Most expensive meal you've ever had?

[melinuxfool]

I normally try to keep the bill under $75 and $50 is better. I don't think I've ever eaten at a really fine dining place.

As I mentioned in another thread, here in Maine, such "fine" dining places don't even exist!

The most I've ever spent was a high $20 for a prime rib, and that was a special occasion at a tourist trap. That also included a Coke.

I enjoy the little hole-in-the-wall restaurants more than fancy stuff anyway. I agree with a previous poster "Gourmet" is overrated. Give me a half-pound burger with some fries or onion rings any day!

Being from Maine, I know how I like my seafood. I can go to a good local seafood restaurant and get a plate piled high with shrimp, clams, scallops, and haddock for around $16. There are hardly any chain seafood restaurants left in the area. Why? Because the quality of the food was no comparison to the little "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants, that and they were more expensive to boot. Incidentally, I would consider that $16 to be an expensive meal.

A darn good thing my taste buds prefer cheaper food!

[disneysteve]

I think the thing for us, is there are plenty of little holes in the wall that serve EXCELLENT food where we live. I don't really see the point to spend a lot on a meal out. We hit nicer places once in a while, but you go into those places with such high expectations, it's hard to come away happy.

I think the problem is that restaurants can be so inconsistent and price doesn't assure top quality food or service. There are lots of over-rated expensive places and also lots of under-rated cheaper places. The key is to find the ones worth the price (or worth more than the price).

Even though my most expensive meal was about $160, I would not list that as my all time best meal. That would be the Chef's Table at a place called Nunzio's in Collingswood, NJ. I'm not positive but I think that goes for $85, so about $110 with tax and tip.

[Cassandra]

The most expensive meal I ever had was after my high school graduation at the best steak house in my town. There was 8 or 9 of us and the bill (after tip and tax) came to around $1200.

But the meal was worth every penny. My parents and I had been there once before, a couple years before that, and the staff at that time were the same people working there the second time we went. Our server even recognized us. The service was absolutely amazing and the food was even better.

I'd bet if I laid out 10 types of caviar, you probably couldn't tell the cheapest from the supposed best.

Pen & Teller did one of their "Bull****" episodes on fancy foods. They made crap from tin cans into fancy meals and served them in a fancy setting and embellished the descriptions - people fell for it - supposed gourmet connisours - thought it was delicious! Hillarious.

It is funny you should mention that. "America's Test Kitchen" did an episode where the tested various steaks- from the really cheap one at your grocery to some that you order online and cost over $140. They found that the best was midrange in price- around $40. It was really interesting.

[boosami]

I've paid some major cheddar for business dinners with clients... About 5 years ago I hosted ~10 clients at a "good bye" dinner for an associate leaving our team. It was at a famous steakhouse in Colorado, and the food bill was about $1,500. The wine bill was another $2,000! After tip and all it was well over $4k--that's more than $400 per plate! And that doesn't count after dinner activities (bar tab, club, etc.) but those were dwarfed in comparison. That is my most expensive night in recent memory, probably ever.

The most expensive personal meal I've paid for (well me + date) is probably in the $600 range for the total after tip. Just did a birthday meal for my girl and that was cheaper than expected beacuse a lot was comped, only about ~$300 total. Same thing happened on Valentine's Day--meal was less than $150 but with about a 100% tip. Keep in mind it's not uncommon for me to eat a $200+ meal for two about once a week.

Hasty post! Time to grab some lunch. It will be less than $100 though

[feh]

I'm not positive, but I'd guess my max is about $75 per plate.

A few years ago my wife and I went to Vegas with another couple. This isn't our style at all, but the other couple wanted to hit a couple nicer restaurants. We went to two pricey places - one of them was Emeril's (I can't remember the other).

They were good meals, but nothing memorable. I assume the elevated price was due to the name on the restaurant, and not the quality or care in preparation of the food.

[southerndoc]

I'm actually embarrassed by the amount I paid for a meal at the Royal Livingstone in Livingstone, Zambia.

[tripods68]

I bought a 4 1/5 pounder live lobster which cost $79 + tax for myself. I wasn't planning on it. ANd yes, I had to cook it myself.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

$200 per person at a sushi place. I think that much in japan too.

[FastFacts]

Over 200 in a posh restaurant that I regretted as soon as I walked in there and saw the menu.

[zetta]

We took a trip to Paris and went to a five-star restaurant called Fouquet (actually pronounced like F*ck-it!) for our anniversary dinner. A five course meal came to about $330 for two people. It was a great experience, great food including an amazing asparagus soup and foie gra. We had a waiter just for our table, and saw someone's pet dog bite another waiter -- quite the people watching!

I see nothing wrong with an occasional splurge like this if the rest of your finances are in order.

[sandrark]

We had a very expensive dinner when we went to Zurich in 1997. But we couldn't be in Switzerland and *not* have a fondue meal! I think, at the time, it was ~ $150 for two. A pint of beer was $12 at that time.

Last year, we were in NYC, and had a FABULOUS dinner at One If By Land, Two If By Sea. We had the Wine Flight prix fixe dinner, which I think was ~ $350 with six courses, accompanying wine, tax and tip. I'd totally do it again.

Sandi

[Snodog]

By far the most I spent was $50 at Martha's Vineyard in 2007 when we couldn't find anywhere else to eat. The food was horrible. I'm happy to say I have cheap taste in food.

I know for me that no meal is worth $50 no matter how good it is. But YMMV.

[disneysteve]

Thanks to all who have answered so far. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has spent large sums on fine meals.

[jasonnoguchi]

My most expensive meal was about USD3000 in a top class restaurant in Shanghai.

[toboramai]

200+ with a coworker but it was not my dime.