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Kid-friendly

Japan With Kids - Forums: Consumer Reports: Restaurants: Kid-friendly
By Emi on Monday, May 10, 1999 - 7:54 pm:

What are your favorite family friendly restaurants?


By Amy on Monday, September 13, 1999 - 3:39 pm:

Looking for kid-friendly restaurants. I have a few that I can recommend if anyone is interested. But we really need to expand our "friendly" list. Thanks!


By Alessandra on Saturday, October 9, 1999 - 1:54 pm:

Dear Amy, I would be interested in knowing your recommended children friendly restaurants.
Looking forward to hear from you.


By Pamela Paterson on Tuesday, October 12, 1999 - 11:45 am:

Supposedly Tony Romas is kid friendly, and El Torito. Sizzler is also a Kid friendly place. I have never been to these places, this is just what has been passed to me from other moms.


By Cornelia on Tuesday, October 12, 1999 - 1:34 pm:

These are places that I regularly eat at with my 2 year old daughter. (Of course she has her good days and her less impressive days...)

Baseball Cafe (at Korakuen)
Bob's Big Boy
Couscous (in Takadanobaba)
Denny's
Jonathan's
Royal Host
Samrat (but not at peak hours)
Sizzler
Tony Roma's Place for Ribs (not the one in Roppongi though)
[July 2000 -Victoria Station - it seems they are all closed down?]
A variety of small family run restaurants including tonkatsu (pork cutlet), yakiniku (Korean barbecue) and pasta restaurants.

Tony Roma's is the only place to get southern style baby back ribs in BBQ sauce. So it's a special treat 2x a year. Here are all their locations:
Roppongi: 03-3408-2748
Aoyama: 03-3479-5214
Sanbancho: 03-3222-3440
Akasaka: 03-3585-4478
Yokohama-Isezakicho: 045-261-7755
Yukarigaoka: 043-460-5071
Makuhari-WBG: 043-299-3781
Okinawa Mihama 098-982-7800


By Marybeth Stock on Wednesday, October 13, 1999 - 5:10 pm:

If you like home-made thin crust pizza, pasta, etc, then La Volpaia is a great place to take kids (go early, it gets crowded)! Between Kagurazaka and Iidabashi.
21 Naka-Machi, Shinjuku-ku
Tokyo 162
Tel: 03-3260-8767

No booster chairs or high chairs; no children's menu. Very casual atmosphere. Seating is at big picnic-style tables, and there is room for strollers. Food is Italian pizza, pastas, salads, so most kids will enjoy.
Western style toilet, but no changing table. I've seen infants several weeks old hanging out here! No reservations, so go early as it gets crowded.

2nd location:
on Mejiro-dori west of Mejiro station next to Peacock supermarket
tel: 03-5982-2258
3-12-23 Yutaka Building, Shimo-Ochiai, Shinjuku-ku
printable map
200 yen per adult "coperto" charge

La Volpaia Pizzeria - Evening Menu
Antipasti
Prosciutto e Mozzarella 1400
Insalata dello Chef 900
Bruschetta al Pomodoro 700
Moscardini Affogati 1100
Crostini alla Romana 900
Carpaccio del Contadino 1300

Pasta
Lasagne della Cassa per 2p. 1700
Fusilli ai 4 Formaggi 1400
Tagliatelle al Pomodoro e Mascarpone 1400
Rigatoni alla Bolognese 1300
Tagliolini alla Salsiccia 1200
Penne all' Arrabbiata 1200
Rissotto ai Funghi 1300

Pizze
Foccaccino al proscuitto 1500
Proscuitto e Funghi 1400
Margherita 1300
Napoletana 1400
Marinara 1100
Ortolana 1500
4 Stagioni 1500
Capricciosa 1500
La Volpaia 1600
4 Formaggi 1500
Calabrese 1400
Calzone 1400

