Back to school for Chicagoland children and parents is right around the corner. Whether you want to treat the kids to a fun end-of-summer dinner experience or just want to take the night off from cooking because you know the next nine months of your life will be spend making and packing lunches and a simmering stovetop for dinner, celebrate another school year with a family night out at one the best kid-friendly back to school restaurants in Chicago. And yes, chicken fingers are most definitely included.
For parents who love supporting other very-recent parents, El Che Steakhouse & Bar in Chicago’s West Loop is the place to go. Chef & Owner John Manion is the recent two-time dad to a less-than-two-year-old daughter and less-than-four-year-old son, Maelyn and Maximo. Guests will notice the kid’s names make their way onto the menu on various items, including the most popular dish at Manion’s former Time Out Market stall, the “Maximo beef rib.”
Tucked only a few blocks away from Lincoln Park Zoo on the corner of Dickens and Lincoln is a Lincoln Park favorite, Gemini. Husband-and-wife-duo Ryan and Anna O’Donnell’s first restaurant under the Ballyhoo umbrella, Gemini, opened in 2009 just days before their wedding.
The neighborhood restaurant has gained its fair share of regulars and families who love the variety of choices on their menus since then:
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Each main item of the kids menu tops off at $12, and meals come with fresh fruit and the choice of side like fries, brussel sprouts for the brave ones or even asparagus. Kids are sure to feel older with Gemini’s Zero Proof cocktails including strawberry lemonade, FKG, and the Danny-O.
A favorite Lakeview family destination is Old Pueblo, a neighborhood cantina highlighting authentic Mexican and Sonoran flavors. Parents love Mariachi Mondays from 5:30-8:30 p.m., Taco Tuesdays with $7.95 margaritas by the glass, $29.95 pitchers and $10 taco platters, and their kids menu with options like two tacos or a steak quesadilla topping out at only $9.95.
The West Loop’s recently opened casual restaurant and bar, PB&J, is actually an acronym for ‘Pizza, Beer & Jukebox,’ however it does still serve the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich too, making it a great lunch or dinner destination for Chicago families. Kids can pick a classic Wonder Bread PB&J ($5) or get in touch with their Memphis roots with the Elvis Style ($7), which is toasted wheat bread, chunky peanut butter, honey and sliced bananas served open faced. A kid-specific menu includes kids cheeseburger ($8), chicken tenders ($12) and a grilled cheese ($7).Take a look at PB&J’s menu and see for yourself what looks good.
Ballyhoo Hospitality has always created family-forward & kid-friendly neighborhood restaurants, and their newest restaurant, Sophia, is no exception. Sophia is a neighborhood steakhouse in Wilmette in partnership with notorious Chicago restaurateur, Glenn Keefer. You may even want to order off the kids menu when you see it (kidding, ha…or?):
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Homemade chicken fingers with fries ($12)
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Steak plate with jasmine rice ($15)
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Chicken plate served with jasmine rice ($12)
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Pasta & meatball with fusilli pasta, red sauce and parmesan ($12)
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¼ pound cheeseburger with aged white cheddar and served with fries ($12)
Kids will even have their own dessert menu for a perfect treat to end their meals. Parents will love the free valet parking available for all guests, which allows them to easily get dropped off in front of the restaurant without dealing with parking & pushing strollers across the restaurant parking lot.
At Crate & Barrel’s first in-store restaurant in their large store in Oak Brook, Chef Bill Kim offers a great example of how chefs are spending more time thinking about the kid’s menu than they have in the past, offering unique and delicious items on The Table at Crate’s kids menu, whether you’re 6 or 60. Items include Popcorn Chicken Bites with Waffle Fries ($7), Corkscrew Pasta ($7), Mac and Cheese ($12) and a classic cheeseburger served with American cheese and Waffle Fries ($10). There’s room for the whole family at the table.
Chef Bill Kim’s approach to a kids menu is simple: “When I was growing up, there was no kids’ menu at our home,” said Kim, who was born in Korea and moved to the U.S. when he was 7. “If you didn’t eat what the adults were eating, you’re not going to eat.”
Families have long frequented urbanbelly in Wicker Park for its convenience, welcoming atmosphere and approachable kid’s menu. Chef Bill goes beyond basic chicken nuggets to offer delicious Asian American-influenced options in smaller portions, such as the Kid’s Chicken Rice, fried katsu chicken with steamed jasmine rice ($6), and Kid’s Noodle Soup, chicken broth and wheat ramen noodles ($4). For the pickier eaters in your household, Chef Bill even has fries ($4).
Featured Image Credit: Kinship Company
