NYC Summer Restaurant Week Recommendations (or warnings)
Reservatons for NYC's Summer Restaurant Week 2008 open on June 26th. My feeling is, if I really want to eat at a restaurant then I want the full experience, not some dumbed down cheaper version that may or may not be as good as the original. That being said, I have had a few decent experiences, like a surprisingly good RW meal at Kobe Club- a restaurant I probably would never have gone to otherwise.
What do you think about Restaurant Week? What good/bad experiences have you had? Post your thoughts/recommendations/warnings below...
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20 Comments:
I think the thing to keep in mind especially if you dine out regularly in the city, is that Restaurant Week deals aren't always a better deal (cheaper) than if you dined from the regular menu. So if that matters to you, do the math!
Otherwise, it's a fine excuse to dine at a restaurant you might not ordinarily.
Alaina Browne at 6:53PM on 06/25/08
The best deals for the real fare are usually lunches at the steakhouses. They typically include a salad, a smaller choice cut (which every other country would consider a normal portion) and the dessert. I used to dine at Peter Lugers every time this came around, but I do not believe they participate anymore.
Out of all the steakhouses participating, the Post House is probably the best,
BirdDoggie at 7:54PM on 06/25/08
It's all about the lunches. We use it as an excuse to get out of the office for a nice lunch.
VerasTastyFreeze at 9:50AM on 06/26/08
I do agree with Alaina in terms of pricing. Not all are worth the price tag since some menus have the typical chicken, fish, and vegetable as the main course option.
The really bad Restaurant Week experience I had was at Anthos. Their RW menu wasn't too exciting that my friend and I opted for their normal prix fixe menu (which did defeat the purpose) and service was horrible. We tried flagging for the waiter numerous times but no one noticed us. Instead of the 1 hour - 1 1/2 hour lunch we thought of having, extended for nearly 2 hours!
The good/memorable experiences were at Aquavit Cafe for lunch and The Bar Room at the Modern for dinner. The food's delicious and service didn't suffer.
wanderingeater at 11:37AM on 06/26/08
All of the Danny Meyer restaurants do Restaurant Week well. None of those choice-of-two menus that one sees too frequently. And sometimes they give you a gift card for $24 to use next time you come.
floretbroc at 5:30PM on 06/26/08
I've had really great experiences at Devi during RW...
kellyxrene at 9:49AM on 06/27/08
Cafe Boulud - I had one of my all-time favorite meals there for $20.01. Veal cheeks!
greenolivemedia at 9:51AM on 06/27/08
i had restaurant week dinners at fraunces tavern and capsouto freres and it was just like having dinner at a very large hotel function, complete with metal lids on the plates as they were sent out of the kitchen in huge batches. double yuck. i'd never go back to either place.
on the other hand, we had delicious restaurant week food at mesa.
cybercita at 10:33AM on 06/27/08
The trick to keeping the price down is not to have wine or coffee. That way you can enjoy the meal and go to several different restaurants each year. I have had delicious meals at Eleven Madison, Park Avenue Summer, Crema (dessert disappointed). I look forward to it each year and have reservations at North Square, Perry Street, Artisanal and Le Perigord.
flakevanille at 11:34AM on 06/27/08
Any suggestions for Italian?
collegekid19 at 4:43AM on 06/28/08
Does Ino Cafe participate in restaurant week?
http://www.cafeino.com/
Has anyone ever eaten here? Worth a try?
collegekid19 at 4:45AM on 06/28/08
I second Bar Room at the Modern -- had a terrific dinner last year. And Lupa for lunch; if I remember correctly, we got not three but four courses, all delicious. Worst was lunch at Asia de Cuba a couple RWs ago: it's a good thing the friend I went with and I like the same food, because get this, for the RW menu we could only order one dish from each course, to share! We couldn't believe it. The portions were decent, but it was just so bizarre. Don't know if that's still the case, but I would be wary...
harlem_panadera at 2:44PM on 06/28/08
I'm with SE. Check it:
http://gastrogirls.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/nyc-resto-week-rears-its-head/
100% agreed on NY Resto Week.
GastroGirls at 3:08PM on 06/28/08
@collegekid19--don't know if Ino does RW, but it's pretty inexpensive for a regular night out, and SO worth it!. We love love LOVE going there for the truffled egg toast and panini. Ino is one of my favorite spots in the city.
Restaurant Week is taking a beating here, and I think it's a great idea. My boyfriend and I are on a budget and don't get to eat at all of the fantastic places in NYC as often as we'd like. RW is a chance for us to try something that's normally out of reach. Once August hits, it's back to checking things off on the "Best Cheap Eats" issue of NY Mag! We love Restaurant Week! (almost as much as truffled egg toast...)
nosillak at 3:01PM on 06/29/08
I highly recommend lunch during restaurant week because it is more affordable than dinner. But I did have a great time at Nougatine during restaurant week in February. The service was great and the food was generally the stuff you'd find on the regular menu.
The Gastronomer at 3:29PM on 06/29/08
Restaurant Week is indeed a great *idea* but you need to be aware of the pitfalls:
- huge crowds and rushed service
- restaurants that cut corners (i.e., chicken and fish, none of the signature dishes, etc.)
- getting shut out of reservations since you didn't call 28, 30, or 31 days in advance
- the *really* high quality and popular restaurants usually do not participate
- restaurants that already have a prix fixe deal that is in that price range (Devi, Tocqueville, etc.)
I've always had a good experience at any Danny Meyer restaurant. As well as restaurants that typically don't have a large lunch crowd but are popular for dinner.
kathryn at 10:47PM on 06/29/08
I highly recommend River Cafe for lunchtime restaurant week. Great view, amazing food with several different options ( not just two ). And afterward you can walk over the bridge or lay on the grass under the bridge and enjoy a lovely day.
midgepingleton at 8:26AM on 07/01/08
My favorite was Mesa Grill, Aureole was fine but they run a summer special throughout the summer, they may not even officially participate. Trying to get into Gramercy Tavern and Eleven Madison Park is just an exercise in frustration for me. I would've called a month in advance but just forgot about it and now both places are booked solid. This year I am going to Tabla with my sister, not my original choice but like others I feel Danny Meyer does the most honorable job with RW. We'll see how it goes.
sugarstack at 9:06AM on 07/21/08
Inspite of the pitfalls, I love RW. I find that, if I arrive early (even without a reservation) for lunch and look well put together, I almost always get seated. On the one or two occasions when this strategy failed, I did get seated at my second choice restaurant.
I agree with the praise for Danny Meyer's restaurants. I go to Gramercy Tavern during restaurant week and during the rest of the year. I always feel welcome.
Besides Gramercy Tavern, I love Aquavit and Oceana. The salmon at Aquavit is transcendent. The food overall at Oceana is subtle, beautifully presented, and memorable.
One place to avoid is Grayz. This is a midtown restaurant owned by Gray Kunz, a celebrity chef. It is located in a former Rockefeller townhouse. Aside from the historical interest, I have little good to say about the restaurant.
The staff at Grayz resented serving an inexpensive meal. For each of three courses, there were only two selections. There was loud Hispanic music. The food was bad.
What can I say? Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Purepumpkin at 5:12PM on 07/23/08
Collegekid19 asked for an Italian restaurant. Del Posto is nice. I don't know exactly why, but, while there and even later, I kept thinking "nice!".
Purepumpkin at 5:15PM on 07/23/08