It’s that time again! Restaurant Week(s) will be taking place July 12 - 25, and while RSVPs don’t technically open until tomorrow, NYCGO tweeted a special URL where you can make RSVPs today!
As always, when selecting those special RW destinations, we suggest doing your due diligence (I have sadly spent hours doing this, but I can’t lie, I secretly enjoy it). You’ll want to start with NYCGO’s site to check out the list of participating restaurants and the available RW menus. But if the RW menu isn’t posted, then look at the individual restaurant website, as sometimes they only post the RW menu on their own site.
Want to make sure you’re really getting a bang for your buck? Then check out the restaurant’s regular menu. For example, I love Artisanal and high recommend it to anyone. But, they have a $38.50 prix fixe menu (may be an early-bird special) offered all year long. So I probably wouldn’t make a RW reservation at Artisanal, but I would head over for their prix fixe at some other point in the year. Another example is City Crab. I really like it because I think it offers pretty good seafood at an excellent price. But with $16 jazz brunches, an incredible happy hour and an all-year $26 three-course prix fixe menu, I’m not entirely convinced that RW is my best bet (although they may be offering a higher quality menu during these two weeks).
You also want to see the regular entree prices to make sure it’s really a deal. Take Dos Caminos, for example. Entrees typically run between $20-30 a piece. I don’t usually need three individual courses (splitting an app and/or dessert works just as well for me), so if a friend and I want to split an app and dessert anyway, we can still sort of have a three-course meal for under $70 (combined RW price).
Our best bets? Steakhouses. When a filet mignon costs around $40-$45 (depending on size) at Maloney and Porcelli, for example, and you can get that with an appetizer and dessert for $35, you’re clearly getting a great savings and an excellent dinner (this is one of my favorite RW dining experiences). Enjoy!
