Of course, atmosphere in a restaurant matters. But I think it matters more than most of us want to admit. After all, if food were the only important thing, we'd get take out.
I will be the first to say it. There are two casual restaurants that my family often goes to that are about the same distance from our house. One has slightly better food, but we usually eat at the other one because of the excellent outdoor eating space. ...
If the difference in the quality of the food were marked, I wouldn't make that choice; but good atmosphere is important to me, maybe more so than good service. Just the fact that I get more diners asking me about noise levels in restaurants than how the service was says maybe I'm not alone in this.
I'd go back to Grano again because it's just so darn cute, where I was never tempted by the pasta bar when it was open only on 36th Street.
I'm trying to think of a restaurant that I would choose primarily because of atmosphere, regardless of the food, and I can't think of one. But I'm sure there are restaurants like that in Baltimore. You know, where you say, "The food's not so great, but it's just such a cool place to be."
And then there are those cases where atmosphere is important in a reverse way, as in those wonderful Chinese dumplings actually taste better because you get them at a little hole-in-the-wall.
(Algerina Perna/Sun photographer)