fully booked restaurant

Meaning

Refers to an eating establishment that has no available tables left because all reservations have been taken. This phrase is commonly used when planning trips, calling ahead for dinner, or discussing popular dining spots where securing a table in advance is necessary.

Examples

• We tried to get a table for Friday night, but it was a fully booked restaurant.

  We tried to get a table for Friday night, but it was a fully booked restaurant.

• If you want to eat at that Michelin-starred spot, keep in mind it's a fully booked restaurant months in advance.

  If you want to eat at that Michelin-starred spot, keep in mind it's a fully booked restaurant months in advance.

• Walking into a fully booked restaurant without a reservation usually means you'll be turned away.

  Walking into a fully booked restaurant without a reservation usually means you'll be turned away.

• The concierge warned us that every fully booked restaurant in the city center would require weeks of notice during the holidays.

  The concierge warned us that every fully booked restaurant in the city center would require weeks of notice during the holidays.

• She managed to find a table at the last minute, which is rare for such a popular, fully booked restaurant.

  She managed to find a table at the last minute, which is rare for such a popular, fully booked restaurant.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We couldn't eat there because it was a full booked restaurant.

  ✓ We couldn't eat there because it was a fully booked restaurant.

  'Fully' is an adverb modifying the adjective 'booked'. Using 'full' is grammatically incorrect in this compound modifier.

• ✗ The restaurant is completely reserved tonight.

  ✓ The restaurant is fully booked tonight.

  While 'reserved' is understood, native speakers almost always say a restaurant is 'fully booked' or 'all booked up' rather than 'completely reserved'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Since it is a popular tourist spot, you should expect a ___ during peak season.

  💡 A dining place with no tables left.

  Show answer

  fully booked restaurant

• I called to make a reservation, but the host told me they were a ___ for the entire weekend.

  💡 An establishment with zero available seats.

  Show answer

  fully booked restaurant