is the same group's fried chicken and Champagne, with walk-in bar seats. See our COQODAQ guide.
The Black Label Burger alone justifies the trip. One of the great rooms in the city.
Danny Meyer's flagship for a reason. Thirty years of consistent excellence.
Classic American food, legendary murals, old New York atmosphere.
Rustic Italian that punches as hard as anywhere in the city.
The lasagna for two is a NYC classic at this point.
Tuscan cooking that feels genuinely transportive. Expect 90-minute waits on busy nights.
Outstanding natural wine program paired with pasta that rivals the neighborhood’s best.
Frequently Asked Questions
COTE: What I'd Do to Get a Table This Month
I'd decide on my party size first, and I'd make it four if I could. Then I'd count back 30 days, set an alarm for 9:58 AM, and book the first time that came up on Resy. If the page was empty at 10:01, I'd call (212) 401-7986 straight away.
For any date I didn't get, I'd set a Quenelle watch and stay flexible on time, because COTE's tables tend to come back about five days out. I'd also look at COTE 550 two weeks out. And if it came to the night with nothing booked, I'd go to Undercote for a drink and plan the Butcher's Feast for next month.
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