Restaurant Week Boston 2012

Fine dining in Boston . . . affordable prix fixe menus!

Restaurant Week Boston 2012 gives us the chance to sample Boston's best restaurants at special bargain prices! Interested? Mark March and August on your calendar, and start planning your restaurant reservations.

During Boston Restaurant Week 2012, chefs offer prix fixe 3-course lunches for $20.12 and dinners for $33.12.

Some participating restaurants also offer a "light lunch" option for $15.12 - typically, you get main course and then choose either the starter or dessert from the 3-course prix fixe menu.

Dates for Restaurant Week Boston

Winter Restaurant Week - Sunday through Friday, during first two full weeks of March - check exact dates for March
Summer Restaurant Week - Sunday through Friday, during the last two weeks in August - check exact dates for August

Lots of restaurants also offer the special menus on the Saturday between the two weeks. A few make their special menus - and prices - available throughout the months of March and August.

Although drinks, tax, and tip are additional and a few selections even require supplemental charges, Restaurant Week in Boston still serves up a sweet deal. Some participating restaurants also offer wine pairings, usually for about $15 more - usually great deals.

Check my tips for scoring great deals.

Participating restaurants for Restaurant Week Boston

Approximately 200 restaurants in Boston, Cambridge, and nearby suburbs participate in each Restaurant Week, including many of the very top restaurants in these areas.

Participating restaurants vary - so I update this list once participants are announced, usually about a month before each Restaurant Week period.

The following restaurants participated in the August, 2011 event, and the 2012 participants will probably be similar. I'll update the 2012 list in February.

Key: LL=Light Lunch, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

Downtown Boston / Financial District restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

49 Social, 49 Temple Place, 617-338-9600, Contemporary American, D
Website: www.49social.com
Avenue One @ Haytt Regency, 617-422-5579, American, LL/L/D
Bina Osteria, 581 Washington Street, 617-956-0888, Contemporary Italian, L/D
Website: www.binaboston.com
BOND @ Langham Hotel, 250 Franklin St, 617-956-8756, American, D
Boston College Club, 100 Federal Street, 617-946-2828, American, L/D
Website: www.clubcorp.com/Clubs/Boston-College-Club
Cafe Fleuri @ Langham Hotel, 250 Franklin St, 617-451-1900 x7125, Mediterranean, L
Kennedy's Midtown, 42 Province Street, 617-426-3333, Irish, LL/L/D
Website: www.kennedysmidtown.com
Les Zygomates Wine Bar & Bistro, 129 South Street, 617-542-5108, French, D
Website: www.winebar.com
Locke-Ober, 3 Winter Place, 617-542-1340, French/Continental/American, L/D
Website: www.lockeober.com
Mantra, 52 Temple Place, 617-542-8111, Contemporary Indian/French, D
Website: www.mantrarestaurant.com
Marliave, 10 Bosworth Street, 617-422-0004, American, L/D
Website: www.marliave.com
McCormick & Schmick @ Faneuil Hall Marketplace, 617-720-5522, Seafood, L/D
North 26 @ Millennium Bostonian Hotel, 617-557-3640, Contemporary American, L/D
Oceanaire Seafood Room, 40 Court Street, 617-742-2277, Seafood, L/D
Parker's @ Omni Parker House Hotel, 617-725-1600 - Contemporary American (and famous for originating Boston Cream Pie!), L/D
Petit Robert Central, 34 Summer Street, 617-737-1777, French Bistro, D - More about Petit Robert Bistro
Q Restaurant, 660 Washington Street, 857-350-3968, Asian, LL/L/D
Radius, 617-426-1234, Contemporary French, D - More about Radius
Ruth's Chris Steak House, 617-742-8401, Steakhouse, L/D
Sorriso Trattoria, 107 South Street, 617-259-1560, Italian, D
Stoddard's Fine Food & Ale, 617-246-0048, American, D
Umbria Prime Steakhouse, 295 Franklin Street, 617-338-1000, Steakhouse, LL/L/D
Union Oyster House, 617-227-2750, Seafood, L/D - More about Union Oyster House
Woodward @ Ames Boston Hotel, 617-979-8200, American, D

