Call me old fashion but I think if you can't be reasonably certain that your child will behave themselves in a restaurant you shouldn't taken them to one.

Please make the list so I (and many others I think agree here) can avoid them. Children are fine, but infant, there I draw the line.

Kate has started one on her parenting blog .

Who brings a baby that is weeks old out to a restaurant anyway? I don't have any kids yet, but I can imagine after a few weeks I would still be wearing sweatpants and hardly having time to take a shower.

Oh yeah a good place to take babies/kids: chain restaurants!

This is a great situation where the "evil" (LOL) chain restaurants excel. Especially the lousder places. The louder the place, the better because there's less of a chance for other diners to hear the baby crying.

Places like Carrabba's, Don Pablo, Outba....uh.....uhhhhh....why do I feel like I'm having Deja vu ????

Seriuosly though, this topic is a BIG reason why the "chain" blog was such a good one. The national chains are indeed some of the best places to go out to dinner if you're bringing along a baby. They are always very accomidating to parents with very small children. And if you have to go to a chain, it's at least good to know the better ones to go to.

Friendlys! Sure, it's not gourmet or anything, but there are always kids there and you can bribe them with ice cream.

I have several friends with babies and I like to meet them for an occasional meal out. They deserve to enjoy a good meal prepared by someone else and in public as much as the next person without it always having to be a babysitting worthy production. Places we have found to be good are Cafe Zen, Atwater's at Belvedere Square and Golden West. I also think that Miss Shirley's would work as would Dogwood Deli at lunchtime. In my mind the key is at least two adults both of whom are prepared to entertain the baby and enough space so they can stand up to bounce and swing said baby when sitting will no longer do.

I like two kinds of youngsters at restaurants: veal and lamb.

Wow, good to know (based on earlier comments) that because I am now a parent, I am supposed to stay at home to eat every meal, and if I do dare venture out, it must be to places where non-parents don't dine. Geez. As a parent, if my infant (now 11 months) starts to cry or get upset, we immediately try to rectify the situation or take her outside. We are respectful of other patrons. We wouldn't take her to a "nice" restaurant, those are for when we go out by ourselves. But only eating at chains? Yuck. Plus, we want our daughter to grow up with an appreciation and love for food & dining out. Imagine what would happen if her only restaurant experiences were at chains!

You're my hero jl! And don't forget baby octopus!

I think Jessica might be in the minority (which is why there is so much negativity from other posters) - I think all of us have been at too many places (weddings top my pet peeve of places people will linger with crying infants/toddlers because they don't want to miss the ceremony - at the expense of the enjoyment of other guests, but I digress) where adults do not take appropriate steps to quell a disruption. Which in turn makes people skeptical of all diners with children.

That being said, I think of Austin Grill as pretty kid-friend and think it straddles the chain/local line. When I've been, there are always families with kids of varying ages dining.

Jessica -
I think the negative feelings about young children in restaurants come from what seemed to be a whole generation of young parents that let their infants scream and their toddlers run all over the place.

When my children were young, we did as you mentioned and took a crying baby out if we couldn't calm them.

We had one episode where our three toddlers (6, 4, & 4) would not behave, so we stopped our meal, I took them outside while my husband asked for our meals to be boxed up and paid, and we took them home. Since they loved being out at a restaurant, it only took the one time.

Rosebud
You are in the minority. I have two children we got a lot of babysitters when there were young. I was always furious to finally settle down to a nice dinner and then be seated next to a baby or small kids. This happened at nice places Ixia, bicycle,charlestons etc. My husband always asked to be moved....kid haters no just someone who thinks kids have a place. If you can't afford a babysitter stick to Wendy's

Kids. Fun topic. More often than I can count parents have sent kids to the bar in a restaurant to watch TV while they eat or relax. First, I say that I don't drink in your kid's pre-school, so keep them away from my bar. More fun is teaching them harmless things that will drive the parents crazy, like what very expensive toys and electronic stuff their parents should buy them. Good times.

All of this makes me nostalgic for the good old days when kids were working on the farm on in the factory instead of going out to restaurants.

Once again, I'm with Rosebud. There was a time when we ate a lot of meals out at places at Chili's because the noise level was so high no one could hear an unhappy toddler, but they learned the rules of dining out very quickly. I'm proud to say we produced two foodie (and very civilized) sons. We also ate meals together at home, which seems to be a dying practice.

