A liquor-license snafu almost cooked NBC’s new reality show, “The Restaurant,“ before it could serve its first viewer.

But the show got a rare exemption from the State Liquor Authority – ensuring that the show will go on as planned.

NBC’s headache started when it filed an application for a liquor license for “The Restaurant,” which will document the backstage drama at Rocco DiSpirito’s new downtown eatery, Rocco’s.

But the liquor-license application was sent to the wrong community board, which refused to grant Rocco’s a liquor license.

With production on the show set to begin, and time running out to obtain the correct liquor license, NBC appealed to the SLA – which granted NBC thirty one-day “catering” permits (at $38 a pop) that will allow Rocco’s to serve alcohol.

“It’s not something we normally do,” SLA spokesman Mark Anderson said.

“In this case, the SLA made an exception . . . because we thought that the positive residual effects [of the show] would hopefully foster some economic growth for a food industry that is hurt badly in lower Manhattan,” he said.

NBC will air six episodes of “The Restaurant,” created by “Survivor” mastermind Mark Burnett, this summer.