It’s National Picnic Month, and if you are looking for a yummy picnic without having to do any of the work, check out the summer picnic at Julius Meinl on Southport. Chef Jeff Adamek has put together a gourmet take on picnic favorites and there will be a live performance by Ralph Covert from Ralph’s World.
Stanley’s (1970 N. Lincoln Ave.) offers delicious food, affordable prices and a kid friendly environment. Their “soul-soothing” American comfort food is sure to please both you and your kids. They are famous for their mac’n’cheese and fried chicken, which are both delicious.
Not only is the food delicious, but kids eat for free on Wednesdays and for only $0.50 per year (2yr old eats for $1.00) for brunch. They only have 4 highchairs, and they get quite busy for brunch, so I recommend arriving at 10am (when they open) if you want to ensure a highchair and not wait to be seated.
A girlfriend and I were strolling through Roscoe Village the other day and found this great little restaurant, Nohea Cafe (2142 W. Roscoe). It is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat after the park or shopping. They have a kids table with a dollhouse and a few other toys, which my girls had a great time playing with while I ordered our sandwiches. I had the Smokin’ Turkey, and my girls had the ever popular grilled cheese. My sandwich was delicious and the staff could not have been more friendly. They also have one large oval table that is perfect if you are meeting a few friends with kids for lunch.
Don’t forget to save room for ice cream.
The girls and I were walking to Carter’s last week and noticed a new burger joint in the Pottery Barn/Best Buy shopping center 
on Sheffield and North, Epic Burger (1000 W. North Ave.). I am a lover of burgers and milkshakes (really, who isn’t!), so we stopped in for lunch.
They basically offer burgers (beef, turkey, veggie & Chicken), fries, shakes and smoothies. Everything is fresh, made to order and not processed. We had burgers and fries, which were both delicious. The burger was very tasty, and one order of fries was more than enough to feed my entire family. There were a handful of other families there, so the owner, David, put cartoons on the big screen. Always nice to have a bit of entertainment for the little ones, so that I can actually eat my burger at a normal speed instead of shoving bites in my mouth between catching flying sippy cups and wiping mouths. My only complaint is that they don’t have a kids menu. Not the end of the world, since the girls just split a burger.
The food was delicious, the service was fast and friendly and the environment was kid friendly…we will definitely be back!
PS – They have another (original) location at 517 State St.
I don’t know how I have lived in the city for 6 years without visiting Margie’s Candies! Well I came to my senses yesterday, and visited their Montrose location. If you like home-made ice cream and hand-dipped candies, this is the place for you. They have been bringing smiles to Chicago’s kids and parents alike since 1921.
The portions are HUGE and the ice cream is DELICIOUS! In addition to a staggering selection of ice cream sundays, they also serve a small selection of salads and sandwiches. Honestly, with the size of their sundays, I say skip the sandwich and get a banana split for lunch. Doesn’t the banana negate some of the calories?
If you have a school aged kid, bring in their next report card. Margie’s gives a free scoop of chocolate, vanilla or strawberry if they get an A.
Two Chicago Locations:
I was out running errands today, and ended our chores with a trip to Chipolte. Chipolte is one of my favorite “fast food” restaurants, and it is a great option with kids too. They have lots of highchairs and offer $1 kids quesadillas (what a deal)! I walked into the Chipolte on Clybourn, and was pleasantly surprised to see so many families. Out of the 20 tables, only 5 did not have kids sitting at them. If I did not know better, I would have thought I was in the burbs with all the kids around.
I love living in the city with my kids, especially this time of year. I love that I can go an entire week and not get in my car. I love that I can walk to the FREE zoo or check out a new park (there has to be 20 within walking distance of my house). On Thursday the girls and I walked from our Lakeview home to Bucktown. We checked out a new park, did a bit of shopping (Psycho Baby and Red Balloon) and had lunch (Toast). All and all I pushed my stroller about 5 miles, so I squeezed in my workout too.
On the way home, all I could think was how lucky I was that I live in Chicago! Seeing so many other families enjoying Chicago today made me smile. People think that you sacrifice a sense of community living in a big city. I for one do not agree!
I love going to brunch, but I have to admit that we go a lot less often now that we have kids. It seems like most places in the city have a really long wait. I am not a fan of waiting 45 minutes to be seated, and I can assure you that the idea is even less popular with my two-year-old and one-year-old. That is why I practically squealed with delight when I learned that Big Jones (5347 Clark St.) accepts reservations. What a novel idea…reservations for brunch!
