The Reservation

by Rebecca Kauffman

The Reservation explores the loves and labors of an ensemble of more than a dozen restaurant workers as they strive to get perfect meals to table—for fans of “The Bear,” Elizabeth Strout, and Jennifer Egan

Early morning on the day of the most important booking in this august establishment’s history, the discovery of the theft of 22 ribeye steaks roils Aunt Orsa’s. Hers is the finest restaurant in this midwestern college town and Orsa anticipates a large party that will honor a very special guest, the bestselling author, a writer of international renown.

And what’s up with the recent Yelp reviews, insulting to frankly terrible? Is Orsa, who wants only to be loved, being sabotaged on several fronts? And now no one is above suspicion, not the pretty Mennonite baker nor the tatted-up hard-ass chef de cuisine nor the various servers nor the great-looking, if unsure, co-ed working as hostess.

Rebecca Kauffman's talent for crafting rich, empathetic characters is on full display in The Reservation, where she guides a vibrant cast through a single, high-stakes day in the life of a bustling restaurant. With her signature wit and spirit, Kauffman serves up a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the drama, grace, and grit it takes to bring a beautiful meal to the table—served with a side of chaos.

Genres: Fiction, Food, Mystery, Audiobook, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Adult

260 pages, Hardcover

First published February 24, 2026

About the author

Rebecca Kauffman is originally from rural northeastern Ohio. She received her B.A. from the Manhattan School of Music in Violin Performance, and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from NYU. She currently lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Reviews

[Erin]

ARC for review. To be published February 24, 2026.

4.5 stars

I LOVE a good fly on the wall restaurant story, where you see the mechanics behind how everything that it takes to get the food in the back door to your plate, so this was perfect for me; usually these books are non-fiction though, so it was nice to have a fiction example to mix it up a little. This was a bit of a mystery, plus a great character study of a number of people who work in the restaurant, the nicest one in a smallish college town.

Here, each person gets a chance to have part of the tale come from their point of view and then add to that a tease with John Grisham (maybe…..) I enjoyed every minute I spent with the owners, staff and guests of Aunt Orsa’s. Highly recommend this.

[K]

Rebecca Kauffman became an "auto-buy" author for me after I read Chorus and Another Place You've Never Been. Comparisons to Elizabeth Strout were fitting. I read her other three novels and liked them very much, so my expectations were high for this latest release, The Reservation. I'm not sure if my 3-star rating reflects my expectations or my comparisons to her other works, or both, but it's where the novel landed for me after reading the final page.

The story centers around one full working day in a fine dining restaurant somewhere in a midwestern college town. A famous mystery writer is being honored this very evening which coincides with a mystery brewing within the restaurant itself when in the first chapter the Operations Assistant discovers twenty-two steaks are missing. Each of the following fifteen chapters is a perspective from the other people connected to the restaurant in some way; the owner, the pastry chef, the servers, etc. The differing perspectives provide a deeper look into each person as well as continuing the drama unfolding in the restaurant.

This is a conceptually creative novel that I wish I had liked more than I did. I still look forward to pre-ordering Kauffman's next novel, though.

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub)]

Ugh- I had high hopes but this was a huge miss for me.

[Brandice]

The Reservation takes place at Aunt Orsa’s restaurant, where John Grisham has a dinner reservation scheduled following his event at a local university. Earlier that day, Orsa’s nephew reports that 22 steaks have gone missing in the restaurant.

Orsa begins a not-so-subtle quest to figure out who the steak thief is as the staff prepares before dinner service and attempts to stay on point during this busy night. As the day, and the story, progress, each staff member’s POV is shared. They all have a backstory and it was interesting to learn of their dynamics as the different POVs were revealed. While there is a primary question at the center of The Reservation, it’s far more of a small town, slice of life story than a mystery.

At times, The Reservation reminded me of Help Wanted and The Faculty Lounge, due to its similar format. I’ve read a few books by Kauffman now and have enjoyed all of them. The Reservation leans on the lighter side and was an entertaining read.

