How to Get Into The Twenty Two and Maxime's (and What It's Actually Like)
Neither is impossible, but both require more planning than a standard London hotel bar booking. The Twenty Two on Grosvenor Square operates as a private members' club with a hotel and restaurant attached, which means the public-facing dining room is accessible without membership, but the best seats and the most atmospheric spaces sit behind a membership wall. The restaurant is open to the public; the Living Room is reserved for members and hotel guests. The Twenty Two's late-night/entertainment space is The Music Room. It runs on limited covers, draws a crowd that books weeks ahead, and does not publish a reservation drop schedule. For most readers, the clearest route in is a direct reservation through the venue for the restaurant, with membership the unlock for everything else.
Why The Twenty Two and Maxime's Fill Before Most People Call
The Twenty Two London has 31 hotel bedrooms and suites, including a mews house. That room count tells you the scale: this is not a sprawling hotel with a restaurant that needs to fill covers. The membership model means the club's bars, lounges, and social calendar are reserved for members and their guests, which compresses the public-facing capacity considerably. The restaurant is the only part of the hotel accessible to non-members or guests without a room booking. The restaurant and Maxime's supper club draw from both the member base and outside reservations, so competition for tables is real.
Maxime's specifically is the harder target. It is a late-night supper club format, modelled loosely on the legendary Paris original, with live entertainment, a set menu structure, and a room designed for atmosphere over throughput. That format means fewer covers per service than a conventional restaurant, and the combination of press attention and a loyal returning crowd keeps availability tight. The venue does not publish seat counts for Maxime's publicly, so the exact capacity is unconfirmed, confirm directly with the venue.
When Reservations at The Twenty Two and Maxime's Open
The Twenty Two does not publish a fixed reservation release window or a drop time for either the main restaurant or Maxime's. The venue does not operate on a OpenTable public calendar in the way that most London restaurants do. Reservations are handled directly through the venue. Confirm the current booking lead time and any release schedule directly with The Twenty Two before planning around a specific date, calling or emailing directly is the most reliable route to current availability. The venue's phone number is +44 203 988 5022.
For hotel guests, the booking dynamic shifts: staying at the property gives you access to the concierge team, who can assist with restaurant and Maxime's reservations as part of the stay. London rooms start from £615 a night, which is the floor for this access route. If a specific Maxime's date matters to you, booking a room and requesting the reservation through the hotel concierge is a materially better position than calling cold as an outside diner.
The Best Channels for Getting a Table at The Twenty Two
Ranked by realistic odds:
1. Hotel stay plus concierge request. The most reliable route for Maxime's in particular. Book a room at The Twenty Two, then contact the concierge ahead of arrival to request the Maxime's date you want. Hotel guests are not guaranteed a table, but the concierge has direct access to the reservation system and can flag your request before the date fills.
2. Direct contact with the venue. For the main restaurant, calling or emailing The Twenty Two directly is the standard route for non-members. The restaurant is open to non-members, and availability exists, it just requires more lead time than a typical Mayfair restaurant. There is no verified third-party booking platform link in the public record, so do not rely on OpenTable or OpenTable searches to surface live availability.
3. Membership.Young Patrons (ages 21 to 29) pay £1,500 a year for London membership, plus an £800 joining fee. The full membership gives access to the club's bars, lounges, and social calendar, with priority for events. If you are London-based and the Mayfair members' club circuit is relevant to your life, the membership is worth enquiring about. If you are visiting London once, it is not the right tool for a single dinner.
4. Amex Platinum and card concierge programs. American Express Platinum and Centurion concierge teams have relationships with Mayfair venues and are worth deploying for hard-to-book dates. This is not a guaranteed route, but for Maxime's on a Friday or Saturday, it is worth the call before you try cold outreach.