Jaipur
(Indian Cafe)
Hiroo (sorry, I lost the meishi on this one)
tel: 03-5421-2228
11:00-14:30 / 17:00-23:00
Kid's menu, outdoor terrace dining
No high chairs or boosters
No changing table / Western style toilet
(Too bad the food's marginal . . . but what the heck)

Roy's Hiroo
Ebisu Prime Square Plaza
Hiroo 1-1-40
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
tel: 03-3406-2277
Kid's menu available on weekends when they have a brunch. Not avail. on
weekdays/evenings. Special holiday brunch menus.
High chairs available
No changing tables / Western toilets
Terrace dining

il Forno
3/f
6-6-9 Roppongi
tel: 03-3796-2641

More pizza and pasta, larger restaurant with California atmosphere. Reservations suggested. I've seen strollers in here. No boosters or high chairs, no children's menu. Western style toilet, no changing table.


By Anonymous on Thursday, October 14, 1999 - 12:48 pm:

ZEST (Ebisu) at lunchtimes on weekends is also great - many of the staff speak English and there is plenty of room for a pram. Music is a little loud though (not for the light sleeper!).They also have non-smoking areas.


By Anna on Sunday, November 21, 1999 - 10:12 am:

IF it isn't crowded (around 3 pm for example) Samrat staff has always been very kind and attentive with my rampaging 2 year old.

Samrat lunch service is a great deal!
890 yen for two curry set with drink, all you can eat nan and rice (plus 5% tax)
1000 yen for three curry set with drink, all you can eat nan and rice (plus 5% tax)
drink choice with set: sweet lassi, hot or cold tea or coffee, orange juice
Dinner sets start at around 2000 yen, I think.

UENO Samrat 03-5688-3226, 1556 Lunch 11:00 to 17:00 daily (even Saturdays, etc.)
Oak Building 2nd floor, 4-8-9 Ueno, Taito-ku, close 22:00
Kichijoji Samrat 042-220-8670, 8671 close 22:00
Roppongi Samrat 03-3478-5877, 5776 close 5:00
Shibuya Samrat 03-3770-7275, 7286 close 5:00
Shinjuku Samrat 03-3355-1771, 1533 close 5:00

web site (Japanese & English): http://www.samrat.co.jp/ and www.samrat-curryhouse.com


By Emi on Friday, December 10, 1999 - 8:59 am:

I just saw on Saturday that the Rock'N'Roll Diner has booster seats and high chairs. (I have not seen any kids there when I go, but I'll take mine from now on.)

Rock'N'Roll Diner
(American food)
Fun 50's/60's Restaurant in Shimokitazawa
TEL: 03-3411-6565
Big Ben Bldg, B1, 2-5-2 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

January 2002 -- Has this place closed down? I couldn't find it.


By Cornelia on Monday, February 7, 2000 - 12:41 pm:

Baseball Cafe American Grill
11:00 - 22:30
Tokyo Dome
1-3 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 112-8575
tel: 03-3817-6262

High chairs, booster seats, nice toilets (but not enough of them in the Women's room), great ventilation and high ceilings (no need to worry about being asphyxiated by a smoker close by), and always at least one foreign staff person fluent in English on duty. They have adopted the disturbing American habit of having all their prices end in a nine. Lots of booths and sections, good for parties. Party menus available. Lots of things to look at, big tv screens, teddy bear, etc. and space to run around without being noticed (for that high energy three-year old).

All-American menu:
Monday-Friday except Holidays special lunch menu 11:00-14:00 of 3 choices under 1000 yen.

