NativeCall vs Pocket Concierge
NativeCall vs Pocket Concierge: Booking Restaurants in Japan Compared
Pocket Concierge, an American Express company, books the high-end restaurants listed on its site with no booking fee: you prepay the tasting menu by card and book online in English. NativeCall is for restaurants you choose yourself, including ones not on any booking site. A real person calls in Japanese for US$5, and you get a written result within 24 hours of payment, with no service fee if the booking is not made.
App calls use credits · Delegated tasks priced separately · No subscription required
Choose NativeCall for
- A restaurant that is not listed on Pocket Concierge and takes bookings by phone.
- A specific booking or change with a US$5 standard task price and a written result within 24 hours of payment.
- Paying the restaurant directly rather than prepaying a course online.
Pocket Concierge: where it fits
- A listed high-end restaurant, booked online in English with no booking fee.
- Prepaying the tasting menu and having extra orders charged to the same card, with no payment at the table at most restaurants.
- Joining a waitlist for a fully booked date at restaurants that offer one.
Feature comparison
| Need | NativeCall | Pocket Concierge |
|---|---|---|
| Service being compared | Delegated restaurant call | Online booking and payment service for high-end restaurants |
| Restaurants covered | Any restaurant in Japan you give us a phone number for. Availability and the restaurant's booking rules still apply. | Restaurants listed on its site, across Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and other regions. Booking unlisted restaurants is not published. |
| How the booking is handled | A real person calls in Japanese. Handling and the result report are completed within 24 hours of payment. | You request online; the restaurant confirms. A booking counts only when your account shows "Reservation Completed". |
| Service price | US$5 standard restaurant task; US$10 for 10+ guests; urgent option +US$5. Check the quote before payment. | No service fee for booking. The tasting menu is prepaid by card when the booking is confirmed; extra orders are charged after the meal. |
| No booking | No outcome, no service fee: full refund for paid web tasks; deducted app credits returned. Venue fees are separate. | Card is pre-authorized at request and charged when the booking is confirmed. A waitlist entry does not secure a table. |
| Hours | Within 24 hours of payment; this is a handling deadline, not a guarantee of a table. | Pocket Concierge business hours: 10:00–19:00 JST. |
| Changes and cancellations | Provide the original booking details; a result report must confirm the requested change. Restaurant cancellation terms are separate. | Cancel online under Reservations until 18:00 the day before; after that, contact the restaurant. No phone or email cancellations. Default fees: 50% from 3 business days, 100% from 1 business day before. |
Choose a translated call or a delegated NativeCall task
Participate in an app call, or delegate a task: a real person calls in Japanese and finishes your task within 24 hours.
Sources and comparison scope
Checked: 2026-10-15
- NativeCall restaurant service and current fees
- Pocket Concierge company profile
- Pocket Concierge help: Is Pocket Concierge free?
- Pocket Concierge help: smart payment
- Pocket Concierge help: business hours
- Pocket Concierge help: cancellation policy
- Pocket Concierge help: how to cancel
- Pocket Concierge help: waitlist
Common questions
Is Pocket Concierge free?
Its help center says there is no service fee for booking. You prepay the tasting menu by card when the booking is confirmed, and the restaurant's cancellation policy applies.
When should I use NativeCall instead?
When the restaurant is not listed on Pocket Concierge or only takes phone bookings. NativeCall calls the restaurant you name, for US$5 for a standard task, with no service fee if the booking is not made.