NOVA restaurant with infant?

[Anonymous]

I have a 4 month old and we are finally ready to venture out for a real restaurant meal. Which NOVA restaurants would be good to try... somewhere quick and low key, or maybe with outside seating? DH and I are super self conscious about the baby crying or fussing, so any recommendations would be wonderful. I keep picturing us ordering food only to have DS start wailing and one of us rushing out while the other pays the bill!

[Anonymous]

My suggestion is start out at family restaurants, like an IHOP or Denny's, just to try out what your protocol will be when baby is wailing. That way you won't be afraid of disturbing your neighbors and causing a scene.

[Anonymous]

No recommendations but wanted to make sure you're ready for the scenario you described. I can't remember how many times my husband and I ate separately in restaurants or just had the food boxed up to go because our little guy was crying. It didn't happen with our second kid because we didn't bother trying until he was older!

[Anonymous]

We go out for brunch all the time (early 930-10ish).
Order everything at once, check to come at once too so you can bail
If necessary. But baby is allowed to be out and so are you! It's not Sat PM at 8pm where people are dropping $400 and getting engaged, so try to relax! We like Palette 22, Lyon Hall, little Viet garden and Carlyle. We are in Arlington. Also- I find Asian/Hispanic family restaurants to be far more welcoming to kids. But seriously go out now, and a lot before baby turns to toddler who runs away from you

[Anonymous]

Lost Dog Cafe is chock full of kids, same with Pie-Tanza.

[Anonymous]

Pietanza and Silver Diner are both great for babies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My suggestion is start out at family restaurants, like an IHOP or Denny's, just to try out what your protocol will be when baby is wailing. That way you won't be afraid of disturbing your neighbors and causing a scene.

+1

Or mcdonald's

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 4 month old and we are finally ready to venture out for a real restaurant meal. Which NOVA restaurants would be good to try... somewhere quick and low key, or maybe with outside seating? DH and I are super self conscious about the baby crying or fussing, so any recommendations would be wonderful. I keep picturing us ordering food only to have DS start wailing and one of us rushing out while the other pays the bill!

shirlington village. Super infant friendly. Last time at Guapo's for sunday brunch there were four tables with strollers in my section (we were in the back where i think families with infants prefer).

[Anonymous]

Four months is easy. The key is go early, like 5:30. Many of the mid-range restaurants in Arlington have high chairs and are fine with kids. If the baby cries, someone walks him, but my kid slept in the bucket for most dinners at that age.

The real problem comes when they are older and mobile. It was all take out from about a year until after 2.5.

[Anonymous]

Cafe Deluxe is good too - they have ceiling fans.

[Anonymous]

Uncle Julio's. Perfect for a baby. It's so loud taht ifbteh baby cries no one will notice. It was our go to when we had infants.

[Anonymous]

And definitely go before 6

[Anonymous]

Carlyle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carlyle

+1 It is a fun time and loud enough that a baby won't be heard but not so loud that you can't hear each other. Also, they have outside dining, which is great for getting up to walk the baby and there are always lots of people out and about in Shirlington so the people-watching is great for the person at the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cafe Deluxe is good too - they have ceiling fans.

Yes. And it is always loud in there and it drowns out kid noises