What's your recipe for a family-friendly restaurant?

Speedy service is my number one. We only have a limited amount of time that our son will sit still in the high-chair, so the food better come fast so we can eat before the meltdown begins! We've been known to send one parent in ahead to order, so that the food arrives just about the time we put him in the high chair!

My kids are of an age (8 and 11) where "entertainment" is as important as food. For that, we are big fans of "Snoose Junction" pizza in Ballard. I bring a roll of quarters (or two) and send the kids to the back to play pinball. When they're done (or the quarters run out) the pizza is ready and we eat. Also the owner always stops by to see how things are going. And they deliver by bike! Yay reduced carbon footprint!

The other thing about making the dining out experience a good one is not so much the restaurant but ensuring that bad behavior doesn't put a premature end to the outing. My two boys have yet to discern the difference between hugging and wrestling, so before we go into a restaurant, I pause just outside the door and remind the kids where we are and what is expected. If they start acting up once we're inside, I can usually just quietly whisper something like "manners" to remind them to behave. This trick doesn't work unless I make a bit of a production BEFORE we go into the restaurant.

When the kids were younger, we loved The Yankee Diner (or the Achey Diner, as the boys called it). Comfort food, circular floor plan, boats, planes and trains visible from almost any window, and... the blue hairs. The grannies and grampas couldn't get enough of all the lil darlings. We were sad to see it go.

A friend of mine used to be the chef at a fancy restaurant. When the well-behaved children finished their meals, he'd invite them into the kitchen to make the desserts. That was a real treat. They'd go into the deep freeze for homemade ice cream, pour the chocolate sauce, squirt the whipped cream, then present their creation to the rest of the table. And eat it.

We also like the Original Pancake House in Ballard. When the lines are long, they bring out piping hot free samples! And the food is yummy.

I agree that it is all about speed for us. Our family favorites are Gorditos and Kwanjai because the food arrives in less than five minutes. The staff at Kwanjai know our kids by name and remember their birthdays. Clever menus are a bonus for my daughter who will read the label on a ketchup bottle - the 5-Spot wins her award most recently. Water features and great design enchant my son. Indochine in Tacoma has a full pond inside with banquette seating around the perimeter, a large round table on a dais with organza curtains for large groups and fantastic lighting fixtures in the hallway.

To me, family friendly means no dirty looks directed at kids just because they're kids. It means a dedicated kids menu, because little folks eat less (and often, not much at all). It means relatively speedy service and servers who are understanding of the different needs of little kids.

Our favourites include Than Bros. Pho (super fast service, prices are easy on the wallet, and there's a great fish tank to delight the little ones); most casual Chinese restaurants are kid-friendly--Chinese culture in general is kid-friendly, and who doesn't like egg rolls and pot stickers? Faves include Chef at Wok (been going there since child #1 was in utero) and Sichuan Bistro, both in Greenwood/N. Seattle.

For breakfast, we love Original Pancake House. Great kids menu that doubles as colouring paper, crayons on the table, and cups with lids for the little ones.

Speedy, friendly service is nice but for my 3 year old (who we've been taking to restaurants all over the world since she was born), the most important things are entertainment before the meal (crayons/coloring) becauase we don't let the server bring her food first. Otherwise, when she's done eating, we're expected to be done too.

We like Leena's Cafe in Shoreline (friendly waitstaff, crayons and coloring books - one book and pot of crayons per kid at the table, straws in the water and good diner food including breakfast all day. Lots of older patrons too). Pretty much every Mexican place we've been to has been very friendly toward kids too. Maccaroni Grill encourages coloring on the paper tablecloth and The Original Pancake house in Ballard is great too because the kids menu is a coloring sheet and there are crayons already at the table when you sit down.

For us, the place is family friendly if the place has seating for children (high chair or booster seat), kid friendly cups (with tops and/or straws), and if patrons don't mind children sitting near them. If the waitstaff is understanding when we ask for the bill when they come to check on us after we've received our food that's great too (you never know when you'll have to dash after an evening meal and many like to linger after their food).

A kids' menu is nice - or even better, no grumbling about extra plates so they can eat off your order. It's also really nice at the stage we're at (when suddenly, the booster seat we just asked for isn't wanted on THAT CHAIR!!!) when they can accomodate sudden changes in requests. Siam Thai on Lake Union was really great about that just recently (they also have fabulous food and huge fish tanks to provide entertainment).

Probably what I appreciate the most is when the waitstaff talks to my daughter as if she were a regular patron capable of ordering her own meal and making her own choices. She really likes being treated as if her opinion counts.

I think our trip to France when she was 13 months has really lowered our standards. All over Paris we went to bistros and cafes and restaurants and at every single one she had to sit on our lap or on a chair - not a high chair in sight. No straws, No smaller cutlery could be found for her either except at one restaurant where a nice waiter took pity on her and brought her an espresso spoon to eat with. We went back there the next night for dinner too - hoping to get the same waiter but he wasn't there that night and we were refused a small spoon when we asked. Oh well, c'est la vie!

No toys, though? Where do you fall on toys? I have to say, I love toys, even if they're missing a wheel or a little grubby. We recently went to Julia's Indonesian Kitchen and my son played with the red, rumbly motorcycle for ten minutes.

Are there any other restaurants you know of that offer toys?

I also like splitting orders with my kids, particularly the toddler, who has a stomach the size of a dessicated pea.

Cafe Vios in Capitol Hill has a small area in the corner that is filled with toys and books. It's a great restaurant that offers food for the adults (wine, especially!) and entertainment for the kids. I love it.

Speedy service and a good noise level so my kid won't be the only one making noise! We like going to Luisa's because it's fast, friendly and my son LOVES rice & beans. He also likes getting his own tortilla while we wait.

As a server at one of the aforementioned "family friendly" restaurants, we recognize that parents with small children are a completely different beast and that making special accommodations is part of the job. Often we bring crayons, extra crayons when kids don't want to share with siblings, clean up spills, place kids' orders early, identify vast arrays of food allergies to the kitchen and bring out things like creamers or pizza dough to play with to keep them happy until they get their food. We'll even stand there patiently as other tables wait for our attention while you try to teach your child how to say "thank you." We know you often have to get up and leave in the middle of your meal and will rush the bill out to let you get on your way. Having been stiffed many times for all our extra efforts by parents who are thinking about everything except the service they got, please remember that we've often gone the extra mile for you. Leaving at least 20% will help keep these restaurants and their staff friendly to your family and happy to provide you with the stepped up service you need.

I agree w/'visitor' on 6/25. It's equally important to be a "friendly family" when you take your kids to a restaurant.

Tip 20% or even more if you required a premium of the server's time and creativity.

Keep the kids at the table or safely out of the path of people delivering hot plates, coffee, etc.

Clean up after yourselves....your kids are watching.

All of these things will keep your favorite family-friendly restaurant and servers happy and offering continued friendliness to other families.