here come the crowds! (seattle restaurant week)

It's that time of year again. Hoards of people will leave their homes and flood into restaurants across Seattle in search of a bargain-priced dining experience. Seattle Restaurant Week offers diners three courses for $28 at over 150 local restaurants. The result? Crowded restaurants serving sub-par food for a discounted price.

I can't speak for every restaurant on the list, but my past experiences with Seattle Restaurant Week and Dine Around Seattle (fewer participating restaurants, but offered for two months during the year -- usually March and November) have been rather disappointing. Restaurants are often overbooked, with servers losing their patience as they run around trying to get food out to demanding customers. Some restaurants offer the same food as on their regular menu, but in smaller portions. Others have a separate menu specifically for the event. Either way, the food almost never lives up to the food you would get on a regular, non-Restaurant Week night.

And while $28 for three courses seems like a good deal, it really doesn't save an average table much money except at the really high end restaurants. For many of those on the list, you could easily order an appetizer and entrée for about $28, and when does a table order one dessert per person? Assuming you typically order one to share, your average cost per person doesn't amount to much more than $30. And if you're like me, you'll usually skip dessert altogether after many disappointing encounters.

If you do decide to give Seattle Restaurant Week a try, here are some tips to maximize your experience:

• Do your research. Look at restaurants' regular menus, and select a restaurant that is actually offering you a good deal.
• Make a reservation, and do it early. Tables at the higher priced restaurants are often the most coveted and can fill up weeks in advance. If you can't get in during Seattle Restaurant Week, see if they're participating in Dine Around Seattle.
• Consider going to dinner early or late to have the best experience. Avoid the crowds and get better service (hopefully). I would opt for early rather than late since restaurants may sell out of particular items later in the evening, and staff are exhausted by the end of a busy evening.
• Be prepared to wait for your table, even with a reservation. Many of the popular restaurants will be fully booked and may end up running behind. Settle in at the bar and order a drink. I discovered my new favorite champagne this way!
• Preview the sample menu online, but don't have your heart set on a particular dish. The small print says that "menus are subject to change," and I've found that to be the case about 50% of the time.
• Consider ordering items even if they are not on the promotional menu. Don't settle for food simply because it is a better deal. Instead, order what sounds the most delicious to you. If one person at your table orders the three-course meal, you can share the dessert and still save some money.