Best Places in the City to Take the Kids
So, you are visiting Chicago? Or maybe you're just looking for a few kid-friendly restaurants with great atmosphere here in our fair windy city. Let me tell you, I have ten great places that will be sure to please even the staunchest picky eater and the most frazzled wandering parent! Listed in no particular order, (other than the more dessert inclined places towards the bottom,) here is my list of 10 restaurants you simply have to try in the city.
10. Goose Island Brewery
1800 North Clybourn (312) 915-0071
I know, I know... you're thinking: "Nicole, what are you thinking, it's a bar?!?" The Goose Island Brewery is *so* much more than a bar, though. The food there is amazing and whenever we have anyone's parents come into town we inevitably try to bring them here. My six year old daughter is addicted to their non-alcoholic sodas: the Orange Cream Soda is her favorite, but they also make an excellent Root Beer and a great Grape Soda. Their Orange Cream Soda is really to die for, when we go here it's one of the few times my daughter gets to drink soda, so she's always looking forward to that. The seating here is *ample,* plenty of places away from the bar and inevitable "adult" talk. The dining rooms are full of light, airy and spacious enough to give most people a good deal of privacy; unless it's packed. There's a kid menu and plenty of kid friendly foods on the adult menu as well. It's a great place to take your kids with when you're dining out with single friends. There are also brewery tours, too, which are very educational if you don't mind your child learning about the brew process which includes how they make their sodas. Call ahead to arrange a brewery tour, usually they fill up about a week in advance, sometimes, two weeks. Generally the tours are held on Sundays. Goose Island also has WiFi, now!
9. Marcello's (a Father & Sons Restaurant)
2475 North Milwaukee Avenue (773) 252-2620
Marcello's doesn't have the healthiest children's menu in town, (or adult menu, for that matter,) but what it does have is unique flavor, good food and good prices. The kids menu is astoundingly inexpensive, tables are covered in butcher paper and crayons are available. The dining area is huge, accommodating large families is one of the things Marcello's does best. They also offer a plethora of non-alcoholic drink choices including the original Shirley Temple. Pizza's come in sizes ranging from personal, (for your very picky eater's pleasure,) to the oh, my goodness, that takes up half the table, size. One of my favorite pizza's here that they'll do on special request is the thin-crust olive oil, (no tomato sauce,) topped with mozzarella, garlic, and fresh basil. Father & Sons also has fresh baked desserts shipped in daily from one of their near by bakeries, their carrot cake is incredible.
8. Dave & Buster's
1030 North Clark Street (312) 943-5151
The thing you need to know right off the bat about Dave & Buster's is that it is an adult's Chuck E. Cheese. They serve beers, have video games, Skee-Ball and the like, so if you're coming to Dave & Buster's bring cash. Lot's of it. The food here is a huge step up from the Chuck E. Cheese fare, expensive, but very tasty. Kids have a blast here, parents have a great time, it's a win-win situation. My only suggestion is to try to make it through the door before the serious twenty-something crowd comes a-calling, (usually after 7PM,) things can get a little rough at night.
7. Gino's East
633 North Wells (312) 943-1124
This is *the* place for pizza in Chicago. If there's one thing we know about in Chicago it is pizza. The deep dish can take upwards of an hour to bake, so if you're coming in with kids, forget about it unless it's Monday through Thursday between the hours of 11 AM through 4 PM when you can order your pizza ahead of time. (It's delicious, so if you can eat in those off-peak hours I highly recommend it.) They also deliver, which might be a more reasonable option for those staying in hotels around the neighborhood. The restaurant is always packed and there is a good reason why: the food is awesome. The atmosphere is naturally noisy and filled with family fun.
6. Ed Debevic's
640 North Wells (312) 664-1707
Styled in the fashion of a 1950's diner, the employees of Ed Debevic's have attitude. It's all part of the fun here, sometimes they'll even sit down at the table with you to shoot the breeze! Make sure young children understand that they're being teased *before* you get into Ed Debevic's, I've seen some hilarious toddler melt-downs here. (Probably wasn't so funny for the poor parents of those children, though.) The food is good, greasy diner fare, kid-friendly, but not particularly healthy. (Chili Cheese Fries, anyone?) You're paying for the atmosphere here, not the food, the waitresses steal the show, it's almost like dinner-theater. Kitschy and fun, Ed Debevic's is definitely one of the most unique places I've ever eaten at. Like they say at Ed's: "If you like what you're eating, order some more. If you don't... there's the door."
5. Wishbone
3300 N. Lincoln Avenue (773) 549-2663
Tuesday night is family night, where kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree $7 and up. It's the atmosphere here that keeps kids occupied. That, and the crayons, butcher block paper covering the tables, and a children's book called Floop the Fly, written by Richard Nickson, one of the owners. Wishbone is an incredibly fun place, artwork geared towards the children' eye adorns the walls and terribly cute merchandise including the book, Floop the Fly can be purchased. This restaurant has a philosophy that children should be included early on in the dining out process, the owners have kids of their own and you can the staff is used to being around children. This is probably one of the best children's restaurants in Chicago, bar none.
4 . Rainforest Cafe
605 North Clark Street (312) 787-1501
Eating at the Rainforest Cafe in Chicago is an experience like no other. Wednesday nights are family nights, (5PM to close,) offering face painting, discounts on children's menu items & balloon animals. (Who doesn't like a good balloon animal?) Their tag line is: A wild place to eat and shop. And that it is, huge fish tanks with a startling assortment of gorgeous tropical fishes are peppered throughout the restaurant, as well as fun facts about the rain forest, mechanical crocodiles, occasional real live parrots and a cornucopia of merchandise ranging from the stuffed to highly educational at the in-restaurant gift shop. A word of warning: Both my daughter and little sister were taken here a bit too young, (1-2 years old,) and the faint of heart pre-toddler could find this place completely nerve-wracking. It's not scary per se, just loud, they pipe in actual rainforest sounds. If your kids are older they'll enjoy it just fine, though. The food is solid, but the real draw eating here is their incredible desserts.
3. Leona's
3215 North Sheffield (773) 327-8861
I have a soft-spot in my heart for Leona's. When I was an underprivileged housewife with gads of spare income we probably ordered delivery from Leona's at least a couple times a week. I would spread my daughter's Winnie the Pooh mat out on the kitchen floor and have a "picnic." We'd spread the food out, wait for it to cool down, hand her a fork and say: "Go at it, kiddo." She would toddle on over, eyes filled with excitement and proceed to gorge herself silly on everything from marinated chicken and veggie skewers, (excellent finger food,) to pesto and garlic fusilli. There are *many* Chicago locations, all deliver, all have excellent amenities for kids.
2 . Margie's Candies
1960 North Western Avenue (773) 384-1035
Eating at Margie's Candies is like stepping back in time to the 1950's. It is an old school Bucktown mainstay, offering home-made candies, soda fountain drinks, ice cream creations, and good, "down-to-earth," hearty food. The main attraction for parents is bribery, I'll admit. If your kids can't behave during dinner or lunch they won't get to have any dessert. Believe me, you'll get far for once with this logic!
1. Letizia's Natural Bakery
2144 West Division Street (773) 342-1011
Although the food menu is relatively sparse in comparison, (pannini's, soups and salads,) I couldn't write this article without mentioning Letizia's. This is one of the few natural bakeries that I have gone to and returned to with startling frequency. The desserts and home baked natural goods are simply amazing. I have never had a better chocolate chip cookie in my life and I doubt I ever will. You might want to dress the kids in "play clothes," many of the cookies and cakes here are so moist that young eaters will need plenty of napkins and possibly a bath before they are finished eating.
