:D In the same vein, I eschew restaurants that are so noisy that I can't hear what the server, or Mrs. Fredd, or even I myself are saying. I also recognize as we get older that noise is generally more bothersome even as our hearing declines.

To give a specific example, a few years ago we dined at CinCin in Vancouver, BC, a well-regarded restaurant. It was plenty bright but way too loud for our tastes. :td:

Call me old fashoined
 

For dinner or a nice lunch for that matter, I prefer dimly lit. Enough light to read the menu without a flashlight, but maybe a little help from the candle. My experience is that this was much more common in the 60s-80s, and has been getting brighter overall ever since. Crazy bright at most places these days. I like bars to be very dimly lit also.

last night we were with my parents who really wanted to try the duck at this place I've raved about to them many times (even held a Do or two there) www.sunwahbbq.com we were told 15-20 but ended up just shy of 30 for the wait, I thought I'd go insane as I usually wait no more than 10 minutes as we have reservations for go at off peak times.

I'm notorious for telling clients that I won't take them to lunch at noon, either we leave their office at 11:30am or 12:45pm to beat the rush.
too funny, same here.

There is a steak place in St Germain Wisconsin, Mc Gregor's Blink Bonnie (most call it Blink Bonnie). In the summer folks line up at 4pm for this place and they are F'in nuts as the food is ok at best. http://www.yelp.com/biz/mcgregors-bl...-saint-germain

I refuse to eat out during peak tourist season in N Wisconsin as waits are the norm, I'm not going to waste prime lake/water time waiting to eat, I can cook just as good as any of the restaurants in N Wisconsin. We do go to one place but they take reservations and are good about honoring the time so we wait no more than 10 mins.

Dined at the Banff Old Spaghetti Factory tonite with my family. Got in at 4 pm knowing that it would get jammed packed later as its Family Day Long Weekend in Alberta. True enough, I walked in, and there was a long line up already.. Thank goodness it was a party for 15, and we were seated immediately.. phew.

btw.. got the last rack of baby back ribs. The server wasn't sure if there was any left because of yesterday's mad rush.. I asked to speak to the manager.. budda boom budda ching.. one left from the manager's secret stash. I downed those ribs pretty happy tonite.^

Both.

Nah. Nothing's worth that kind of wait to me. But to each his own.

2 1/2 hours for Joe's Stone Crab in Miami. Won't be doing that again. The food was good, but nothing is worth that kind of wait. In fact, it so turned me off that we don't go back that often when we are there. Or, we do carry out.

House of Prime Rib--with reservations!
 

House of Prime Rib here in San Francisco. Probably the best prime rib I've ever had. But every time I go, I wait about one hour to 1.5 hours WITH a reservation! It is beyond painful. If I have a 7pm reservation, we usually won't be seated until 8pm. Sucks hard.

I don't understand this. They give you a reservation for 7 pm but you don't get seated for an hour? What's the point of taking the reservation for 7 pm? Why don't they just give you an 8 pm reservation and seat you when you walk in the door?

Reminds me of the old Seinfeld routine on taking and holding reservations.

Strange, I've only been there once, but we had no problem getting seated on time for our 6 PM reservation for 5. This was a weekday, however, so perhaps that's the difference? Great food, though!

I've been going there for ~15 years and go 4-5 times a year (used to be more, when I lived in the city and we could walk there!) One of my favorite restaurants on earth...

They used to give you a bottle of the house wine (or a dessert if not drinking, I think, although I always took the wine) if they kept you waiting more than a half hour on a reservation. Wasn't that unusual to collect, but hardly was every time.

These days, it's gotten so hard to get a prime-hours reservation on weekends that I'm always right after opening, or after 9pm, both of which have never had bad waits. I only recall being there between say 6:30-8:30 on weekdays rather than weekends in the last 4-5 or so years.

Going early is not bad advice for first-timers who aren't night owls; the service is great, and since it's a HUGE meal, if you do it justice you'll have longer to digest :)

weekend dining vrs weekday
 

anyone else feel that they get better treatment during weekday (M-Th) dining than on weekends?

I have to say I do, generally better/less rushed interaction with the waitstaff.

On weekdays we've also had a number of 'freebies' tastings of item(s) the chef is trying or a new wine they are considering. I don't count on these but they've happened enough^

We rarely go out to dinner on a Fri/Sat/Sun as a result.

I went to Oreganos last time I was in Phoenix, it was good. I wouldn't wait more than about 20 minutes for it. Spinato's Pizza in Tempe, however...that is worth it.

Seems a lot of people mention the Cheesecake Factory here. I'd be fine if I never had to go there again. Every time I travel with a particular coworker, he insists we go because it's the best food he's ever had. I really feel sorry for him.

My most worth it waits have been at Plaza III Steakhouse and The Hereford House, both in Kansas City.

sunwah in chicago is indeed delicious as mentioned by a poster a few posts up

most ridiculous wait was in chicago, kuma's corner, where we were quoted FOUR hours. unless their burgers are made of gold dust, not happening...

Certainly the weekdays are far more palatable than the weekends.. especially in Calgary at Notables. I heard that customers park 3 blocks away just to get to Notables restaurant for supper on the weekends.

Don't have a reservation? Still about 90 minutes to get in weekend evenings.