One of the most annoying questions that plagues families that want to go out to eat is one of the most simple, “Where should we go?” However, to many people, this is hardly has a simple answer, because every occasion is different. One night you go out, a certain restaurant might be the perfect choice, but on another, it might be one of the absolute worst options.
There’s typically a couple of criteria in how people review restaurants. According to Otilla Dobos, there’s around nine factors consumers take into account when deciding a restaurant, the most notable being price, personal experience, variety of menu items, online reviews, and location. People go to restaurants for many different occasions, whether they’re celebrating a birthday, going on a date, meeting for business, or seeking fun entertainment. Regardless, not all restaurants can specialize in every event, and if one claims it can, it’s not a good restaurant.
However, there’s typically certain types or styles of restaurants that best fit certain sorts of events, which is why it felt important to point out which qualities of a spot make it better fit for something. As No Strings Attached News explains, “The nature of your celebration should guide your restaurant selection. For an intimate anniversary dinner, a cozy, romantic setting may be ideal. For a birthday or family gathering, a place with a lively atmosphere and versatile seating arrangements could work better.” Using this logic, a sports bar might be a fine place for a hangout with friends after work, though it probably wouldn’t be the best place for a wedding anniversary. Conversely, a fine dining Italian restaurant might be a great place for a wedding anniversary, though it might not be the best place to hang out after work. Below are a variety of different occasions, as well as a step by step guide as to how to choose a restaurant based on it.
Birthday
A day that only happens once a year for a person, it’s important if you’re celebrating one to find the right restaurant. The first step for this is to always ask the birthday person where they’d want to go, or at least help narrow it down. It’s their birthday, so they should choose! Because it’s such a personal event, there isn’t much to narrow things down, though typically, slightly nicer than casual, upscale restaurants can work really well. Restaurants like steakhouses, American, or fusion restaurants often fit this range. While it’s different for everyone, I had an incredible time at an upscale restaurant near me, called Confab Kitchen & Bar.
Romantic Setting
While the occasion may vary, you’d typically want a quieter, slower place for a romantic setting. Oftentimes, you’d want to be in a place that’s not so loud you can’t hear anyone’s voice clearly. Of course though, check first with whoever you’re going out with, see what everyone likes. Also, a place that might be a little more expensive than the average night out might be fitting, as places with a higher quality of service can give you better opportunities to spend your time at a restaurant in a way you’d want (for example, not being rushed). While this isn’t set to a specific cuisine, a common quality choice is Italian or seafood restaurants.
Fun Night Out
If you’re going for your general fun dinner out, a lot of stuff works. However, I typically prefer places that are considered “easy.” Not fast food, but places that have consistently given results for you. Get the group you’re going with, choose a place you’ve been to before with food you liked, make sure it’s not TOO expensive, and go there. There’s no problem in this case choosing someplace tried and true. Bonus points if it’s within a 20 minute drive. However, if you’re going for a more fun “adventerous” night out, choose a place your group has never been to, and just go there! One example of a restaurant that fits this near me is a sports bar called The Harvey, with great burgers and a friendly environment.
Entertainment
While entertainment might be a broad topic, most restaurants that have sorts of entertainment might come in the form of live music or trivia events. Regardless of what the event is, there’s a way to choose restaurants for it. Of course, you should find spots doing live music, either using an app (ex. OpenTable) and filtering for live music, or looking on social media. Then, my favorite way to choose after this is finding the restaurant’s menus, and finding the one with the best appetizers. Most of these events can last longer than you’d typically think to stay at a restaurant, so choosing a place with great shareables is the best way to find the right restaurant. In this case, the food isn’t really the focus, it’s the environment and the entertainment, so choose accordingly. One example of a local place for me that fits this vibe is a spot called Block & Drum, in which they have constant live music and easy food to split.
Meeting for Business
When you have a more serious meeting to build a professional relationship, meeting at a restaurant can be a great way to break the tension and build strong connections. For an occasion like this (assuming you’re choosing), choosing a place in which the cuisine would be familiar to both people is important. If there’s any occasion where the food isn’t the highlight, this is the one. That’s why it’s important to choose a place in which the food wouldn’t be the highlight. Choose a place where you can easily talk with a person without other noise blurring conversation, but make sure it’s a place that provides high-quality service so you can avoid distractions and be present in the most productive environment possible.
