1. The Darby
244 W. 14th St.
The table: The six-top center booth — No. 74 — in this red retro supper club, has a fabulous view of the stage, where the house band and chanteuse Lady Rizo performs several times a night. 5 stars.
Its A-list diners: Celebrities don’t just dine here, they get rowdy, too, as Gerard Butler demonstrated at John Mayer’s birthday by jumping onstage. Other notable diners include his Purple Highness Prince and Charlize Theron. 5 stars.
How exclusive is it: According to policy, the table can be booked a month in advance, but unless Lady Luck is on your side (with Rihanna on the other) it’s usually already nabbed by high rollers. 4 stars.
PHOTOS: THE 10 BEST TABLES IN NYC
2. Abe & Arthur 409 W. 14th St.
The table: The center booth — No. 51 — against the west wall is the only enclosed banquette in the room. 4 stars.
Its A-list diners: Group dining is big at this Meatpacking hot spot where Paris Hilton sat with an all-male entourage, and Rihanna ordered the tuna tartare tacos and sweet potato fries. 4 stars.
How exclusive is it: No. 51 is held for celebrities and loyal regulars only — “They know who they are,” says a rep for the restaurant — but with many seeking tans this weekend, there’s no harm in trying. 5 stars.
3. The Breslin 16 W. 29th St.
The table: Booth No. 40 is closest to the open kitchen and has curtains that can be drawn for privacy. There’s also a call button for the server, iPhone and BlackBerry chargers and dimmers for the lights. “People close the curtains all the time, especially couples who feel the need to fool around,” says owner Ken Friedman. 5 stars.
Its A-list diners: Hipsters who are used to the comfort of having it all: Liv Tyler, Whitney Port and Chelsea Clinton. 3 stars.
How exclusive is it: The booth, like all the other tables at The Breslin, can’t be booked, and during non-holiday weekends is held for valued customers (or A-listers) who eat there at least once a week. 5 stars.
4. ABC Kitchen
35 E. 18th St.
The table The best spot in Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s new organic joint is No. 60, a round corner table that’s actually a $12,000 piece of art constructed from a salvaged tree trunk by local artist Jim Denney, and positioned under a stunning glass chandelier. 4 stars.
Its A-list diners: Since it’s so new, younger, hipper celebrity couples like Katy Perry and Russell Brand have made this their date-night spot, while Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes celebrated Holmes’ birthday there in December. 5 stars.
How exclusive is it: Normally, reservations can be made one month in advance, and you can request the “tree,” but there are no guarantees you’ll get it upon arrival. 4 stars.
5. The Lion
62 W. Ninth St.
The table: Far from the riffraff of the main dining room below, the private, second-floor table at John DeLucie’s West Village restaurant is undoubtedly one of the best in the city. Not only is it dark and sexy up there, but the 14-seater has its own staircase, bathroom and garden views. 5 stars.
Its A-list diners: Young starlets (Anne Hathaway & Blake Lively) and those who want to hide (A-Rod & Madonna). 4 stars.
How exclusive is it: The Lion’s regular policy states that the table can be booked a month in advance by anyone, so long as it’s available. You also don’t have to bring 14 people, though at least 10 are preferred. What’s more: There is an early seating and a later seating. 3 stars.
6. Minetta Tavern
113 MacDougal St.
The table: The four-top, circular red booths — No. 12 or No. 13 — in the back room allow those who are privileged to survey the 16 other tables in the room, the beautiful people at them and the comings and goings to and from the kitchen. 4 stars.
Its A-list diners: New Yorkers such as Hugh Jackman, Jerry Seinfeld, Brooke Shields and Sarah Jessica Parker have made this their neighborhood eatery. 5 stars.
How exclusive is it: Reservations can be made 30 days in advance, and are notoriously hard to come by. You can request a booth, but won’t be guaranteed one. (Unless you’re SJP. Or with her.) The rumored friends-and-family phone number that gets you a table tout suite is a fallacy, says a staff member: “The reservation numbers are all available online, and each leads to the same reservation office and policy.” 3 stars.
7. Beauty & Essex
146 Essex St.
The table: The cozy, corner booth in the main dining room — table No. 49 — which seats up to six people, has a full view of the super-luxe space. 3 stars.
Its A-list diners: Another newbie in the late-night-dining-scene-turned-night-out venues, this spot attracts younger notables such as Lindsay Lohan, the Olsen twins and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Oh and when Kim Kardashian plops her infamous tush at table No. 49, she invariably orders chicken meatballs. 4 stars.
How exclusive is it: The restaurant’s usual booking policy allows for reservations to be made starting 30 days in advance, so diners need to call exactly 30 days prior to their preferred date. Chances for getting the booth increase by making an early or late booking. 3 stars.
8. Fresco by Scotto
34 E. 52nd St.
The table: The four-seater known as No. 21 is one of the first tables you see upon entering, making it perfect for those who like to see and be seen. 2 stars.
Its A-list diners: This Midtown staple mostly caters to older clientele with political or media clout such as Rudy Giuliani, Regis Philbin, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Joan Rivers. 3 stars.
How exclusive is it: Unless you can convince Regis to break bread with you (or to call on your behalf while he vacations out East), the table is usually left open for last-minute VIPs.
9. Bar Pitti
268 Sixth Ave.
The table(s) The entire sidewalk cafe outside this 16-year-old Village stalwart is one of the most popular hot spots south of 14th Street. 2 stars.
Its A-list diners: Those who like the spotlight (or really daylight, out in full view) — Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Tom Ford, Mickey Rourke, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Hudson. 3 stars.
How exclusive is it: During peak season, it’s a case of showing up and waiting for up to two hours at sought-after dining times. 3 stars.
10. Swifty’s
1007 Lexington Ave.
The table: The money spot at this old-school, Upper East Side eatery is round table No. 17 in the back room, which seats up to 11. It’s more private than those in the front, is next to the windows and feels more like you’re in a country club than a public restaurant. 3 stars.
Its A-list diners: Uptown ladies who lunch such as Barbara Taylor Bradford, Tori Burch and Barbara Walters. 4 stars.
How exclusive is it: Out of all the tables, this is the most attainable even during peak periods. “If you want a special table give us at least two weeks notice,” says co-owner Robert Caravaggi. 2 stars.
…And could this be the worst?
At the bottom of the Manhattan grid on First Street off Houston sits Gabrielle Hamilton’s teeny restaurant Prune. The modern American hashery has only 30 seats, all but two of which are booked up daily by uptowners, tourists and nouveau riche locals seeking a “downtown” experience. Since reservations between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. book up well in advance, would-be diners have two options: book a more easily available late afternoon or late evening reservation, or settle for that sad walk-ins-only two-seater sandwiched between the front door, the bar, a wall and passersby en route to their reserved tables. As if the location isn’t bad enough, it’s so cramped that those stuck there have to move furniture to get in and out.
This past Wednesday, when we turned up and mentioned we might be joined by a third diner, an apologetic waitress told us, “It’s doable. . .but it might be tight.” The server then explained how a third chair facing the wall would fit. Alas, the same menu prices still apply. — Brian Niemietz