LANSING - Erin Brains said the proof that area residents would support a week devoted to eating at local restaurants came last year during the first-ever "Lansing Restaurant Week."

The inaugural event was in such demand that the website created to promote it crashed.

This year's organizers - Lansing 5:01, Choose Lansing and Lansing Foodies - created a separate website for "Restaurant Week" that could hold up to an anticipated surge of traffic.

This time around the week-long celebration of local eateries, which started Saturday and runs through May 17, also has double the number of participating restaurants. Nearly 70 are taking part, each offering up a $7 dish on the menu, while several are offering a $5 drink special as well.

Chelsea Lloyd work on prepping food in anticipation of Tantay Peruvian Cuisine's opening of the brick-and-mortar location on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, in Okemos.

The goal is simple, Brains said.

"We wanted to come together and just kind of have an opportunity to really just highlight the restaurants in our area," she said. "It gives an opportunity to check out new places without committing a huge chunk of money. It's also an opportunity to just kind of highlight all the different types of restaurants that we do have."

How it works

At The People's Kitchen, the "Restaurant Week" special is fish tacos made with beer-battered Alaskan pollock, masa tortillas, charred street corn, and chipotle crema.

Mention "Restaurant Week" specials when you visit any of the businesses taking part during the event and each one will offer up a $7 menu item for purchase.

Those specials are highlighted on the event's website at www.517restaurantweek.com. Any $5 drink specials at participating restaurants are also listed.

The event was timed so that its last day is May 17, 517 Day.

At Tantay, a Peruvian restaurant in Okemos, customers have their choice between two dishes: Ají de Gallina, a chicken stew served with rice, and red lentil soup.

Owner Jose Aste said the organizers have done a good job of promoting "Restaurant Week" this year and his eatery welcomed new customers asking for the specials over the weekend.

There's "community value" in being included in an event because it highlights smaller and larger restaurants in the Lansing area alike, Aste said.

At Tantay, a Peruvian restaurant in Okemos, customers have their choice between two dishes during Lansing Restaurant Week: Ají de Gallina, a chicken stew served with rice, and red lentil soup.

"It shows that all these different restaurants are part of the same community," he said.

Nearly 70 restaurants offer a variety

Big Mom's House in East Lansing is offering potato corn dogs with soda during Lansing Restaurant Week.

There's plenty of variety being offered to area residents throughout the week.

Big Mom's House in East Lansing is offering potato corn dogs with soda, while El Azteco West in Lansing is featuring enchiladas, beans, rice and a customer's choice of cheese dip or guacamole, as well as $5 margaritas.

Several restaurants outside Lansing are participating, including Klavon's Pizza in Mason, Tin Cup Cafe & Creamery and Looking Glass Brewing Co. in DeWitt, Summerlands Brewing Company in Delhi Township, Eaton Rapids Craft Company in Eaton Rapids and Dimes Brewhouse in Dimondale.

At The People's Kitchen, the "Restaurant Week" special is fish tacos made with beer-battered Alaskan pollock, masa tortillas, charred street corn, and chipotle crema. The East Michigan Avenue restaurant is also offering a $5 ocean breeze margarita made with blue curacao, tequila, lime juice and simple syrup.

Guests at The People's Kitchen prepare to dig in, Wednesday, May 1, 2019.

"It's been fantastic," owner Douglas Mulkey said. "It's been a great way for us to showcase some of the best that we have to offer at the best possible price for our guests."

Although some of the restaurants may be providing the promotion to take-out or to-go customers, Brains recommends dining in if you can.