Inside the $280-a-head San Francisco restaurant that has two tables, 14 courses, and a 43,000-person mailing list

Kassie Borreson

You want to eat at Lazy Bear Supper Club? Get in line.

Lazy Bear is not your average restaurant. You sit where you're told, eat what's put in front of you, and make polite conversation with strangers throughout the meal.

And for a seat at San Francisco's most exclusive supper club, you leave nearly $300 on the table.

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Founded in 2009, Lazy Bear started out as an underground supper club in the home of chef-owner David Barzelay. The lawyer-by-training invited his friends to feast, but the guest list quickly snowballed as word spread of his unique dining experiences. Six years later, Barzelay opened a brick-and-mortar shop off Mission Street and has packed the house for two nightly seatings ever since.

Getting in isn't easy. Each month, Lazy Bear posts a tweet revealing the date and time tickets for dinner the following month go on sale. Tickets for weekends often sell out within a day.

We spoke with Barzelay to learn how Lazy Bear became a coveted dining experience.