Back Bay restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Asana @ Mandarin Oriental, 617-535-8800, American, L/D
Atlantic Fish Company, 761 Boylston Street, 617-267-4000, Seafood, LL/L
Bistro du Midi, 272 Boylston Street, 617-426-7878, French, D
Brasserie Jo @ The Colonnade Hotel, 617-425-3240, French, L/D
City Table, 65 Exeter Street, 617-933-4800, American, D
Club Cafe, 617-536-0966, American, D
Courtyard Restaurant @ the Boston Public Library, 617-859-2251, Contemporary American, L
Da Vinci Ristorante, 617-350-0007, Italian, D
Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse, 617-357-4810, Italian, L/D
Forty Dalton @ Hilton Back Bay, 617-266-3537, American, LL/L/D
Haru @ The Shops at Prudential Center 617-537-0770, Sushi, L/D
Jasper White's Summer Shack, 617-867-9955, Seafood, L/D
L'Espalier, 617-262-3023, French, L
Legal Sea Foods @ Copley Place, 617-266-7775, Seafood, L/D
Lucca Back Bay, 617-247-2400, Italian, D
Met Back Bay, 617-267-0451, Continental, L/D
Mistral, 617-867-9300, French, D
Morton's The Steakhouse, 617-266-5858, Steakhouse, D
Oak Room @ Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, 617-267-5300, Steakhouse, LL/L/D
Osushi, 617-266-2788, Sushi, L/D
Palm Restaurant @ Westin Hotel, 617-867-9292, Steakhouse, L/D
Papa Razzi, 617-536-9200, Italian, LL/L/D
Post 390, 617-399-0015, American, L
Samurai Boston, 617-236-7672, LL/L/D
Sel de la Terre, 617-266-8800, L/D
Skipjack's Seafood Emporium, 617-536-3500, Seafood, D
Smith & Wolensky, 617- 423-1112, Steakhouse, D
Sorellina, 617-4600, Italian, D
Stanhope Grille @ Back Bay Hotel, 617-532-3827, American, D
The Cafe @ The Taj, 617-598-5255, LL/L/D
Top of the Hub, 617-536-1775, American, L/D
Turner Fisheries @ The Westin, 617-424-7425, Seafood, L
Uni Sashimi Bar, 617-536-7200, Sushi, D
Via Matta, 617-422-0008, Italian, L/D
Wine Cellar, 617-236-0080, Fusion, D

Beacon Hill restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Beacon Hill Bistro @ The Beacon Hill Hotel, 617-723-1133, French, LL/L/D
Bin 26 Enoteca, 617-723-5939, Italian, L/D
Clink @ The Liberty Hotel, 617-224-4004, American, L/D
Grotto Restaurant, 617-224-3434, Italian, L/D
Hungry I, 617-227-3524, American, D
Lala Rokh, 617-720-5511, Persian, L/D
Mooo @ Fifteen Beacon Hotel, 617-670-2515, Steakhouse, L
No. 9 Park, 617-742-9991, French, D
Pierrot Bistrot Francais, 617-725-8855, French, L/D
Scampo @ The Liberty Hotel, 617-536-2100, Italian, L
Scollay Square, 617-742-4900, American, D
Toscano Restaurant, 47 Charles Street, 617-723-4090, Italian, LL/L/D
Website: www.toscanoboston.com

Charlestown restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Tangierino, 83 Main Street, 617-242-6009, Moroccan, D
Website: www.tangierino.com

North End restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Antico Forno, 617-723-6733, Italian, L/D
Aragosta Bar and Bistro @ Fairmont Battery Wharf, 617-994-9001, Fusion, LL/L/D
Artu Rosticceria & Trattoria, 617-742-4336, L/D
Bacco, 617-627-0454, Italian, D
Cantina Italiana, 617-723-4577, Italian, LL/L/D
Davide, 617-227-5745, Italian, D
Lucia Ristorante, 617-367-2353, Italian, L/D
Mamma Maria, 617-523-0077, Italian, D
Marco Restaurant, 617-742-1276, Italian, D
Mare, 617-723-6273, Seafood, D
Maurizio's, 617-367-1123, Italian, D
Ristorante Fiore, 617-371-1176, Italian, L/D
Strega, 617-523-8481, Italian, L/D
Taranta, 617-720-0052, Italian, D
Terramia Ristorante, 617-523-3112, Italian, D
Trattoria di Monica, 617-720-5472, Italian, D
Tresca, 617-742-8240, Italian, L/D
Villa Francesca, 617-367-2948, Italian, L/D
Vinoteca Di Monica, 617-227-0311, Italian, L/D

Downtown Waterfront restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Chart House Restaurant, 617-227-1576, Seafood, LL/L/D
Meritage @ Boston Harbor Hotel, 617-
Miel @ InterContinental Boston, 617-
Sel de la Terre, 617-

South Boston Waterfront restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

