opentable-mcp

MCP server for OpenTable — natural-language restaurant reservation management. Every request is relayed through the user's signed-in Chrome tab via a companion extension, so there's no cookie paste, no bot-wall dance, and no password handling.

• npm: npmjs.com/package/opentable-mcp
• Source: github.com/chrischall/opentable-mcp

OpenTable does not publish an official API. This server calls the same endpoints the opentable.com web app uses. Auth lives in the user's browser (OpenTable's passwordless email-OTP session). Use at your own discretion.

Setup

The MCP server is half of the picture — the other half is a Chrome companion extension that actually talks to OpenTable from your signed-in tab. Both are required.

1. Install the MCP server

Option A — npx (recommended)

Add to .mcp.json in your project or ~/.claude/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "opentable": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "opentable-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Option B — from source

git clone https://github.com/chrischall/opentable-mcp
cd opentable-mcp
npm install && npm run build

Then add to .mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "opentable": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/opentable-mcp/dist/bundle.js"]
    }
  }
}

2. Install the Chrome extension

1. Clone the repo (Option B above does this).
2. Open chrome://extensions, enable Developer Mode.
3. Click Load unpacked, select the extension/ folder.
4. Sign in to https://www.opentable.com/ in the same Chrome profile.

The extension's toolbar badge turns green when the WebSocket + tab + auth are all good.

Full extension walkthrough: extension/README.md.

Authentication

No env vars. Auth is whatever cookies your signed-in opentable.com tab has. If Akamai rotates _abck or OpenTable's SSO expires, visit opentable.com and click through whatever prompt appears — subsequent MCP calls will use the fresh cookies automatically.

The server throws SessionNotAuthenticatedError (with a clear message) if it detects the sign-in interstitial.

Tools

Discovery

User

Bookings

Favorites

Workflows

Book a specific restaurant for a specific evening (no-CC slot):

opentable_search_restaurants(term: "state of confusion", location: "Charlotte")
  → note the restaurant_id (numeric) + URL slug
opentable_get_restaurant(restaurant_id: "state-of-confusion-charlotte")
  → pick dining_area_id from diningAreas[]
opentable_find_slots(restaurant_id, date: "2026-05-01", time: "19:00", party_size: 2)
  → pick a slot, grab reservation_token + slot_hash
opentable_book(restaurant_id, date, time, party_size, reservation_token, slot_hash, dining_area_id)
  → save confirmation_number + security_token

Book a CC-required slot (prime-time at a busy restaurant):

opentable_find_slots(...)                                   # pick one
opentable_book_preview(restaurant_id, date, time, party_size, reservation_token, slot_hash, dining_area_id)
  → shows cancellation_policy (e.g. "$50/guest no-show fee, cancel 24h ahead for no charge")
  → shows payment_method (e.g. Mastercard •••• 4242)
  → returns booking_token

   [Surface the policy + card to the user. Let them confirm in plain English.]

opentable_book(..., booking_token: <from preview>)          # commits
  → save confirmation_number + security_token

If opentable_book is called on a CC-required slot without booking_token, it
errors out with "call opentable_book_preview first". That's the gate.

"What's available tonight for 2 at a nice Italian spot?":

opentable_search_restaurants(term: "italian", date: "2026-04-20", time: "19:00", party_size: 2, latitude: <lat>, longitude: <lng>)
  → scan results, pick candidates
opentable_find_slots(restaurant_id, date, time, party_size)  # for each candidate

Cancel an upcoming reservation:

opentable_list_reservations(scope: "upcoming")
  → find the one to cancel, read confirmation_number + security_token
opentable_cancel(restaurant_id, confirmation_number, security_token)

Save a restaurant for later:

opentable_search_restaurants(term: "carbone")
  → pick the restaurant_id
opentable_add_favorite(restaurant_id)

Notes

• CC-required bookings must go through preview first. Restaurants that hold your card for a no-show fee (common at prime-time tables) require opentable_book_preview before opentable_book. The preview surfaces the cancellation policy and the saved card last-4; the booking_token it returns is opaque, stateless, and expires with OpenTable's ~60–90 s slot lock. If the user has no default payment method on opentable.com, preview throws a link to the account settings page. Plain opentable_book (no token) refuses CC-required slots with a pointer to preview.
• Slot tokens are short-lived. reservation_token + slot_hash from find_slots typically expire within a minute or two. Call find_slots just before book, and if the user is deliberating, re-fetch.
• dining_area_id is mandatory for book. OpenTable's /r/<numeric-id> routes 404 — there's no way to auto-resolve the default dining room. Always call opentable_get_restaurant(slug) first and pick a room from diningAreas[].
• /user/favorites has a read-after-write lag. A fresh add_favorite may not show up in list_favorites for ~10 s. The 204 response from add/remove is authoritative.
• Extension must be running. If the MCP server throws "opentable-mcp extension offline", the user needs to: load the extension at chrome://extensions, open an opentable.com tab, and sign in. The popup has a green/yellow/red status indicator.
• Service worker sleep. Chrome MV3 SWs sleep after ~30 s idle. Cold wake adds ~2-5 s to the first request. Subsequent calls are fast.
• Persisted-query hashes. find_slots, book, cancel, and search use Apollo persisted queries pinned by sha256Hash. If OpenTable redeploys and returns PersistedQueryNotFound, re-capture via the extension's XHR logger (see extension/README.md).