[SEA] Kid-friendly Restaurants

[hungry_moose]

Alright, other than Mamster, I don’t know if any of you have little ones, but here’s the question. What decent restaurants would you recommend taking children to? I know the selection may be limited, but places like Tutta Bella, Nishino, Mashiko, Wild Ginger – I would feel comfortable taking kids. I guess not Lark or Harvest Vine. If you have some suggestions (all cuisines / greater Seattle Met area), I would really appreciate it (as I don’t want to offend other diners). I also choose to dine at lunch or the opening hour of dinner, so that we can get in and out before the crowds start (and before my 1 year old’s bedtime). Merci.

[olivina]

The new Greek place called Vios on 19th and Aloha on Capitol Hill has a sweet kid's area in the back. They are open breakfast and lunch with future dinner plans. I had a really nice lunch there the other day and watched a few happy 4 year olds play and eat while ther dads enjoyed lunch as well. I'm not sure if there are toys there for older kids, but 5 and under for sure.

[girl chow]

This is a tricky one. I really agree with you and think your approach is realistic. As a mom of a toddler, I want to introduce my child to the restaurant dining experience at a young age, but I don't want to "teach" my kid the rules of dining at the expense of other diners (nobody wants their dining experience ruined).

How we can get around that is by doing exactly what you've already done -- get there early before other diners start to arrive and leave well in advance of your child's bedtime. Yeah, it may mean you're eating dinner at 5 p.m., but at least you'll be able to enjoy your meal without disturbing the other diners. Every new parent (including me) will relay the horror story of stopping in at a sit-down restaurant to get something to eat at 7:30 p.m. Yikes.

A few better Seattle places that have been kid friendly in my experience:

Restaurant Zoe. Twice while dining there, Zoe herself, the child of Chef/Owner Scott, was there dining in the restaurant. There were a handful of other kids there both times I dined there, although I was childless at the time. From what I saw, they were treated really well.

Eva. I've seen little kids in there at least once and they weren't treated like second-class citizens.

Also, I think that ethnic restaurants, while perhaps not an upscale experience, often will provide an excellent meal in an extremely family-friendly environment. Thai restaurants everywhere welcome kids, and Vietnamese, Indian, etc. Eating at ethnic joints may not be as luxurious as you'd like your dining experiences to be, but as a parent, you have to accept that your kid has limitations on what they can tolerate .... and a two-hour dinner at Lark or Harvest Vine is out of the reach of virtually every child younger than 12.

Hope this has helped, although I didn't give you a lot of specific restaurants where you can dine w/a kid. I'd give you more, but they're mostly in the South End/Tacoma where I'm sure you probably don't spend much time (but let me know if you do and I will post them).

Oh! A few strategies we use when dining w/kid (you probably already employ these... or feel free to disregard this advice if you think it's a crock, but this has worked for us): Order their food immediately when you sit down before you order your food (I don't even look at the menu, I just ask the server what's good for kids). If the restaurant doesn't have color crayons, bring your own (and a book is a good idea too). With any luck, their food will arrive before your main dishes (don't even think about getting an appetizer, are you nuts?). ALWAYS order the kid a dessert when your main course arrives (by this time, they should be done with their food). Dessert (a shake or ice cream is good, takes a long time to eat) will keep them busy while you try to enjoy your entree. If they start to scream or become little monsters, threaten to leave the restaurant AND follow through on that threat. It may mean a crappy experience and you won't enjoy yourself, but if you show them you mean business, they may be less likely to throw that tantrum the next time. All we have to do is tell our son: "We're leaving" and he usually hops down from the light fixture or stops flinging french fries at the next table. Hope this commentary helps!

[kiliki]

I don't know if everyone considers La Spiga an appropriate place for kids or not, but I have to give the place a hand for the way they dealt with a hyper little kid. My friends unexpectedly brought their squirmy toddler there for a dinner with me, and the staff was incredibly patient and gracious. This despite the fact that the kid shattered a saucer by throwing it on the floor and almost broke another small plate by tossing that as well.