606 Congress @ Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, 617-476-5606, American, L/D
Anthony's Pier 4, 140 Northern Ave, 617-482-6262, Seafood, L/D
Aura @ Seaport Hotel, 617-385-4300, Contemporary American, LL/L/D
Morton's The Steakhouse, 2 Seaport Lane, 617-526-1410, Steakhouse, L/D
Sportello, 348 Congress Street, 617-737-1234, Italian, L/D
Strega Waterfront, 1 Marine Drive (Fan Pier), 617-345-3992, Italian, L

South End restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Aquitaine, 569 Tremont Street, 617-424-8577, French, LL/L/D
B&G Oysters, 550 Tremont Street, 617-423-0550, Seafood, L
website: www.bandgoysters.com
The Beehive, 541 Tremont Street, 617-423-0069, International, LL/L/D
website: www.beehiveboston.com
The Butcher Shop, 552 Tremont Street, 617-423-4800, French, L/D
website: www.thebutchershopboston.com
Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen, 617-536-1100, American, D
Estragon, 617-266-0443, Spanish, D
Gaslight Brasserie du Coin, 617-422-0224, French, D
Masa Restaurant, 617-338-8884, Southwestern, LL/L/D
Metropolis Cafe, 617-247-2931, Mediterranean, D
Noche, 617-482-0117, Contemporary American, D
Oishii, 617-482-8868, Sushi, L
Petit Robert Bistro, 617-867-0600, French, L/D
Sibling Rivalry, 617-338-5338, American, D
Toro, 617-536-4300, Spanish, D
Tremont 647, 617-266-4600, American, LL/L/D
Union Bar and Grill, 617-423-0545, American, D

Bay Village restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Erbaluce, 69 Church Street, 617-426-6969, Italian, D
website: http://www.erbaluce-boston.com/
Pigalle, 617-423-4944, French, D

Park Square restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Avila, 617-267-4810, Mediterranean, LL/L/D
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, 617-272-0808, Steakhouse, D
Legal Seafoods, 617-426-4444, Seafood, L/D
McCormick & Schmick Seafood Restaurant, 617-482-3999, Seafood, L/D
Melting Pot, 617-357-7007, Fondue, L/D

Theatre District/Chinatown restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Blu, 617-375-8550, American, LL/L/D
KO Prime @ Nine Zero Hotel, 617-772-0202, Steakhouse, D
Market by Jean-Georges @ W Boston, 617-310-6790, Fusion, L/D

Fenway / Kenmore restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Burton's Grill, 1363 Boylston, 617-236-2236, Contemporary American, LL/L/D
Eastern Standard, 617-532-9100, French Bistro, L - More about Eastern Standard
Elephant Walk, 617-247-1500, Cambodian & French, LL/L/D - More about Elephant Walk
Petit Robert Bistro, 617-375-0699, French Bistro, LL/L/D - More about Petit Robert Bistro
Sol Azteca, 914A Beacon Street, 617-262-0909, Mexican, D

Cambridge restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Boston:

Casablanca, 1363 Boylston, 617-876-0999, Mediterranean, LL/L/D
Chez Henri, 1 Shepard Street, 617-354-8980, French/Cuban, D
East Coast Grill & Raw Bar, 1271 Cambridge Street, 617-491-6568, Seafood, D
Elephant Walk, 2067 Massachusetts Ave, 617-492-6900, Cambodian & French, LL/L/D - More about Elephant Walk
Jasper White's Summer Shack, 149 Alewife Brooke Parkway (across from Alewife T Station on the Red Line), 617-520-9500, Seafood, L/D
Dante, 40 Edwin Land Boulevard, 617-497-4200, Italian, D
Rialto @ the Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett Street, 617-661-5050, Italian, D
Sandrine's Bistro, 8 Holyoke Street, 617-497-5300, French, LL/L/D

Should you make reservations for Restaurant Week in Boston?

You definitely need to have reservations during Restaurant Week in Boston because bargain-hunting gourmands turn out for this event in huge numbers, so be sure to call as soon as the reservation period opens, usually about 3 weeks before each Restaurant Week period.

Because many of the city's top restaurants take part, competition to get coveted reservations can be fierce - but diners are well-rewarded by the opportunity to sample the cuisine of famous chefs, revisit old favorites, and try the offerings of newcomers. Check my 5 top tried-and-true tips for getting the best value from Boston Restaurant Week.

My family and friends look forward to Restaurant Week for months, and dine in as many different places as we can fit into our schedules and budgets. If you're planning to visit Boston while this event is underway, get ready for a treat!

Check the Boston Event Calendars for March and August for exact dates.