Imagine my delight when my husband and I got a babysitter for our 2-year-old and went to the Ambassador for our first nice dinner out in months, only to have a couple with baby-in-tow seated right next to us. Granted, the baby was pretty quiet the whole meal, but still.... We've been doing a lot of carry-out since our son arrived on the scene, but if we're really itching to get out, our favorite place to go is Golden West. The atmosphere is kid-friendly, and I really appreciate that I can order him apples slices with peanut butter and a cup of yogurt, rather than the standard chicken nuggets/grilled cheese/cheeseburger/fries kid-menu fare.

Having worked as a waitress at a semi-casual mid-priced restaurant that was basically kid friendly, I can say that those parents who deal well with being out and there kids misbehaving are in the minority. Man adults seem to feel if they're out with other adults they don't need to watch the kids anymore, and that it's perfectly acceptable for kids to scream, run around the restaurant, dump the salt all over the place etc.

Plus, kids order less food/off the way cheaper kids menu and create huge mess. So basically I was doing more work for less money.

I don't dislike kids, but they have there time and place and in a restaurant you need adults to recognize this and many don't. If they're well behaved cool, but to often they're not.

Okay, nobody wants to be next to the screaming infant, including the parents. It's how you deal with the situation that makes a difference.

Our grandchildren are taken out more frequently than our children were. When the older [now 3] was an infant, his parents rotated 'baby duty.' One would eat while the other tended to their son. If he got fussy, he was taken outside. No one got upset because they were prepared to deal with it.

They now live in Indonesia where there is a different societal attitude. When we visited Bali, waitstaff Ku de Ta and other restaurants came to our table to play with grandosn #2, then about 3 months old., They carried him around and kept him amused so we could have a pleasant dinner. They only brought the baby back when they were exhausted because at 3 months he weighed almost 16 pounds -- they called him "healthy'!

bra1nchild's note reminded me of another almost certainly kid-friendly place to eat out. You local Chinese restaurant.

I know that at Hunan Szechuan in Hillendale, kids are welcome and the Owners/Servers kids were frequently there when they were younger and any customer's child was made over and spolied.

I'm not a parent, so my viewpoint is from that of the bachelor who enjoys going out to eat on a regular basis, but who, from time to time, eats out with friends who have children ranging from infants to tweens.

I think a lot of the irritation and problems noted here stems from the parents. Parents who let their children run amok. I'm glad my friends are pretty tough on their kids, and when they're not - "Uncle Jay C." is ready to step in with a stern warning to unruly children.

But I'm a bit appalled with the attitude of some that children should be kept either at Wendy's or other chain restaurants. Sure, they're accommodating - they're looking at a new customer for the next fifty years. Let's teach our children now that rethermalized, processed and crappy food is "good." Take them to the chains. The obesity problem is good for the profitability of healthcare professionals and funeral directors.

It amazes me to watch parents spend $800 on a Bugaboo stroller but cheap out on the feed that sustains their childrens' lives.

Since I refuse to eat at chains, I end up at some decent places when eating out with friends and their children. Here's the restaurants I've found to be friendly and accommodating to children (as well as groups):

- Jesse Wong's Hong Kong
- Edo Sushi
- San Sushi
- Woodberry Kitchen

These are places I've been to in the last two months with friends and their children.

My wife and I started taking our kids to "nice" restaurants when they were babies. As a parent I felt my obligation to other diners was to simply take the baby outside if the baby got fussy(we took turns).

We also always went early. In my opinion, babies should not be at fine dining restaurants after 7:00. If you go to the Prime Rib or Charleston's at 6pm I think other diners have no right to complain as long as you immediately respond to a fussy baby.

When my son was young, we were always welcomed at Koko's, Saigon Remembered, El Salto, Golden West, Bertucci's, Jerry D's, Red Robin, and other family-owned or oriented places. Of course, after he hit 18 months, we stayed home with him for a year or two, because he was too fussy and wouldn't sit still.
We love Big Fish in Crofton, because they serve grown up food, and also have a children's menu and they were very helpful with his food allergies. There had to be 12 kids there when we visited, and no one would have known because they were all so well behaved.

