baby friendly places that aren't completely cheesey?

any thoughts?

There is a long thread about that here:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... 9a0e202037


When the kiddo is very young (bucket car seat young) you can really go anywhere. As they get older - kid friendliness is dependent on ambient noise, the type of clients, and the friendliness of the owners...oh and your kid.

My 20 mo eats just about anything and as long as she is being fed, will do well most places. I order for her right as I sit down and placate her with cheddar crackers until something more substantial arrives.

We love local ethnic places -

La Oaxaquena
Semiramis
Siam Noodle and Rice
Siam Taste Noodle
Bohemian Crystal

Bigger Restaurants -
Saturday at Goose Island seems to be unofficial Kids' Day. Every table has an assortment of babies, toddlers and the accessories they bring with them.

Pete's Pizza
Manzo's
Sabatino's
Lone Tree Manor
Kitsch'n on Roscoe
Wishbone

Good Luck - Plenty of Great Food for parents!

Not to state the obvious, but when in doubt, call ahead. When our son was about 4 months old, we took him to Green Zebra. The hostess okayed it; however, we went very early, and ate very quickly, and still got some dirty looks from other patrons. It's not something I would recommend doing. I'm not sure if by "non-cheesy" you mean pricey, but in general, I'd think it best to save the $$$$ restaurants for the adults, or at least until your child is able to sit somewhat quietly for an entire meal -- not only for your sanity and the comfort of your child, but also for the other diners.

by not cheesey i really meant not tourist-trappy... like not rain forest cafe...

Yeah, as I noted in the thread which was linked to (which really says it all), I think a place that has a certain amount of background noise is a must. If Green Zebra's anything like Spring, it's way too hushed and reverent for me to feel good about taking my kids there. Also probably the meal takes too long.

Somewhat surprisingly, Green Zebra can get a little noisy. It's a small space, with not many soft, sound-absorbing surfaces. We went with the baby this past summer; having been back twice since then, I get the sense that the fall/winter crowd is perhaps a little more reserved. Nothing really beats the giddiness of Chicagoans during the brief months of warm weather. Having said that, I would add to the baby-friendly list most alfresco dining options - they're usually well-suited to the noise and mess of small children.

Miramar in Highwood is quite kid-friendly. Kiddie entrees are very pricey, though ($9 for noodles with butter!), so be cautious in ordering. There are typically other kids there, the ambiance is loud enough to cover some noise, and the staff is great about kids.

Prairie Grass in Northbrook has a good kiddie menu and does well with kids.

Mimosa in Highland Park has a staff that is incredibly child-friendly and they are smart enough to move the meal right along when a kid is present, but the atmosphere is quiet enough that I was somewhat uncomfortable having a toddler there, even early. There was nothing anyone said or did that made me feel that way, it just ended up seeming slightly inappropriate to me, despite the graciousness of the staff and other diners.

Miramar is dog friendly too, if that is important.

I've only been there for lunch, which was a pleasant conversation level buzz. I have been told the place can get painfully loud in the evenings, especially when they have live music.

Chilcoat - what is the age range of your kids? From the range of restaurants, it would appear to be school age rather than toddlers.

Regards,

She actually is a toddler at 2 1/2. These are the only upscale places we've taken her and she's been quite good, though a bit squirmy. We've had good luck with making sure we go when she's happy and well-rested, calling ahead to see if the place had high chairs (in a nicer place, we would take a "no" as a sign that younger kids are inappropriate), going early, and making it clear we need to eat relatively quickly. Mimosa was pushing it, but we've been to Miramar several times with her and I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Prairie Grass for brunch, lunch, or very early dinner. As you say, Miramar can get loud, but we go around 5 and it's generally not very busy then. It also helps that she's a very diverse eater.

How 'bout the Choo Choo Grill in Des Plaines. They serve a good old fashioned burger and some decent Turkey chile. The food is brought around the counter on a train. It is a family run enterprise (though not the original from the 50s) and custom built for toddler dining. They also have some decent ice cream though sundaes are served with syrup not fudge. (Pardon me if this is the kind of cheese you are trying to avoid.)

The Choo Choo Grill
600 Lee Street, Des Plaines
847-391-9815