This Saturday Birthday Dinner for 13 year old

We are coming into Chicago staying in the loop, looking for spot for birthday dinner for a 13 year old who is not exactly an adventurous LTHer

Price is an object, would like typical entrees $15 or below

I considered the following: Cafe Iberico, Quartinos, or Grand Luxe

I checked this morning on Open Table and Quartinos only has availability at 5 or 10 pm (a little extreme for this age)

I am concerned about a long wait and Iberico or Grand Luxe because they don't take reservations.

Any other ideas for me? We are from Racine and this is my boyfriends daughter and I want something where she will feel "all grown up"

I'll suggest Opera, if she likes Chinese food. The food slightly upscale and always well-executed. The space and atmosphere are lively and fun, certainly cool enough to make a 13-year-old feel like she's on a nice night out.

The main course prices are slightly out of your $15 range, but it is served family-style so you don't need one per person. Two mains and a side can easily feed three people.

Please report back on your meal, wherever you wind up.

Best,
Michael

Iberico tends to get busier later and I think would be pretty fun for a 13 year old if you go a little before the crowds (6-7p). Plus, you can definitely stick to budget and find something with her palate (there is so much to choose from). If you want to go later, I've found that giving the host a little extra tip can make an 1 1/2hr. wait around 15 minutes (I never gave this practice creedence until I saw it with my own eyes at Iberico.)

What about a Greek restaurant in Greek Town? They're around your price range, it's fun for the whole family to see the saganaki in flames, and it's not far from the Loop (may be walking distance, depending on where you're staying).

You can find a complete list of the Greek restaurants in Greek Town in this topic.

I agree with all of the above, and I'd also consider Chinatown. If you hop on the Red Line going south from any Red Line station in the Loop, it's less than half a dozen stops to Cermak-Chinatown. In my experience, kids especially enjoy the Chinatown mall which is less tourist-Chinese and seems more like modern China (in a 1/100th the crowding and pollution kind of way), full of shops of exotic and interesting stuff. (The mall is on Archer, the backs of all the shops face Archer and the storefronts face an interior courtyard. You'll see it just north of the CTA platform.) Search for posts on Lao Sze Chuan, Spring World, etc.

Chinatown with a kid

In Chinatown, further down on Cermak, our Chinese friend alwys takes us to restaurant 65, where we have always had incredible food-
if your child likes shrimp the shrimp and walnuts are wonderful and not too exotic- (which the crab in black bean and ginger can be over the top since it comes in the shell- but it's wonderful also)

Greektown is also a great suggestion, since something like lamb chops are relatively familiar for those who don't want to try different entrees-
often they will do 2 chops instead of 3 at a lower price if you ask.

My kids also love Italian- and if you can reserve one of the semi-private rooms in the the Village level of the Italian Village http://www.italianvillage-chicago.com/ these are very fun to eat in and quite cozy-the decor is really delightful and the food is old school Italian and will be more familiar to 13 year olds.
If you can't get a reservation here- going early and tipping may also be a strategy that works....

Opera is a fantastic suggestion - the whimsical, over-the-top decor might really make a 13 year old feel like she's having a special night out. The food is approachable as well.

Speaking of Opera, it's also worth noting that, although their entrees are above the target price range stated, they have a special on Sundays and Tuesdays: "$28.95 Three Course Prix-Fixe Dinner, Choose ANY appetizer or salad, ANY entree and ANY dessert." You can see the menu on their website.

Thanks all. I may check out Opera or Iberico or Greektown with a greasing of the palm. Chinatown may be a little much with the cab ride. I know that sometimes it may be hard to get a cab on the way back and the weather is supposed to be nasty.

Going to be a little weird now as my boyfriend is in the snow removal business so now he cannot go on Saturday because it is supposed to be bad here in Wisconsin. As such, I have his daughter and her two friends because I didn't want them to be disappointed. I will be bonding for sure!

Ok, so the girls were shopping at Watertower and H&M, pretty soon it was 9:30 so we went to Quartinos without reservations. We were seated within 20 minutes. Good time was had by all. Hits were the cheese fondue and the Sausage pizza and the tortellini with parma. Misses, veal meatballs. Girls felt grown up, atmosphere was party like and nice.

This morning we did the Ed Debevics thing. I was the only one that had been there before. We had a high performing waiter and the entertainment was great. My boyfriends huge cheese dog (no comments please) was pretty darn good as well. The girls absolutely loved it. Of course I would have liked a little more of a foodie place but sometimes you have to give in.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.