Looking for fun place for kids to eat.

Any suggestions on a fun place to take some young kids out to eat. I know of the train restaurants and places that have big fish tanks. Just looking for somewhere else to try with the kids. Anywhere in the vast chicagoland is fine.

Are they picky eaters in terms of cuisine? How old are they?

My kids like going to Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook for the make-your-own-pizza Fridays. Superdawg Drive-In is also a fun place. Egg Harbor has some fun items on their menu for kids like pancakes in the shape of a snowman (or something like that). They also have coloring contests to keep the kids occupied. When my kids were preschoolers, they also liked Rainforest Cafe (although I really did not like the food there). Claim Jumper Restaurant has a good kid's menu.

My children like chinatown. They know they can usually expect a bubble tea and a nice walk so it is a little unfair to say any single restaurant is the draw but they do enjoy the wide variety of food, chop sticks, spoons that are different than what they are used to, and using teacups. I like chinatown as well in that we try to have the children eat healthy and such is very easily achieved in chinatown.

Otherwise we have had success going to Italian restaurants for the wood fired pizzas. If the pie includes good ingredients they are healthy, made per the childrens specifications - or with their input, and can be ready very quickly - the trifecta for us.

Big Bowl.. or one of those mongolian grill type places. The kids can pick out their own stuff and get it cooked to order.... a huge plus when you have picky eaters... or non-picky but selective eaters.

Big Bowl used to give the kids these wiki-stick things, which were basically wax pipe cleaners they could make all kinds of stuff out of. A major favorite restaurant with the grade-school crowd.

My kids also liked hot pot cooking spots and korean BBQ. They wouldnt eat the appetizers, but were happy with the meat that was cooked in front of them. Fondue places are great too, but a bit pricey.

Anything loud. Right now my two little ones love sushi restaurants (they can stay occupied with edamame), Mexican restaurants (chip baskets seem to be entertaining), and diners (pancakes of course) But they also love Marie's and The Bad Apple (good backroom for kids).

Frasca at Lincoln and Roscoe is always filled with kids in the early dinner hours. The food is not bad either. Separate kids menu with pasta, pizza etc. The staff takes kids in stride. It is mostly italian, with brick oven pizzas, small plates and pastas. It is our goto place with the kids (5 and 2).

As mentioned above Bad Apple also copes with children well.

Kitsch'n on Roscoe @ Damen seems to do well with kids. There are lots of vintage odds and ends around for them to play with.

In Chinatown, Lao Hunan, unexpectedly. Machinima on the TV, highchair, tray, and mug at the ready, bubble tea, good french fries, sweet canned milk drink, and over-the-top fawning (and costumed) service, plus some dynamite cuisine and a regional history lesson for the adults.

The Junction Diner is a new place that just opened up in Forest Park on Madison. Food is the typical basics for adults and kids (hamburger on a pretzel bun for adults and mac and cheese, hot dog ,etc for kids), and just fair IMO. But in exchange for the food you get a very child-centric atmosphere with the toy train delivering your meal:




The Junction Diner
7401 W. Madison St.
Forest Park, IL 60130
708-771-5276
www.http://thejunctiondiner.com/

My kids like Ach 'n Lou's in Aurora. Very casual/neighborhood pizza place and in the back room, they have picnic tables and a smattering of arcade games. They have a limited bar so the parents can have a beer while the kids spend all your change.

Their pizza is not my favorite but it is pretty good and they have a good version of a taco pizza.

Loud atmosphere so the kids can be loud without causing a commotion.