Anyone Else Soured on Dining Out?

[NW-Bound]

We finally had Korean BBQ. The dining out was with our children. They paid the bills, so I did not know the total, but this place was not all-you-can-eat. A plate of beef for 2 was $90 before any add-on, so not as inexpensive as other places in town. Reviewers say the meat is better (there was Wagyu), but the reason I chose this place was that the service rating was also higher, and there was not a long wait of as long as 2 hours as at a popular AYCE place.

It was a positive experience. We will definitely go back. It was a much better value than our former favorite French restaurant that I reported about earlier in the thread.

 

[Badger]

I think the 'dont care' crowd must be increasing. Folks who have more $ than they need, and just buy anything without caring very much about price. Who else would be buying these $84 cases of beer I saw today, lol ?

I thought there was inflation. Maybe it is just affecting the bottom 50% of the population. Around here the bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, etc. are always crowded. But then I bet quite a few of those people are also complaining about the cost of a beer or mixed drink while the order another.

Cheers!

 

[pacergal]

Took some friends out to a nice steak house downtown. 2.5 hours and $400 later, we went home.
But it was a lovely time, not crowded and they have remodeled to where they have tall, glass enclosures on 3 sides of the booths, well decorated so you don't really notice.
Made for a quieter evening, we all thought.

 

[jollystomper]

DW, DS, DS girlfriend and I ate at the local Texas Roadhouse last week. While not the same ambience as Ruth Chris, the food is still great. We had a couple of appetizers, 3 prime rib meals, 1 New York strip meal, a couple of extra side orders including shrimp. Nothing to drink except water. No dessert. The total before tip was $120.

We had not eaten there since before the pandemic. I check my records, the bill then for 3 before tip was around $75.

I am not complaining about a $5 increase per person over more than 3 years. It's steak and prime rib, people! , We probably had more appetizers/sides now than then. The service was very good.

Other than DS, who is 6' 2" and works out (including sparring), we could not finish the meal, and took about half home to eat the next day.

 

[Fermion]

We finally had Korean BBQ. The dining out was with our children. They paid the bills, so I did not know the total, but this place was not all-you-can-eat. A plate of beef for 2 was $90 before any add-on, so not as inexpensive as other places in town. Reviewers say the meat is better (there was Wagyu), but the reason I chose this place was that the service rating was also higher, and there was not a long wait of as long as 2 hours as at a popular AYCE place.

It was a positive experience. We will definitely go back. It was a much better value than our former favorite French restaurant that I reported about earlier in the thread.

Dang now I want Korean again. There is nothing within 5 hours of here. I love the little side dishes and BiBimBap in the stone bowl. I don't think it is very expensive though like your $45 plate of beef...more like $15.

 

[explanade]

Dang now I want Korean again. There is nothing within 5 hours of here. I love the little side dishes and BiBimBap in the stone bowl. I don't think it is very expensive though like your $45 plate of beef...more like $15.

Seattle doesn't have Korean restaurants?

Korean used to be one of the biggest bargains. Now, not so much.

But now bibimbap is over $20 here in the Bay Area.

Before the pandemic, you could get it for $10-12 as a lunch special.

The BBQ that NW had sounds expensive, unless it was Wagyu.

Lot of Korean restaurants around the Bay Area are low-cost, mom and pop stores. Most of them don't have liquor licenses, maybe serve beer. But a few got the full license to serve cocktails and such and they tend to be more expensive.

 

[Fermion]

Seattle doesn't have Korean restaurants?

Korean used to be one of the biggest bargains. Now, not so much.

But now bibimbap is over $20 here in the Bay Area.

Before the pandemic, you could get it for $10-12 as a lunch special.

The BBQ that NW had sounds expensive, unless it was Wagyu.

Lot of Korean restaurants around the Bay Area are low-cost, mom and pop stores. Most of them don't have liquor licenses, maybe serve beer. But a few got the full license to serve cocktails and such and they tend to be more expensive.

Yes, Seattle does. I have not updated our location, we are building our house in eastern Washington. We have our sailboat in Blaine though, so we get Korean when we go over there. Currently Blaine, WA is getting about half an inch of rain every day so have not been motivated to visit.

 

[F4mandolin]

We've pretty well given up on eating out, although we never did it much anyway. We have been getting looser with our money and ordering out to be delivered....but that's maybe every couple of weeks. For the two of us, it's usually about $40 or so which we can live with (curry). Anytime I'm near York (which isn't very often) I swing by Taco Bell. They don't do Mexican anything around here.

 

[2HOTinPHX]

We had been ordering take out during Covid and it's just not the same as eating it just served up at the restaurant. We. Have just started being comfortable enough to eat in restaurants. Usually try to go during non peek times. Our closet Mexican restaurant had been hit or miss as far the food before Covid. Seems they stepped things up since we have been back. Food and service have been really good.
Love going there for breakfast. Sure prices have increased but hey still get complimentary chips and salsa.

Fast food joints unfortunately still same slop but at much higher prices.... unfortunately.

 

[F4mandolin]

We had been ordering take out during Covid and it's just not the same as eating it just served up at the restaurant. We. Have just started being comfortable enough to eat in restaurants. Usually try to go during non peek times. Our closet Mexican restaurant had been hit or miss as far the food before Covid. Seems they stepped things up since we have been back. Food and service have been really good.
Love going there for breakfast. Sure prices have increased but hey still get complimentary chips and salsa.

Fast food joints unfortunately still same slop but at much higher prices.... unfortunately.
View attachment 45224

If I could get that meal here, I'd eat there once a week.

 

[2HOTinPHX]

If I could get that meal here, I'd eat there once a week.

That's what I'm aiming for. I suggested to my wife that we go there Saturday mornings. There are usually enough leftovers for Sunday morning so no breakfast worries on the weekend. At around $10.00 for the breakfast burrito and getting 2 meals out of it seems like a bargain compared to other inexpensive breakfast options out there.