Little League Platter (for kids)749 yen: hamburger patty with ketchup, fries, one sausage carved to look like an octopus, waffle with honey, piece of lettuce, orange gelatin and a special Baseball Cafe pin.
Little League Juice 200 yen

Rest of the Day Game Menu 11:00-17:00・
Sandwich Platter 1799 yen (make your own sandwiches ・enough for two)
Baseball Soft Tacos 1199 yen (4 soft tacos, chicken, lettuce, tomato, spicy sauce, make your own)
2 Extra Tacos 199 yen
Grounder Beef Steak 1199 yen (100% Beef Hamburger Steak with vegetables)
Beef Stroganoff with Rice 1299 yen
Marlin's Pilaf 2799 yen (Grilled Seafood on Rice with Garlic and Parmesan Cheese, serves 3-4 people)
Marinated, Grilled Chicken Coated in Spices 1399 yen
Grilled Pork Back Ribs 1999 yen
Big League Steak 1899 yen (300 grams)
Babe Ruth Steak 1999 yen (200 grams Rib Eye Steak with vegetables)
Texas Ranger TBone 2999 yen (350 grams with baked potato)
Untouchable Record Grill 1499 yen (Grilled Pepper Salmon with Red Rice)
Grilled John Dory 1399 yen (a kind of fish with American Sauce)

Burgers:
Base Burger with fries 999 yen
Three Base Hit Burger 1049 yen (Chili Burger with fries)
Loaded Bases Burger 1199 yen (Cheese and Bacon Burger with fries)
Extra Burger Patty 499 yen
Alligator Patty Burger with Fries 1299 yen

Salads and side orders:
Homemade soup of the day 699 yen
Green Field salad 599 yen
Super Tostada 1399 yen (Avocado, lettuce, peppers, etc. in Mexican tortilla bowl・#41;
Shrimp League Salad 1199 yen (shrimp, lettuce, noodles, with Oriental dressing)
Fresh Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese 699 yen
Buffalo Chicken Wings 999 yen
撤op Fly・899 yen (Balls O・Fire & Squid Rings Fries)
Texas Leaguer Hit 699 yen (Fried Rice Ball filled with cheese on top of Fries)
Oshinko 599 yen (homemade pickles)
Nacho & Salsa 599 yen
Chili Fries with Cream Cheese 779 yen
Waffle Fries 699 yen (spicy)
Onion Blossom 999 yen (whole fried onion in spicy batter)
The Gumbo 849 yen (New Orleans style beans with sausage and shrimp soup)
Bagel with Cream Cheese 279 yen (choice of sesame, blueberry or cinnamon raisin bagel)
Garlic toast 749 yen (about half a loaf)

Pasta and Pizza:
Linguini with Seafood 1199 yen
Pasta with Plain Beef 1299 yen
Pasta with Chicken, Chinese taste 1199 yen
12 inch pizza- seafood 1499 yen
12 inch ・Mozzarella, blue and Parmesan cheeses 1299 yen
12 inch ・teriyaki chicken pizza 1399
12 inch ・pepperoni and Italian sausages & Canadian bacon 1399 yen
10 inch pizza ・fresh ham and rucola 1199 yen
10 inch ・fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato sauce 1199 yen
10 inch ・Fresh tomato and Parmesan cheese 999 yen

Mixed drinks 700 yen
Wine by the glass 500 yen
wine by the bottle 2500-4000 yen
Beer 500-650 yen
coffee, teas and soft drinks 350-450 yen
Desserts - lets not get into those!


By Cornelia on Saturday, March 18, 2000 - 7:04 am:

Italian in Kichijoji:

Samrat opened an Italian restaurant in Kichijoji. Has anyone tried it? Can you tell me if it was good and kid-friendly?

"COPPIA is the BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT in Kichijoji. It SERVES THE MOST DELICIOUS Pizza & SPAGHETTI and OTHER FINE Italian Dishes."

11:30 am - 11:00 pm (Last Order 10:00p.m.)
Tel 0422-22-4796
B-1 Nakaya Bldg. 1-9-8 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino-shi


By A.K. on Monday, May 29, 2000 - 12:48 am:

Gyao, Wonder World Restaurant
Ichikawa Myoden SATY, 4-1-1 Myoden
Tozai subway: Myoden station
Parking available.
Not formal at all. Kids get to choose a gift out of a couple of toy-filled baskets.