[Deborah]

3.75

This slight but enjoyable novel goes behind the scenes at a restaurant—the best fine dining place in the small town where it’s located—in the days leading up to an exciting event: a very large party, including novelist John Grisham, will be eating there following a nearby literary event. But there’s also an upsetting distraction in the hours leading up to the arrival of the large party: 22 porterhouse steaks have gone missing, and the owner intends to get to the bottom of it immediately. Individual chapters are devoted to each of the major players: the owner, her husband (her major investor), the bartender, the chef, the pastry chef, the sous-chef, a couple of the servers, the bartender, the busboy, etc., etc. The book is posing as a mild mystery—who stole the steaks? why?—but it’s not, really: it’s an affectionate portrait of the community that makes this restaurant sing. Fun.

[Jennifer Holmes]

This reads like a writing exercise, in which the author writes a background and motivations for one character and then moves on to the next.

[Ann]

This novel sounded intriguing because it was set in a restaurant; however, it did not fulfill its potential. The plot revolves around the theft of steaks on the day that John Grisham had a reservation at the restaurant. Each worker in the restaurant (front and back of the house) is suspected. A chapter is devoted to each worker, and their background and current stories are revealed. The background and current life stories were nicely done; however, they were not enough to make this novel work for me.


PS - For me 3 stars means I liked the novel and thought is was good; 4 means really good and meaningful; and 5 I give very seldom and only to very special (IMO) books. So, my 2 stars just means that it was ok.

[Brandon Gilbert]

I don’t know what I just read, but I cannot recommend with more enthusiasm that you do not read it. Yes, you. I’m talking to you. Do not read this. It will be time you never get back. If you’re one of those “well now I feel like I have to read it” people, trust me, you will regret it.

The premise on its surface seems cool. “The Bear” meets “Clue.” But I can’t tell you how many ways that it does not deliver for either. Basically what you’re going to get is a collection of very short stories about people that work in a restaurant. And your only take away is “These people are characters in this book.” Like that’s as deep as it goes.

I have a feeling this premise might be meant to be existential, but there’s not enough depth to any character here to fulfill on that, either.

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks)]

On paper this story should be really boring — the goings-on one night at a restaurant after some steaks go missing — HOWEVER, Rebecca Kauffman is SO RIDICULOUSLY GOOD at writing stories about ordinary people living their regular lives and making them interesting. Every chapter was told from a different restaurant employee’s perspective, and my only complaint about this book is that I wanted the chapters to be longer so I could know more about each and every one of these characters.

I love her books so much.

[Katie Long]

This was great fun!

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf]

Book Report: The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman

Set over the course of a single…high stakes day…The Reservation drops us into the elegant chaos of Aunt Orsa’s…a beloved fine dining restaurant on the brink of hosting its most important reservation yet. When 22 ribeye steaks go missing and a wave of brutal online reviews threatens Orsa’s carefully curated legacy…suspicion ripples through every corner of the restaurant. From the kitchen to the front of house to the diners themselves…we follow a rotating cast of characters whose lives intersect in the controlled frenzy it takes to get one perfect meal on the table🍽️✨

This book was an absolute delight. I loved the tight one day timeframe and the way Rebecca Kauffman zooms in on each role that makes a restaurant run…from hostess to server to chef…with such care and precision. As someone whose first job was hosting and then waitressing at a family owned restaurant…this stirred up so many memories. The accuracy of the dynamics…the quiet hierarchies…the stress and the small moments of connection felt spot on. I especially loved the added layers of mystery and the inclusion of the clientele’s perspectives…which made the whole experience feel rich and alive. This was my first Rebecca Kauffman novel and it definitely won’t be my last💛

Thank you Counterpoint for the ecopy

Releases 2/24

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...

[Mary Lins]

I’m a huge fan of Rebecca Kauffman’s novels so I was excited to get my hands on her latest, “The Reservation”. She does not disappoint!

Welcome to Aunt Orsa’s upscale restaurant. It’s a beautiful late October day in 2013, and tonight the famous mystery writer John Grisham will be a guest there for dinner!

But upon inspection in the morning, the Operations Assistant, Danny (Orsa’s nephew), discovers that 22 Ribeye steaks are missing (stolen!) and it’s the signature dish on the menu.
Orsa is on a mission to figure out who stole the steaks (and why).

That’s the setup for Kauffman’s wonderful “character stew” storytelling style for which she is known, loved, and admired! She can capture a character in just a few paragraphs; while you feel you’ve read a while book about them.

