Every parent knows choosing a place to go out to eat becomes a totally different ball game when you introduce children into the equation.
There’s a lot to consider — does the restaurant offer basics like high chairs/booster seats, a kids menu or a diaper-changing station? Is the vibe of the place one that feels welcoming to kids and not like you’re burdening your fellow diners by showing up with your little one?
And while it’s not a must, places that have dedicated spaces or activities for kids are definitely a plus for parents looking to be able to enjoy a meal out without having to spend every waking second entertaining their child.
LAist's daily news program AirTalk, which airs on 89.3 FM, asked listeners to share their go-to kid-friendly restaurants, and dad and LAist's associate editor for food and culture Gab Chabrán weighed in on what makes a restaurant kid-friendly, and how to spot them.
Kid-friendly clues to look for
The best places to bring your kids to eat are the ones that combine good food with a good atmosphere, Gab said. You want to look for places where kids will not only feel welcome, but be welcome, and where parents can also enjoy themselves. That starts with a good kids menu, he said.
"The bonus is making sure that you can both enjoy it...and a quality kids menu usually speaks to the overall greatness of a regular thought out menu too, as well."
Yelp can be a good place to start to try and find out if a place offers things like a kids menu, high chairs, changing tables, etc.
In the end, Gab says it all comes back to finding that vibe of something that will be for everyone. He said he loves picking places by the beach, because you can combine your meal with beach activities (though probably best to do your eating AFTER the beach if you're planning on swimming) or even just a walk on the sand.
For Gab's picks of the best kids menus in SoCal, click here.
Birdie G's (Santa Monica)
When you name your restaurant after your kid, it's almost a given that it'll be kid-friendly. That's exactly the vibe that customers say Birdie G's chef and owner Jeremy Fox went for and achieved at his second Santa Monica restaurant (he's also chef/owner at Rustic Canyon), which is named after his daughter, Birdie, and his grandmother, Gladys.
Birdie G's kids menu features staple items with an upscale feel, like potato-crusted chicken fingers, matzo pizza margherita and the appropriately-named "healthy yucky green salad."
"Chef Fox does a great work, on his regular menu with regards to vegetables and things like that, and he transfers a lot of that to his kids menu too at the same time," Gab said.
You can learn more about how Chef Jeremy Fox approaches his menu and restaurant by checking out AirTalk's interview with him about his 2024 Beard Award nomination here.
Jon & Vinny's
This recommendation came to us from AirTalk listener Lauren in Hollywood, who touted this Italian joint as a best-kept secret for kids at 8 a.m. on a Saturday.
"I didn't even know they did breakfast, and it's insanely good. My kids love the pancakes... they love the people there, it's so nice. And it's pretty much all families there in the mornings. And they have a bunch of different locations, but I go to the one on Fairfax, and the people there are so nice."
There's not an official kids menu here, but the main menu features a handful of kid-friendly options like scrambled eggs, banana bread, Nutella toast and those pancakes Lauren was raving about.
Jon & Vinny's has four locations on the Westside of L.A. — Fairfax, Brentwood, Slauson and Beverly Hills.
RJ's (Dana Point Harbor)
For folks in the OC, AirTalk listener Erin in Lake Forest says RJ's Cafe has a great family vibe and quality breakfast to match.
"They have a wonderful patio where people bring their dogs and, kids are sitting at tables coloring," Erin said. "We try and go almost every weekend and we'll take my dad, who's a little bit older, and it's a chance for him to get together with his grandkids, and my kids sit down and play and color and hang out."
There is a kid-specific menu with items you'd expect to find — eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, chicken fingers, quesadillas, etc.
Kura (Sawtelle)
Admittedly, sushi might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about kid cuisine, but AirTalk listener Jordan in Santa Monica says this revolving sushi bar is a fun way to introduce your kids to umami flavors and raw fish.
"My kids can sit there and the all the platters come by on little conveyor belts and they love to grab them. You have to teach them 'hey, don't stick your fingers in the spicy tuna roll,' but they get totally into it. And in terms of kid friendly options, for the less adventurous, they have cucumber rolls and they have ramen that you can order."
Jordan said they even give away collectibles and toys, like from this upcoming collaboration the chain is doing with the popular anime series One Piece.
Rock & Brews (multiple locations)
Multiple AirTalk listeners called in to shout out this rock 'n roll-themed restaurant that features a big menu and dedicated play space for the kids.
And if beer is mentioned in the restaurant name, you've got to expect there's a selection of frosty suds on tap to keep the grown-ups happy while the kids live beneath the waves in their yellow submarine.
Rock & Brews features several locations across the Southland, including El Segundo, Tustin, Redondo Beach and Buena Park.
The Pub at Golden Road (Atwater Village)
Speaking of beer, no list of kid-friendly restaurants in SoCal would be complete without the home base brewpub location for local brewing success story Golden Road. With an open air patio and additional outdoor seating around the outside of the pub that features some dedicated play areas for kids, it's a great choice to take your human or canine children.
Golden Road does have a kid-specific menu featuring PB&J, pasta and pizza, but the regular menu has plenty of bar favorites like burgers, popcorn chicken, tacos and nachos that might be appealing to kids as well.
