The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington presents Restaurant Week.
One of the many benefits to living in DC during Congressional Recess is the slower pace of life in the city. Parking is a little easier, the Metro is a little less crowded, and many restaurants reservations are easier to acquire (or wait times are shorter at places that don’t take reservations). The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington wants those of us who stay in town during recess to take advantage of the open seats and try new eateries and have again organized DC Restaurant Week – this year August 19th through the 25th. Hundreds of area restaurants will offer 3-course lunches for $20.13 and 3-course dinners for $35.13.
Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to try a new eatery you haven’t experienced before, support local businesses in a slower time of year, and try a new food or dish you may not have encountered before. Fourteen restaurants on the Hill are participating. These include long-time favorites such as Café Berlin and Sonoma to newcomer Ambar on Barracks Row. The Restaurant Week website contains the full list of all 240 participants locations, and is searchable by cuisine and neighborhood. Also included are links to the promotional menus and Open Table reservation links (where applicable).
While the Restaurant Week deal may sound like quite a bargain, I will caveat my excitement for the event by stating the depth of the savings varies greatly by restaurant. Few locales include beverages in the prix fixe meal. Some Restaurant Week menus are a bit limited while others let you choose practically anything on the menu. And still other locations have a number of dishes “included” in the deal that also have an upcharge (don’t assume the lobster is included). Some diners have noted that service is not as friendly during Restaurant Week; that too seems to vary by location and by how much “extra” business the promotion brings in.
If you want to partake in this semi-annual festival of food, I strongly recommend a reservation if its available. Higher-priced establishments tend to fill up quickly as diners feel they get the biggest bang for their buck there. But don’t overlook the more moderately priced participants! You may just find a new neighborhood haunt waiting for your presence.