1 Restaurant in Faneuil Hall?

[Biggie]

I'm going to be taking a day trip to Faneuil Hall in the near future - if you could only go to 1 restaurant in the immediate area, what would be your choice?

My only requirements are: casual attire won't be a problem (it'll probably be hot, and I'll be shopping in Faneuil Hall all day), and it's the sort of place I can bring my 2 year-old niece without feeling like the jerk that brought the kid.

[emilief]

I vote for Kingfish Hall. Good food, sit outside so the child does not feel hemmed in. They will probably have something he or she will like. Durgin park is great but very stuffy and indoors for this kind of weather. I agree to avoid Union Oyster House. Awful unless you are having oysters on the 1/2 shell.

[missykins]

Hmm, I don't think Kingfish Hall would work for lunch with a 2 year old - and I think the food is mediocre at best especially for the price. Unfortunately, you'll be in the biggest tourist area of 'em all - I think Durgin Park fits what you're looking for as well.

[Grita]

I would recommend Kingfish Hall (Todd English). It's a seafood restaurant with excellent food & great outdoor seating. Not much for kids but...it's my experience that 2 year old don't really eat meals anyway. Plus, in Fan. Hall a 2 year old would probably prefer to pick out her favorite treat at the Food Court. I bet Kingfish Hall would let you bring in something for her.

[EmJ]

I would actually recommend going to Haymarket Pizza. It's a bit of a hole-in-the-wall, but with unbelievably delicious pizza. The prices are ridiculously low and it's a lot of fun to take your pizza and walk around either in the Fanueil Hall area or in the North End.

[applehome]

This isn't a sit down with air conditioning and have a pizza place. It's a hole in the wall, as you said, with some benches and a couple of tables - on Fridays and weekends it's part of Haymarket and just about completely inaccessible. Walk around the north end with a box of pizza? Some fun. The pizza just ain't that good - you're better off walking to Regina's.

If you want to do this sort of thing, just eat at the food court in the center (Quincy) building. The best raw bar in Boston is at the Walrus and Carpenter (don't go by how many different kinds of oysters they have - go by the quality of what they have, how cold and fresh they are, how good the shuckers are at retaining the juice but cutting the bodies free). The Regina's serves passable pizza (not as good as the original). Steve's has Gyro's on the round grill, as well as some good dolmades. Beard Papa's for dessert. The crowd can be a hassle, for sure, but with a little strategic identifying of people leaving and sitting down with bags to protect the seats, you can have a perfectly acceptable sit-down lunch - especially if your comparison is to Haymarket Pizza.

BTW - the OP mentioned shopping at Quincy Market all day? How do you do that? I realize that I'm a jaded old guy, but you really can't spend more than a couple of hours there without seeing all there is to see. Most of it is the exactly same stuff that's in every mall from here to California.

[Dib]

I wasn't so impressed with an original strawberry cream puff from Beard Papa a few days ago. The pastry was stale and the strawberry flavor elusive. I'd rather walk to the North End.

[mwk]

Durgin Park, absolutely.

Definitely the most interesting and unique choice among the chain places in Quincy Market. It's very kid friendly, wallet friendly, and tummy friendly. Try the Prime Rib and Clam Chowder, and the Indian Pudding for dessert.

[wontonton]

Might want to consider Union Oyster House around the corner as well. This too gets some tourists but at least retains an air of historical authenticity, and what I've ordered there has been pretty good too.

[kate used to be 50]

O please avoid Union Oyster House. The food is terrible. The only thing they have that is worth the trip is the oyster bar and that is definitely not kid friendly.

Durgin Park is a good suggestion.

Legal is across from the Aquarium and Tia's for lunch may not be bad. It would provide outdoor seating, but not great food.

Enjoy.

[Science Chick]

Second on Durgin Park. The food is consistently good and the noise level will outmatch the unruliest of 2 year olds!

[Joanie]

Durgin Park is a great idea. Outside or downstairs at Kingfish Hall could be okay.

[BobB]

Durgin Park. Informal, kid-friendly, good food, and a bit of history. The big downside is it's a tourist destination (I won't say tourist trap, as it delivers the goods), so it may be crowded, especially if you go on a weekend. Most anything else in the area is either too grownup, too trendy, or a chain.