Ask HN: Are trade shows / conferences worth it?

What are your thoughts on trade shows? Were they helpful to your start-up? Did you find many leads or establish networking connections? Was it worth it?

The reason I ask is I'm debating whether or not to attend the National Restaurant Association's yearly trade show up in Chicago this week. A vendor booth, flights, hotel, signage, tables, etc will easily run me $5k - $6k. In the grand scheme of things, I realize that's not a whole lot of money but I'm self-funded. It would be a pretty significant hit to the savings I've set aside to live on. On the flip side, this could be exactly what I need to get an in into the industry; something that has been pretty difficult for me to do at the national level.

Any insight into your experiences with them would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!