Best AI answering services for bars and pubs in 2026
Hospitality
Conor Robinson
At a glance
Sadie: best for pubs and bars in Australia, the UK, Ireland and Canada, with Now Book It, ResDiary, SevenRooms, OpenTable and Libro.
Slang AI: best for US bars and restaurants on OpenTable, SevenRooms or Resy, with pricing also published for Australia and Canada.
General AI receptionists (like Smith.ai): an option if you mainly need messages taken and don't need reservations put into your system.
It's game day. The big screen's on, the bar is three deep, and the phone won't stop. "Have you got a table for eight at 3?" "Is the kitchen still open?" "Can we bring the dog?" "Do you do functions?"
Pubs and bars get more calls than most people think, and they come at the worst possible time. Nobody behind the bar has a free hand to answer them. An AI answering service picks up every call, handles the routine ones and passes the rest to your team.
Here's what to look for, and how the options compare.
Quick note: Sadie publishes this guide. We've included ourselves and compared every vendor using its own public pages as of November 2026.
What pub and bar calls actually look like
Most calls to a pub fall into a handful of buckets:
Tables: "Can I get a table for six on Saturday?" Especially before big matches, trivia nights and Sunday roasts.
Hours: bar hours and kitchen hours are often different, and guests always ask.
The quick questions: dogs, kids, parking, live music, what's on tap.
Functions and events: birthdays, work drinks, wakes and engagement parties. These are your most valuable calls.
Takeaway: some pubs take phone orders for the kitchen.
A good AI answering service should handle the first three on its own and capture the details for the last two, so your manager can call back with everything they need.
What to look for
It works with your reservation system. In Australia that's often Now Book It. In the UK and Ireland, ResDiary. Check your system is supported, so tables go straight in, not into a message.
It understands your hours. Bar, kitchen and function hours should all be set up separately.
It captures function enquiries properly. Date, numbers, budget and contact details, sent to the right person.
It handles the rush. On game day, every call comes at once. Ask how many calls it can take at the same time.
It sounds local. Your callers should feel like they're talking to someone who knows the place.
It's available where you are. Some AI phone services are US-focused. Check they support your country and local phone numbers.
The options side by side
Sadie
Best for: Pubs and bars outside the US
Reservation systems named by the vendor: Now Book It, ResDiary, SevenRooms, OpenTable, Libro; Tripleseat for events
Pricing: Answers $149, Reserves (tables) $349 per location/mo, billed yearly
Markets: US, CA, UK, IE, AU
Slang AI
Best for: US bars and restaurants
Reservation systems named by the vendor: OpenTable, SevenRooms, Resy, Yelp; Tripleseat, Perfect Venue for events
Pricing: $399–$599 per location/mo
Markets: US; pricing also published for CA and AU
Smith.ai (general AI receptionist)
Best for: Message-taking with human backup
Reservation systems named by the vendor: None listed for restaurants
Pricing: $150/mo for 75 calls
Markets: Receptionists based in North America
Details come from each vendor's public pages in November 2026 and can change. Always confirm before you buy.
1. Sadie: best for pubs and bars outside the US
Sadie is a voice AI built only for hospitality. It answers every call 24/7, takes as many calls at once as come in, puts tables straight into your reservation system and passes calls to staff when a person is needed.
For pubs, the big difference is local coverage. Sadie works with Now Book It in Australia, ResDiary in the UK and Ireland, and Libro in Canada, as well as SevenRooms and OpenTable. It's also tuned to sound natural to local callers.
Melbourne's JBS Hospitality Group uses Sadie at venues including the Nixon Hotel, the King Hotel and the Melbourne Central Lion Hotel. Sadie has also written about making the most of game days.
Good to know: pricing is per location: $149 a month for answering, or $349 a month to put tables into your reservation system (billed yearly). Sadie doesn't currently list Resy. Function enquiries can go to Tripleseat, or be captured and passed to your team.
Pick Sadie if you run a pub or bar in Australia, the UK, Ireland or Canada, or you want tables and function enquiries handled without anyone leaving the bar.
2. Slang AI: best for US bars on the big reservation platforms
Slang AI connects to OpenTable, SevenRooms, Resy and Yelp, plus Tripleseat and Perfect Venue for events. Its Premium plan covers 97 languages and it can route VIPs straight to staff.
Good to know: pricing is per location, from $399 a month (Core) to $599 (Premium). Slang publishes pricing for Australia and Canada, but doesn't list Now Book It or ResDiary.
Pick Slang if you're a US bar or restaurant on OpenTable, SevenRooms or Resy.
3. General AI receptionists: fine for messages, not for tables
General AI receptionists like Smith.ai answer calls for any kind of business, with live receptionists as backup. They're not built for hospitality, and Smith.ai doesn't list any restaurant reservation integrations.
Good to know: Smith.ai starts at $150 a month for 75 calls. On a busy pub's phone, 75 calls can go in a single weekend.
Pick a general receptionist if you only want messages taken and don't need tables or functions handled.
The game-day test
Before you sign, try these calls on your busiest day:
The big table. "Table for 10 at kick-off?" Does it check your system, or just take a message?
The kitchen question. "Is the kitchen still open?" five minutes after it closes.
The function enquiry. "I'd like to hire the back room for 40 people." Does your manager get the date, numbers and contact details?
The rush. Get a few friends to call at the same time.
So, which one should you choose?
Pub or bar in Australia, the UK, Ireland or Canada: Sadie.
US bar on Resy or Yelp, or need many languages: Slang AI.
On OpenTable or SevenRooms: compare Slang AI and Sadie.
Only need messages taken: a general AI receptionist.
FAQ
Can AI answer the phone for a pub or bar?
Yes. An AI answering service can answer every call, give hours, take tables and capture function enquiries, then pass trickier calls to your team.
Does AI phone answering work with Now Book It or ResDiary?
Sadie works with both, as well as SevenRooms, OpenTable and Libro. Many US-focused services don't list them, so check before you buy.
Can AI handle function and event enquiries?
It can capture the details (date, numbers, budget, contact) and send them to the right person, or into Tripleseat if you use it. A manager then follows up to close the deal.
How much does AI phone answering cost for a pub?
Hospitality-specific services start at $149 a month per location for answering only, and $349–$599 once reservations are included. General receptionists often charge per call.
Will it work on game day when every call comes at once?
Check before you buy. Sadie answers as many calls at once as come in, so nobody gets a busy signal.
Want to hear Sadie handle a game-day rush?