6 May 2000 we went to see The Iron Giant at the Ichikawa Saty/Warner Mycal theater. We ate in a restaurant on the ground floor called "Gyao, Wonder World Restaurant" for about 1000 yen a piece (comparable to a Denny's maybe though not as extensive a menu) which had large replicas of jungle animals and a couple of dynosaurs amid greenery. Very spacious, very American decor. Every 5 minutes or so some of the robotic animals would put on a bit of a show. This was a huge hit!

And then the movie, awesome!


By A.K. on Thursday, July 6, 2000 - 5:48 am:

Here are two lists of smoke-free or restaurants with no-smoking sections in Tokyo. Not all the restaurants listed are entirely small child friendly. If you go to any of the places listed, please post any experiences here so we can try them out?

http://nosmoketokyo.tripod.com Website which has a list and also links for organizations combatting smoking.

This list is non-smoking places only (Tokyo):
http://www.bento.com/r-nosm.asp


By Cornelia on Wednesday, November 21, 2001 - 12:05 pm:

T's Diner in Meguro, Tokyo

Hours: 11 - 23:30 seven days a week
tel: 03-3491-3751
1-3-1-2F Shimo Meguro
Meguro-ku, Tokyo

5 minute walk from Yamanote line Meguro station down hill outside the loop (west), left side of the street.

Take out available also. Free juke box.
Toilets kind of small but clean, no booster seats or high chairs, but some booth style seating.
Ground floor has a 7-Eleven.
Bottomless hot coffee.
Daily lunch specials change weekly and also permanent lunch menu (Monday - Friday except holidays) inlcudes Yankee length chili dog, Turkey Ham and Chicken Pastrami Sandwich, spicy chicken wrap and hamburger. These four platters all include soup and drink for 900 yen.

The menu also includes tacos, onion rings, a variety of burgers, baby back pork ribs, pan cakes, fajitas, steak, etc.

Also Happy Hour Mon-Fri except holidays with half price alcohol 16:00-18:00


By Ferdinand on Saturday, January 5, 2002 - 6:01 pm:

Cafe Elios in Yebisu Garden Place...beware when you go there!

Admittedly, I am posting this for 3 reasons: (1) to let off steam; (2) to serve a warning; and (3) to hear other opinions.

Our family loves going to Yebisu Garden Place. It is not too crowded and there is a lot of open space for children to run around in. We normally take a rest by having some coffee and snacks at one of the cafes near the open square. Cafe Elios is one of them. It is situated right in front of the open square in B1 and has tables outside...which is perfect because my 3-yr old can still run around when she gets bored while we adults continue sipping our coffee. The food is a bit pricey and the waiters have an attitude (at least the pseudo-italian ones...well, I call them "pseudo-italians" because they don't look so much like Italians but seem to make sure to let you know that they do speak the language by dropping a word here & there...I am not really sure because i don't speak the language and I could be wrong with my impression and they could be real Italians......but I digress...)

Anyway, we went there a few days ago and I promised my 3-yr old that she could order anything she wanted (there are over-priced cakes on display.) And this day, she chose to have a cup of gelato which the Cafe sells at the far end of the counter. So we bought a small cup of pistachio gelato for 210 yen. (btw, you can get it cheaper inside the Mitsukoshi dept store basement food area in B2.) We merrily went back to our table and called the waiter to order our coffees. This young pony-tailed pseudo-italian came and before we could say "We'd like to order..." he shot off in not-so-polite Japanese that went something like "Didn't anybody tell you that it is not allowed to bring gelato that you bought from our cafe to our cafe tables?" (I could see this guy is going to make waves in the service industry!)...the tone was demanding...something like "Don't you people have common sense?" My wife, who is Japanese, and who is used to the more customary Japanese "irasshaimase" type of treatment, was visibly shocked. Instead of having an escalating argument (boy, was I tempted to raise my voice and let everyone else know what was going on!) we just left quietly. Needless to say, we are NEVER going back there.

