I've always been disappointed with restaurant latkes, unfortunately. For our family, the tradition has generally fallen on someone's birthday, as that's the only occasion grand enough that my mother will willingly banish herself to latke prison. (Although now that my sister is a chef, they tend to pass the baton so it isn't quite as bad...)

Another option is to heat your oven to 200F and put a rack on a large sheet pan in the middle level. As you fry your latkes in batches (before people arrive), put the finished ones in the oven on the rack.
This keeps them hot and crispy on the outside, but still tender and warm on the inside.

You want to eat latkes, you damn well learn to take a turn at the stove.

I've been told, on good authority, that latkes don't taste right unless they contain some grated knuckle.