Dining at Five & Ten in Athens, Georgia — celebrity chef Hugh Acheson’s flagship fine dining farm-to-table American restaurant — is typically an upscale, fine dining experience. Except on Tuesdays, when Acheson opens up his dining room with Ramen Nights that allow people to enjoy his cooking in a more casual way.
“Ramen Nights market us as being a restaurant for not just people who can afford fine dining. We want to make sure we’re including as many aspects of our community as possible,” Acheson says. “It just gives them the opportunity to come here for a different reason.”
Ramen Nights are just one of many new ways to enjoy restaurants on OpenTable: Experiences are now live, a collection of exciting new ways to take part in unique restaurant events beyond standard reservations. You can now browse thousands of experiences to fit any mood, occasion, and budget — from line dancing lessons and prix-fixe dinners under the stars to outdoor happy hours and live music on the patio — then book your next special outing with ease directly on OpenTable.
Experiences already live include Champagne celebrations and live sabering at iconic upscale New Orleans restaurant Brennan’s, complimentary line dancing lessons at Renegades Country Bar & Grill, and a tasting menu tour of Peru on one of Chicago’s best rooftops, Tanta. From happy hour to dollar oysters on the patio to sumptuous multi-course tasting menus, Experiences are just that: ways to experience the best of what dining has to offer.
“It’s been good to pivot to other things and keep people engaged,” Acheson says. “The interface has allowed us to successfully promote those things.”
Some of the Best Experiences in the U.S. and Canada
Forza Storico in Atlanta
One of Atlanta’s most renowned Italian restaurants is offering half off its extensive wine collection on Tuesdays. Choose from more than 80 labels, 30 of which are available by the glass.
Cranes in Washington D.C.
Let accomplished chef Pepe Moncayo take you on an omakase journey through Cranes’s contemporary Spanish- Japanese menu. Dishes on the $88, six-course tasting menu could include salmon with ikura and ponzu butter or smoked hamachi with apricot and green almonds.
La Petite Grocery in New Orleans
Experience James Beard Award-winning food for much less during happy hour at this Lousiana-French New Orleans neighborhood gem, when snacks and cocktails run $6 from 5 pm to 6 pm Monday through Wednesday.
Soogil in New York City
Soogil’s esteemed chef has put together a five-course, $75 tasting menu for the upscale Korean-French dishes in NYC’s East Village, including foie gras with poached peach, pickled ramp, and mushroom soy sauce and a sea scallop & poached leek skewer with gochujang crust.
10Pin Bowling Lounge in Chicago
Grab a bowling lane and unlimited drinks for two hours at this Chicago-founded lounge. There’s also a full-service kitchen to eat comfort food classics such as nachos, wings, and loaded potato skins while you bowl.
Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro in Knoxville
It’s rare to get a taste of Appalachian food, and Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro in Tennessee offers an exciting glimpse at the historic Southern cuisine through Tasting Tuesdays, a $55, four-course tasting menu. There’s also a vegetarian option.
Ballarò in Toronto
Toronto restaurant Ballarò – Mission Lasagna has a slew of events coming up that highlight its housemade pastas and standout regional Italian cuisine. From a five-course wine tasting with paired tramezzino sandwiches to evenings dedicated to various regions — Tuscany, Campania, and Abruzzo — there are several ways to dive into Italy.
How it works
To find Experiences on OpenTable, head to www.opentable.com/experiences. There you’ll be able to explore what’s trending in your area and even see what’s being offered worldwide.
These unique events are bucketed into two major categories: Special menus, which include prix-fixe dinners, holiday specials, and tasting menus, and offers, which range from happy hours and promotions to complimentary items.
Once you choose an Experience, simply click on it and follow the booking process as though you were booking a standard reservation. For some Experiences, you will be asked to pre-pay through OpenTable to secure your spot. For more information on the Experiences product, check out these FAQs, then head to OpenTable to discover your next night out. If your restaurant wants to offer Experiences on OpenTable, get started here.
