Being a numbers person, knowing wholesale and labor cost, i know it is not, with few exceptions. What RW is great for is getting you to think about places that you may have read about thought "hmmm interesting" and then promptly forgot all about them.

Sadly, I do not. I went to one of the spots participating. I ordered off the menu (3 courses) and my dinner was cheaper than my friend's.

We did Restaurant Week exactly once. The bill for two with tip & tax was almost twice what we usually spend on dinner, the food was so-so at best, there was a pipe sticking up under our table that I smashed my knee on repeatedly, and they were out of all desserts at 6pm, even though they advertised that as part of the RW meal. So, no, not a bargain.

I don't necessarily think it is a bargain. I read that La Tasca is "unlimited tapas," if that's true, I would count that as one of the few places that you may be actually saving money with Restaurant Week. Either way, it's just an excuse to try some place new.

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of restaurant week either. Besides the fact that the set menus exclude vegetarians (let alone vegans like me) from nearly every restaurant, the few places we could go to (Lemongrass, most recently) built them from menu items we'd already had; the price was higher and the quality lower during RW than what it would have been any other week.

I never though it was a bargin

This was the first year that my husband and I did Restaurant Week (we actually had a babysitter). We went to Morton's and had a great experience! The food and service were both excellent. My husband who normally doesn't eat salad raved about the Morton's Caesar Salad. Normally, we can't afford to go to Morton's, but found this to be a great deal. We'll definitely go back.

No, it absolutely is not a bargain. It's not a bargain in Baltimore, its not in Annapolis, its not in D.C., etc.

First of all, I almost never eat dessert anyway, mostly because I don't like it very much. At many places, dessert is automatically your third course, which means I'm supposedly getting a deal by paying for something that I'd otherwise never eat.

Second of all, $35 before drinks and tip is more than I'm likely to pay at 80 percent of the restaurants that participate. If you use Restaurant Week strategically, only going to restaurants that you otherwise deem too expensive, then yes, it'll save you a bit of money. You'll never be able to spend less than $35 on yourself at The Prime Rib, for example. But at all the other participants, you're spending more than you would if you ordered off the normal menu, you're getting smaller portions, and you're limiting your selection.

It's a horrible promotion. For the life of me, I don't know how it's so successful in so many places.

It really depends on the restaurant. This time I went to Brewer's Art and Ullswater. I thought both were bargains.

Brewer's Art included your first glass of beer with the $35, which was great because their beer is very much part of the menu and I would have ordered it anyway.

Ullswater, which I mentioned the other day, was serving a special menu with some items from the Bicycle. If they had only had their usual menu, it would not have been price-worthy, but when I left I felt like I had definitely gotten more than I paid for.

I think both restaurants attempted to make it a special experience, not just a "add up the prices" dinner, and that made it special. That said, I have skipped RW several times in the past because we rarely spend that kind of money on dinner without having a reason. Recession dining for us means we don't eat 3 courses, and our entrees are usually $15 and under.

My Fiancee took me out to Fogo yesterday for lunch (a late B-day gift) and I have to say that was a good "bargain".

I can't imagine spending the $20/$30 for a normal dinner since we tend to spend closer to $10 a piece. However, for Fogo it was a pretty nice discount and a chance to try it out (we'd probably do it again next year).

Oh, and I have to add that the meat was amazing. I don't eat pig but I tried everything else (except the salad bar as I came to eat meat not salad) and damn that was good (oh and the fried polenta (sp?) was pretty good too).

My partner eats and drinks considerably less than I do. I do not complain. She is a cheap date. So when we go out to eat, the bill is often in the range of $50, a solid 30-35 (with a drink or two) typically my share.

In the past, we have gone to restaurant week and used it as an opportunity to branch out and try someplace new without having to risk paying much more than usual.

So, we tried new places, she ate more than usual, and we spent more.

Everyone was happy.

But with the new increase in price, we will no longer be participating. The increase tips the scales of the cost/rewards.

We'll stick with the usual, thank you.

In general, I still think it's a good deal. An opportunity to to try somewhere new, blah blah blah, all that stuff that we've already established. I'd have been more pleased if it had stayed at $30, but eh. I do agree about the "mandatory" dessert thing, though. I, too, am not a dessert person. In fact, for the most part, the only time I get dessert is during restaurant week. We swap back and forth, but in general, I could do without it, or just have split one (unless it's the ice cream at B, especially the Red Beet!). Went to B & O on Friday. Enjoyed the meal, for the most part. I didn't go with the RW menu, instead got their Friday Special, fish and chips with peas. The fish was not at all to my liking, however, the manager came over, chatted and apolgised (they've tried a different fish since it's sustainable, but with complaints. They're going to rework it.), took it off the bill, and asked if I wanted anything else (entree, dessert, drink.) Could not have been more gracious. My boyfriend got the duck, which was absolutely amazing.

