Conference moira::parenting

    
    We went to a Japanese Resturant on a Sunday night when my daughter was
    2 months old.  They gave us a private room so I can breast feed her.
    My daughter was sleeping when the waitress was taking the order and
    serving the food, she was very careful so she wouldn't wake up the
    baby.  This place was right across from the Prodential Center at 
    downtown Boston.  
    

    
    We have been to Abdows Big Boy a few times. They have some good kids meals
    and not a bad menu for adults either. Also, if your family likes seafood
    Weathervane is a nice place to dine. My 2 yr old loves fish so that
    place works for us. I know your probably sick of fast food but, Chuckie
    Cheeses is of course kid oriented! (if you don't mind pizza);)
    
    Sandy

    Lyn

    I believe you are in Mass., so this won't help you much, but... 

    Here in NH we have had great luck taking our kids to Nickels in
    Merrimack.  They have paper and crayons.  The kids get a balloon.  The
    kids menu includes spaghetti and meatballs.  (My 3 year old son is a
    spaghetti addict.)  And the waiters and waitresses are all a bit off the
    wall, which the kids find highly entertaining.  

    Debby

    In the Nashua area, we usually take Marc (2.8) to:
    
    - any Chinese restaurant
    - any pizza place, including Bertucci's and Pizzeria Uno's
    - big noisy places like Hilltop or Applebees
    - 99's or Ponderosa would probably be OK also, but I don't really
    consider those places "normal" meals
    
    Just some ideas.
    
    

    After much discussion, the moderators have decided to open this
    note for responses, even though their interest is limited by
    geography.  The information is of sufficient general interest to be
    worthwhile.

    To keep things clear, please specify your location (e.g.
    city or town) in the title of your reply, whether you are asking for
    information or providing information.

    L
    co-mod
    

    One of our favorite places in the southern NH area is:
    
    Giant of Siam, Rt. 111, Nashua.  Exquisite Thai food.  Fairly classy
    setting but very moderate prices.  And they place jazz on the stereo! 
    The staff is very kind to children.  Highchairs and booster seats. 
    Very clean restrooms.
    
    
    

    On the North Shore (Beverly/Danvers/Peabody/etc.):
    
    Ground Round (across from Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers).  "Kids
    	pay what they weigh" specials, giant menu, pleasant waitstaff.
    	Go early so you can get in and out before they get busy.
    
    The Wine Cellar, Rantoul Street, Beverly.  Traditional Italian
    	restaurant -- dark paneling, dark wallpaper -- but the food
    	is great, and the waitstaff (most of them working mothers)
    	are very understanding.  Reasonable.  All modes of dress welcome,
    	from coat and tie to jeans and sneakers.
    
    International House of Pancakes, all locations.  We stopped at one
    	in Orlando a couple of years ago, when we were visiting
    	Disney World.  James wanted strawberry pancakes with whipped
    	cream, I had a sandwich of some sort and fries, and when the
    	orders came, he reached over, picked up one of my fries and	
    	dipped it into the whipped cream on his pancakes.  The 
    	waitress turned about three shades of green but recovered
    	quickly.  Again, if it's breakfast you're interested in, go
    	as early as your tribe will let you.
    
    Denny's.  Another place that looks the other way when kids make
    	a mess (at least the one in Danvers does).

    The other favorite place is Shorty's Mexican Roadhouse in Litchfield,
    NH.  It is located on Rt. 3A.
    
    This place is quite casual.  They have some interesting items on the
    menu.  The usual Tex-Mex stuff I would rate "fair", having been spoiled
    by the good stuff in California and the Southwest.  But i really like
    their grilled chicken breast dishes.  Their fajita is also good.
    
    For the kids they have booster seats, high chairs, and lots of
    activity.  My daughter likes to stand on the high stools at the counter
    looking into the kitchen.  She also likes to beg orange slices at the
    bar.  They have crayons and pictures to color.  My daughter also likes
    the tortilla chips and tomato salso.  They have neat decorations
    including a 50's bicycle hanging on the wall.
    
    Just get there early - no later than 6 pm on weekends.  Otherwise you
    may have a long wait.  They take reservations for groups of 6 or more.
    
    I can't vouch for the other Shorty's but the Litchfield one is a
    pleasure.  Service is rather slow, but we go early and hang out.
    
    One of these days we'll get there VERY early and play miniature golf
    next door.  There's also a driving range.  On the other side there's a
    plant nursery with little statues.
    
    L

    We went to Nickel's in Merrimack, NH this weekend.  We enjoyed it.
    
    We also go to T-Bones in Hudson, NH or the 99 in Nashua, NH or
    Applebees in Nashua, NH sometimes even Martha's Exchange downtown
    Nashua.
    
