Where Kids Eat Free In New York's Restaurants
The perks of being a parent are abundant - free artwork for the fridge and Lego foot massages in the living room. When cooking isn't happening tonight, drop by one of these restaurants, which will offer your mini-Monet grub on the house.
- Camille DeMere
Brother Jimmy's BBQ
Multiple locations, for more information, check out their website:
www.brotherjimmys.com
This good-time joint, typically populated by 20-somethings looking for some grub and a party, is also welcoming to kids. Your little one can get a free kids' meal with when you purchase a $10+ entrée, any day of the week. Standard kids' menu favorites - hotdogs, hamburgers, mac and cheese and chicken fingers. Older diners can gobble up fried chicken, ribs and pulled pork at this BBQ spot.
EJ's Luncheonette
1271 Third Avenue
New York, Ny 10021
(212) 472-0600
447 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10024
(212) 873-3444
No website
If you're looking for classic diner fare this weekend, why not save a couple bucks on the kids' meals? These popular brunch spots also target the stroller set. After 4:30pm on Friday and Saturday, one child eats free per adult entrée purchase. Kid menu favs like hot dogs, grilled cheese and PB&J share space with dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets.
Kelley & Ping
127 Greene Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 228-1212
www.kelleyandping.com
Yummy noodles and Asian fare - and every day until 7p.m. kids feast free on offerings like a small serving of pad thai and grilled chicken with jasmine rice and snow peas. And adult meals won't set you back that far either - a serving of Bul Go Gi, kimchi, rice and vegetables runs $15.
The Moxie Spot
81-83 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 923-9710
www.themoxiespot.com
The Moxie Spot takes family-friendly to another level. Not only can the kids get a burger, small pasta, mac'n'cheese or other kids' combo for free after 5:30 every day (with purchase of an entree or dinner special), but they can also hang out in the kids' section while they wait. Toys, blocks, even a foosball table welcome kids to play - just not with their food. They even offer stroller parking, so it can be tucked out of the way while you dine.
Pappardella
(212) 595-7996
www.pappardella.com
Get a late lunch or an early dinner, and get a deal at Pappardella. For each adult that spends $15, a child can dine on Italian fare for free, Monday - Thursday from 2:30 - 5:00pm.
The Perch Cafe
365 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 788-2830
www.theperchcafe.com
Stop in to this Park Slope cafe and bar for offerings for your kids while you dig into a tart apple and cheddar Waldorf Salad or braised short ribs with peas. The place routinely programs events for kids (puppet shows, singalongs and more). Between 4p.m. and 8p.m. on Thursdays kids can dine on a nutella & banana sandwich (or traditional faves mac 'n' cheese, chicken fingers, and more) for free - provided adults purchase a meal, too.
Rodeo Bar and Grill
375 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 683-6500
www.rodeobar.com
Kids already eat cheap at Rodeo, where a child's meal usually runs just $6 for a quesadilla or a burger. On Monday night, though, cheap becomes free with the purchase of an adult meal. As of October, Rodeo will launch a Sunday Kids Jamboree, with singalongs - check their website for details. For the adults, Rodeo is a honkytonk roadhouse straight out of the South, makes a mean margarita, and has live music.
Sylvia's
328 Lenox Ave
New York, NY 10027
(212) 996-2669
www.sylviasrestaurant.com
Tuesdays are your days at Sylvia's famous soul-food mecca on Lennox Ave. Kids 10 years and younger can fill up on a dinner of fried fish, chicken fingers, pork chops, baked ham or chicken legs for free (5p.m. - 9 p.m.). Sylvia's is a New York institution, if you've not tried it, you could just use the free kids fare as an excuse to find out why... .
