Studies have proved that eating dinner together as a family has concrete scientific benefits for kids: It can reduce behavior problems, boost vocabulary, and fight depression in older teens. Family dinner can also be a time to reconnect, share and come together as loved ones; it’s also downright good for the soul. Yet, do family dinners need to be restricted to the home? Dining out can be delightful, but all parents know it can also be challenging to bring the kids to a restaurant, especially a sit-down spot with great food. Only so much can be done with your children’s table manners, but we did gather a list of places that suit foodie parents and have something appealing for the children as well.
So whether you’re in need of a fast-casual dinner at the end of a busy day, or hoping for a fine-dining experience over a long and lazy weekend, these spots will provide the setting and culinary fare worthy of your family’s cherished time together.
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Din Tai Fung
Where: 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa
Best time to go: Lunch and early dinner
Favorite adult meal: Truffle and pork dumpling, cucumber salad, pork chop fried rice
Favorite kid meals: Xiao long bao (pork dumpling), chicken fried noodles and a red bean bun for dessert
What to avoid: Soup! It was often way too hot for little hands and mouths.
Price: $$
Walking up to Din Tai Fung, the Taiwanese dumpling mecca located in South Coast Plaza, you’ll initially notice two things: a line, which serves as testament to the amazing culinary experience waiting inside, and a specially designated stroller parking area, a la Disneyland.
In the line, it’ll mostly be families: multigenerational families and families of all cultures, with dads carrying toddlers and grandmothers holding small hands.
A kindergartener-sized statue of a smiling dumpling greets your party at the door as you are ushered into a waiting lobby, complete with a glass-encased view of the dumpling kitchen. There is often a row of tip-toers sneaking a peek at the kitchen, watching as the chefs create and curate the most pristine dumplings.
The accommodations for families don’t stop once you’re seated. You can request stroller space next to your table if needed, and special place settings are provided for little ones.
The menu features a wide spectrum of specialties, catering to both the picky and adventurous eater. Small diners tend to enjoy the xiao long bao (pork dumpling), as well as the chicken fried noodles and a red bean bun for dessert. However, be sure to save the soup dumplings for date night, as they arrive at your table much too hot for tiny hands and mouths.
After your meal, enjoy a stroll through South Coast Plaza and treat the kids to a spin on the carousel. There’s no better way to seal in the sweetness on a memorable family night out.
Taps Fish House & Brewery
Where: 13390 Jamboree Road, Irvine, and 101 E. Imperial Hwy, Brea
Best time to go: Early dinner
Favorite adult meal: Miso-Marinated Chilean Seabass, Day Boat Maine Scallops
Favorite kid meals: PB & Nutella Sandwich, Parmesan Ravioli
What to avoid: Tableside-prepared hot items. Two large burners are brought next to your table, and it seems like asking for trouble.
Price: $$$
The folks at Taps know a thing or two about kids. Owner and founder Joe Manzella is father to three kids ages 4 and younger. And the new Irvine location’s general manager, Masaya Yamazaki, just welcomed his second baby in July.
Perhaps because of their expertise in the ways of both family and food, Taps’ children’s menu is quite possibly a stroke of genius. Taking the place of one-item quick service options, food for kids includes a three-course meal and an array of choices, from apple, carrot and celery sticks to a teriyaki chicken bowl, grilled mahi mahi and a build-your-own pizza.
The first course comes out immediately along with an Etch-a-Sketch, the idea being to keep kids entertained so mom and dad can enjoy a nicely paced meal and (hopefully) a bit of uninterrupted conversation.
Cafe Bistro at Nordstrom, Fashion Island
Where: 901 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach
Best time to go: Lunch and dinner; families always welcome
Favorite adult meal: Grilled Farm Bread Bruschetta, Roasted Salmon and Herbed Mushroom Risotto
Favorite kid meals: Grilled cheese, chicken tenders
What to avoid: Ordering too much! The children’s meals come in exceptionally large portions. Consider having little ones share.
