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Maryland Babies
KathrynMD
member
where do you like to eat outw/ your LO?
KathrynMD
member
For awhile, we stopped going out w/ DD b/c she was so unpredictable, but she's gotten much better the last 6 months or so. I always think Red Robin sounds like a good idea, but I almost always regret it - its just nuts there and its a long wait. We've been pretty happy going to Unos, Bertuccis and Houlihan's w/ DD for the last couple of months and have had pretty good experiences there - the food is good for us and her and there's enough going on that she's entertained, but not ovewhelmed so we can have a semi normal conversation.
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Re: where do you like to eat outw/ your LO?
We've been to Red Robin with DD (her first time she screamed with laughter). Most recently we've been to Outback, Don Pablos, Chilis and Applebees. Applebees the food was horrible and I will never go back. We had a gift card so that's why we went.
I usually like eating early, it helps if she starts to act out. Plus for whatever reason she hates to eat later than 5:30.
We have had good luck with ethnic food restaurants. I find they tend to be more laid back.
The Indian place we frequent spoils Evie already. All we have to do is walk in the door and they make DD a Mango Lassie. (Flavored Yogurt Drink) It comes to the table the same time they fill DH and I's water glasses!
As far as chain restaurants go, we like IHOP.
DD is pretty good almost anywhere we take her. She was an easier baby than DS & has been to tons of restaurants. I think she has eaten at every restaurant in the Annapolis Mall- Austin Grill (sometimes they have live music that starts @ 7 that is great for entertaining kiddos,) CPK (good kids' menu, she loves the mac'n'cheese w/ edamame,) Cheesecake, McCormick & Schmidt's (awesome happy hour food specials if you sit in the bar area) Nordstrom Cafe, Punk's, Red Robin (the big bird thing did scare her) and Stony River. We have also gone to some nicer places w/ her like Lewnes', Ruth's Chris.
When it's just me with both of them I like places where I can order the food at a counter, then go seat myself, and then the food is delivered to the table. Punk's is like this, along w/ Leeward Market & Cafe.
Klassy folks that we are, we do well at pub type places too, Davis', Ramshead, etc.
Chain-wise - recently we've been to CPK and Panera. She likes to eat at Wegmans, we sit upstairs and she tries out all the booths, as long as we choose an area where no one else is sitting. I also like Nordies Cafe, I like that you can order and pay in the beginning but someone brings you the food. E and I go there when DH is away and then I let her run around the mall and use all her extra energy. We also eat at the Ikea Cafe, probably a little too much because if anyone says Ikea around E, she replies with "meatballs, yum!!!"
DD's been going with us to restaurants since she was a newborn and the only places I can think of that we specifically don't take her with us are Stony River and The Melting Pot because those are date night restaurants (so she's with Grandma when we got there).
My girlfriend and I stopped taking our kids to the local Indian place because the tables are just too tiny. It's not realistic to cram a few kids and a few adults at one of their tables and not have a disaster on our hands.
Some of our favorites are: Don Pablo's (it's colorful, loud, the sombreros fascinate her and there's a fountain in the middle of the restaurant), La Tolteca (also colorful and she just likes saying LaLeeTecca!!!), TGIFriday's (all the stuff on the walls), Cracker Barrel (the games at the tables and that stupid store, which I hate chasing her around), Fuji Sushi (they flippin' love kids there - when she was little the waitresses would pick her up and carry her away to play with her) and Open Door Cafe (they have coloring books and crayons for the kids plus they serve their chocolate milk with whipped cream and sprinkles).
Other restaurants we take her to include DuClaw, Bertucci's, Bob Evans, Silver Spring Mining Company, Outback, Red Lobster, Red Robin, Bonefish, Five Guys, Ruby Tuesday, Damon's, California Pizza Kitchen, Nacho Mama's, Panera, Baja Fresh.
We brought Ada to Sachas 527 when she was about 9 months old and Sacha stole her and walked her around the restaurant and let her play on the couch. It was really cute.
I want to come live with you so I can eat at all those places!
Mmm Weezie now I want a Mango Lassie lol. (I love those
We don't eat out that much anymore since Matthew and I gave up dairy, but for awhile anywhere where it was LOUD! We took M where ever until Nov. it was then we "learned" that no more "fine dining" for awhile as M got to be quite noisy when we were at McCormick and Schmidt's for dinner. So we pretty much stick w/family style restaurants. We did go to Cafe Hon in Dec before checking out the lights on 34th St and that was great. They put all of the families w/kids in a small room off to the side and we were very appreciative
It's easy to see why I'm a fatty.
I'm right there with ya--nothing makes me happier than some good food!