The book is divided into two parts, with the six short stories connected to New York City and the novella set in Los Angeles.

The six short stories include tales about a Russian peasant who waits in lines and an aspiring author who becomes embroiled in a literary con.

Towles first began writing short stories in high school and college, early experiences that he described as preparing him to develop Table for Two.

In an interview, Towles recounted feeling incensed after observing a guest recording a performance at Carnegie Hall in violation of the facility's rules.

To pass the time while holding the place, Puskin fills out a visa application for himself, in which he writes about his love for the Russian countryside.

Similar requests follow and eventually Timothy finds himself in an illicit partnership in which he executes the forged signatures and the purveyor sells the copies at a large markup.

Tommy becomes increasingly frustrated each time he sees another patron, an old man, surreptitiously recording performances at Carnegie Hall.

Retired Renaissance art specialist, Percival Skinner, lunches at the same Manhattan restaurant every day, seeing the same people there, and visits the Yale Club, dodging the entry fees.

His world is upended with a visit from an art dealer looking to buy up fragments of a famous DiDomenico painting once owned by Percy's family.

Percy’s great-grandfather, Valentine Skinner, bought the original Renaissance painting in 1888 and, unsure of which son to leave it to in his will, cut it into four and gave each a piece.

Having sold his own three-inch square fragment to a Texan, Percy sees the opportunity to source another piece from one of his relatives.

Writing for The Los Angeles Times, Leigh Haber described the book as "filled with drama, wit, erudition and, most of all, heart".

For the Star Tribune, Chris Hewitt called the book "incredibly satisfying, old-fashioned storytelling with characters you care about".

Other critics disliked Eve in Hollywood, with Eric Olsen of The Washington Post describing it as the only piece in the collection in which Towles faltered.