Count me as one of those people who doesn't eat out for the dessert. We usually skip it entirely or else order one for the table (whether we have 2 people or 6--one bite is generally all I want). I hope RW people are listening and give us other options!

I think it's a good deal if you go to Ruth's Chris, Oceanaire, or Morton's and I always take advantage of RW for these particular restaurants. It was nice seeing Fogo de Choa on the list this year because you could save up to $15 on dinner (but only $5 on lunch).

Baltimore may have to rethink Restaurant Week. As others have pointed out, if you go to an expensive restaurant like the Prime Rib, Morton's or Fogo de Chao, it's a darned good deal. But more moderately priced restaurants have a dilemma. They want to participate but what can they offer, in contrast with their usual menu, that will constitute a bargain? When the answer is "not much," diners are inevitably disappointed. In many other cities, Restaurant Week meals are priced on a sliding scale, from let's say $40 down to $20, depending on the type of restaurant. When it's done right, everyone comes away, feeling they've had a bargain.

I would love to see specials with wine pairings during RW. Say a three course meal with three wines for $50. At this price you're getting a deal, but the restaurant isn't taking a bath on you.

At the $35 price, it's only a deal if you go to one of the more expensive places. For the rest of the participating restaurants it's not much of a deal.

They should have only raised it to $32, or as another mentioned, use a sliding scale for the type of restaurant.

If you go to the Prime Rib or Oceanaire, it is a deal. Otherwise, it is a good excuse to try someplace new.

A sliding scale, by type of restaurant, would be great. Alcohol pairings are great when they are an additional fee, but, as a non-drinker, free booze usually causes me to rule out a restaurant for RW (which is why, when I was at Brewer's Art, I ate off the regular menu).

As a twenty-something, wanna-be foodie on a budget, I love Restaurant Week. I had the opportunity to dine at both Louisiana & The Capital Grille, both of which I would never be able to afford on a normal basis. Even at Louisiana, with four of us splitting two bottles of wine that were $20 each, the total bill--plus a cup of coffee & a generous tip--was approximately $60 per person. And lunch at the Capital Grille ended up being $30 ($22 previous to tip - I had a diet coke as well with lunch). Whenever RW rolls around, myself and my friends take it as an opportunity to focus on high-end dining places so we get the best bang for our buck!

Ditto what other posters wrote - it's only a bargain if you'd normally spend more than $35 per person on dinner - that is why it's only worth it for Ruth's Chris or Oceanaire and the like.

Personally, I hate the crowds and most places are known for shrinking the RW portion sizes, so I don't consider it a bargain.

today's appropriate captcha: joke 300

Restaurant Fortnight is smoke, mirrors and a dessert you didn't want. Abra dabra alla ka-scam.

Meli does give you options of the regular for $35 and, with wine pairing: white, red and bubbly, for $52. I did enjoy my meal.

I think it is a great deal for the restaurants that give you nice portions, creativity that doesn't lack because of the RW deal...so when you leave you feel like you just had a gourmet 3 course meal for 35.00. What a great time to catch up with old friends and a great excuse to meet. Like my comment earlier, Crush blew me away with their great menu and food. Please extend!!

$24.95 three course dinner @
MARI LUNA LATIN GRILLE
Monday thru Thusday
4:00PM - 10:00PM

Soup or Salad
all entrees Choices comes with 2 Sides
& Choice of dessert
lot better deal than Restaurant week

I have been extremely disappointed with both restaurants I patronized for RW. B Bistro was the latest establishment to give bland food and extra small portion sizes for $35 + tax + tip + a glass of wine. My dessert was burned, chicken too dry and the meals my friends chose were nothing to write home about either. Is RW too stressful for the chefs to make tasty food?? I'm discouraged but will try again to locate a good bargain on my search for a favorite restaurant. I'm always hoping I can try a restaurant during bargain time, then return as a regular customer. So far, no restaurant has hit a home run with me.

RW is lame at 35 bucks a pop, but there are still a few bargains. I went to Fogo de Chao and ate like a fat stoned person. Definitely made the restaurant take a loss there.

Scheduled to eat at Tapas Adela on Saturday, apparently we get 10 plates so that sounds like a deal as well. We shall see.

Go to Amicci's in Little Italy, it's $50 for two people and you get a salad, any entree from the menu, desert and all N/A drinks. Or try Peters Inn in Fells point on a Wednesday. I recently dined there and got an app, 2 entrees and a bottle of wine all for $70, and we left stuffed.

Frederick Restaurant Week will be held March 8-14. Interestingly, they offer a 2-course lunch for $15.10, in addition to the usual 3-course offerings (lunch for $20.10 and dinner for $30.10).

I like it, hmpstd! Frederick has some nice restaurants, and now that we're finally having some decent weather, could be a fun drive for lunch and shopping!