The only flaw is that is that it was over too soon! I wasn’t ready to leave these characters! I wanted more (I ALWAYS do!) This one’s going on my Top Ten for 2026 List for sure!

[Darath Fisher]

3.5 ⭐️. This was a quick read. An interesting concept of trying to solve a mystery while actually focusing more on introducing each of the characters to the reader. Each character is given one chapter, most fairly short. I wished they would have been developed a bit more but it was still entertaining.

[Beth]

4.5 I love this writer. She captures the human condition for me every time. This book reminds me everybody has a story, there is so much more than what we see or know about people. This was funny at times, fun, a mystery, but best of all a touching novel with characters I fell in love with.

[Lisa Leone-campbell]

The Reservation is a clever story about of a group of restaurant employees from a celebrated dining establishment who are preparing for an extremely famous writer's reservation. Of course, as luck would have it, things begin to go downhill very fast on the day of the event including stolen very expensive steaks which are needed for the evening and someone posting horrible yelp reviews. Over the course of the day, we will get to know the staff, the owners and how they not only interact with each other, but how although they have worked together, some for many years, they really don't know each other at all. This story is part mystery, part who is the culprit and why, and the misconceptions people have about each other without really knowing them.

When a famous writer books a dinner at Aunt Olsa's restaurant, everyone is on a code red. The place must be in pristine shape, everyone on top of their game and the food must be perfect. But unfortunately, when Olsa's nephew comes in the morning of the big dinner, he discovers someone has taken twenty-two rib eyes which were reserved for the big event. As the day wears on they all begin to see someone is sabotaging the restaurant as it is discovered very bad reviews are being left on their site. Strangely all this is happening in real time!

Thus begins not only the hunt for the stolen rib eyes, but a day of discoveries and secrets for those who have worked so hard at their jobs, not only about each other, but about what drives each of them and how they became who they are.

The suspects;

The Chef, The Lead Line Cook, The Busser, The Host, The Bartender, The Pastry Chef, The Wait Staff

Who would want to ruin this event and why?

Yes, the mystery will be solved. But more importantly the reader will get a peek at what all these laborers must endure not only at work, but how their lives outside the job formed them way before they ever stepped into the restaurant.

The Reservation was a wonderfully different read, with a bit of humor, warmth and sadness. Who is the important writer? Well, you just have to read this terrific book to find out!

Published by Counterpoint

[Novel Visits]

I really enjoyed this story of the employees of a small restaurant all possible suspects in the theft of steaks in the very night John Grisham is supposed to dine there. Full review to follow.

[andy]

Pretty disappointed in this one because I generally really enjoy "bottle episode" books where everything takes place over the course of a very short period of time; in this case, a single day at an upscale restaurant. I also generally like books that switch perspective a lot, and every single chapter of this book was from a different character's perspective.

But... it really lacked depth. I was very intrigued at the beginning, then it lost me, and I really only stayed in it to find out about the missing steaks, which was a disappointingly anticlimatic reveal.

That paired with the fact that 'The Bartender' chapter, which followed Darius (iirc the only explicitly nonwhite character), was one of the longest sections of the book and yet focused very little on him and his backstory. Whereas almost every other character's chapter delved into the intricacies of their pasts (or futures, in the case of 'The Busser'), we learn almost nothing about Darius other than the fact that he hears everything and can keep a secret.

In fact, there are sections of his chapter where he isn't even present! Even the pivotal moment where he meets maybe-John-Grisham is spent discussing the tragic backstory of one of his coworkers. Meanwhile, the most we hear of his own life is that he has a girlfriend. Other characters have financial struggles, messy relationships, aspirations, and Darius? Well, Darius has an unnamed girlfriend and he went to grade school with Glenn! Great! /s

This book just rubbed me the wrong way. There were parts where Kauffman's writing engaged me, but they were overshadowed by clunky prose and scenes that tried too hard to be comedic. At least it was a quick read!

[Alix]

4.5 stars

I normally don’t like multi-POV stories because the characters can feel flat or repetitive, but here it really worked for me. Despite the large cast and the limited page time each person gets, they all had distinct voices and real depth.

The story revolves around the theft of 22 steaks, told from the perspective of each restaurant worker. I found the little intricacies of running the restaurant fascinating and the cast as a whole was incredibly interesting. I definitely had a few favorite characters.