I know of very few restaurants that have ample space to get up and bounce and swing a baby around. I have been to the Golden West and was packed in like a sardine. If someone needs to do that to keep the baby happy, you probably shouldn't be eating there. If I was sitting at the table next to someone engaged in that activity, I can't imagine how that wouldn't be intrusive. When I was little eating out was Rustler Steak House on Friday nights with every other kid in the universe so I vote that bigger kid friendly places are good choices in those situations. From the amount of times I have seen little ones fuss and cry because they are forced to sit at the table while the adults eat, I would think it would be about as fun if I brought my two cats to dinner and tried to entertain them.

I'm a former infant-hating, lover of eating out. I'm now the mother of a 13 month old. What I realize now is that my job is to raise this kid up into a full fledged person, just like you or me. They're not a seperate species. Children who are taken out and taught how to behave will learn to be good patrons and appreciate good restaurants. At what age do you think it's okay to spring the little monster from the confines of their play room cell? Geezzz. A few bad experiences really has tainted many people's view of children. That said, we now live in Catonsville and really like Ellicott Mills Brewery for a kid-friendly, just loud enough and still feels like a bar. I don't love the food, but like I said, I live in the county now and take what I can get...

I don't mind well behaved children in a restaurant. When I was little my parents would take us out to 'fancy' restaurants - Trader Vics, Le Bagatelle, etc.. - not as infants, of course. That said, if I am somewhere like Ze Mean Bean having a dessert and after dinner drink I don't think I should have to sit through 30 minutes of a child banging his shoes onto the wooden part of the bench while his parents do nothing.

Yowza! I started reading this section, stopped, ran to the basement, put on body armor, cautiously approached the computer, took a deep breath, and continued. Incoming! I'd expect this vitriol over bungled crêpes fourrées gratinées, but kids? Yikes! One suggestion is dining outside, b Bistro, Three, City Café, etc., weather permitting.

That's the great thing about this blog. We can start foaming at the mouth over anything.

I think that folks with children lose sight of what little pains in the butt their darlings can be. I realize that parents need a break but that break should be had when the children are at home with a sitter. I have been the parent of a young child and she is adhd. When she was young we took a break from fine dining and instead went to places that were designed to accomodate children. When she got older, really around age thirteen, she could chose to either go with us or stay at home while we went out to dinner. Call me a mean person but when a hostess/host steers us towards a table near one with children we always ask to be seated somewhere else.

When I shared this opinion with a long-time friend she could not believe that these words were coming from me. She knows that I love children. And I do. But there are places where children are not meant to be.

I'm the father of a little girl who is almost 3, and we try to take her out regularly -- after all, if we don't teach her how to behave, where's she going to learn?

There are some places that it's just not OK to bring her, no way, no how. We don't even try taking her to places where a little noise would be obtrusive, and if she just can't keep it together, we'll pack up and leave. In case of mild fussiness, we've tried taking her to the lobby or outside, but that spoils the experience of eating together, so that's generally only for cases when the server is taking a long time to bring us our check. We also go early when we're bringing her along -- typically, between 5:30 and 6, since she gets cranky when she's really hungry.

We've had great success with Chinese, with sushi, and with places like Paper Moon or DuClaw. I wouldn't expect her to be able to handle someplace like Charleston or Black Olive or Sotto Sopra, and I certainly wouldn't ever let her wander.

She did wonderfully when we all sat at the bar in Kyodai. I think you just have to recognize the limitations of your child, and not subject them to more than they can handle. A two-year-old isn't going to be entertained by long periods of quiet conversation, nor will they be fascinated with the presentation of the meal. Don't take them to places where they'll be expected to wait quietly for a long time, and then eat something that's far outside their comfort zone, and then wait around while you have extended adult conversation.

We take our kids out to eat a lot-James Joyce, Slainte, Lebanese Taverna, Sobo, Mothers, Amicci's, Red Star, Lemongrass and any sushi place are all welcoming to kids, and would be fine for a baby. Now that everywhere is smoke free we pretty much go anywhere that has a casual enough atmosphere and enough noise-there are plenty of choices without resorting to chains or fast food! There are also a bunch of places that have special family nights- Birches,
Slainte/Woody's, Captain Larry's come to mind but there are probably others. If I feel like it's fancy enough to warrant "dressing up" we usually get a sitter.

