When Trevor Moran opened Locust in 2020, patrons could just walk into the 12South restaurant for some dumplings, a bowl of noodles or a sweet treat of Japanese shaved-ice kakigōri any time they had a hankering. Then Food & Wine named it the 2022 Restaurant of the Year, and suddenly the reservation book got tighter than a tick, necessitating setting an alarm for the first day of the month to jump online for reservations. Earlier this year, Moran adjusted his service model to allow walk-ins only after 6 p.m. on Friday through Sunday for a limited menu featuring Locust’s acclaimed dumplings and another rotating special. (Last we knew, it was hot swordfish.) But take note: Starting Nov. 1, the walk-in service will be available Sundays only.
Best Development for Last-Minute Diners
