Need help finding someplace fun for my boy!

[devilham]

My little guy is turning 4 today, and we want to take him out for his birthday. Any suggestions for someplace fun and kid friendly (that isn't awful as well)? FYI, he loves pizza, if that helps! Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[hto44]

You know what commercial screwed us....."I want to go to Friendly's...Mini mozzarellas, Dippin' chicken too.....Cheese burger sliders, and soda that is blue. Sundaes we designed.
There invented for you. Where ice cream makes the meal!"

Have been there about 1/2 dozen times with our boys ages 2 through 8...thank goodness it seems to be off air now.

[Madrid]

good luck for staying away! "only" 1/2 dozen times, you got off easy! We practically have a booth at the 99 with our son's name on it. At least the 99 has a bar, unlike Friendly's. Our son will son be too old for the kids menu, so we are waiting for that birthday!

[Pia]

You all need to get TiVo so your kids aren't brainwashed by songs about ice cream in commercials. The money you spend will be offset by not having to pay for meals at chain restaurants.

[Madrid]

my son doesn't watch commercial tv....he likes videos and loves the old bewtiched, my favorite martian, even green acres. he just likes grilled cheese made at a place where people know him.

[Boston_Otter]

When I was his age, my restaurant of choice was a sandwich shop / ice-cream parlor which had chocolate Coke and an arcade next door. For a 4-5 year old, that's pretty much heaven right there.

[bear]

Hey, devilham, no need to be embarrassed about letting your boy have a say in his big day. Glad you had fun, and he will probably remember it more since he got to choose. Way to go, Dad!

[devilham]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I am embarrassed to say where we went (and it was indeed lame, but it's where he wanted to go!). You see, the little man is a bit infatuated with commercials, they seem to work on him.....so I asked him where he wanted to go out for dinner.....and he told me "we go to the 99 resteraunt, and have ice cream, and I'm going to sit down, and be a good boy". Then repeated that mantra for most of the rest of the day. He has never been to a 99.

What else could I do? We went to the 99 (not my kind of place at all, but at least they have the big beers there though), we had ice cream......2 out of three ain't bad ...right?

[Madrid]

my sympathies. my son, 11 in a few weeks, loves the 99 and refuses to go anywhere else most of the time.Kids eat free the day after a red sox win, but since you have to buy an adult meal as well, hardly a win for us parents. My son doesn't watch commercial TV but we made the mistake of taking him once. Once became forever. Once in a while they have a special that's edible but otherwise it's a strike out. Even the chicken on some of the salads is weird and the salad dressings are industrial. It was his day and I hope he enjoyed it! And that he forgets about it in the future.

[Pia]

Hilarious. At least at the 99 you don't have to worry too much about him sitting down and being a good boy!

[Niblet]

Of course you do. And I would love to see this little guy behaving so well of his own accord. It sounds like he had a wonderful birthday; you done good, devilham!

[mcel215]

Don't be embarrassed, kids are funny! At least you could have a beer, lol!
From 2-5 my youngest son insisted on going to Denny's. He never saw a commercial, but we had a really nice neighbor with the same name and my son thought it was his restaurant. ;)

[smtucker]

What about some bowling at Saccos and then a Flatbread wood fired pizza, all in the same building? Davis Square. Lots of fun!

[bear]

I second Picco in the South End for excellent pizza and house-made ice cream, or Full Moon in Cambridge where he can play in the play area or with toys at the table, and you can relax and eat. There's a pizza on the kids' menu.

-----
Full Moon
344 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

[Ralphie_in_Boston]

Full moon is a great idea. Play area off to the side is great for kids while waiting for the food to come out.

[monku]

I wasn't 4, but maybe a couple years older and we went to Durgin Park...50 years later I can't forget how great that Indian pudding was.

[three of us]

Any place he can run around in and burn off some energy will make him happy. I'd go to a park or the Children's museum then to a restaurant with a patio. If you want to take a ride, go to Plum Island then hit Newburyport. We always found Redbones a kid-friendly place but the dinner menu (our preference) doesn't kick in 'til 4.

-----
Redbones
55 Chester St, Somerville, MA 02144

[Wannabfoode]

how about PICCO in the south end. you'll both be happy!

[Mike5966]

Yes, and they have great ice cream as well.

[CookieLee]

I don't know how the pizza is, perhaps someone else will respond, but I suggest the Prince House of Pizza in Saugus, with the leaning tower, and then go play miniature golf with the orange dinosaur!

-----
Prince Pizzeria & Bar
517 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906

[mcel215]

The pizza is awful at Prince Spaghetti house, along with the rest of their food.