The fact that OP's husband is horrified at the idea of Cheesecake Factory is funny to me. Since our twins were born, we have celebrated our anniversary at Cheesecake Factory every year because it's family friendly and moderately upscale (much more so than the usual places that we are willing to go with preschoolers).

Seriously, a 5 year old requesting a "fancy" restaurant when there is already a party in the works?

Why not just go wherever the NEWBORN wants to go?

PS Mom - it won't be where YOU want to go.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is your husband mortified? Is this a failed attempt at seeming cultured?

This, just go to cheesecake and enjoy it.

Seriously, what's wrong with Cheesecake Factory ? You people need to get over yourselves.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry can you clarify why your husband is mortified with Cheesecake Factory? We took our kids there all the time when they were younger. They loved the cheesecake and quite frankly so did we!

Yes, my take was that the husband is mortified to go to Cheesecake Factory because it's beneath him. That's ridiculous.

Where are you located?

How about the Melting Pot?

Sorry can you clarify why your husband is mortified with Cheesecake Factory? We took our kids there all the time when they were younger. They loved the cheesecake and quite frankly so did we!

Guapos in Shirlington. I did this for my girl who turned five and I had a six month old. Tons of babies there and the mariachi band will sing to the birthday girl. We had them put a candle in the fried ice cream. She still talks about how much fun she had a year later.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is your husband mortified? Is this a failed attempt at seeming cultured?

This, just go to cheesecake and enjoy it.

+1 Sounds like you'll have fun and your husband will deal with it. There are many and much more mortifying things coming down the pike as a parent so this will be good practice! Happy birthday to your daughter!

Cactus cantina? Not fancy but has a tortilla making machine and they give kids a ball of tortilla dough to play with. firefly used to have a thing where kids could decorate a cookie when they came in and it would be baked for dessert.

Anonymous wrote:Why is your husband mortified? Is this a failed attempt at seeming cultured?

This, just go to cheesecake and enjoy it.

Why is your husband mortified? Is this a failed attempt at seeming cultured?

Sad to say, Benihana is our kids' choice for birthdays. Really fun for them and there is singing, etc. The food is not great, but not completely inedible.

Not sure where you're located, but the kids' other top choice is American Tap Room (also to my chagrin) due to the dessert choices on the kids menu.

Japanese teppanaki is a big hit for kids in our house.

Where should we take our 5 year old and newborn baby to dinner for our 5 year old's birthday next week. Her party is on the weekend but she has asked to go out to a "fancy" restaurant on her actual birthday. While I would never consider it under other circumstances I was thinking of Cheesecake Factory because she'd think it was fancy, our newborn could cry and I wouldn't care and all the waiters would sing happy birthday to her. My husband is mortified I would even suggest going there. Please give me some better ideas!!!