Anniversary dinner….with a 5 year old

[Anonymous]

Red Hen is nice and there are always kids there before 8pm.

[Anonymous]

I like the Albi idea. I think that would be perfect. A well behaved 5 year old can eat anywhere — especially on the earlier side.

[Anonymous]

We took our kids to Mexican on our anniv...actually a bit of a tradition now.

[Anonymous]

Is not in DC but La Fiamma in Alexandria has a supervised kids area and Lena’s Oasis is fun for kids and adults alike.

[Anonymous]

Mintwood Place
Tail up Goat
Aracosia
DGBG

[Anonymous]

There are lots of great child-friendly restaurants in DC/burbs. Red Hen, Republic, Pennyroyal Station, Zinnia etc. Try to leave the special occasion or fine dining restaurants to those dining without kids so you don’t ruin the experience of others, or complicate service. Be a conscientious young child parent so that others will not hate young children.

Signed, mother of active 4 year old.

[Anonymous]

Le Diplomate
Unconventional diner
Succotash
Zaytinya outdoor seating or really any place with outdoor seating tends to be a little bit more kid friendly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We go regularly to Clyde's in Chevy Chase (and have also been to Clyde's Tower Oaks in Rockville). Both are kid friendly. Our kids love the train that goes around the ceiling at the Chevy Chase location. Also, after dinner, as long as we stay out of the way of the servers, they like to go and visit the various models and to see the large car model downstairs. We've been going there since they were about 4-5.

Plus one for Clyde’s in Chevy Chase. There’s even a little park outside if he wants to walk around a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of great child-friendly restaurants in DC/burbs. Red Hen, Republic, Pennyroyal Station, Zinnia etc. Try to leave the special occasion or fine dining restaurants to those dining without kids so you don’t ruin the experience of others, or complicate service. Be a conscientious young child parent so that others will not hate young children.

Signed, mother of active 4 year old.

Your kid may well be "active" but my kid was fine eating out at 5. Obviously we ate on the early side and we didn't go for 10 course prix fixe meals but I am pretty confident he didn't ruin anyone's experience. It wasn't uncommon for people to express surprise when they realized there was a kid at the next table to them who was hidden by an adult and not otherwise conspicuous.

I don't say this to try and brag or anything but simply to ask that we keep the parenting advice out of a thread seeking restaurant recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Ruth's Chris

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of great child-friendly restaurants in DC/burbs. Red Hen, Republic, Pennyroyal Station, Zinnia etc. Try to leave the special occasion or fine dining restaurants to those dining without kids so you don’t ruin the experience of others, or complicate service. Be a conscientious young child parent so that others will not hate young children.

Signed, mother of active 4 year old.

Your kid may well be "active" but my kid was fine eating out at 5. Obviously we ate on the early side and we didn't go for 10 course prix fixe meals but I am pretty confident he didn't ruin anyone's experience. It wasn't uncommon for people to express surprise when they realized there was a kid at the next table to them who was hidden by an adult and not otherwise conspicuous.

I don't say this to try and brag or anything but simply to ask that we keep the parenting advice out of a thread seeking restaurant recommendations.

Uh-huh. Sure. And this is why many people in this country hate little kids - poor parenting choices. You are not objective. OP doesn’t have good child care options. Many would sympathize. Names of excellent, family-forward restaurants have been propounded. OP should go to one so that others who are not dining with littles can have an adult dining experience. Resist the narcissism of bringing a toddler to Mintwood Palace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of great child-friendly restaurants in DC/burbs. Red Hen, Republic, Pennyroyal Station, Zinnia etc. Try to leave the special occasion or fine dining restaurants to those dining without kids so you don’t ruin the experience of others, or complicate service. Be a conscientious young child parent so that others will not hate young children.

Signed, mother of active 4 year old.

Worry about yourself. My 4 yo eats any where with me including all the fancy restaurants. He eats like a horse so he's not just taking up valuable real estate. He doesn't drink but some adults don't do that. He'll always order dessert. He's much less disruptive than most adults tables who have had a few bottles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Red Hen is nice and there are always kids there before 8pm.

Albi poster with the 3 year old again, we also took him to red hen!

[Anonymous]

Millies in Spring Valley is fun, good food, and kid friendly. Easy drive from most parts of MOCO.

Lia's is a solid Italian restaurant, and also reasonably kid friendly. Again, easy drive from MOCO.

Glover Park Grill, and sit on their big patio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of great child-friendly restaurants in DC/burbs. Red Hen, Republic, Pennyroyal Station, Zinnia etc. Try to leave the special occasion or fine dining restaurants to those dining without kids so you don’t ruin the experience of others, or complicate service. Be a conscientious young child parent so that others will not hate young children.

Signed, mother of active 4 year old.

It's great you have the self awareness to know your limits of where your kid should and shouldn't be. But that should not limit others and their kids. I worked hard to get my 2 year old, then 3 year old, now 4 year old to know how to sit and behave and enjoy a night out at a restaurant. He has always had the right personality/temperament for it, but I don't have as much fun as I would out alone with my husband because it is indeed work; but regardless he's not loud, no screens are out, he does not get up from his seat or slide onto the floor, he doesn't throw food or make a mess, and he orders from the waitress, and I didn't have to cook and got to enjoy great food and maybe a drink. I used to give him a snack on the way there to avoid hanger, I always have crayons and scrap paper in my purse, and in the rare times I saw a meltdown percolating I swiftly removed him from the situation and left my husband to handle the check and meet us outside. I felt this was important to establish early for my family's overall happiness, but it is okay if others focus their time and attention on other things that I may have phoned in.