We are looking for a restaurant on the Upper West Side near the Museum of Natural History. We will have our 8 and 5 year old with us, so nothing too fancy. Definitely no food chains (Friday's, etc.) Thanks for suggestions.

You didn't specify what meal you were having, but here are some suggetions.
Time Cafe @ Broadway & 85th St, is a large, airy restaurant that is very kid friendly and has nice size booths. Great for Brunch, lunch or dinner. (A nieghboorhood favorite with family with kids) Moonsoon Restaurant @ Amsterdam & 81st is a good vietnamese restaurant. For a diner-type place, you can try EJ's @ Amsterdam &81/82st. For very good deli food, you must try Arties Deli @ Brodaway & 83 St.

thanks for the suggestions...we are looking for restaurant for dinner. We like continental, italian. We are looking for something nicer then diner.

One of my favorites these days is Penang on Columbus Ave. Malaysian/Thai, nice atmosphere, not dressy, the kids will probably love it.

Walk one block over to Columbus Avenue. There's a bunch of restaurants on every block. Take your pick.

If you're looking for your traditional Italian( Parmigina, Lasanga, Pasta) Copolla's @ 79th Btwn Bdwy/Amsterdam has great food. Isola, @ Columbus & 83/84 St, is also a good choice. For French, Avenue, @ Columbus & 85, serves good bistro style food.
Louies Westside Cafe, @ Amsterdam & 81st, is another good Italian style cafe, with good food.

Another vote for Louie's. Very good food & atmosphere.

We have eaten at Carnavale several times with our 10 yr. old & have enjoyed it. It is Italian & located on Amsterdam Ave. in the same area of the museum. You can check out their posted menu before you decide, but we think their food is good. Bon appetite.

San Domenico is right there it is a little fancy but awesome!!! you want Italian? San Domenico has it baby!

The only reason I did not recommend Carnevales is that they had at one time been closed down by the Board of Health for health code violations. While we all know that many restaurants good and bad, can have health code violations, to get to the point where they were shut down just doesn't sit too well with me. I'm not saying that it's not a good place to go NOW, just personally, it has a tarnished reputation. The other recomendation I forgot to post is the Upper West Side's longstanding favorite, Isabellas, @ Columbus & 77th St.

I vote for Avenue. Columbus and 85th.

Alice's Tea Cup on Columbus is good and child friendly. The kids will like the decor too.

I'd vote for Isabella's - fancy enough for adults but also kid friendly. And the closest to the Museum. I personally adore Alice's Tea Cup but I don't know if I'd consider it a "dinner" place (although that CAN be the best time to go since it's the least crowded time). Avenue is also wonderful - it's a French bistro. Spazzia is Italian and close to the Museum - I'm just not sure how kid friendly it is. For all-American type food, there's also Good Enough to Eat and EJ's Luncheonette which is a diner, but an upscale, retro diner with good solid food and a staff used to kids running around (if your kids are on the active side). They're both on Amsterdam and 83/84 and 81/82 respectively.

Thanks for all the suggestions, so many of them sound great. Just for the record, and because it is a pet peeve of mine, we DO NOT let our kids "run around" a restaurant while other people are trying to enjoy their meal. I just think it's selfish and inconsiderate. IMHO

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