We travel a lot and we like to eat good food. My baby (now 19 months) is included in almost everything that we do. She is a part of our family. Her bed time is at 7:00 pm so we never go out to dinner unless we can be seated at 5:00 pm. We've had fussy experiences but when that happens, we leave. But most of the time, she happily eats with us. Before our daughter was born, we never ate at fast food and hardly ever stepped into a chain restaurant. And I refuse to do that now simply because we have a baby. Why shouldn't she (and her parents!) enjoy a nice dinner?

I'm so happy to see this topic, mostly for the suggestions of the commenters. Thanks!

I have a 17-month-old son and I think that Michael summed up my feelings about taking him out to eat - we want him to grow up with good manners and restaurant behavior, and also with an appreciation for good food, so it's important to me to take him out sometimes - and important for him to behave himself when he's out.

That said, we only take him places where we wouldn't be annoyed to be seated next to a child, and we take him out when he's not tired. He goes to bed at 7 or 7:30 most nights, so we never make an 8 pm reservation and expect to take the baby. Fortunately, so far we've been very lucky and he's sweet in restaurants - he likes the attention from waiters and waitress and the busy conversation around him.

Most frequently, we do go to chains - Red Robin and Bahama Breeze have been staples since he was only a few weeks old (to Kim Moore - wait until you have a baby - after a couple of weeks you'll be DYING to go out - at least I was). Last Friday we went to the new McCormick and Schmick's in Annapolis Mall. There weren't a ton of kids there, but it was certainly kid-friendly without sacrificing food or service quality.

Zen West is a regular, too, and I second the recommendation for Atwaters, though sometimes Belvedere Market is overwhelming for my son. There so much space that he wants to get out and run around...which is not OK with me.

For a slightly nicer meal - lunch only for us, and even then, an early lunch - we've been to Petit Louis. They have crayons for kids and my son loves the croque monsieur.

Taking how the economy is going, when we do have a child and with all the expenses that comes with him or her, my wife and I would think very hard before eating out and would stay away from expensive restaurants - it's just not worth it and it doesn't make economic sense when you have more pressing things to pay for. I get the point of raising "foodie" kids, but I don't think an infant would appreciate the difference between a foie gras and a pate. And taking your child out because they are unruly is great but then you missed out on the very reason why you ate out in the first place.

The last time we ate at b Bistro there were two different sets of father and toddler age son eating together. There were no issues, and children were well behaved, clearly enjoying themselves, and adorable. I hope to find myself in the same situation one day.

I disagree about Woodberry Kitchen. I don't think that's a place for kids...and I have one. When I go there I get a babysitter. And, frankly, I don't really want to spend my adult night out listening to other people's children. Now, if I'm at Rocket to Venus, Cafe Hon, Holy Frijoles, Golden West, etc....than I expect there to be children there. My general guide is if the restaurant has high chairs, bring the kids. If not, leave the kids at home.

If you need kid food, go to a kid restaurant. Don't inflict your choice on the other 20 people in the restaurant.

Sure, I've been seated near kids that are a joy, but they are the minority. Even good kids are usually disruptive. Happy baby babble at 50 decibles isn't condusive to conversation. Add that to a close space with lots of hard surfaces, and you've got a aural hell.

And hey mom, if I can hear you praise your "GOOD BOY!!!!!!!" from two tables away, you're too loud. I don't care if he wants a Cherio... go home. Your kid's loud because you're loud, only you can't figure it out. When people look your way, it's not because you're fascinating.

Bringing a toddler to belly-up to the bar is just wrong. Do you let him fill out your keno cards?

Wow, this thread is a real trip down memory lane. I remember a multi-generational family years years ago in which my 3-year-old niece was standing up on her chair and bouncing. Her mother said nothing to her, but my four-year-old said "Heather, WHAT are you DOING?" He knew how to behave!

I like the suggestions from several parents to take the little ones out early--sort of like the old family programming time on television pre-cable.

Admittedly I'm torn on the subject. Few things give me hope for the future more than a wee one that can eat out and behave appropriately (and few things are worse than seeing a parent put their kid in an environment wholly inappropriate for them). They will (hopefully) expand their palate and not end up eating rube chow (they'll probably be healthier in several ways). To parents, start slowly and increase accordingly. Start with previously mentioned chains during non-peak hours and work from there.

