We will be in NYC next weekend with our 10 year old. Are there any kid friendly restaurants with basic food for kiddies and a little something more for the adults? My son likes good mac n cheese, a good steak with mashed potatoes, burger, etc.

Thanks for any help you can give.

PS we are staying in the upper east side and will be visiting Museum of Natural History for the Pearl exhibit.

when you're at the Museum of Natural history, you can stop by E.J.s Luncheonette (but open all day) on amsterdam avenue and 81st street, a few blocks away from the museum. Yes, it's diner style food, but much higher quality--the salads are mesclun and arugula, not iceberg, for example.
They have a kids menu, but your son is actually too old for it (only in NY, right??) but they have all the basics (including sometimes on specials, a good steak, always great mashed potatoes). If you like what's on the specials of the day menu, you can have a HUGE good quality meal (soup and salad and enormous main dish, and dessert) for $10-$16.
Specials often include Skinless fried chicken, some kind of grilled meat, pasta, etc. Regular menu has burgers huge sandwiches, etc (at about $7-8)

You might try Jekyll & Hyde's. Kids usually enjoy this theme style restaurant, and the fern bar type menu has enough variety to please all ages. Remember though, it's not gourmet food.

Hey chocomom...Serendipity's on East 60th Street is a good choice for good food and fabulous desserts...there's also Sarabeth's on Amsterdam Avenue (near the Museum), any of the Jackson Hole Burgers, and there's a wonderful restaurant on York Avenue called Brunelli's where kids eat free on Sunday after 4:00PM.

I agree with Cindy about E.J.'s...it's a great idea.

Don't forget my old favorite, The Hard Rock Cafe!!!

Great burgers, and that pig sandwich is nothing to sneeze at either.

Listen, the HRC used to be awful! Lines out the door and down the block. Birthday parties. Screaming little children. Music blasting at 90dB. Not anymore. They've toned the place down alot and play videos at a reasonable level. You can actually eat and carry on a conversation.

They're the first and still the best.

America, 18th st between broadway and 5th av, It's a huge place with a big menu, the foods you mentioned and some. very children friend. has good weekend brunch with magicians, balloon animal makers, etc. ALso in the same area chat n chew on 16th st. In the Village, patsy's (pizza & pasta & excellend salads) on university place between 10th & 11th sts (other locations as well), also Silver SPurs, a little nicer than your average diner, on Broadway at 9th st. 2nd Avenu deli, at 11th st and 2nd av. Just about anything in chinatown or little italy.

Great suggestions so far. here's more. ESPN Zone Restaurant at Times Square. top floor is a massive arcade-you buy a card, like a charge card, that is prepaid ($1 for card, $10 minimum, I think). Not something we usually let our kids do, but once in a while... even w/o the arcade, lots of sports stuff-be sure to check out the bathrooms-my sons reported TVs in them, sometimes sports figures around or espn types. great for sports fans and good kid food. Also, my younger son is always amused by the availability of hot dogs at every corner...no need for restaurants for him.

You must take them to Mars 2112. Its in the 50s, I am not sure of the exact street. It has a futuristic/alien type theme, but its not cheesy or over the top - everyone in your group will love it. There are optional activites/ areas for kids. Th eprice is pretty good.

Do tell how it goes.

What about the WWF restaurant? If the kid likes wrestling that's the place. If he doesn't, don't torture yourself.

Tony's Di Napoli is a great Italian restuarant that is very child-friendly. The food is served family-style and is delicious. There are always lots of little ones enjoying themselves with mom & dad.

Location: Second Avenue, 83rd Street.

Serendipidy!!!!

Foot long hot dogs,frozen hot chocolate, huge banana splits, what else could a kid (or you) ask for? Since my children were very small, they have asked to go to Serendipity for their birthday dinners..of course , they can take themselves now~

My kids hated Mars, but they love Virgil's BarBQ. But nothing makes them happier than getting a hot dog in Central Park.

Jackson Hole at Madison and 91st (&several other locations) is a pretty good burger place, a little more upscale.But why limit yourself - expect a little bit more of your son - use NYC as an educational tool. Most better restaurants have simple roast chicken or something not too spicy on the menus, and most NY restaurants will make anything without a sauce - he's ten years old, tell him to add a little adventure to his life. But if he doesn't want to experiment, there's a lot of places like Googies Diner (2nd Ave & 7nd St.on the east side, or Chat 'n Chew,downtown at 16th St. near Union Sq. or E.J.s or John's Pizza (several locations). Near the museum is a good place, Avenue (very family friendly - Columbus @ 85th St.) Also Spazzia - Columbus @ 77th, Good Enough To Eat Amsterdam & 83rd Arties Deli Bway &82nd.
On the east side, the new place 92 at Madison & 92nd will fit the bill, as will Sarabeths at Madison & 92 also, Serendipty 62 and Lexington (frozen hot chocolate for dessert!)

topping for sweet tooth here

My daughter loves O'Neals, near Lincoln Center, and any Japanese or Italian restaurant. EJ's is a favorite as well, Avenue is excellent, Popover's on Amsterdam & 87th. We go with her (7 years old) to any Upper West Side restaurant, except Ouest, Picholine...probably Gabriel's. Oh, there's Isabella's near the museum, on Columbus & 79th.

Outside of that area, we like the aforementioned America and City Bakery in Flatiron area, Zoe and Cub Room Cafe in Soho, Odeon and Gigino in Tribeca (did you know the Tribeca Grill has a children's menu - but we've never been there), Cowgirl Hall of Fame in West Village, dim sum in Chinatown (or Ollie's on the west side) and the Boat House in Central Park (restaurant not the cafeteria) and Bryant Park Grill.

We recently had a girls' night out with grandma to Serendipity and I hate to say this but all 3 of us were disappointed. Grandma's hamburger was tepid, it was crowded and very noisy. My food, a weird-sounding chili in a crepe, was actually the best dish. But the noise drove us out, before we even got to dessert, and we ended up with ice cream from Dylan's Candy Bar on the corner of 60th & 3rd.

Thank you for all your suggestions. I know that we have to go to Costa Azzurra in little italy for DH's seafood risotto but I am looking forward to trying something new.

I will let give you a report when we return.

Unfortunately, we aren't staying in NYC for a whole month so we can try all the different suggestions. We're there only for the weekend. hahaha.

There is an article by Gourmet magazine's restaurant reveiwer in the most recent(I believe) issue re: places he takes his little girl.

I didn't read through all of the above postings, so I'm sorry if I'm repeating... Sarabeth's uptown in the East 90s, Annie's in the East 70s on Third Avenue (especially for brunch), Chat 'n Chew in Union Square ... hope this helps.

Just to cover the obvious, there is food in the Museum, a paper-plate scene I believe--but you could have lunch there and then dinner somewhere else.

Besides the Pearl show PLEASE take your son to see the butterflies also. I think it's another special ticket when you pay for admissions--but really really really do it, it is wonderful.