I have always been willing to pay extra premiums at restaurants...better food, better service, friendlier service, toddler tolerance, good atmosphere, and in Cafe Elios' case, good location. Paying "extra" is not only in money terms but is also in terms of how much of the other "unfavorable" aspects in a restaurant one is willing to overlook to be there. Evidently, Cafe Elios has become much too expensive for me.

Thank you for reading my diatribe. My chest feels lighter already.

To Cafe Elios: Please put up a sign that says it is forbidden to bring your gelato to your tables. Make a BIGGER sign if you already have one.


By Scott Hancock on Saturday, January 5, 2002 - 6:24 pm:

Ferdinand-
I enjoyed your post. I guess misery does love company. Have a had a few run-ins like that and when I do I have wished for either more fluent Japanese or a fluent mate. I am usually tempted to tackle such attitudes, but it always has to be without the expectation that anything will change.

It's always amazing that this kind of place is still existing in supposedly tough times. Let us know if you find a replacement.
Scott


By Cornelia on Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 10:58 am:

Dear Ferdinand -

That sort of thing is so COMMON here. Try to get the staff at a Denny's or Cozy Corner to use all vanilla ice cream in a sundae or something really simple like that and see the whole professional facade start crumbling into a total nervous breakdown... OK, I'm exaggerating, but only a little...


By Cornelia on Friday, May 24, 2002 - 8:57 am:

I've had good luck here with my 5 year old. They serve a bowl of steamed rice for 200 yen on the side, so if she is feeling like a picky eater I can just whip out the furikake that I always carry in my purse for such moments.

And I get to eat something interesting!

The building is high ceilinged, so the air is well-ventilated. I really like the space and their are french doors all around the first floor which they open up in nice weather.

FUJIMAMA'S
TYPE OF FOOD: great ethnic fusion
Address: 6-3-2 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya
Tel: 03-5485-2262
Fax: 03-5485-2261
Closest train station: JR Yamanote Harajuku
Closest Subway Station: Omotesando or Meiji Jingu-mae
Map: http://fujimamas.com/english/bigmap.htm


By Pato on Wednesday, March 5, 2003 - 4:39 pm:

Mister BarBQ
Basically a Chiba chain, but they have 3 restaurants in eastern Tokyo.
This is an all-you-can eat Korean BarBQ, but has sushi, curry rice, soups, salad, fried items bar (french fries, fried chicken, etc.), desert (including fruit and ice-cream), coffee and water included, drink bar extra. The quality of the food is pretty good. A high point for the kids is being able to make their own cotton candy. Kids not yet in first grade cost Y500. Elementary school kids cost Y1295. Everyone else costs Y1495. (I'm not 100% sure, but I think babies are free.)
Member's card system, Y100 to become member. Not sure it's worth it. Couldn't quite understand the "system".

Tokyo:
2-39-10 Higashi Mukojima, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, tel: 03-5630-2917 (Tokyo Bi-lingual atlas pg. 59 -- two train stations possible: Keisei Hikufune station, Tobu Hikifune station)

Metro Center, 6-14-1 Nishi Kasai, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo , tel: 03-3675-5280 (right in the Nishi Kasai station building, Tozai subway line)

2-409-1 Shinozaki-cho. Edogawa-ku, Tokyo, tel: 03-3698-2919

Chiba-ken:
1-4-10 ??, Gyoto-ku, Ichikawa, tel: 047-356-6129
3-10-7 Minami Nagariyama, Nagariyama, tel: 047-158-8929
1560-1 Yotsukaido, Yotsukaido, tel 043-420-2289
47-1 Shimo Katorimai, Yokoutchi Aza, Noda, tel: 047-126-5929
1-10-31 Natsumi,Funabashi, tel: 047-424-4989
1184-4 Miyakomachi, Chuo-ku, Chiba, tel: 043-234-2989
9-2-21 Yachio Dainishi, Yachio, tel: 047-480-8629
1088-6-1F Yahata Ushiro, Owadashinden Aza, Yachio, tel: 047-458-3929