And for all that's right in the world, table manners...please. I'm seeing the teen/college sect try to interact now, and their table manners are a disaster; somewhere Emily Post and Miss Manners must be crying. I mean, would it kill you to learn the proper use of a fork and a knife, and god forbid remove that stupid baseball cap while you're indoors?

Fine dining restaurants are generally bad ideas for 99.9% of kids. If I'm having dinner with friends at the Prime Rib, I don't want to hear babies screaming, or see all the paraphenalia that comes with kids (look at it this way- you won't see me and my friends having a GNO at Red Robin). If your kid can eat off the menu and act like an adult (in an adult situation), then bless you and your kid. But if car seats and sippy cups are in your lexicon...not a good idea.

Eating out (and eating well) should be a multi-sensory experience. The sound of cell phones, crying babies, screaming tweens all take away.

Patrick - MANNERS - thank you!

I'm only in my 30s (and the early ones!), but I feel like a cranky old lady when I'm seated next to poorly behaved "kids" (they're usually old enough to know better).

Good manners aren't a sign of snobbishness! They make the world (especially the restaurant world) so much nicer!

So please - PLEASE - keep your kids in their seats at dinner. At a minimum!

Infants don't bother me so much as kids from 2 - 10 who have permissive parents (seems to be a whole lot of that these days). If you teach your child to sit still, have manners, and eat politely at the dinner table at home, they will do the same in a restaurant. But who bothers to eat together at home anymore?

I was at a large and crowded restaurant in Rockville not too long ago. There was a birthday party a few tables over, and the adults were too busy drinking and having a good time to keep track of their little girls who had nothing better to do than to go to the restroom to see how much tissue the toilet would hold until it overflowed. Then the other day, I was at Red Robin, a very kid-friendly place. The table next to ours had four rambunctious children who wouldn't sit still and two mothers SCREAMING at them. Completely unnecessary behavior, and I blame the parents for all of it.

If you can't raise your child right, don't expect the rest of us to have to put up with them.

I hear Chuck E Cheese's is very accommodating to the youngsters

Mamie's Cafe with Love in Aberdeen has great food, good prices, and they are very family-friendly. My husband and I also took our daughter to Aquatica in Havre de Grace. It's a bit more upscale - we got there at 5pm on a Sunday and were the only ones there so we could relax! That being said, if we're eating anywhere and my baby starts screaming, I'm not going to just sit there and finish my meal. Wherever we go, if the baby gets crazy, one of us takes her for a walk so that we don't disturb the other patrons. We don't take our baby to the movies, Pazo, or out to the bars. I used to get really irritated when we would be out and a baby would be crying. I would silently curse the parents and fume in my seat. But after becoming a mother myself, I'm a bit more tolerant now. Sometimes you just have to get out of the house and have a meal that you didn't prepare yourself. And you don't really want to eat at Applebees every time you go out (but god bless them for at least being polite and friendly). The way I see it, though, is that there are a lot of people out there with bad manners: some of them are adults and some are kids. I'd prefer not to deal with any of them, but since I can't stay in my house all the time, that's just not an option. Please don't paint all of us with the same brush, though!

I can't believe all of the child haters. Actually, in this society, I can. Parents have to take their children out of the house in order to teach them how to behave out of the house. This posting was specifically asking for child-friendly places to take them. Nobody was asking for horrible comments on how children should never leave home. If you are truly cringing at the sight of babies and children, I suggest you move into a retirement community immediately. There, you will be graced with only elderly silence as I'm sure nobody will bring their children to visit you. Here in the REAL world, their are children. And thank God for them. And YES, you will see them in public and even in restaurants because they have to learn what restaurants are. There are plenty of restaurants out there that aren't appropriate for small children, so if that is what you are looking for, look for that instead of putting your hate comments on an innocent blog looking for child friendly places.

ummm, Karen? This subject is almost a year old? But, hug those babies!

No, Karen. You learn at home, then you take the kids out as a reward for learning proper behaviour.

You've got it all backwards.

I think the recent editorial excoriating President HIndenburg for his recent letter to the League of Nations is all a lot of hooey. Thank you for your time gentlemen.

