Taking a baby into a high end restaurant...

[Deleted User] · January 2014

and being asked to leave.

https://chicago.eater.com/archives/2014/01/13/a-baby-walks-into-alinea.php

And this isn't just your run of the mill high end restaurant, this is a 3 star michelin rated place where you will be spending around $1000 minimum for 2 people.

Thoughts?

Spin313 · January 2014

No, I don't think it's a place for kids.

[Deleted User] · January 2014

And I guess the baby was crying.

I mean, I understand to a point why they brought the kid. It's really hard to get reservations and you have to buy your "ticket" in advance. They probably thought they were gonna get screwed.

I have a high tolerance for kids in restaurants, but I would have been pissed if I had been there.

Unknown · January 2014

This content has been removed.

[Deleted User] · January 2014

HilarityEnsued said:

I'm going to agree that a kid should not be there. If you are paying that much, you deserve to have a dining experience that does not include kids.

This reminds me of my friends. They are rich as fuck and live the most jet-set life. They would totally bring their baby to Per Se and think it's NBD... it's snobbery at the most ridiculous level.

Also... @dragonblood13... where you been!?!?!?!!?

You know, busy dating and stuff. Did you see I got a new dog? She's Sofa King Cute.

Yeah, that's actually her name. Sofa King Cute.

Manateearmz · January 2014

No. I hesitated to bring DD into Red Robin.

[Deleted User] · January 2014

shiggybop said:

What would y'all say is the cut-off for kid-friendly? We take ds to a Brazilian steakhouse that is pretty swanky, but they have high chairs and I have seen other kids there before. How do you decide what restaurants are not appropriate?

If the place has high chairs, then it's good to go.

And this isn't just a restaurant. It's a culinary adventure. You are there for almost 5 hours eating and drinking and smelling and tasting and it's an experience.

jak554 · January 2014

shiggybop said:

What would y'all say is the cut-off for kid-friendly? We take ds to a Brazilian steakhouse that is pretty swanky, but they have high chairs and I have seen other kids there before. How do you decide what restaurants are not appropriate?

Personally if it's reservations only, I wouldn't consider taking a child just for the fact that if I reserved my spot, I'm expecting a nice dinner without kids. I know some kids can behave, but they're all unpredictable especially a baby.

ppants · January 2014

No babies in a super nice place for sure. My kids are nearly 8 and well-behaved in restaurants and they don't belong at a place where dinner costs $1000.

colliebabe · January 2014

DD has been to some nicer places in the city, but I would never bring her to a place like that.

azzyberry · January 2014

No, no, no. My kids only go to noisy restaurants that have high chairs and kid menus. On the rare occasion that DH and I get to go out sans kids, I would have been pissed if I went to that restaurant.

[Deleted User] · January 2014

ppants said:

No babies in a super nice place for sure. My kids are nearly 8 and well-behaved in restaurants and they don't belong at a place where dinner costs $1000.

When I went, I was shocked to see that there were some younger kids sitting next to me. Probably around 10-12 years old.

However, they were the most well behaved kids ever and they were asking questions about the food and the preparation. I almost wanted to strike up a conversation with them.

[Deleted User] · January 2014

MabelShesABiotch said:

Alinea looks uppity as fuck. I'd like to go crop dust that place. No thanks!!

It's not as uppity as you would think. And most everything on the menu is pretty normal.

Our Sommelier totally lol'd at me when he saw me dump a huge glob of sauce on my shirt and then wipe it off with my hand (and I probably licked it off my hand because that's cash money, yo)

[Deleted User] · January 2014

HilarityEnsued said:

12 does not count as a little kid at all.

But in my mind, I was like "what, a child is here?" But that's because my parents would have never taken me to a place like that when I was 12.

ppants · January 2014

DragonBlood13 said:

ppants said:

No babies in a super nice place for sure. My kids are nearly 8 and well-behaved in restaurants and they don't belong at a place where dinner costs $1000.

When I went, I was shocked to see that there were some younger kids sitting next to me. Probably around 10-12 years old.

However, they were the most well behaved kids ever and they were asking questions about the food and the preparation. I almost wanted to strike up a conversation with them.

IF my kids were into culinary arts and fine dining then I would consider taking them when they are older. But that's a shit ton of $$ if they aren't into it.

white318 · January 2014

justAphase said:

I can't imagine spending $500 on a 12 year old's meal. I wish I was that rich.

I cannot imagine right now spending it on my meal, let alone a child's dinner. That is a vacation in my world right now.

SpaceGirlSpiff · January 2014

Yeah, I'm cool with Red Robin myself....

Not down with the fancy shmancy.

jak554 · January 2014

For a $1000 dinner, they better be kissing me first.

The most expensive resturant, in our budget, I've been to is Biaggi's.

white318 · January 2014

MabelShesABiotch said:

SpaceGirlSpiff said:

Yeah, I'm cool with Red Robin myself....

Not down with the fancy shmancy.

Bottomless fries and boozey lemonade FTW!

They have fabulous Mai Tai's as well. And tower of onion rings... drool !!

[Deleted User] · January 2014

IT'S A CULINARY DINING EXPERIENCE.

It's not just a restaurant.

They set a pillow in front of you, filled with nutmeg air and place a dish on top. While you enjoy the bite of food, the weight of the dish releases the nutmeg air and it awakens your senses.

I did it once, I'll never do it again. I still have the menu, signed by the chef hanging on my wall in my house.

SpaceGirlSpiff · January 2014

The only experience I require whilst at a restaurant is filling my hongray belly with nummy food.

I'm pretty low maintenance though...I guess.

The most expensive restaurant I've ever eaten at was Ruth's Chris Steak House and it was on my boss' dime.

