Downtown LA with Kids

[goldbergd]

I am taking my 6 yr old to staples tomorrow night to watch basketball and want to take him to dinner first. Where would be a good place downtown near staples for dinner. He is a very typical six yr old.

[barno]

you can try casey's on grand, or the grand ave. sports bar. caseys is a pub, but children can sit at any table and the food is decent pub food which kids will eat. good old style atmosphere too, not rowdy.

[Liz]

I second on Clifton's. Don't bother going there on weekdays either, awful.

[mc michael]

Call the Palm and see if they have some sort of kids' menu.

[lil mikey]

Clifton's Cafeteria might be fun. It's got a woodsy/Disneyesque feeling inside. I think a kid would love it. And it's cafeteria food, so he can see the stuff he wants and pick it out.

[badtz]

definitely a place for kids, parking on broadway/off broadway, might not be fun though. for more kid friendly, go to phillippe's or lillaya's china bistro.

[ML8000]

I went to Clifton's in Oct and it was terrible...and I rarely ever use that word in regards to restaurants. In context it was a Sat. around around 7 p.m. and the place was dead so there's a chance it was an off day and near closing...but I don't think so. Between myself, my brother and my 10 y.o. nephew - no one had even an edible meal. Also the physical part of the place has also gotten funky/creepy, and not in a cool retro way.

I was disappointed because as a kid and into my 20s I loved this place and I really wanted to like it. I doubt it was over-expectations either because I've had bad frozen dinners that were better. Oh well, if there's ever a next time, I think I'd go during the week and at lunch when the "product" has turn over.

As for being a great kids place...that's what me and my brother thought too. Oh well.

[Liz]

You can always go to California Pizza kitchen. It is on Figueroa, four blocks from Staples.

[goldbergd]

Liz I ended up taking your advice, you can't go wrong with pizza for a 6 yr old. And btw, USC beat stanford. Great night!

[MeAndroo]

Fight on!

[bite bite]

Second Phillipe's. Long tressle tables, sawdust on the floor, great lemonade and the french-dip sandwiches are like a big ol' hoedown in your mouth. Yum.

[Chowpatty]

Philippe's is not that close to Staples but that would be my first choice with a six-year old. The Pantry is closer so that could be good. The reports on the board on the Liberty Grill, which is close to Staples, were only so-so but this looks like it would be a convenient choice -- you can try fried mac 'n cheese balls!

[mollyomormon]

I was about to reccomend Liberty Grill. The food is not that great (think sort of a bit more upscale Marie Callendar's), but they have those mac & cheese balls and things like grilled cheese with tomato soup that most 6 year olds would enjoy. Plus, it's very close to Staples.

[badtz]

Agreed! I live across the street from LIberty Grill and was really hoping it would be good, so I could have a "hot spot" for close by dinners. It's definitely not that great, and "upscale Marie Calendar's" pretty much covers it.

[mlgb]

Except that the food at the Pantry is awful.

[badtz]

agreed. don't eat @ the pantry. I've given it 3 tries, and all 3 times it s*cked.