    Applebees does not have a kids menu 8^(, but the atmosphere is good for
    kids/families.
    
    -sandy
    

>    Applebees does not have a kids menu 8^(, but the atmosphere is good for
>    kids/families.

You might check on this.  Here in Cincinnati, we go to Applebees all the
time, mostly because they have a very cheap kids menu (and balloons).
Having been to the one in Nashua, I know it's the same chain.

Frank
    

    
    My child is not old enough to eat at a restaurant but my
    husband and I have found that if you go to any restaurant
    at around 3:OO in the afternoon on a Saturday you will be
    pretty much alone.... This is how we have solved getting
    to eat out without having to find a babysitter...
    
    

    Just had to pass our latest find along....
    
    We decided to "test" AJ and experience a "real"(get waited on, be
    served on *breakable* glass dishes and cups) type restaurant.  We
    discovered that International House of Pancakes, we were at the one in
    Shrewsbury at White City, has FREE meals for kids from 4 to 9
    weeknights.  I assume it means whatever is on the kids' menu, but we
    went and ordered from the kids' menu, but asked the waitress to add
    another sausage.  She infact gave him a total of 3, and there was no
    extra charge.  His only charge was for his beverage (milk).  They've
    got some real good meal deals going on for the summer, the three of us
    ate for under $15 including tax and tip.  
    
    I assumed it may be a chainwide kids eat free thing, might be worth 
    checking out at their other locations.  If you do, this one is in close
    proximity to a multi screen movie theater.  Last week they had
    Pinocchio, this week it's Batman on *2* of the screens!  Make a night
    out of it!
    
    Lyn

    I don't know if Pizza Hut qualifies as a restaurant, but the one
    in Acton, Massachusetts, on route 2A, a couple of miles West of
    the Concord rotary, is great for kids.
    
    It's always jammed with families.  The kinds always seem to have
    a good time, and the management seems to be quite helpful.  They
    really go out of their way to make things right.  I've lost count
    of the free pizzas we got just because something wasn't quite right.
    
    There's a really exceptional case that comes to mind the first
    time we were there.  Near us was a woman and her young child who
    could hardly walk (but liked pizza).  And she had a whole pile
    of packages, as well as the remains of a large pizza to take home.
    The waitress actually offered to help her out to the parking lot
    and carried a couple of her packages for her.

    
    	In Amherst, NH, a very nice restaurant is the "Greenhouse Cafe". 
    Surprisingly they had no problems with children attending--they have
    highchairs that attach to the table.  Go early, we went about 5:00 and
    they put us in our own room, but later sat others with children there.
    
    	Also Newick's Fish in Merrimack is a great open, relaxed family
    atmosphere, and great fish.

    My son's 2nd birthday is today and I'd like to take him some place fun,
    but yet different from McDonald's or Pizza Hut (we've been there
    before, so it wouldn't be special).  I'd like to stay in the
    Fitchburg/Leominster area.  I'd like to either take him some place to
    eat and then go do something fun, or take him to eat somewhere where
    they really cater to children.  Any suggestions?
    
    Lori B.

    We took Steven to the Ground Round for his birthday, on the
    way home from the New England Aquarium.  I'd consider it a
    place that caters to children.  They had baloons for the kids
    and placemats you can color (they provide crayons).
    
    There was also a clown that came around to the tables, Steven
    only loved HIM from a distance  8-)
    
    They'll come to the table with a special dessert (free I think)
    and sing "Happy Birthday".
    
    Steven LOVED it, and whenever we mention restaurants, he asks if
    the Ha-ha (clown) will be there!
    
    Not sure if there's one in your area though.
    
    Happy 2nd birthday to Shane!
    
    Linda

    Thanks Linda.  I'd love to take him to the Ground Round, but there are
    none in the area.  I'm still up in the air as to where to take him.
    
    Lori B.

    re .15
    This is sort of borderline for this topic, and this suggestion
    is really for the Westford area (not all that far from .15's
    location), but hopefully some readers will find it worthwhile.
    I have complete faith in the conference moderators determining
    whether or not it should be moved.
    
    If you're looking for something different for a lunch, try
    Papillon park in Westford, Mass.  Although this is not a restaurant,
    they do have picnic tables, and, if I recall correctly there
    are some tables inside as well as outside.
    
    So you could pack a picnic lunch and go see the butterflies there.
    
    

    We're just about ready to pack up the trailer and head to Old Orchard
    Beach (Maine). This will be our "maiden voyage" with the trailer, a
    22 foot pull behind type.  Could anyone suggest (on or off line) 
    "kid-friendly" restaurants in this area?
    