Not only is the space unique and cheery with a New Orleans vibe, but the food was AMAZING. I honestly had one of the best breakfasts of my life.
Big Jones serves contemporary coastal southern cuisine. When you sit down you are greeted by lovely little beignets (donuts covered in powdered sugar). My girls had a great time devouring them…and so did I. I had the Cheddar Corn Cakes and my hubby had the Eggs New Orleans. Both were delicious. The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was cheerful. All and all I would give this quaint Andersonville restaurant a 5 Highchair (star) Rating.
Here is the skinny:
Julius Meinl is a great family dining option on Lincoln. They have a great casual atmosphere, tasty food and plenty of high chairs. Plus, this Saturday (March 13th) you can celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday with a neighborhood dinner.
Their chefs are preparing Green Eggs and Ham and other Seuss inspired delights, and you can drink Pink Yink Ink while listening to the Lincoln Park/DePau Neighborhood Chicago Children’s Choir.
I don’t know about you, but we tend to get stuck in a rut and go to the same restaurants over and over again. It is such a shame given all the great restaurants in Chicago. Non only are their lots of choices, but one of the great things about Chicago is you can introduce your kids to food from around the world by simply walking around the corner.
My family recently discovered 90 Miles to Cuban Cafe. The food is as delicious as the atmosphere is lively. They have two Chicago area locations (Roscoe Village – 3101 N. Clybourn and Logan Square – 2540 W. Armitage). The Roscoe Village location has limited bar style seating, but is great for a quick bite. The Logan Square location (just west of Margie’s Candies on Armitage) has a large dining room and a completely enclosed heated patio with a fireplace. The service at both locations was great and the food was AMAZING. I had the Lechon sandwich at the Clybourn location and the Ropa Vieja sandwich at the Armitage location. They were both delicious. My kids enjoyed empanadas, grilled cheese sandwiches and sweet plantains. Truth be told…I may have eaten more than my fare share of plantains too!
Both locations have free parking,and offer delivery ($3 charge). Unfortunately the Roscoe Village location does not have a public restroom or highchairs. I would definitely recommend the Logan Square location for families. My kids loved the music, the colorful murals and decorations and who doesn’t love sweet plantains! Plus, you can head to Margie’s Candies for some of the best home made ice cream in town for dessert.
All and all I would give 90 Miles a 5 Highchair (Star) rating!
My family visited the American Diner Depot recently, and it definitely lived up to all of the TV hype. We originally heard about the Diner Depot on Guy’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. A great show on the Food Network.
My hubby and I are big fans of dives and Americana. We are the kind of family that makes special side trips to Wall Drug and the Trees of Mystery. When we saw the episode on the American Diner Depot, we knew it was our kind of place. Even better, it was located in Chicago.
Everything we tried was delicious, the atmosphere is definitely “American diner” and the staff was very friendly. Although we had seen the show months before our actual visit, we unknowingly showed up the night after it re-ran on the Food Network. Not only was it really crowded, but they had run out of a few of their most famous dishes including the Turkey. Luckily we still got to try the Pot Roast Sandwich.
They serve good old American comfort food that rivals the way grandma use to make it! The prices are
reasonable too. Nothing is over $10. Don’t forget to order their donuts for desert. Yummy!
Although the food and atmosphere are family friendly, they only have one highchair, no changing table and no kids menu. What they lack in family amenities, they make up for in flavor, friendliness and reasonable prices.
Here are the details on this one of a kind diner.
I met a girlfriend at the new John’s Place in Roscoe Village. The Lincoln Park location has long been a favorite of my family’s…especially with Sweet Mandy B’s next store. The new John’s Place on Roscoe did not disappoint.
It is as tasty and friendly as the original, but without the wait! Its hard to find a more kid friendly restaurant than John’s Place. They have nine highchairs, several booster chairs, a kids menu and kid loving staff. Add to that yummy food, a full bar and reasonable prices, and I give it a 5 Highchair rating!
Menu is basically the same as the original location, “hearty comfort food.” They are known for their Turkey Meatloaf and Chicken Pot Pie, but I tried their Southwestern Chicken Chop Salad. It was delicious. Besides weekends after 7pm and brunch after 11am, you generally won’t experience a wait. They do take reservations (except for brunch). No valet and street parking can sometimes be challenging in this neighborhood. They only thing they seem to be missing is a convenient place to store your stroller while you dine.
Hi, I'm an urban explorer of mom and kid friendly events, activities, classes, and restaurants in Chicago. My mission is to discover, explore and share my adventures with other families.
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