Yep - a few times a year usually.
My sister and her fiancee routinely eat at places that generally have 150$+ prices for two but he owns his own business, spends all day on the internet and has a knack for finding net coupons so they usually get it done in 50$ somehow (they’re both dry so that helps). For graduation they took me to a place in Chicago called Cielo??? and recently in Boston I went to the Top of the Hub restaurant to dine. When I was interviewing for jobs and working during school I routinely got to eat at extremely upscale places, where the lawyers would just go crazy on the firm’s bill. I say “meh” to the food-I just liked the view and the ambiance (the decor and plates were a treat to behold).
I finally got myself down to my ideal size and that was pretty much by quitting eating out entirely so I find it hard to do so these days unless it’s with friends and family. The two I don’t mind shelling out for are Japanese and tapas which both seem to be intrinsically expensive-the first I’m okay with spending money for b/c having had a taste of quality I am now completely spoiled and the second b/c I don’t want to buy that many groceries to make a myriad of small appetizers for a few people. Everything else I pretty much learn how to make myself.
I go out a few times a year, usually to celebrate some momentous event.
My wife got dragged to the French Laundry last month by some friends. I declined. Really not my sort of thing. Unfortunately, my wife’s not a French Laundry sort either, but she enjoyed her friends’ company.
I’ve been to a few in my life, and they make me really uncomfortable. To me, it’s like burning money just for the sake of saying you burnt money. Like eating an endangered species, when you know it doesn’t taste any different than chicken.
That’s just my opinion of course; I’m guilty of blowing money on silly things when the silliness is my own silliness.
About 3 times a year we’ll go somewhere nice ($150+ per person). We don’t eat out much because I like to cook and frankly when we eat at most restaurants I find I could have done a better job at home for less money and my wife agrees. So when we do go out we like to go somewhere we know will be an experience in service, food and atmosphere. Luckily Chicago has a good number of restaurants that fit this need.
Usually about once or twice a year I go to a high-end place with my wife. Last place we went was Les Nomades here in Chicago. I don’t think I’d want to go more often than that (money non-withstanding). It is partly a magnificent treat for ourselves food-wise, but also the of the impeccable service, staff knowledge and atmosphere.
A few others have been Le Francais, Spring, Trio (before they re-vamped).
I also enjoy having a few Old Styles in the backyard - way more often though.
A few times a year. We’ve done the chef’s table at Goodfellow’s, too - once, many years ago, my sister is another one who is on the phone for that table every June. We just had dinner at The St. Paul Grill for our tenth anniversary. With the kids, we don’t do much fancy dining - we are trying the Flying Fish at Disney World this year with our rug rats, wish us luck. (However, fine dining at Disney is strange, as you don’t bother to really dress up because the guy sitting next to you came in from the park in his Grumpy tshirt and Goofy ears hat).
Can you tell me more about this? I didn’t see a mention of it on the website.
Never have and likely never will. I’m not too keen on “atmosphere”. It would be extremely difficult to justify a 3-figure dinner bill.
The Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and San Francisco, pretty much the entire Bay Area really, are truly blessed with an abundance of world class restaurants.
I’ve got a list as long as my arm of places I’m still eager to check out. Some high end places, some middle of the road places, and some greasy spoons.
After our dinner at the French Laundry, I made a list of my most memorable meals. I do hope it is ever-changing. What can I say, I love good food! 
Don’t rub it in. I’m stuck in DC at the moment. Interminably. 
You bet, we love 'em. We live in a city large enough (#4 in US) that there’s plenty of them and we definately have our favorites. My wife has to do a fair number of programs during the year at these places and sometimes I’ll join her on the company’s nickle but usually we just go back to her favorites on our own. Rainbow Lodge, Vic & Anthony’s, La Griglia, Morton’s, Pappas in Houston, vacationing we’ve been to Window’s On The World, Emerils and several in Chicago that were surperb. Usually we’ll try what we really liked on our own at home too so the experience has provided something we could come away with too. Also, most have very well stocked cellars so it’s a great opportunity to try different vintages by the glass.
Wait…are you my long-lost twin? I still remember the days when I grilled some steaks and drank a few of the short bottles of Old Style.
My “friends” woudl call it ‘Dog Pile’…I would ignore them.
-Cem
I’d be pretty ticked off if I found out that an expensive restaurant was riding on “atmosphere,” and not exquisite food. I’m paying for the chefs’ expertise, not the view.
Because I’m the only one who cooks in our family (more or less), and I just get tired of it, and we can’t afford a three-figure dinner every Friday. And as the primary cook in our house, I have to say that my favourite food is pretty much anything made by someone else.
So, to answer the OP, we occasionally do the “dress up and go to a fancy place” dinner, but I don’t see the value in doing it very often. Our luxury items run more to dvd’s, cd’s, electronics, etc.
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I have SO been to Brannan’s grill!!! 
Goood tiiiimes… Goooood Tiiiiimes…
Meh. I’d rather eat at a hole in the wall.
I don’t like to dress up. I’ve never liked to dress up and that dislike gets greater as I get older. I don’t drink wine, so that has no appeal. My husband won’t eat steak or seafood, so that limits things. And I’d rather spend my money on something neat than on something that only lasts for a couple of hours.
I’m a philistine. 
No kidding, Murder’s Row of really fine fare.
People that love the fine grub tend to live in Chi-town, NY, or Sanfran…it’s true!