Price: $$
Nordstrom Cafe is the busy mom’s lifesaver while shopping at Irvine Spectrum, Mainplace or South Coast Plaza. The classic American fare and kid-friendly menu is appealing at all of their locations, but there’s something unique about the one at Fashion Island: It’s a full-service restaurant. Unlike its counterparts, this branch will let you skip waiting in lines, sliding trays down countertops, and corralling kids while trying to balance dinner on top of your stroller and finding an empty table. Here you will be seated and served with ease.
True Food Kitchen
Where: 451 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach
Best time to go: Lunch and early dinner
Favorite adult meals: Harvest Chopped salad, butternut squash pizza, grilled albacore sliders
Favorite kid meals: Almond butter, apple and banana sandwich, chicken teriyaki bowl
What to avoid: Parking can be tough. Valet might be a smart option for parents wrangling a few kids.
Price: $$
Sitting on the cool and contemporary patio at True Food Kitchen, eating healthy food while sipping a freshly juiced green concoction in the company of fashionable Newport Beach moms, can seem like a coastal Orange County stereotype come to life. But just go with it. There’s nothing wrong with a taste of the good life while encouraging your kids to adopt healthy eating habits. And if True Food Kitchen is anything, it’s healthy.
You can sneak all kinds of good stuff into your kids’ diets — fresh-pressed juices sweetened with apple and dishes such as the Spaghetti Squash Casserole — and reward good eaters with a flourless chocolate cake made with almond butter and 72 percent cocoa.
The menu focuses on an anti-inflammatory diet, which means there are vegetarian and vegan options galore, farm-to-table organic produce, and gluten-free dishes, all while making flavor and enjoyment a top priority.
Tortilla Jo’s
Where: 1510 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim
Best time to go: Lunch and dinner; families
always welcome
Favorite adult meal: Chile verde, Jo’s Carnitas
Favorite kid meals: Kid’s Grilled Chicken Breast with Sweet Corn, Kid’s Tostada Bowl, chicken tenders
What to avoid: Dining at peak hours, as the wait can be extraordinarily long. Say no to weekend nights at 6 and weekend days at noon.
Price: $$
As parents, we all know that Disneyland days can be long. There usually comes a moment when all we want is respite from the crowds; a place to rest our weary feet and enjoy a top-notch full-service meal that won’t break the bank. That place is Tortilla Jo’s in Downtown Disney, a mere 100-foot walk from the Downtown Disney monorail station.
Inside, you’ll find high ceilings and ample seating, an accommodating staff and great Mexican comfort food. Highlights include tableside guacamole, top-shelf margaritas and a diverse kids menu that has both Mexican and American classics. Once your belly is full and your feet are rested, hop back on the monorail for round two inside the Happiest Place on Earth.
Sharky’s Woodfired
Mexican Grill
Where: Several locations in Orange County
Best time to go: Lunch and dinner
Favorite adult meal: Harvest Quinoa Salad, Chicken Breast Power Plate, Fajita Burrito
Favorite kid meals: Organic bean and cheese burrito, Kid’s Power Plate
What to avoid: Adult items have additional spice — even the black beans. Use caution when kids ask for a taste.
Price: $
The fast-growing Sharky’s is serving up organic cuisine for those on a fast-casual timeframe (and budget!). All of the restaurant’s meat, fish, and veggies are organic and sustainable, and vegan options, including non-GMO tofu, are on the menu. Bottom line: You can feel good about what’s going in to fuel yourselves and your precious kids.
The ambience is classic fast-casual, with big leatherette booths filled with soccer-playing siblings or new parents trying dining out with baby for the first time. Illustrations on the walls repeat the organic mantra of the menu, highlights of which include a wild-caught salmon tostada, a Harvest Quinoa Salad and Power Plates for the kids: a choice of protein and brown rice, and either broccoli or whipped yams on the side.