We get a big climax at the end where everyone’s secrets come out and the thief is revealed. It was genuinely entertaining and I was surprised by the culprit. The novel closes on a slightly wistful note, but overall I really liked it, mostly because of how well written it was and how dynamic the characters felt.

[Caleb]

The Reservation is a low stakes mystery centered around a higher end restaurant set in a small college town. On the day of the story the restaurant has a reservation for a popular author later that night but once inventory takes place for the dinner’s service, the owner becomes aware that they are missing 22 ribeye steaks which are the headline for star reservation. What ensues is an investigation for the ribeyes, their thief and a possible smear campaign that threatens the future of the restaurant.

The mystery is the draw, but the characters’ stories are the meal of this story. Each character and their background is slower dripped out for the reader. Their motivations, their trauma, and their responsibilities within the establishment. Kaufmann does a fantastic job of guiding the reader through the different aspects of restaurant work including drama to keep the reader engaged. Overall quick mystery, character centered story for readers interested in American restaurant service culture.

[Lori]

Quick read about a day/night in a busy restaurant with each chapter told by a different staff member or person associated with the restaurant. This particular day is unique because there's a reservation in the evening for a party including author John Grisham and 12 ribeye steaks have gone missing. I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes of the restaurant that did not get too into the weeds and each character's story kept my interest.

[emma blackburn]

ok haters i liked this one. quick read and im thinking about it. justice for glenn and his snakes !!!

[Rachel Spurlock]

I’d give this book a full 10/10 if possible!! It reads like a long form gossip convo as told by all the employees of a high end local restaurant. Absolutely could not put this down and it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to say that.

[Janet]

So okay, I like reading books about dysfunctional people; we're just more interesting 😉.
Restaurant employees prep for a star guest. There's a theft, the snitch, lots of gossip, the crazy boss lady and revealing of everybody's secrets. A fun quick read.

[Gail]

Going into The Reservation, all I knew about it was: (1) Emma Straub recommended it late last year on her Substack (2) it was set in a restaurant. (“Full of rich, interesting characters, you’ll be immersed in the smells, tastes, and attitudes” … say less, Ms. Straub!)

I started reading my copy as soon as it was available on Libby, and my appreciation for the story grew with each chapter, like layers of caramelized sugar atop a perfectly cooked crème brûlée. #iykyk

Here’s what made this book (a fast read at 272 pages) so engaging:

• I loved that the restaurant (Aunt Orsa’s) is the only fine dining establishment in a small Midwestern town home to a large university. (The unnamed location could have been Akron or just as easily Muncie, the small Midwestern city where I live that’s home to the large university where I work.)

• I loved that the book is organized into 16 “courses” (chapters), each focusing on the lives of the various staff members, from the chefs to the servers to the lowly dishwasher.

• I loved that the entire plot centers around a mysterious theft from the kitchen—a theft that coincides with the pending arrival of a certain celebrity guest with a reservation to eat at the restaurant that evening. (If you go into this not knowing the name of the guest—who happens to be a very real person—you’ll be even more delighted by this aspect of the plot.)

• I loved that this book reminded me of everything I love about the FX series “The Bear.”

• I loved that my favorite chapter was The Bar Guest. (For obvious reasons, once you read it.)

• Most of all, I really (REALLY) loved the hardworking character of Glen. (I won’t forget him or his snakes any time soon!)

A few stolen sentences I want to remember—and that, for me, sum up the book best:

— On the satisfaction of caring about one’s work, especially when that work involves food: “You just had to care! he thought. Why was it so hard to make a person care? If you cared, then plating a perfect dessert for anyone, anytime …. offered immeasurable satisfaction. In fact, Glen realized, it was almost like a miracle if you thought about it in a certain way—the fact that, in a world where words could mean anything and therefore nothing, there were other ways to say: I’ve tried my hardest; I’ve done my best; I hope you will enjoy and perhaps even remember this small thing I have prepared for you.”

— On recognizing we’re all hiding some part of ourselves from the rest of the world: “You never ever knew, Glen thought, what parts of their own past a person might be trying to leave behind. Better not to force a person to look back.”

If you want a read that makes for a great proverbial pallet cleanser, I wholeheartedly recommend this beautifully crafted story!

