11 Jun 2010

Kid-Friendly Restaurants on the Hill

Originally Uploaded to flickr by thebittenword.com

Whether you love them or hate them, kids live on the Hill. So if you’d like to know where to take your little one, or if you simply want to know what spots to avoid, here is a list of kid-friendly restaurants on the Hill. 

 

Argonaut ( 1430 Maryland Ave NE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: Yes
Changing Tables: Yes
Kids’ Menu: Yes
Special requests for Kids: NA
Atmosphere: With special features like kids’ night (on Wednesday night kids eat free), the Argonaut makes a point to cater to the singles and the families living in the Northeast corner of the Hill. With great outdoor seating and a slightly shabby décor, there is no worry that your kids can make themselves at home before the childless make their way to the bar. Also, ask for crayons to color the menu.
Too Stroll: There is designated parking and locks for strollers outside. 

Bullfeathers (410 1st Street SE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: No
Changing Tables: No
Kids’ Menu: Yes
Special requests for Kids: NA
Atmosphere: This low-key haunt welcomes staffers and kids alike.
Too Stroll: Fold strollers and keep them tableside or at the front of the restaurant. 

H Street Country Club (1335 H Street NE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: No Yes
Changing Tables: No
Kids’ Menu: No Yes, Monday through Wednesday only
Special requests for Kids: Ask for menu items to be stripped down for kids.
Atmosphere: With great food and mini-golf, the H Street Country Club is turning into the go-to place for your kids’ next birthday party. But don’t forget it’s a bar. Grown-ups, bring your ID to get in.
Too Stroll: While the building is large enough to house a small mini-golf course, the main dining area is upstairs, so leave strollers at home. 

La Loma (316 Mass Ave NE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: No
Changing Tables: No
Kids’ Menu: No
Special requests for Kids: The vegetarian options on the menu are perfect for kids.
Atmosphere: The atmosphere is very child friendly, as is the outdoor patio.
Too Stroll: Try locking up strollers to the gate out front or folding strollers and keeping them tableside. 

La Placitas (517 8th Street SE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: No
Changing Tables: No
Kids’ Menu: No
Special requests for Kids: Order sides such as rice and beans, which is perfect for kids.
Atmosphere: La Pacitas is very child friendly. Enough said.
Too Stroll: Fold strollers and keep them tableside or even lock them up out front. Bike racks are easy to come by on 8th Street SE. 

La Plaza (629 Penn Ave SE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: No
Changing Tables: No
Kids’ Menu: No
Special requests for Kids: The kitchen will make a plain cheese quesadilla for kids.
Atmosphere: According to one MoTH: “The place is great for kids! The owner once provided both balls and playmates for my kids.”
Too Stroll: Fold up strollers and keep them tableside. 

Liberty Tree (1016 H Street NE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: Yes
Changing Tables: Yes
Kids’ Menu: No
Special requests for Kids: Order menu items such as pasta, cheese pizza and fries for kids.
Atmosphere: Appears polished, but Chef Graig Glufling says they aspire to be a local spot for families and singles in the neighborhood, so don’t let the white tablecloths fool you. And bring crayons for the paper.
Too Stroll: There is plenty of room for strollers in the back. 

Matchbox (521 8th Street SE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: Yes
Changing Tables: Yes
Kids’ Menu: No
Special requests for Kids: Ask your server about their mac and cheese, veggies or pasta with butter for your little ones.
Atmosphere: On a weeknight, the wait for a table can be rather long, so bring your kid a snack or get there before folks flock to the joint after work.
Too Stroll: There is plenty of room for strollers in the back. 

Mr. Henry’s (601 Penn Ave SE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: Yes
Changing Tables: No
Kids’ Menu: Yes
Special requests for Kids: NA
Atmosphere: Every Tuesday night kids under the age of eight eat free in the dining room upstairs, but don’t send them alone, they must be accompanied by an adult!
Too Stroll: Fold strollers and keep them tableside or find a spot in the restaurant. 

Ted’s Bulletin (505 8th Street SE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: Yes
Changing Tables: Yes
Kids’ Menu: Yes
Special requests for Kids: NA
Atmosphere: With lots of booths and a large screen TV, kids can get comfy in this restaurant. And the noise level is enough that a cry or a minor tantrum would probably go unnoticed.
Too Stroll: There is limited room for strollers in the dining room, but you can fold up and ask for a spot in the back. 

The Star and the Shamrock (1341 H Street NE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: No
Changing Tables: No
Kids’ Menu: Yes
Special requests for Kids: NA
Atmosphere: While parents may find themselves carded at the door, little ones are allowed in at anytime, says Dan, a Star and Shamrock employee.
Too Stroll: Fold strollers and keep them table side. Also, the bathrooms are big enough that you could fit a stroller in the space and use it as a changing table, if you are so inclined. 

Tortilla Coast (400 1St Street SE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: No Yes
Changing Tables: No
Kids’ Menu: Yes
Special requests for Kids: NA
Atmosphere: The restaurant has a vast supply of crayons that kids can use to color their menu after they’ve placed their order, and the comfortable atmosphere rarely leaves a parent worried that their kid(s) will over stay their welcome.
Too Stroll: Fold down strollers and keep them tableside. 