Inside Maxime's: What the Supper Club Format Actually Delivers
The Twenty Two's interiors were designed with a deliberate 1970s European glamour register, dark lacquer, velvet, candlelight, the kind of room that reads as a film set for a certain kind of Mayfair evening. The main restaurant operates as an all-day dining room with a European brasserie sensibility. It is comfortable and well-executed, but it is Maxime's that justifies the effort.
Maxime's is a late-night format: live music, a set menu, table service paced around the entertainment rather than a conventional restaurant rhythm. The room is designed to evoke the Paris original, banquettes, low lighting, a performance area, and a crowd that is there for the full evening rather than a quick dinner. The format means you are committing to two-plus hours, not a 90-minute turnaround. The Twenty Two's stated mantra is "Come as you are" with no formal dress code, but Maxime's draws a crowd that makes a deliberate effort, underdressing reads as a misread of the occasion.
The menu at Maxime's is set rather than à la carte, which means the cost is fixed per head. The venue does not publish current menu pricing openly, so confirm the per-head cost when booking. Budget for a full evening including drinks, which will add materially to the per-head spend.
The main restaurant is more accessible and more flexible: à la carte, open to walk-ins when space allows (though calling ahead is advisable), and a reasonable choice for a Mayfair dinner that does not require the full Maxime's commitment.
Booking Strategy: How to Improve Your Odds at Maxime's
Book the hotel if Maxime's is the goal. The concierge route is genuinely the best odds-improver for the supper club. London rooms start from £615, which is not a casual outlay, but if Maxime's on a specific date is the objective, the hotel stay is the access mechanism, not just accommodation.
Avoid the mistakes that cost people the table:
Waiting for a Resy or OpenTable listing. The Twenty Two does not appear to operate through major third-party platforms for its primary reservations. Searching those platforms and finding nothing does not mean the venue is full, it means you are looking in the wrong place. Go direct.
Calling on the day for Maxime's. The supper club format fills well in advance. Same-day or next-day availability exists occasionally, but planning a special occasion around that hope is a poor bet. The venue does not publish a lead-time requirement; contact the venue directly to confirm current availability for your target date, and do so as early as possible.
Treating it like a restaurant booking. Maxime's is a supper club. Arriving late, expecting a quick table turn, or booking for a group that wants to leave early disrupts the format. The venue is designed for a full evening; book it only if that is what you want.
Ignoring the membership question if you are London-based. If you live in London and the Mayfair social circuit is part of your life, not enquiring about membership because the process seems opaque is a mistake. The venue handles membership enquiries directly; the application is not public, but the conversation is worth starting.
The Twenty Two and Maxime's vs. Comparable Mayfair Members' Club Dining
| Venue | Access model | Booking difficulty (non-member) | How to book | Supper club / entertainment format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Twenty Two / Maxime's | Members' club + hotel + public restaurant | Moderate (restaurant) / High (Maxime's) | Direct / hotel concierge | Yes (Maxime's) |
| 5 Hertford Street | Members only, no public dining | Effectively closed to non-members | Member introduction required | Yes (Loulou's) |
| Annabel's | Members' club + limited public events | High, members and guests only for most nights | Member guest or ticketed events | Yes |
| Sexy Fish | Public restaurant, no membership | Low to moderate, OpenTable, books 30 days out | Resy | No |
Alternatives Worth Booking If The Twenty Two Is Full
Loulou's at 5 Hertford Street is the closest London equivalent to Maxime's in terms of late-night supper club atmosphere and Mayfair social register, but it is members and guests only, which makes it harder, not easier, to access. Worth knowing if you have a member connection.
Annabel's on Berkeley Square runs ticketed events and member evenings with live entertainment; the public-facing calendar occasionally has availability for non-members. Less intimate than Maxime's but a comparable evening format.
Sexy Fish on Berkeley Square is the easiest Mayfair booking in this tier: public restaurant, on OpenTable, no membership required, and a room that delivers on atmosphere. It does not have a supper club format, but for a high-energy Mayfair dinner without the access friction, it is the practical alternative.