By Cornelia on Friday, March 7, 2003 - 4:38 pm:

Zakuro -- Turkish and Persian Cuisine
3-14-13-B1F Nishi Nirppori, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo 116-0013
tel/fax: 03-5685-5313
Lunch 11:00-15:00, close at 23:00.
a short walk uphill from Nippori station ("inside" the Yamanote loop -- first you pass a 7-eleven on the left side), or a longer walk from Sendagi station on the Chiyoda subway line
Belly dancer performs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (I think)
Sit on oriental carpets and enjoy a multiple dish feast (off a table top directly on the floor). We scrapped the menu and just asked for a meal for 2 adults and a 6-year old that would total Y4000. Two basmati rice dishes, shish kebab, eggplant, potato salad, a few things that I couldn't identify but tasted good and included various types of beans, not terribly spicy, turkish style pickles, desert, tea, in short way too much food. Our daughter found a 3 year old to play with. Not the most stylish place, nor the most efficient service (definitely never a Japanese style "Hai" yelled across the room), but quite an entertaining evening, even though we went on Saturday and missed the dancer.
If you call a day ahead you can probably even ask for specific dishes that you might remember from your travels to those parts of the world! Evening party menus available from Y2000 per person.


By Steve K on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 10:28 am:

Hi,

Our anniversary is coming up, and I'd like to take my wife out to a romantic dinner ... with our 3-year-old daughter along. Is that an oxymoron? OK, then how about semi-romantic?

Before anyone starts on the obvious, we can't arrange for a babysitter or someone else to take care of her while we're out.

I browsed this discussion and searched for "restaurant" on this site. Nothing. Can anyone recommend a nice place?

Steve

P.S. The MisterBarbeque restaurant in Shinozaki is down the street from us. I can recommend it as a kid-friendly place. The dessert bar includes a soft ice-cream dispenser and a candy-floss machine.


By Yuko Kubota on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 11:44 am:

Steve, reserve a private room inside any restaurant! That's what we used to do for almost every single semi-romatic dinner we had at the most exquisit places.


By Pato on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 1:01 pm:

In my experience the private room does not cost anything extra. You just have to make the reservation in advance. Of course not all restaurants have private rooms, and some private rooms have thicker walls than others ;-)


By Jellund on Monday, November 29, 2004 - 3:11 pm:

Little Ones Cafe

Have just discovered a very unique cafe near Yoyogi station, it is a childrens cafe, there is a large playpen in the centre of the restaurant full of toys as well as some driving toys and rocking horses outside of the play area.

There is also a childrens menu with nice small, and cheap, portions, for example, 3 slices of carrots, 1 scoop of mashed potatoes, the prices were about 150yen-250yen per plate. There is a website but it is all in Japanese, it has the menu there and some photos.

http://littleones.exblog.jp/i4

I asked the staff, who speak fluent English, about birthday parties and things like that and they said they are more than happy to host any parties.

Oh, and also, there is a bar there! So you can relax with a glass of wine while the little ones are playing :)

The lunch for the adults is a set lunch and they do set dinner also, I paid 1000yen for a large salad, large bowl of pasta and an iced coffee.

Very pleased with this discovery so wanted to share it here :)


By Sandy on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 - 3:31 pm:

I don't know if this is "kid-friendly" because though there are a lot of mothers with babies in prams, I didn't see any hell-raisers (toddlers!)

Pricey but good hamburgers, and lunch time includes a drink:
JS BURGERS CAFE
8F in Lumine Department Store Ikebukuro (was called Metropolitan before) tel: 03-5928-3677

(If you don't mind walking a bit though there are even better burgers out the West exit about 5 minutes away at Oatman Diner, unless they've closed. Tel/Fax: 03-3981-9670)


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