Ms Karen, you just don't get it. Its not the children that we hate. Its parents like you who inflict ill behaved children on the world. Without re-reading year-old material, again, I'll bet 99% of the comments you perceive as mean spirited are posted by people who would gladly dine next to a well trained and behaved 2- or 3-year old.

ITS THE PARENTS

I'm tired of all the League of Nations haters.

Where the great force lies, there must be the sanction of peace.

I just finished helping to put on two ballet school productions of the Nutcracker Ballet, each one with dancers from age 3 to adult. There were always several dozen children backstage changing costumes, getting ready, and rehearsing particular steps. You could not hear a peep! The children were trained and disciplined and always well-behaved in the theater. At the cast parties they were yelling and singing, but that was acceptable and expected in that situation. And that is the point. There are places where exuberant and noisy behavior is appropriate and places where it is not. Adults much teach their children the difference and reinforce it by their own behavior.

Theodore Roosevelt disliked the "beaky" professor from Princeton.

Myself, I was an avid reader of novels and articles on the Wilson presidency.
Seems like Edith ran the show for awhile.

RiW--you're not exactly lolling around in retirement, are you? Thanks for your contributions to the greater good!

I think that folks with children lose sight of what little pains in the butt their darlings can be..

My thoughts exactly. Yes, YOU think your kids are adorable and that's great. Not everyone else agrees.

I can't believe all of the child haters.

I used to love them. I didn't start hating them until parents (see above comment) started letting them run amok in my daily life. Also the time when I decided there was no way I'd ever have the patience or desire to bear them myself.

Back to the post. Restaurants NOT to take children:
Any place that has linen tablecloths.
Any place that serves Creme Brulee.
Any place that has more than one fork at the setting.

I need to add here, even though unrelated, any movie with a rating of PG or over. This weekend there was a crying infant at Seven Pounds. Really??

For the record, my parents took us to very fancy restuarants as children. And we sat, quietly, for the entire meal, playing with whatever one quiet toy we were given, and we didn't make a sound. We acted this way because we knew if we did make so much as a slight noise, we'd be pretty much dead right then and there. And I know we acted this way, even as very young children, because I was older when my sister was born. I remember her being two, sitting at the table, eating her cheerios, quietly and without disturbing even my parents, muchless any other table.

Wilson introduced segration into the military and federal government and supported the Ku Klux Klan.

Owl - you mean "don't ask don't tell" goes back to Wilson? I know what you mean, it's just that segregation is not as remote as Wilson's day!

Carey wrote: ...we knew if we did make so much as a slight noise, we'd be pretty much dead right then and there.

How did we ever lose these great parenting skills? Kate Shatzkin? Can you give us a historical (oh, cripes...an historical?) perspective on child abuse as a method of instilling manners in our youth?

Bucky,

It wasn't abuse. If you were told something two or three times and didn't listen, you got spanked. I can honestly say I think I was only spanked twice as a child. I learned quickly. My sister, took a little longer, but I can still count on one hand the number of times she was physically reprimanded.

We learned very quickly that if mom or dad gave "the look" you best behave, sooner rather than later.

I can honestly say that if I had a child, I would spank them. Not unnecessarily. But after many warnings, yes. And anyone who said something to me about it would be free to take them home to raise the kid themselves.

Carey, you got a toy? We didn't.

One of the reasons I'm so impatient with the obnoxious parents is because I knew what fork to use and how to behave in a white tablecloth restaurant (with or without creme brule) by the time I was 4. I'm not exceptional.

One of the proudest memories of my youth was that waiter at 747 in Montreal bringing my brother and I Shirley Temples because he was impressed with how well-behaved we were. It still means something.

Parents today are cheating their children out of that, and so much more.

As a parent of a well behaved well mannered 2.5 year old boy I know this much - he is not well behaved and well mannered at ALL times and sometimes there's no way to see the melt down coming. It is for this reason that my husband and I choose to leave our son home while dining at 'white linen' restaurants and we take him with us to the 'chain' restaurants (Outback, Olive Garden). Not only do we not want disrupt other diners' night out - but also it is not enjoyable for us to stress about the potential outburst... and even if it doesn't happen - we've wasted our night hoping everything goes smoothly. We have been in situations where parents don't seem to care one bit that their 'precious' child is hindering someone else's evening...which seems to be a more lenient parenting technique that I personally am not at all fond of.