[tighe]

I think Spiga is definitely kid-friendly, in fact their little girl is often about the restaurant. Others...

Porta (Greek) and Pomodoro (Mediterranean) bot on Eastlake are places I wouldn't hesitate to bring kids to. La Medusa (Italian) in Colombia City is another great kids place, they actually give children pieces of pizza dough to play with and then bake for them. In the south end, Filiberto's (Italian, in Burien) is usually filled with families as is Imperial Garden (Chinese, in Renton).

[22tango]

Although we haven't taken our 21-month-old there....Kaspar's won Seattle Magazine's best place to take kids last October:

Winner:

Kaspar's

19 W Harrison St., 206.298.0123;

When Kaspar and Nancy Donier started their family, it not only changed their life, of course, but it also changed their business. This Lower Queen Anne restaurant is known for white-tablecloth dining, but kids get just as much attention as their parents do. A special menu features kid-friendly food-chicken fingers, pizza-but kids can also order half-sized portions of regular entrées as well. Come dessert time, those tykes who cleaned their plates and prove it to chef Kaspar can join him in the kitchen to assemble their own dessert plate. This summer, Kaspar even offered a week of summer cooking camp for kids from 8 to 14.

[Cesar's Ghost]

We've got a 4-year-old and an 18 month old and simply love another board favorite, the Seven Stars Peppers.

It has gotten to the point that they have a bowl of wonton soup (Sarita(the 4 year old)'s favorite) going as soon as we walk in the door.

They also have the delicious fresh fruit juices which are perennially popular. Watermelon is near the top of Sarita's list.

And there's the crab tank to look at, as well.

Shanghai Garden in the ID similarly recommends itself.

Last summer when she was 3, Sarita and I had a very nice rather formal meal at The Alki Homestead in West Seattle. It was a "special event" as my wife and the baby were out of town, and we both had a great time.

[Bruce Burger]

Funny, I would consider Lark and Harvest Vine fine for reasonably well-behaved kids. Johnathan Sundstrom became a father a few weeks after he opened Lark, and I've seen his baby there. And both places, while offering superb food, are friendly and not especially quiet. Also, both places specialize in small plates, so if one parent can divert the kids while the other starts ordering quickly, you can be eating some items in a few minutes. Just ask for everything as soon as it's ready.

I love taking kids to buffets so they can try small tastes of foods that they otherwise might shy away from. Also, you can start eating immediately. Unfortunately, good buffets are rare (and well-documented on this board). Dim sum is good for the same reason.

Marjorie in Belltown has an eclectic menu -- in my experience, the execution varies, but I love them for trying -- and is super-friendly to adults and kids alike.

Edited June 22, 2004 by Bruce Burger (log)

[hungry_moose]

Wow, thank you everyone for all the kind hearted responses! Kaspar's! What a nice surprise, and Cafe Zoe too (Lark, Harvest Vine? Holy Moly). Special thanks to Girl Chow for your detailed post and advice -- we do go as far as Federal Way/Auburn, and dined at Wild Wheat (Kent) with our child. Love their tomato basil soup and bread - yum yum! We also ask for the check right away, so that we can dash in case things get out of hand.

I realize and accepted the fact that our lives changed after the little one (for the better) and some sacrifices come along with it. However, it's great that some options are out there in case we don't want to get a sitter (since most week days, we are working and away from our little one). Thanks again!

hungry_moose

[girl chow]

we do go as far as Federal Way/Auburn, and dined at Wild Wheat (Kent) with our child. Love their tomato basil soup and bread - yum yum!

Yes! Wild Wheat in Kent is great for kids. It's so loud in there, nobody would hear a tantrum!! They have a smoked chicken salad on the menu that is divine. I can't say enough about their tomato soup. Did you know the owners used to own a bakery in Greenwood? They fled south after they had kids and opened up shop in Kent.

Other Kent places that are very family friendly: Paolo's on the Kent East Hill, located just north of the intersection of 240th and 108th S.E. Paolo's is a great little Italian joint and you might just see the owner's kids while you're in there. The food is several steps above a red sauce Italian joint. The chef formerly cooked at Saleh al Lago (now Nell's).

Spiro's, across the street from Wild Wheat, also is a nice place for kids (loud and Greek). There is a Vietnamese restaurant on the east side of Meeker that is so good for kids (they will actually come into the dining room and entertain your children while you try to enjoy your food).

AND my ultimate south county find for kids: Spunky Monkey in Auburn. It's on Auburn Way South, next to Safeway. Spunky Monkey is loud, funny and has board games on virtually every table. They have smoothies that are perfect for a kid palate. Very kid friendly menu: sandwiches, pizza, yada yada. On a grownup note: they make some pretty good cocktails considering this is an Auburn joint.

That's great news to hear about Lark and Harvest Vine, but I'll have to wait until my child stops his current spitting-and-shrieking-like-a-monkey phase, which some eGulleters, ahem, have unfortunately witnessed. It's not pretty.

[hungry_moose]

I'm with you girl chow, I will wait quite some time before going to Harvest Vine or the likes of Lark with my child. Maybe when they turn 18. ha ha. Spunky Monkey, with a name like that, I've got to try it. My kid LOVES smoothies. Goes crazy for Jamba Juice. I make smoothies at home with formula/breast milk+strained raspberries+frozen bananas. It is quite good. Ummm smoked chicken salad, sounds so good. I love smoked whatever. No wonder (he used to be in Greenwood?) -- I work in Kent, and all my co-workers refer to Wild Wheat as the only "non-Kent Style" restaurant in Kent. Kent--where all King-5 reported crimes occurr.

Thanks for all the lovely suggestions! Can't wait to try them.

hungry_moose

[Susansea2003]

A few more ideas:

I agree with the "ethnic food" recommendation - we like Top Gun in Bellevue for dim sum. Than Brothers on Capital Hill has a good fish tank & lots of mirrors for them to watch themselves eat. Shanghai Garden has salt water fish.

Atlas or Burrito Loco in U. Village. Atlas is best for breakfast/brunch - not great food, but good. Crayons + toys for the table. And, if you are waiting for a table, your little one can work off some energy at the little playground nearby.

St. Clouds in Madrona. My toddler can spend the entire meal going thru the bucket of plastic toys they bring to each table. The outside dining area in back is great during the summer (though if the breeze blows the wrong way, you can get a whiff of the chicken coop next door).

Bing's in Madison Valley is another good kid-friendly place. Tasty burgers & fries.

And one more dinner entertainment idea - colorforms! We bring them out if she's saying "all done," but we're not.

Susan

[Bruce Burger]

If crayons and paper and books and toys entertain your child, why limit yourself to restaurants that supply them? Bring them yourself. Also, some kids are entranced by their favorite music on a Walkman.

[Kimo]

I would love to hear more about Girl Chow's South Puget Sound/Tacoma family friendly restaurants...

Kimo (mother of 4 1/2 year old and nine week old boys)...

[tsquare]

Persimmon is quite kid friendly - I saw they brought out a bag of toys to entertain a couple of them at dinner. The menu doesn't have kid portions, but does have mac n cheese. I'm sure they will accommodate children well.

[PeoplesPub]

One resource several of my friends use is the GoCityKids web site - here is a link to the restaurant section - City Guide for Parents

[reesek]

reading the review of vios in the weekly today reminded me of this thread. i also remember reading the tragic story in the PI about what this family has endured. sounds like it's not only a great place for families and food, but also the best kind of neighborhood place to support.

rk

[59061 tilt]

5 spot on queen anne has been a welcome default for our family on many nights. We've also had great luck with the Dhalia Lounge. Try Sunday "family" night at Szymanias in Magnolia. Outside at Marjories has also gone over well.

Cheers

JM