Tempura Matsui
The only Michelin-starred tempura counter in America, where a single master fries each course to the second in front of you.
222 E 39th St, New York, NY 10016 · hours vary by night
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Why Tempura Matsui is hard to book
This is one small room built around a single chef and a tempura counter that seats only a handful of guests at a time. There is no second dining floor to absorb demand and no walk-in line that ever moves. The kitchen runs a fixed omakase, two evening seatings a night Tuesday through Saturday plus a single midday seating on weekends, so the entire week amounts to a tiny number of chairs. Reservations open just one month ahead and each seat is held with a card, which means the calendar fills the moment it appears. For the prime counter seats facing the master, the window between release and sold out is measured in minutes.
We work the calendar so you do not have to. The night you want is logged the instant the thirty-day window turns, and we are watching the moment new inventory drops and every time a held card releases a seat back. When the table you asked for becomes gettable, we secure it in your name for your date. Same room, same night, the counter you actually wanted. We never swap you to a different evening or a different restaurant. If the seat is not there, we keep watching until it is.
How we work this room.
Pay when we get you in.
Your card is authorized when you submit the request. We charge it only when we confirm your table. No confirmation, no charge. Ever.
Authorize, do not captureThe host is expecting you.
You walk in to Tempura Matsui and the table is yours, held for your party at your time.
Confirmed for your partyOne posted price.
One number, every night, every party size. No auctions, no surge, no Friday markup. Whatever the room is doing, the price does not move. Sign in to see it.
No auctions. No surge.Tempura Matsui, the FAQ.
How do I get a reservation at Tempura Matsui?
Name Tempura Matsui and the night you want. We book it on your account the instant a table opens or a cancellation appears, and you only pay if we actually get it.
Why is Tempura Matsui so hard to book?
Tempura Matsui is one of the most in-demand tables in Murray Hill. Prime-time seats are claimed within seconds of release, and many never reach the public at all, so refreshing on your own rarely works.
When do Tempura Matsui reservations open up?
Tempura Matsui releases tables on a set schedule, and seats also reappear when other guests cancel. We watch both around the clock and move the instant one opens, so you never have to refresh at midnight.
How much does it cost to book Tempura Matsui through The Elusive List?
One flat fee, charged only when we confirm your table. No table, no charge. Sign in to see the exact fee for Tempura Matsui.
Five steps, start to seated.
You ask.
Tell us the night, the time window, the party size. Two minutes on this page. Card on file, not charged.
We confirm the request.
An operator reviews the request, checks the room, and sends a confirmation that we are working it. Usually within thirty minutes.
We work the room.
We reach the floor manager directly, by phone or by text, depending on the night. We make the call.
You are confirmed.
We charge the card and send your confirmation — the time and the name to give the host.
You eat.
Walk into 222 E 39th St, give your name at the host stand, sit down. The room takes it from there. We do not see you again until the next request.
Japanese Tempura Omakase, New York, Tier III.
Tonight, tomorrow,
or three months out.
We work this restaurant every day. You pay only when we confirm your table.