Eleventy11 · January 2014

Not appropriate for an infant. If the place has high chairs then they expect to have children. DD is very well behaved while eating out, but I would never dream of doing something like that.

NotSharknado · January 2014

I have Sophia's RR menu on the fridge cuz she colored in it. It's kinda the same, amiright?

lildevil968 · January 2014

I can't even afford to walk by that place, let alone walk in with a kid.

colliebabe · January 2014

A lot of the steakhouses around me (including Morton's and Ruth's Chris) have high chairs and a kid's menu. I know a lot of people prob wouldn't bring their kid there though.

ASmallWonder · January 2014

Yeah, no. I get out about once a never so if I'm running from my own kids, I don't want to deal with someone else's. I draw the line at casual dining places. You hit Melting Pot or anything better and I'm annoyed if kids are there.

Monkeybabe · January 2014

People in Portland bring kids to really nice restaurants. We try to avoid it. We do take our daughter to a nicer Italian restaurant, but they have a kid menu, despite being a candlelight sort of place, so whatever.

@mabelshesabiotch, you should come to Portland. Dress codes don't fly here. My sister worked at a crazy expensive restaurant and took me there once (it was free, lol). We got all dressed up and the rich people at the table next to us were wearing khaki shorts and Hawaiian print shirts. The closest to a dress code we do here is "no hats or sandals" for dudes.

BluepointToasted · January 2014

If there is a high chair, I consider it kid friendly. But....I think you need to have a feel for the restaurant and know how your child usually behaves. I will take DS to a nicer but family oriented place, but to a more candlelit "romantic" place? No, he is too loud.

I would not hesistate to take my kid to Melting Pot. Its in the freaking mall.

NotSharknado · January 2014

Yes, melting pot is not fine dining.

colliebabe · January 2014

My thoughts exactly @notsharknado

[Deleted User] · January 2014

NotSharknado said:

Yes, melting pot is not fine dining.

I think a place like melting pot would be fun for kids. Fondue is fun.

NotSharknado · January 2014

My cousin's kids are into culinary and are the type to do fine dining with them. I wish my kids were like that. The big one won't eat anything and the little one acts like a damn monkey.

ASmallWonder · January 2014

MabelShesABiotch said:

I'm not taking my kids anywhere that costs 50 bucks a person and consists of a boiling ass pot of stock and teeny tiny pitchforks.

Right?

bullybutt · January 2014

I took my 12 yo nephew to the Melting Pot a couple of months ago. He absolutely loved it and we both had a good time. However, after using my Groupon and seeing the leftover bill, I still about shit my pants. Sorry nephew, that was your Cinderella night.

ASmallWonder · January 2014

HilarityEnsued said:

MabelShesABiotch said:

I'm not taking my kids anywhere that costs 50 bucks a person and consists of a boiling ass pot of stock and teeny tiny pitchforks.

Yeah anytime there is open flames and objects for impaling I'll keep DS away...

But I stay the fuck away from Melting Pot because oops-I-crapped-my-pants is not my favorite post-dining adventure.

Wait, WTF happened to you? lol I almost threw up in my purse there once. One shouldn't go there when newly pregnant and unsure about how the raw meat may make them feel.

BluepointToasted · January 2014

I'm not taking my kid back to the melting pot, but more because I thought it was overpriced and sucked. The dessert was good, but if I want to cook my own goddamned dinner I will just stay home!

I have to admit over the summer we took DS (then about 10 months old) to a really nice place in ottawa, who had no high chairs and definitely looked at us funny. He was an angel and it felt so good to rub it in their faces! He sat quietly on my lap eating gourmet food. But....never again, I need my space!

[Deleted User] · January 2014

MabelShesABiotch said:

DragonBlood13 said:

NotSharknado said:

Yes, melting pot is not fine dining.

I think a place like melting pot would be fun for kids. Fondue is fun.

You might rethink that once you have kids.

We used to do fondue at home with my parents all of the time. And we did the open flame and oil with chicken nuggets and french fries. Of course we were doing it at home, but those memories make me love fondue.

We did it with my neice and nephew, but now that I think about it, the pot was an electric one. Much safer.

[Deleted User] · January 2014

HilarityEnsued said:

So I guess this is where I say that I honestly find those kinds of dining experiences sad and I really feel like those who buy into that should give me a call because I have a fucking plot of land in China I can sell you.

It's pretentious for the sake of being pretentious. A fucking scented pillow under my food? WTF.

To each their own of course.

I enjoyed Alinea because it was the first one I went to and it was all new to me.

My ex was OBSESSED with those types of restaurants and insisted that we go to them all (not all, but it felt like that). I will agree that doing it once is exciting, but doing it a bunch of times is not. I was over it.

I actually like Melting Pot more than this local joint that's been around for like 50 years because MP allows you to use broth. I always always always ruin my clothes with the stupid popping oil.

cedenton · January 2014

MabelShesABiotch said:

I'm not taking my kids anywhere that costs 50 bucks a person and consists of a boiling ass pot of stock and teeny tiny pitchforks.

This made me laugh my ass off. Thank you. I needed that @MabelShesABiotch.

SpaceGirlSpiff · January 2014

I was not impressed with the Melting Pot....I love lots of gooey cheese, but it was just not all that great tasting to me. And the raw lobster texture killed my appetite a little.

CinemaGoddess · January 2014

1. I think dining in a place like this one time in your life is a good thing to put on your bucket list. The one time I did, I ate things that I never ate before and will never eat again (Fois Gras, escargot, caviar, etc.) and it was an experience I'm glad I had. It also didn't hurt that I didn't pay for it.

2. Taking your kid to a place like that is really damn stupid.

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