Tunnicliff’s (222 7th Street SE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: Yes
Changing Tables: No
Kids’ Menu: Yes
Special requests for Kids: NA
Atmosphere: Tunnicliff’s is part bar and part restaurant, but nothing about the place is stuffy. The noise level makes it so that a baby can laugh, have fun and even fuss with few dirty looks from fellow dinners.
Too Stroll: Fold down strollers and store them in the front hall or between tables. 

Zest (735 8th Street SE)
High Chairs: Yes
Booster Seats: Yes
Changing Tables: Yes
Kids’ Menu: Yes
Special requests for Kids: NA
Atmosphere: While first glance might lead one to believe children are not welcome, the menu and endless supply of crayons says otherwise.
Too Stroll: Fold down strollers and store them in the back or try table side in certain locations.

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16 responses to “Kid-Friendly Restaurants on the Hill”

  1. monkeyrotica says:

    The thing I love about the Tune Inn is that I can take my kids there, feed them good greasy food, and enjoy my beer in a relatively kid-and-stroller-free atmosphere. It’s also important to give children an appreciation for the finer points of dive bars. My only regret is that Sherrill’s closed before I could let them experience it. Sherrill’s was too beautiful for this world.

  2. Brandon West says:

    As a manager at Tortilla Coast, I can assure you that we have everything a parent could want in regard to being kid-friendly. We have booster seats, high chairs, car-seat cradles, a changing table, kids menus with crayons, and we always make it a point to accomodate special requests for kids. We even have enough room between tables such that strollers don’t have to be folded down. Please stop by anytime and I’ll be happy to show you all we do to make it convenient for parents to bring kids with them for lunch, brunch, or dinner.

  3. Kyra says:

    Brandon,

    I visited/dined at 95 percent of the restaurants on this list–and sought input from fellow THIH writers on those I couldn’t get to. I actually stopped by your place yesterday to double check the changing station/booster situation and saw neither. I’ll happily revise the post, but before I do, can you tell me where the changing station is? I checked the women’s room, and looked in every stall. How could I have missed it?

  4. Mark says:

    FYI – H Street Country Club does have a children’s menu available Monday through Wednesday. They also have booster seats.

  5. Kyra Deblaker-Gebhard Kyra Deblaker-Gebhard says:

    So much for taking a couple of extra weeks to get this right! The first time I went to H Street CC with my daughter we had to come home to get our traveling booster seat because they didn’t even have high chairs. They have come along away! (And we have been back since that first visit with our daughter.)

    Can you tell us why you only have a kid’s menu three days a week?

  6. Kyra Deblaker-Gebhard Kyra Deblaker-Gebhard says:

    Monkey,

    That’s why I didn’t give your secret dive bar away! Spend as much time there as you can, because you know the tourists will want to stop by when they see it on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

  7. Heather says:

    Wow, Kyra. Thanks for putting this list together. I usually stick to the same Hill restaurants because I am not up for gambling on new places that may not end up being kid friendly. I will definitely have to expand my horizons a bit. Oh, and just my two cents, but I agree with Brandon that Tortilla Coast goes out of its way to be kid friendly. They have been so accommodating with our little ones. Definitely one of our favorite places to dine out on the hill with kids in tow.

  8. Tunde says:

    Don’t forget about Cafe 8! Their staff is amazing and every time we go in our daughter is treated like a little princess. They really go out of their way to cater to kids AND their food is delicious!!

  9. Hilary says:

    I’m in the same boat as Heather – not very adventurous when it comes to eating out with my daughter. I stick to what I know so this is very helpful! Great job!

  10. topher says:

    Jimmy T’s- you can’t beat it for breakfast on a weekday morning and its kid friendly to the max

  11. Liz says:

    Matchbox also provides kids a ball of soft dough to play with, which keeps my kids occupied until the food comes. This is my son’s favorite place. Thanks for compiling this Kyra–I am sure there will be revisions over the months, but it is a handy thing to pass around, and could be done annually, with updated comments as necessary.

  12. Anne says:

    Restaurant owners, take note- please add changing tables to your place of business!

  13. Brandon West says:

    Thanks for responding about Tortilla Coast, Kyra. The Koala Kare changing station is in our handicap restroom on the ground floor between the bar and the stairs to the kitchen. It’s also where you’ll see the boosters, high chairs, and car-seat cradles. I forgot to mention earlier that we also offer free sodas, milk, and juices for kids.

  14. Eva Schiffer says:

    Great list,
    I would add: The best luxury changing station (5 sizes of diapers free) is at Dangerously Delicious Pies on H Street and my baby and my favorite where they actually serve healthy food that she will eat (e.g. a bowl of berries or their great bread) and have high chairs, changing table, lots of room between tables and kid friendly staff is Le Pain Quotidien on Pennsylvania Ave.

  15. Awads says:

    Great list! i hope ted’s gets better: my kid got a bowl of spaghetti that was way too spicey (and he’s no shrinking violet). he’s almost 3 and cried b/c the sauce “hurt my tongue”. ugh. it was awful.

    zest has the best kid’s menu, imo. i want to order off it!! the pasta with meat sauce is too good! glad my boy knows how to share 🙂

    completely agree about sherrills. i miss that place everytime i go to starbucks, and am sad my son will never eat there.

  16. monkeyrotica says:

    Pete’s Carryout on 2nd is a good option for when Jimmy T’s is packed. Or when you just need to stuff some cheap pancakes in your kid’s mouth.

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