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MrsBeagle
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Is Restaurant Week worth it?
I would like to go out to dinner during RW, but I hear that the food isn't as good and it's always crowded. Has anyone else had that experience?
If I were to book a dinner for RW, where do you recommend?
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Re: Is Restaurant Week worth it?
I usually end up going out a couple of times for Restaurant Week since it's a tradition my friends and I started back in college and I've had mixed experiences. Sometimes, the food and service have been excellent. Other times you can tell that the kitchen is overwhelmed and the service is rushed so that they can turn the tables over. There are some places that can also be a really good value--for example, if you went to Le Bec Fin or Lacroix, the $20 for lunch or $35 for dinner is far less than you would pay if you went on regular day.
I've had great restaurant week experiences at Meritage, Lolita, Tinto, and Zahav in the past. These places tend to offer a lot of items from their regular menu and a pretty extensive selection at that. Some places offer a really limited selection of items that sometimes don't represent their normal offerings, probably to control the costs and make things easier in the kitchen. I've been to other places (Audrey Claire comes to mind) where I've had horrible Restaurant Week meals, but that are much better on regular days.
Ditto, Iroc. It can be. If anything... you try a place that you've never tried before, and maybe you find something you like.
It's as good a reason for a date night as any!
Yeah that's right my name's Yauch!
I don't think so. I think it is really hard to get the true quality of a restaurant during RW. I have never had a great meal during RW, even though I have eaten at some great restaurants.
I also do not think it's that difficult to spend $35 without alcohol at most places on a normal night
DS 3.12.08
DD 7.11.09
DD 8.01.13
Jonathan Dean 4.5.08
Anna Capri 5.4.11
The only place that really rocked my world during restaurant week was Amada. It was basically their regular menu, minus maybe two plates. It was absolutely cheaper than non-restaurant week. We have been back since, and had virtually the same selection of plates -- same quality, just more expensive.
But that is definitely not the norm.
It can be worth it. A general rule of thumb is to not book at a BYO. For while it may seem like the ultimate cheap night out, BYO prices tend to be less anyway and you can do better on a normal night.
I'd also avoid steakhouses and they usually offer 1 sub-par steak and a lot of lettuce and chicken.
What makes it worth it is getting into the more expensive places - XIX, Amada, loved my experience at Zahav, Fork, etc. These places also book the fastest.
This is Marc Vetri's commentary from his FB page (sorry for weird pasting of the text)
Restaurant Week Facts:
Just because someone tells you that you're getting a deal, it doesn't mean that you really are. RW is a short sighted way for restaurants to make a quick buck by lowering their standards, making one menu so its easy to turn and burn, while basically getting the same or MORE cost per head cover. Why not right? Well here's why.
The deal that you think you're getting is non-existent. You end up spending more money than you normally would. If you really do the math, at $35 a head for only food, you're definitely spending anywhere from $45-$65 a head on food and wine before tax and tip. Unless you have no drinks at all, which is highly unlikely. And you can only order a couple things. Do you know how many restaurants have a $45-$65 a head average with drinks. A whole bunch, Amis and Osteria both fall within that range. And you can order whatever you want on the menu. So basically, to sum it up...you're going to a restaurant that you read about, spending the same money, getting much less of a choice, being waited on by a server who is simply not happy to be there that week...(rightly so I might add). There's just no way that can have a positive outcome.
Another question was why do restaurants do it if its no big deal. The fact of the matter is that restaurant week started a couple years back when the market went to hell and everyone was struggling. It was one week to make people feel good and get out to celebrate a little. It was a good thing. But like a good thing that is overused and taken advantage of, it has turned into a big mess. Everyone tries to get the most out of it, food is less desirable, service is less attentive, tips are lower and everyone is miserable at the end of the week.
Do yourself a favor, save your money, and go to a restaurant that makes you happy because you know that the food and service will be great. Forget about the quick deal that really is just a bunch of smoke and mirrors.
rum, I saw that too and thought it was very well said! I just love him
He also said in another post that the average $ amount for RW checks is higher
DS 3.12.08
DD 7.11.09
DD 8.01.13
I kind of side eye Vetri's per head description at Osteria. Not to mention it flat out sucked last time I was there.
It's a somewhat valid sentiment, but I don't think it is necessarily true at all if you choose right during RW. I read that, all the while thinking it was as much pandering to the typical Vetri diner ("RW is so over hyped and not for me, a 'foodie'") as RW panders to its typical diner ("OMG! A fancy night out IN THE CITY!"). Everyone knows their market, you know?
Also, I think Vetri's remark about servers was sort of diickish.
I'm not following on the tips either -- if checks are actually higher, wouldn't tips be up?
DS 3.12.08
DD 7.11.09
DD 8.01.13
Well, that I can see. But then if they went somewhere else, they would probably be crappy tippers there too, maybe?
Like I said, I'm not a big RWer myself. I just thought it was a weird line in the sand for him to draw. No one is giving up a table at Vetri for RW at Italian Bistro. I just don't see a ton of overlap between his average customer and a RW average costumer, you know?
I
My avatar has a mind (and uterus) of its own. It changes daily, and appears differently on different boards.
i tend to agree re Osteria and would be hardpressed to get out of there for $35 for 3 courses. Then again, my last visit there was so bad that it is not the first place on my list, but any stretch. I also visited Amis - jeez back in February 2010 - and it was bad. Not that the food sucked but it was overpriced as hell. Maybe it is well established now and runs better, I don't know.
anyway, I tend to stay away from RW and have ever since a mediocre dinner at Supper (but the company was good) about a yr and a half ago. If we are going to get a sitter and go out, we are spending our money at a place where we can order from the whole menu and enjoy the whole damn thing.
See, today I am a house!
The only memorable think about that meal besides you guys was my dessert, which was three warm cookies and a tiny shrunken malt.
See, today I am a house!
The only memorable think about that meal besides you guys was my dessert, which was three warm cookies and a tiny shrunken malt.