Lilia

"Verdict: Lilia isn't that good. That's a lie, and we apologize. We just want you to stop trying to get a table at Lilia, so we can go more often and enjoy a better quality of life. This Williamsburg Italian restaurant continues to serve top-tier pasta, and, yes, those sheep's milk cheese-filled agnolotti are still on the menu. So is the gelato. Order it." - bryan kim

"Lilia isn’t accepting walk-ins, which saves you the trouble of thinking “this’ll be the night,” only to be told that the waitlist filled up five minutes after they opened. If you do manage to reserve one of their outdoor tables online, which are available Wednesday through Sunday from 5-10pm, then you’ll be able to get the same fantastic sheep’s milk agnolotti and grilled clams as you would have if you’d ever gotten off the waitlist in the past." - matt tervooren

"The Waiting Room: Mr. Melo The Back-Up Plan: Rocka Rolla  We have no idea how long it’ll take for you to get seated as a walk-in at this legendary Williamsburg Italian restaurant. Seriously, your guess is as good as ours. But instead of agonizing over your future table, might we suggest a vinyl listening bar? Mr. Melo is a four-minute walk away, and it’s where you should listen to some calming music and drink a feta brine martini. Alternatively, consider caffeine. Alcoholic caffeine, in the form of Rocka Rolla’s Coffee Drink, which is sort of like a Frosty with brown liquor. That’ll keep you wide awake and ready for a dainty bowl of pink peppercorn pasta." - willa moore

"If it’s a special occasion, or you’re trying to creep someone out by bringing them to a hard-to-get-into restaurant on a first date, Lilia is your best choice. The food here is the best you’ll find in Williamsburg, but it’s still casual enough that you won’t have to put on special-occasion clothes that make you uncomfortable. Order a few pastas, get dessert, and start looking for reservations a month in advance." - bryan kim

"If you haven’t been to Lilia yet, it’s probably because you’re not into the idea of staying up until 12:01am to try to make a reservation, and you’re even less into the idea of trying your luck at a walk-in only to be told you’re not getting in tonight. Which is exactly why you should file it in away in your brain for a spontaneous occasion. On a summer evening when you get off work early - or on a weekend when you’re down to eat on a geriatric schedule - head over to this incredible modern Italian restaurant. They open at 5:30pm, and if you get there in the first hour, you have an excellent shot at sitting on their plentiful sidewalk seating. Stop making excuses and just go eat here. You will not regret it." - katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg