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Dining Out With Children
Hosted by Restaurants Editor Alexa Beattie
washingtonpost.com

Due to the large number of e-mails we receive inquiring about restaurants to take children, we thought it a good idea to provide you with a tip-sharing forum. Where have you been with the kids lately and where have you received exceptional service? Tell us, and we'll post your ideas here.

Washington DC: Loved your write-up about restaurants that are kid-friendly. I'd like to
suggest that you search out some that are Metro-accessible, for visitors to
the city and those of us who live downtown. Any ideas?

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Virginia: I don't have any restaurant suggestions to offer, however, I would like to take time to "THANK YOU" for this article. I certainly could have used this list yesterday. I have a Toddler who just turned 3 and my family/parents/relatives and I went to Mike's American Grille,Springfield, VA. My fully energized son had an audience which just wanted to enjoy their meal. Our Waiter was most gracious and patient with us and understood. When my husband and I decide to go out to eat, the only places, of course are McDonald's, Chuck-e-Cheese, etc.. It can get quite frustrating for us to always have to take him out of the restaurant for a time out. We understand "kids will be kids" and should be. The day I learned I was pregnant, I knew to bring an abundance of patience along.

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Arlington, VA: Cafe Ole also has different "Children's meals." For instance, the chicken isn't deep fried and the mac and cheese isn't bright orange.

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Wash, DC: Although I don't have children of my own, I can tell you that Los Chorros on Blue Ridge Ave in Wheaton, MD is truly family oriented. The food is affordable and excellent, and there is a childrens menu with chicken nuggets, hot dogs, etc. for the child who doesn't care for Salvadorian food. Any time of day there are small and large families enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and good eats. And there are no glares when a child shows his temper.

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Alexandria, VA: We have four children, the oldest is 8. Here are two places worth checking out. You should check out Primo's Family Restaurant in Alexandria (Belle View Plaza) shopping center. Primo's is always welcoming, reasonably priced, and good kid options. Paradiso in Springfield on Franconia has a dining room with a window room where the kid's can have their own waitress, kid's picnic tables and video's too boot. Enjoy.

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Virginia: The best part about Generous George's is all the stuff hanging from the ceiling and the high ceiling itself, which makes the noise from the kids seem, well, not so noisy. In the NY Times a couple of months back, maybe in the Sunday magazine, there was a piece on a bar (in Chicago)that caters to kids. What they do is open Sunday afternoons and have cool bands play (like local groovy, garagy, etc. not kids stuff) and kids are invited. They have kid cocktails and veggies and fruit down low for them and the parents can kick back and have a beer and the kids can run wild. It sounds so cool and easy and as far as I know there is no where around here that does it.

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Wash., DC: I enjoyed your reviews of the restaurants, but does anyone know anything about places in DC or Maryland?

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DC: Tortilla Coast on Capitol Hill...at First and C St. SE, just across from Capitol South metro, one block south from the capitol....great Mexican food...coloring paper (the menu with an animal on it to color) and 4-pack of Crayola crayons for the kids...tortilla chips and salsa come out right away to start snacking on. Kid's menu (I think three different selections? cheese enchiladas is my kids' favorite with fries or refried beans (no problems at all with substituting one for the other if that's what the kids prefer) at a very reasonable price - either $2.99 or $3.99 - can't quite remember). Small covered plastic kid's cups. On several nites of the week, specials for the big people, too. We love $4.99 enchilada Monday nite. Noise level is perfect....usually enough friendly, fun noise to cover any the kids make between the bar area (there is a wall between it and the tables and booths eating area) and music. High chairs for the littlest. You can actually feel like you're comfortably going to a restaurant with the kids...our favorite in Capitol Hill - we've taken our 5, 4, and 1 year-olds there on plenty of occasions.

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Maryland: I loved your recent article and wanted to add my my two cents worth...on Mother's day my husband took me and our 9 mos old daughter to Fairmont Bar and Dining in Bethesda, on your article's recommendation. It started out pleasantly enough, but the problem was that there was nothing on their baby/child menu for a older baby to eat (read--- finger food), and they were not very accomodating in providing some simple soft veggies for her. A 9 month old doesn't want to be fed with a spoon, so the pureed baby food was out, and she's not close to eating a child's typical grilled cheese, chicken fingers, etc. She wants things she can pick up and feed herself, like soft carrot or green beans. When I asked for some veggies she could eat, I was first told it wasn't possible, but intervention by the host brought some manageable asparagus. - Hungry Mom

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Virginia: Your article in the Post about kid-friendly restaurants neglected one of our standards: Dim sum. Our 17 month-old had her first dim sum (she slept through it) when she was five days old, and has progressed to eating dim sum with us several times a month. The three restaurants I mention below are all very kid friendly (on weekends, you will see family groups with three and four generations) and dim sum has a huge advantage for parents with antsy kids--the food comes by constantly on carts, so there is virtually no waiting for food once you are seated. Our daugher happily chomps her way through chow foon, char sui bao, sticky rice, turnip cake, and schezuan string beans. Your mileage may vary, but why not expose your toddlers to lots of different foods? In our case, the waitstaff seems pretty amused at a caucasian baby who gleefully chows down on dim sum.
>Maxim Palace, Rt. 7, Bailey's Crossroads
Fortune, Northpoint Center, Reston
Fortune, 7 Corners, Virginia
We also recommend the Vietnam 75 chain. Their service is very fast and the waitstaff at every location we've tried has been kid friendly.

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Falls Church, VA: One local restaurant that is very "kid-friendly" is DaVinci's Family Restaurant located in the Lake Barcroft Shopping Plaza, 6347 Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA. On Friday and Saturday evenings they have an accordion player that will always stop by the tables during his breaks to talk to the little kids.

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Washington, DC: My father, husband, 10 month old daughter and I recently dined out at Clyde's Restaurant at Mark Center, and found it to be a very pleasant experience. Clyde's is always a pleasure and the staff is known for their attentiveness, but this was my daughter's first "fine dining" experience, and our waitress was more than happy to pick up spoons and toys off of the floor, heat up our baby food, provide a bowl of warm water for cleaning up messy hands and face, and play peek-a-boo and blow fishy kisses. The high chair wasn't the best quality I've seen, but perfectly adequate and safe. There is a changing facility in the handicapped women's restroom, and we were provided with crayons and a coloring mat when we arrived. I recommend Clyde's highly and think you should add this one to your list

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Washington DC: It's difficult going out with children when you feel that everyone else around is resenting you. People who don't have children will never understand how hard it is. This is such a great service for parents. Thank you.

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