Bacchanalia on Mount Street is another public-access Mayfair option with a theatrical room and a crowd that overlaps with The Twenty Two's. Reservations through the venue directly or OpenTable.
Who Should Make the Effort
The Twenty Two's main restaurant is worth booking for anyone who wants a well-executed Mayfair dinner in a room with genuine character, without the membership overhead. It is a better choice than Sexy Fish if you want a quieter, more considered evening, and a better choice than Annabel's if you are not a member and do not want to work through the guest process.
Maxime's is specifically for people who want a full supper club evening: live entertainment, a set menu, a late night, and a room that commits to a particular aesthetic. It is not the right booking for a business dinner, a quick pre-theatre meal, or anyone who wants flexibility on timing. It is the right booking for a birthday, an anniversary, or a London evening that is the occasion itself rather than a prelude to one.
Skip the membership enquiry if you are visiting London once. Pursue it if you are London-based, entertain regularly in Mayfair, and want consistent access to the full club rather than working through the public reservation process each time.
Worth the Chase?
The Twenty Two's restaurant is accessible enough that the effort is low relative to the reward: a well-designed Mayfair room, a European menu, and an atmosphere that most comparable public restaurants in the area do not match. The restaurant is the only part of the hotel non-members can access, which concentrates outside demand into a single room, so give yourself reasonable lead time for a weekend date and go direct rather than searching third-party platforms.
Maxime's is the harder and more interesting question. The supper club format is genuinely rare in London at this level, 5 Hertford Street's Loulou's is the only real peer, and that is members-only. If the format appeals to you, the effort is justified. The hotel stay is the most reliable access route for a specific date; the direct contact route works but requires more lead time than most people allow. London Young Patron membership (ages 21 to 29) runs £1,500 a year, which is the long-term answer for regulars who want to stop working around the public reservation process entirely.
The one mistake to avoid: treating Maxime's as a restaurant you can slot in on short notice for a special occasion. Plan it as the occasion itself, with the lead time the format demands, and it delivers something that most Mayfair evenings do not. For visitors who get the access right, the combination of a night at The Twenty Two and a Maxime's reservation is one of the more distinctive evening formats in Mayfair: a fixed-menu supper club with live entertainment, a rarity in this part of London.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can non-members book a table at The Twenty Two's restaurant in London?
Yes. The restaurant at The Twenty Two London is open to the public. Membership unlocks the full club, including bars, lounges, and the social calendar, but the dining room takes outside reservations. Contact the venue directly to book, as The Twenty Two does not appear to operate through major third-party platforms like Resy or OpenTable for its primary reservations.
How early should you contact The Twenty Two to secure a Maxime's table?
The venue does not publish a fixed release window or drop time for Maxime's reservations. The venue does not publish a minimum lead-time requirement; contact The Twenty Two directly to confirm current availability for your target date. For a date that matters, reach out as early as possible, or book a hotel room and use the concierge route, which gives you direct access to the reservation system before outside demand fills the room.
What is the dress expectation at Maxime's supper club inside The Twenty Two?
The Twenty Two's stated mantra is "Come as you are" with no published dress code. In practice, Maxime's draws a crowd that treats the evening as a formal occasion, the supper club format, live entertainment, and Mayfair setting mean most guests make a deliberate effort. When in doubt, err toward formal rather than smart-casual.
What does The Twenty Two London membership cost, and how do you apply?
Young Patrons (ages 21 to 29) pay £1,500 a year for London membership, plus an £800 joining fee. Full membership terms and the application process are handled directly through the club rather than published openly on the website. Contact The Twenty Two via their website or by phone to begin a membership enquiry and confirm current terms.
Can you walk into The Twenty Two London without a reservation?
Walk-ins at the main restaurant are possible when space allows, but calling ahead is advisable, particularly for evenings and weekends. Maxime's is a set-format supper club and is not suited to walk-in access, it requires a reservation. The restaurant is the only part of the hotel accessible to non-members, so the bars and lounge areas are not available to outside visitors without a room booking or restaurant reservation.
