Take kids to La Ferme in Chevy Chase?

[Anonymous]

Celebrating parent's 40th anniversary and have a party of 9 (3 being kids). Are they kid friendly? When I made the reservation, they told me they don't have high chairs (only boosters) and didn't seem too keen that I needed a booster seat. Should I look around? Any recs for a nice, kid friendly, special place to celebrate?

[Anonymous]

La Ferme is not kid-friendly... you should take the no high chair thing as a sign. It is a quiet, expensive restaurant meant for fine dining and long, drawn-out meals. (If I had decided to spend a bunch of money for a special dinner and you had three high-chair age kids there I'd be bummed. Especially since there is no way kids of that age would sit still long enough for you to enjoy the type of meal/experience they aim for there.)

[Anonymous]

I was thoroughly unimpressed with La Ferme. It has a menu that hasn't changed in many decades and execution often falling short of the mark.

I would no sooner take my kids there than I would to a funeral. Speaking of which, you would be quite likely to see one of the coffin-dodgers that make up their clientel keel over. I was glad to escape without having witnessed anyone passing on.

Its slogan should be "Dine at La Ferme before you die".

[Anonymous]

Completely depends on the kids. Be realistic: are they able to behave for the required period of time, and will they enjoy it? My kids were dining in formal restaurants at an early age, but they were used ot it and you wouldn't have known they were there.

[Anonymous]

Agree with 17:24. I have taken my active three year old there several times. If he was disruptive, I certainly would have left (like any other restaurant), but he behaved. The staff was always pleasant and did not mind him there at all. I agree with PP that the patrons are older, but I think it is a really pretty restaurant and nice for a special occasion.

[Anonymous]

I think 15:09 is going overboard. We took a 4 and 5 year old there and it was just fine. We didn't have any problem with the manger or wait staff, they were very pleasant. Of course, I suggest you get their first seating so you're there before the restaurant fills up. The food was very good in my opinion. Some of the clientele is older, but it was mixed age group when we were there. Why does seeing the elderly out in public enjoying themselves offend you poster? Should we lock them all up in nursing homes so we can enjoy our meal without having to look at old people? How about when you're old? Will you do us a favor and stay home and not ruin our dinner?

[Anonymous]

Have done La Ferme with kids and yes, they are not kid friendly. I also don't get the mystique of the place. Kid of for old folks. One excellent French restaurant that we found kid-friendly is La Lavandou in Cleveland Park. Not as fussy white glove, but food just as good as La Ferme and very welcoming. It is now one of our favorite Christmas Eve places. We have also dined at Matisse with kids, early.

[Anonymous]

LOL 15:09! "Dead" on description. tee hee.

I used to go there with my family and my now 102 year old grandmother (fwiw, she's still alive and kickin' at 102). We used to go there becuase it's so friendly to the, um, elderly. We were kids, but more like 8 and up when we went. (past highchair age, at least)

I went there this past Mother's day, because nostalgia got the best of me and I wanted to spend my first mother's day where I remember going with my mother and grandmother. To give you a picture of how it went--we had to park our stroller inbetween the array of walkers at the hostess stand.

I personally would say that they might think that they don't cater to young kids, but anywhere that caters that much to the elderly also caters to kids. Afterall, they are similar in many ways. So, they might not be all that accomodating (no highchairs), but I don't think anyone would be surprised if you bring young kids there. Just be prepared to leave if they act out.

[Anonymous]

20:52 again. You might want to look into Matisse in Tenley Town. Lovely place, way hipper, but also classy enough to be old school. They have a more private upstairs room as well as a chef's table downstairs.

[Anonymous]

I just took my Mom there and she really liked it especially since she was younger than most of the patrons! I would say that it is very roomy so its a shame they aren't more kid friendly. We had a multigenerational event at the Jaleos in bethesda and everyone enjoyed it.

[Anonymous]

Having been there, I would not take anyone to La Ferme, let alone torture kids with the place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having been there, I would not take anyone to La Ferme, let alone torture kids with the place.

Don't you hate it when people don't answer OP's question and go off on an irrelevant point?

[Anonymous]

I would no sooner take my kids there than I would to a funeral. Speaking of which, you would be quite likely to see one of the coffin-dodgers that make up their clientel keel over. I was glad to escape without having witnessed anyone passing on.

Its slogan should be "Dine at La Ferme before you die".

Hysterical, because DH and I refer to it as "L'inferme" as a play on the clientele we see coming and going.