    Oh and maybe some things to see or do in the area?
    
    Lyn

    
    good location-generic trick we found last night 8-)
    
    Being Mothers Day I took Alice to Suehiros, a Japanese restaurant here
    in Colorado Springs. They have the raised floor with low down tables,
    where you stick your feet in a pit under the table, or kneel.
    
    This pit is great for sticking the kids in! They can play down there,
    can't run away, and even better can't grab your food!
    
    Here's a diagram,
    
                 8                                           adult
                 | 
                 \  --------------                           table
                  \        o o
    ---------------\       ***    ------------------------   raised floor
                |   |       #     |
                |   |       #     |                          kid, under table!
                |  /\      / \    | 
    -------------------------------------------------------  floor

    I like it, but aren't your shoes in jeopardy? 8-)
    
    (guess in such a situation I would not be able to put my purse
    in the preferred location - which is on the floor with the strap
    around my knee!)
    
    Monica

    Very amusing!  ;-)
    
    Take your child out for Mother's Day and stick him under the table
    where he can't do any harm while you enjoy your meal.  An excellent
    suggestion!  :-)  :-)
    
    Belated Happy Mother's Day to you all!
    
    Laura
    
    My almost-ex had the toddler for the day.  I had the privilege of
    working to make up for time I lost caring for Ilona when she had a bug
    last week.  It's still better than changing soiled underwear.  (She's in
    the throes of potty training.)

    Ahhhhh... the dining out experience......
    Friendleys (sp?) - very tolerant of the hot dog missles and french fry
    squishers.
    
    North Shore MA - SPUDS - basic all american faire served by patient
    waitresses who keep mentioning the wonders of the vacuum cleaner.
    
    Red Lobster - anywhere - my son sucked on a shrimp for 3/4 of an hour
    and I swear that he growled at me when I tried to take it away. Then
    again, I think my husband growled at me too when I reached over to try
    one of his shrimp.
    Our waiter in Newington NH brought over other wait staff to visit with my 
    less than shy (at the time) 11 month old. He made paper nappkin 
    puppets for my son, too ...  needless to say he got a nice tip.
    
    Not terribley thrilled with Denny's in the North Shore area, they were
    not too nice to two birthday boys when a friend and I brought our
    little ones in for a 1st birthday lunch. Out waitress in Danvers made
    some comment about "another piece of bread? He hasn't finished the one
    he has!"  - that's right, he threw it on the floor that hadn't seen a
    vacuum on it for atleast three years.

    The Ground Round has turned into a BIG hit in my family.  The one in
    Nashua (Amherst St) has Bingo the Clown wandering through all the time,
    making balloon animals/weapons/hats etc for the kids.  Depending on who
    Bingo is that day, he might even give a pretty good juggling routine.
    
    And just last week we went to The Hilltop in Nashua - I would've
    expected to NOT be too receptive to kids.  Maybe it was just the
    waitress we had, but she was *SO* accomodating, offered to bring more
    bread, made sure the soup for the baby had lots of chicken/noodle stuff
    in it and less broth, all that good stuff.  And when I ordered a b.day
    cake for Dad, she brought the plates and silver for dessert - and even
    thought to bring a SPOON for the baby!  WOW!  I didn't even have to
    ask!
    
    Surprisingly, both Bickford's in Nashua seem to dislike kids, and I've
    never found the Denny's there to be particularly pleased that we were
    there (but they aren't when we don't have the kids either so .....)
    
    The Hilltop wins my praises overall....
    

is very receptive to kids.  We've taken Noelle there several times.  The
waitresses bring out placemats and crayons; serve Noelle's drink in a 
sippy cup, and bring her a plate so she can sample our food.  They do
have a kid's menu, but Noelle just doesn't eat enough to justify her own
meal yet.  Also, they have all sorts of antique advertisements and doodads
hung *everywhere* so Noelle usually has plenty to hold her attention.

It's right on route 13 just north of Townsend, MA.

    I'll second the Ground Round.  We go to the one on Rt. 9 in Shrewsbury. 
    In fact my kids have requested it.  It's one of the few resturants that
    have PB&J on the kids menu.  Also, on Tuesdays and/or Wednesdays (I think)
    the kids pay only a a penny/pound for their dinners so I can get away
    with paying only about $1 for my two daughters!
    
    					John G.

We've always had good luck at a Southwestern restaurant called the BORDER
(I think) in Leominster, right in the Searstown mall complex.
They have very reasonably priced kid's meals, crayons and even think to bring
the kids drinks in a cup with a top and a straw ;')

The regular menu is usually quite good, with Tex-mex type specials and 
decent margueritas.

rachel