Kids in Uptown Minneapolis
My wife and I are meeting her brother in Uptown for dinner. We have a ten month old daughter that typically behaves fine at restaurants. At first I was thinking about many of the great happy hour food/drink deals in Uptown, but quickly realized a 10 month old in the bar at Figlio during happy hour is a bad idea.
A happy hour food special of some sort would be great, but it could just be any inexpensive place - happy hour or not. I'm thinking about Rotisseria. I'm not sure if they have drinks but that doesn't really matter. Old Chicago was one suggestion, I'd prefer to avoid sinking to that level if possible!
Thanks.
By distanced
on Feb 13, 2008 08:35 AM
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Actually, I think Figlio can be fairly kid friendly in the non-bar area. So if that's your choice, go for it. My family (kids 7 and 3) love Amazing Thailand and we've had good luck with the food there, but I don't know if they have happy hour specials.
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i've bashed figlio in the past, but agree with Bob S in this instance. i'd ask to be seated in the "dining room side" rather than the bar side. saw lots of bigger families with all ages there. other vaguely kid-friendly spots might be chiang mai thai, lucia's, or bryant-lake bowl. i'm totally out of touch with happy hour food & drink specials in uptown, however.
which of the 3 factors: the food, the specials/price, or the kid-friendly atmosphere, is paramount for your family?
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Thanks for suggesting Amazing Thailand. I was considering that. The main motivation for figlio was the $2 food/drinks happy hour which I understand is in the bar only. While they have a few inexpensive options on the regular menu, most of it is more than we are looking to spend.
As far as kid friendly our only real needs are a relatively reasonable noise level, and kid-compatible seating (e.g., not bar stools). It would be nice if the food/atmostphere was original (heck a shabby atmosphere is fine if it's real and tasty), even if it is just apps, burgers and pizza. While I suppose it could be said that figlio is somewhat formulaic we generally like to avoid corporate/chain type places - maybe just on principle!
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the figlio specials are indeed only in the bar.
Williams around dinner time is definitely a bar but it is a peanut bar and the kids might enjoy that. I don't even know if it would allow kids though. Food isn't much to brag about.
Stella's might be an option. Usually a less rowdy crowd. Oysters are a dollar during happy hour.
Aura? I think that is what it is called has a decent happy hour somewhat interesting food and could be seen as family friendly. (read: not rowdy)
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Barbette earlier on might work too. They don't have problems with kids (or at least they hide the fact). We have early weekend breakfasts there and see very young kids there then. They also have happy hour specials too, I believe.
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If you are willing to travel all the way down to Lyndale, Galactic Pizza would be a great choice.
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Galactic Pizza is a great suggestion. Summit on tap, great pizza.
I have also seen kids in Stella's having a pretty good time. Likewise Bar Abilene. Both have happy hour specials, though happy hour seems an inhospitable time to bring kids to a bar. But that's me.
FujiYa has a pretty solid happy hour Tues-Thurs, but I think it is only in the bar. Our friend's kids seem to love sushi since it's like eating a toy.
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Holy Cow. I completely forgot about Bar Abilene. That's a great choice. They also have a kid's menu and kids eat free. (I realize that the OP is not looking for a meal for his toddler, but others may find this thread.)
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So it's a while after the fact, but we ended up at Amazing Thailand. Great food and kid friendly staff. The gentleman that first greeted us stopped by occasionally to chat up our little girl and get her to smile. I think he was having as much fun as we were. It almost could have been annoying, but it was too sweet!
I can't say for sure, but I could see the place becoming more of an intimate, dimly lit date spot a little later in the evening. It wouldn't have felt appropriate to bring a young child at that point.
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Amazing Thailand
3024 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
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Thanks for the report back. Amazing Thailand has been very successful for our kids earlier in the evening. I agree that it may not be the best place later in the evening but can't speak from experience about what it's like there later (what, with kids and all).
But having said that, I think that may be true about lots of these places later in the evening. I'd be much less likely to go to Barbette, BLB, Bar Abilene, etc. with kids after 8 or 8:30.
bob
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