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Downtown Dining Week is entering its sixth annual summer as a tasty tradition in Milwaukee next week, and whether you’ve been around the DDW block before or are a DDW virgin, this blog is here to serve as your guide.
For all the seasoned DDW veterans planning your week around these mouth-watering dining deals, check back tomorrow for a sneak peek of this year’s six new participating restaurants. For all the newcomers, we don’t want the experienced crowd to scare you away. Read these four tips and tricks, and you’ll be set to dine like a pro.
Price check
Here’s how this all works: Participating restaurants offer either a lunch menu, dinner menu or both, each at a fixed price. Each three-course lunch is $10 and the three-course dinners come in at either $20 or $30, depending on the restaurant. The menus offer several pre-selected appetizers, entrees and desserts for you to choose from, so you can tailor the meal to your tastes.
With these fixed prices, almost every option is a bargain (The $30 dinner option at The Capital Grille, for instance, is half the cost of what it would be on a regular night). This gives you more for your money and keeps your wallet happy. However, don’t forget to tip based on the full value of the meal.
Scope out the menus
This year, 42 restaurants are participating in DDW, and that means there will be A LOT of food to choose from. Lucky for you, all of the menus are posted on the DDW website for your perusing pleasure. We recommend you check these out before the event kicks off – that way you’ll know exactly what your options are before you make your way downtown. You can see what dishes your favorite places are offering or scope out restaurants you’ve never set foot in.
Whether you’re dining as a regular or trying out a new place, don’t show up unprepared.
Clear your schedule
Even if you are going out just once during DDW, this is the most important tip to follow. The event has become increasingly popular over the years, which means restaurants have become increasingly crowded. DDW attracts thousands of Milwaukee-area residents looking to catch a bite at a great price, and many are trying these restaurants for the first time. Because of this surge of hungry Milwaukeeans, securing a table may take a while.
Our advice: Make a night (or day) out of it. Clear your schedule, arrive early and snag a seat at the bar. The wait is all part of the DDW experience, and who doesn’t enjoy some conversation over a pre-dinner drink?
Come back for more
Now that you have a taste of what DDW entails, start planning your food-filled week. For those of you hungry for more details, check back here every weekday from now until the end of DDW (June 9). We’ll highlight the best bargains, dishes and restaurants you won’t want to miss so you can make the best out of this once-a-year experience.