Coliseum Pool & Grill at Pelican Hill
Where: 22701 S. Pelican Hill Road, Newport Coast
Best time to go: Lunch and early dinner
Favorite adult meal: Tempura shishito peppers and shrimp, duck confit quesadilla, roasted salmon
Favorite kid meals: Kid’s All-In-One (choice of entrée or create-your-own-pasta-bowl), turkey burger
What to avoid: Dining close to the bar when a big game is on, as it can get quite loud
Price: $$$
Sometimes, the setting is just as important as the menu when enjoying a family night out. It doesn’t get more gorgeous than The Resort at Pelican Hill, nestled in Newport Coast with panoramic Pacific views. And if you’ve got the kids in tow, the Coliseum Pool & Grill is serving up delicacies for both you and them to enjoy.
Top picks for Mom and Dad include seasonal flatbread, a duck confit quesadilla and a roasted beet salad. Kids will be thrilled with the classic selection of grilled cheese, burgers and a build-your-own pasta dish. Families can request to be seated in a private alcove so as not to disturb other diners, and everyone will enjoy the view.
Urban Seoul 2.0
Where: 81 Spectrum Center Drive, No. 155, Irvine
Best time to go: Lunch and early dinner
Favorite adult meal: Urban 3B with Spicy Pork, PBLT (pork belly) Sliders, Elote Skillet
Favorite kid meals: Popcorn chicken and rice, Gogi quesadilla
What to avoid: Letting kids dig in without checking temperature first. Especially the popcorn chicken and anything fried — remember to blow!
Price: $$
This hip and inventive restaurant touts itself as a celebration of Southern California’s culinary melting pot. On the menu, you’ll find Korean, Mexican and American influences, along with some creative children’s choices. Popcorn chicken and purple rice tends to be a favorite, although kids might also be game to share some of the items on the regular small plate menu, such as the Gogi quesadilla and sweet potato fries.
Don’t worry about having to keep the kids unnaturally quiet; the acoustics of this restaurant are loud and able to absorb the prattle of little voices. Kids might also be fascinated with the décor, as a mural subway map takes up a fair share of space on the interior’s main wall. Anyone up for a quick pre-entrée game of I Spy?
Brick
Where: 216 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente
Best time to go: Weekend brunch, early dinner
Favorite adult meal: Ricotta and farm egg raviolo, farmers market salad, spaghetti carbonara
Favorite kid meals: Build-your-own pizza, roasted chicken
What to avoid: If Brick is busy, avoid the front seating area near the door.
The combo of bar noise and open kitchen can make it loud.
Price: $$
Chef David Pratt is a dad, which is made clear in his comfort and ease around his smallest patrons. At his brick-oven pizzeria, he encourages kids to become part of the culinary experience by building their own pizzas or pastas, complete with fresh house-made noodles, seasonal vegetables from local farmers markets, and an array of toppings to choose from.
As all parents know, there is no better way to get kids to try new things than by participating in the food prep. Spend a relaxing Saturday or Sunday here, enjoying a rare bit of peace as the kids focus on making pizza, while the buzz of late risers builds outside the big windows facing San Clemente’s El Camino Real. Perhaps an adult beverage is part of this day — and if that triggers memories of Sunday fun days of the past, what’s the harm in that?
The Counter
Where: Locations in Irvine and Newport Beach
Best time to go: Lunch and early dinner
Favorite adult meal: Knife & fork burger, build-your-own grilled cheese, the hot hen
Favorite kid meal: Mini-cheeseburgers
What to avoid: Although the kid’s cheeseburgers are cooked well-done, older children ordering off the regular menu should be advised that burgers tend to the pink/rare side unless otherwise specified.
Price: $$
The Counter prides itself on making things delicious for the creative diner. That’s why adults are seated and given clipboards and pencils to craft a burger to their exact liking. However, most kids don’t like their food “creative.” They prefer simple and consistent. Which is why The Counter offers perhaps the best, minimalistic kids menu featuring two sliders, well done, on a bun with American cheese. Nothing fancy, nothing extra and simply delicious. And if you want a taste of hipster gastropub atmosphere, but in a wholesome package, The Counter’s customers and servers provide just enough tattoos so you can still be cool, but without the “we just turned 21” adult attitude of some trendy eateries.
