There are some MAJOR changes to Dine Out Fort Lauderdale this year. The first change is that it's starting on Aug 15 and running to Sept 30 instead of running in October until Thanksgiving. They moved it back to Sept 1 last year. Next Year it will probably start right after the 4th of July. The other change is that they've raised the price $1 to $36pp, which still doesn't fix the problem.
Restaurants pay $500 for the "right" to conform to the rigid price; It's a way for people who have no other ideas on how to market their business to do SOMETHING; having exactly the same deal as 50 other restaurants is an odd way to market, but for some I guess it's better than nothing.
What is Dine Out Lauderdale
Dine Out Lauderdale is an idea that started years ago where area restaurants all offer fixed price menus for the same price of $36. Years and years after it's inception, the rules are the same, except they raise the price $1 this year. Restaurants just shrink portions and offer appetizers or lunch items as "entrees" to force themselves into the program. Go to an expensive steakhouse and get your choice of a 6oz "Filet" or chicken. Fat chance it's going to be USDA Prime; my guess is that they buy lower grade cuts just for the program. You can get a USDA prime strip steak at Ruth's Chris for a $14.95 up charge, which seems to defeat the purpose of the program.
The point of doing a fixed price menu is to value-add for your customer. You give them a little more than they might be willing to pay for in exchange for sticking to a limited menu. Too many restaurants just construct limited menus hoping that customers don't check prices and portions with the actual menu. To us, that's just lame.
To me, if they just offer a limited choice that's worth "about" $36, there's no point in considering it. I can spend less than $36 and have a good meal at any number of restaurants. Why spend more if it's not giving me a good value?
This year, I'm going freestyle on the ratings. In previous years, I had Winners, Losers and Yawners. This year I'm summarizing each restaurant, in alphabetical order for your convenience.
New Venues
These are the restaurants participating in the program this year that didn't participate last year.
3030 Ocean
Burlock Coast
Cafe Primavera
Casa Calabria
Cibo Wine Bar
JWB Steakhouse
Kuro
III Forks
Timpano
5 new Hotel Restaurants. Woo Hoo.
Drop Outs
Last year participants that aren't offering a Dine Out menu this year:
American Vintage
Bongo's
Chart House
Dapur (Closed)
Dos Caminos (Closed)
Johnny V (Closed)
Las Pampas
Royal Pig Pub
S3
Scolapasta
Shooters
Sunfish Grill (Closed)
Spazio
Tsukuro
Tuscan Grill
YOLO
It's a particularly weak lineup this year, as many places have given up on this idea. A bunch of overpriced hotel restaurants which aren't worth it even with the discount don't excite me. As usual, none of the restaurants owned by Big Time Restaurants (Big City Tavern, Rocco's Taco, Louis Bossi's) are participating because "value" isn't something they believe in. Tim Petrillo has also pulled his restaurants; the 1 year experiment is over. I suggest avoiding all of these restaurants during Dine Out.
Here We Go:
3030 Ocean
3030 Ocean is not offering a set menu, so it's a total crapshoot. DON"T GO HERE.
Beauty and the Feast
4 courses plus a side dish. You should be able to find something you want to try here, but the entrees are $15 affairs. A lot of filler. A HESITANT WINNER
HOWEVER, they're also offering a $16 lunch menu which SUCKS ROCKS.
Bistro at the Sonesta
This used to be the breakfast lunch place at the Sonests; now it's the main dining room. Squash Noodles as an entree? NO THANKS
Burlock Coast
Their offering isn't worth $36 in any combination. MOVE ALONG FROM THIS ONE
Cafe Primavera
The new place where nobody has been is offering some decent choices for $36 plus $5 off pp on any bottle of wine. So with 4 people you get $20 off? Decent upgrades ($5 for a Veal Chop) WORTH A LOOK
The Capital Grille
A decent deal, but they're basically offering lunch items on the Dine Out menu. The bone-in sirloin, wedge and flourless cake is worth it on it's own WORTH A LOOK
Casa Calabria
One of the city's worst new restaurants is offering a very uninspiring menu. Chicken entree for $36? NOTHING TO SEE HERE
CHIMA
Chima's deal SOUNDS good for just $36 (normally $50), but their description leaves off the Filet Mignon, Ribeye, Lamb and the fish. So it APPEARS that they're offering some sort of scaled down Rodizio for Dine Out. Very LAME. Maybe just barely worth it if you're really hungry.