[Krista Edsall]

Yeah, no. This book was rambly and pointless in my opinion. Still not sure exactly who/what each chapter was about. Thought this was going a whole different and much better direction but it’s like a play written just to have a bunch of characters with no real plot or purpose. Maybe I just don’t get it 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Jean Reinhold]

Um, I honestly don’t care who stole the steaks.

[Ann Marie]

3.5 stars. Look, put any form of entertainment in a restaurant environment and I’m sooooo in.

The Bear? Love.
Anything show/book Anthony Bourdain was a part of? Obsessed.
Great British Baking Show? Truly cortisol-lowering.
Eating good food? I’m a big fan.

This book follows a restaurant crew that is busy getting ready for THE big reservation coming in - superstar author John Grisham, himself. Of course there’s drama, the theft of exactly 22 ribeye steaks, and a colorful cast of characters. What’s not to love?

I really enjoyed reading Kauffman’s book, The Chorus and I’m fully in love with how Counterpoint designs all of her covers. They’re all different and pretty, but they go together, kinda like a Project Runway season finale runway show. (Hi, my pop culture references are 20 years old.)

One thing though. I wish I would have maybe kept notes on the characters as I was reading because I would get folks mixed up occasionally. I think that would have made me enjoy it even more. So if you’re like me and have about a 3 main character limit, make a couple of notes as you go.

Overall, this was a solid book and I would totes eat at their restaurant.

[Katy O.]

I went into this novel so excited about a restaurant story, but for some reason, despite being set entirely in a restaurant, it didn’t feel like a restaurant novel. Sure it talked about restaurant things the entire time but no one involved felt incredibly invested in THIS restaurant.

But ultimately, I think my main issue is that with each chapter from the perspective of a different character, we never got deeply into the psyche of any one person, leaving the story overall feeling flat.

A swing and a miss for me, unfortunately.

Source: public library hardcover

[Gila Gila]

I don’t know how editors decide to label one set of connected stories as a novel, and release another as “short stories”. For example, Anthony Marra’s exquisite first book, The Tsar of Love and Techno: Stories, felt to me very much like a novel told in parts, over time; The Reservation, referred to as a novel, barely reads as a completed collection of stories. (Ouch, perhaps I’ve inadvertently answered my own question here, this is a novel as opposed to a collection because it all takes place over one brief period, maybe?) Stories or novel, my biggest issue here was that each chapter read like lengthy second draft notes for a book in the process of being written. There’s a lack of cohesion, strings left not only untied, but fluttering about.

To be fair, once I fully gathered the premise, my mood had already soured. I like Rebecca Kauffman’s voice and went in not expecting much more than a restaurant saga revolving around a mysterious theft of some very expensive steaks (quel horreur, whispers Poirot), and whom the culprit might be. Discovering that the restaurant was in uproar because this was a particularly bad night to lose the Beef because John Grisham had a reservation for himself and friends made me wince. Such low hanging fruit, why not pick a lesser known author, go for an inside joke? If I wasn’t already feeling done with The Reservation I’d go look up what Kauffman’s connection to Grisham was. Eh, not knowing is on me.

As the search for the steaks and their thief goes on, each chapter focuses on an individual restaurant worker or guest, only one of whom, Greg, is fully fleshed and memorable. All said and done, there was nothing to latch on to. Not an unpleasant read, just in one ear and out the other, leaving me wondering what the original goal had been.

Finally, an irritation: those endless sentences beginning with, "Shannon said ..." “Orsa said..." "Edgar said..." etc. This is Kauffman's 9th book, how is her editor passing this through? Nobody gets their steaks back til I have an answer. Pass the A-1.

[Claire Talbot]

The Reservation is a book of interconnected short stories - and really a character study set in a restaurant on a very high stakes day - where everything goes wrong. Orsa's restaurant is set for a banner day - famous author John Grisham has a reservation, and a big party is on the patio. The morning of the event, 22 ribeye steaks are missing. Later in the day, the dishwasher malfunctions, and there is an accident in the kitchen. Each chapter is devoted to a person that works at the restaurant from the busboy to the bartender, and everyone in between. You learn about how a restaurant functions, and how much occurs behind the scenes to produce the entrees. In the end, there is a reveal of the thief, and why it occurred. What will stay with me is the owner driving away in her BMW, and the poverty of most of the restaurant staff. Interesting book and I would read more from this author.