Bargain Basement Fine Dining

Published on Friday, January 9, 2009, by Roxanne Webber / Edit Post

City restaurant weeks are gearing up, from San Francisco’s Dine About Town to New York City’s Restaurant Week. If you haven’t participated in one of these events before, it’s all about a bunch of restaurants (normally hundreds, and we’re not talking about the Chevys and Olive Garden variety) putting together special, fixed-price, (usually) three-course meals. It can be a good way to try fancy restaurants without spending a lot.

Below is a list of some of the restaurant weeks that are coming up in different cities, but first here are some things to keep in mind when you visit a restaurant:

• Compare the price of the restaurant week prix-fixe menus to a place’s regular menu to make sure you’re actually getting a deal. If the restaurant is just offering its cheapest apps, entrées, and desserts, it might not save you any money to do the prix fixe.

• Check OpenTable to make easy reservations. A lot of cities have their own OpenTable hubs dedicated to their restaurant weeks.

• Remember to ask your wait person to see the restaurant week menu.

• Prices don’t include tax, tip, or drinks.

dineLA Restaurant Week
When: January 25–30; February 1–6
Price: For three courses, priced by fanciness “level.” Deluxe dining: lunch $16, dinner $26; premier dining: lunch $22, dinner $34; fine dining: lunch $28, dinner $44.

NYC Restaurant Week
When: January 18–23; 25–30
Price: For three courses. Lunch $24.07, dinner $35

San Francisco Dine About Town
When: January 15–31
Price: For three courses. Lunch $21.95, dinner $34.95

Philadelphia Center City District Restaurant Week
When: January 25–30
Price: For three courses. Some may offer lunch; dinner, $35

Washington, DC Winter Restaurant Week
When: February, exact dates TBD
Price: For three courses. Lunch $20.09; dinner $35.09

Chicago Restaurant Week
When: February 20–27
Price: For three courses. Lunch $22; dinner $32

Baltimore Winter Restaurant Week
When: January 23–February 1
Price: For three courses. Lunch $20.09; dinner $30.09

ALLRestaurants and Bars
POST A COMMENT |9 Comments

COMMENT

  • Cafe des Artistes in New York City has a $35 prix fixe three-course dinner all year long - all evening long. We've had it for years. So people don't need to rush in just during Restaurant Week.

  • Toronto Winterlicios .... book ahead for best spots Jan 30- Feb 15

    www.dine.to/winterlicious

  • I am new to Chow and this is my first time on this site. I had no idea there was such a thing as "Restaurant Week" available! Any related information for New Jersey Restaurant Week in areas near Toms River, NJ?

  • Sure would love it, if your website was a bit more user-friendly to those of us who are vision impaired.

    If I had to depend on Internet Explorer, I probably couldn't view it at all!

  • Hey there! - Don't forget us Oklahoma Citians!

    We have some pretty good resturants here too.

  • Boston Winter Restaurant Week 2009 will take place March 15-20 & 22-27, 2009. Check back mid February for the list of participating restaurants or enter your email address below to be alerted as soon as the list is available.

    http://www.restaurantweekboston.com/

    Reminder to all who do participate in RW - tips should be based on the actually price of the meal, not the discounted price.

  • Hi AnneLouies,

    Here's a link to the "Savor Sarasota" restaurant week, but I'm afraid it's not until June. http://www.sarasotafl.org/savor/

    Roxanne Webber
    Associate Editor, Chow.com

  • heard of any deals way down here in SW Florida?!!

    If you put me on your payroll, I'll go around the ft myers, naples, sarasota areas and find out!!

    Nice website.

  • I need to go!