I'm visiting my sister in Manhattan, and I want to take my 3 year old niece out for lunch tomorrow. I want it to be fun and memorable for her...any suggestions? Right now I'm thinking Serendipty. Although I know it's super touristy. I'd prefer someplace on the UES or Midtown. Thanks!

If you are thinking of Serendipity, don't get there a minute after 11AM or you'll wait two hours to eat.

Thanks for the tip. She doesn't get out of preschool until 12. I wonder if it's too late to make a reservation. Any other ideas?

Any other ideas?

I'm not sure how much appeal Serendipity would have for a 3 year old - and not sure she would remember it at all. The long wait would cross it off my list with a 3 year old.

My little ones celebrated birthdays at Serendipity for years, from the age of 2 and up .. I remember my daughter getting Vincent Prices autograph for her birthday
Now I think it is too noisy and too crowded and has lost the charm it had in the past.
I don't know if you can make reservations, but a late lunch or tea might still work..we did that a lot when my husbands work place was around the corner ( he would sneak out and meet me for tea at three

A tea would be grand. Little girls (and big ones) love tea parties! Great idea!

I tea party sounds like a great idea. Where is a good place to go? I do have a 1 o'clock reservation at Serendipity, but I'm sure we'll still be waiting. And we can always cancel it if I come up with something else. What about the Mars restaurant?? Is that appropriate for a 3 year old?

Mars would be lost on a three year old. I think kids between 5 and 11 love the Mars place.
How about tea at the new American girl place? It is all about girls and dolls. We haven't been, but my girls loved the American girls. She maybe too young for the dolls themselves, but you are never too young for a tea!
Has anyone here been to it?

How about the **American Girl Place**? Other ideas

>Alice's Tea Cup on the upper westside
>Peanut Butter & co. if she likes peanut butter (downtown)
>Rice to Riches if she likes rice pudding
>Ellen's Stardust diner with singing waiters

The American Girl place sounds great! So do Alice's Teacup and Ellen's Stardust. Thanks so much for the suggestions. Any idea what the wait would be like at these places today at about 12:30?

If you want to do American Girl, phone for a reservation. It's so popular it could be booked. The other places will be busy but should be ok.

Thanks. I think we'll try Ellen's Stardust Diner, and then maybe go to Toys R Us to ride the ferris wheel. Or do you think the ferris wheel/ToysRUs is something we should skip? I'd love take her to the Children's Museum, but they're closed today.

When children visited me while I lived in NYC they invariably asked me to take them to McDonald's where they ordered all the things their parents wouldn't let them order. One eight-year-old once ordered everything on the breakfast menu. Even at that it was a cheap date, and she was thrilled with the experience.

NYC Pizza joints and store-front Chinese restaurants also appeal to kids I've known.

A meal that consists only of ice cream is also always a big hit. Remember, she'd not your kid.

Thank you everyone for your advice! We went to Ellen's Stardust Diner which my niece loved. Not the best food or service, but I didn't really expect it. We were there for the experience, and she had so much fun.

We also went to ToysRUs where we rode the ferris wheel which was probably the highlight of the afternoon.

Thanks again!

Thanks for letting us know how it went. So few folks do!

Too late for you - but perhaps for others with little ones - there is a cafe esp for kids - and their dolls/stuffed animals - opened in NYC. Didn;t catch all the info - but it can be found on the website of the local news channel: NY1.com.