Cibo Wine Bar
Cibo is offering a $15 Entree with a Salad or App and choice of 2 desserts. Can you see me YAWNING?
Coco Asian Bistro
I've never spent $36 pp at a regular Chinese restaurant, so HOW could this be worth it?
Eduardo San Angel
WHO KNEW that Eduardo's was still open? There's a REASON I've never been to this restaurant. Eduardo doesn't have prices on his menu, so WHO KNOWs if this is a good deal? Does a tuna roll, Ravioli and mixed berries sound Mexican and worth $36 to you? NOT TO ME
15th Street Fisheries
After sampling their Joe's Skillet, how could I ever recommend this place for anything? Of course they make it easy by offering a CRAP MENU. Wow, you can get a salad, Mahi Mahi and bread pudding for just $36. HOW do you spell LOSER?
Indigo
There's basically nothing here worth $36. A Burger or Chicken Parm as a entree? Are you really coming here to a hotel restaurant for either of those? As usual, the Las Olas Company isn't even trying. MOVE ALONG.
Mai Kai
I wouldn't eat at Mai Kai for free, so you're on your own on this one. They seem to be offering a good selection.
Morton's
The problem with Morton's is that they're too expensive to offer anything for $36. There's no point going here for a 6 oz Filet that's probably not USDA Prime with no choice of Creamed Spinach. You can get blue cheese butter for your 6oz filet for just $5 more.
Ocean 2000
I had lunch here once, and it was REALLY BAD. The menu they're offering is better than last year, but still not worth $36. Another bad hotel restaurant on Dine Out.
Ruth's Chris
The trick at Ruth's Chris is the up charge offerings. For example you can get a 16oz USDA Prime strip with a blue cheese crust for just $19.95 extra. $9.95 extra to "upgrade" your salad to calamari. NO BARGAINS HERE.
Sea Level Restaurant (at the Marriott)
Sea Level is offering a lump crab salad, shrimp and scallop Pasta and Key Lime. Take it or LEAVE IT. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
Season's 52
Nothing at Season's 52 has ever been worth $36. One of the courses is a "Flatbread to Share", so what if only 1 person in the party wants to do Dine Out? Plus only the shotglass desserts are offered. NO WAY JOSE
Steak 954
Steak 954 is offering their usual ridiculous concoction of a menu. Yet another 6oz filet or a roasted chicken. FORGETABOUTIT
Timpano
Timpano was ruined when Tavistock took over; this menu isn't worth $36. Their "Prime Top Sirloin" is just insulting. Get the Mussels and a Glass of Wine instead.
Wild Sea
Wild Sea isn't offering a fish dish, unless you consider farmed salmon a fish dish. No Oysters this year. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE
Outside Fort Lauderdale
Some other restaurants outside of Fort Lauderdale are participating. Here are a few of them:
Adena (at Gulfstream Park
The billionaire who owns Adena had a chance to introduce this gaudy restaurant to the public, but they've missed with a pedestrian Dine Out offering. YET ANOTHER place offering a 6oz Filet. These restaurants really have no interest in DRAWING IN customers with their shitty offerings.
JWB Steakhouse
This is the steakhouse at Margaritaville Resort. This place is absurdly priced, and they've put out an absurd Dine Out Menu. Everything has an upcharge. It's a total joke. For Example. You can get a house salad, grilled chicken and key lime pie for $36. OR, you can get lobster bisque, a 12oz Filet and key lime pie for $63. HOW STUPID ARE YOU?
GO SOMEWHERE ELSE
Kuro
Sashima, Miso Soup and Sushi plus a protein bar for dessert. As with most things KURO, NO BARGAINS HERE.
III Forks
No size commitment at III Forks on the FILET, but my bet is it's 6 oz. Soup instead of dessert. NOTHING EXCITING HERE.
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