I strongly feel the need to share this list because every Google search I have done for "kid friendly" restaurants seems to have been written by a guy behind a desk. I have a 4 and 2 year old and a ravenous desire to dine out. Especially when it means a night off from cooking and, better yet, cleaning.
Also consider that I lived in NYC for 15 years so, while I'm willing to sacrifice dining standards a little bit now that I have kids, I am not suddenly tastebud deficient. So I've included some "finer" dining options as well.
Without further ado, here is my list of kid-friendly restaurants in Denver. All of these are tried and true by our family.
1. ACE Eat Serve
Bento boxes for kids! So cute and and come with shaved ices for dessert. This is also a ping pong hall. For younger kids like mine it's fun entertainment just to watch while we wait for our food. For the older kids, what could be better than a little family pong tourney? In the warmer weather they have a great patio with lounge seating as well.
2. True Food Kitchen
This is one of our go-to's with or without the kids. It's a pretty loud restaurant so screaming babies and kids usually get ignored. My kids love pizza and they have a small kids' menu with an organic pizza. We also usually order them a (somewhat) guilt-free dessert of vegan vanilla ice cream to buy us time while hubby and I finish our meals.
3. Quality Italian
If you're still into fine dining, but can't find a babysitter, Quality Italian at 5pm is a good choice. While you may get the stink eye from some other patrons, the servers are always very helpful. We get a side of meatballs and some pasta for the kids but they can also make chicken fingers and a few other "off menu" kids' favorites. At a recent visit, our server made hats out of the napkins and had us all laughing. It's also pretty loud here so most people won't even notice the young ones after their first martini.
4. Broadway Market
This is our latest score. You get a FOB upon entry and then you have your selection of a number of different restaurants to eat from. The adults like the chicken doner from Mother Tongue and Maria's Empanadas. They also have board games and an arcade - think skeeball, basketball, Atari - visible from the dining area so the kids can play while you dine. Broadway Market is also a great spot when you have family in town and everyone has different dietary restrictions and preferences.
5. California Pizza Kitchen
Ok, it's not fine dining but they have a number of healthy options for adults like great salads and cauliflower crust pizza. Plus, it's located in the Cherry Creek Mall so, on a frigid day, it's not a bad way to end a few hours of running around the mall.
6. Lowdown Brewery
A brewery with amazing food! It's a miracle! We love Sunday afternoons at a brewery but most breweries in Denver have only rotating hit-or-miss food trucks. No thanks. Lowdown has good food - lots of salads, great tacos and a kids menu. There's an outdoor patio with corn hole and boardgames behind the bar. #lowdownbrewery #denverbrewery