Brace for Restaurant Week 2015, Returning August 10

Brace yourselves: The annual prix-fixe bonanza known as Restaurant Week will return August 10.

While all the participating restaurants will observe the main week (August 10 through 16), if previous years are any indication, some restaurants will extend it to an entire three weeks. The typical offering is a three-course dinner for $35; recent years have added some $45 dinner and $25 dinner options as well.

While scores of people in Dallas relish Restaurant Week as an opportunity to dine out at higher-end restaurants they normally wouldn't patronize, there are always some complaints about packed dining rooms, rushed service, and skimpy portions. There's also the perennial debate over whether or not the $35 pricetag is actually worth it (spoiler: it really depends on the restaurant).

This is the 18th year for the event, which last year raised $715,000 for its charity partners the North Texas Food Bank and Lena Pope Home. The three biggest contributors last year were Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Al Biernat's, and Abacus.