Eating out with kids

Star Fish Grill

The Set up

This is a take away 'Fish and Chip' restaurant wth eating in space at communal wooden bench tables, great for kids as no crockery but served in individual boxes. On a busy road but plenty of space to park - open hours are early 5pm - 8.30 or 9 pm.

Food and Wine
Excellent Fish and Chips with special 'Junior Star boxes of Flake, Calamari or a Chicken skewer'  no proccessed stuff here - all fresh and high quality. Boxes are pretty ample too. For adults choice of grilled or battered and daily specials so can visit often and not get bored. Good soft drink selection and great ice cream selection too. Can BYO if eating in as well. Also have burgers and vegetable offerings for the non fish eaters...

Toilets and Baby Changing facilities etc
They have toilets, we didnt need to use the baby change so to be honest dont know about this buit will check next time we are here.

Our Rating 4/5

Pro's - Great Food, specially packed kids food and easy going exciting environment to eat in
Con's - Can be busy and food is cooked to order so takes a little time - but plenty to see in the open kitchen

Wheelers Hill Hotel

Address: Cnr Ferntree Gully and Jells Rd , Wheelers Hill VIC 3150
Telephone: (03) 9560 8922
Website: None

The Set up
This is a large restaurant with fantastic distant views through a complete glass wall to the Dandenongs. No Kids play area here , but it is 3 minutes from Jells Park which has several large play areas and easy parking. We visited the park prior to lunch and worked a treat as William was hungry and tired so sat still for a while. Plenty of space for the pusher and no stairs on the way in, a ramp leads from the ample carpark.

Food and Wine
The usual kids menu favourites nothing gourmet but cheerful enough, Adults menu is very varied from Parma to Steak - which they Chargrill and is something of their specialty - very good too. Entrees are equally varied and wine by the glass or bottle along with ususal pub range of drinks. You order from a cashier, collect bread rolls and cutlery and they serve to your table.

Toilets and Baby Changing facilities etc
Toilets in the restaurant so not far to go, and a baby changing table in the Ladies not the Mens, no special attention here for the kids but plenty of children so they do not stand out. No colouring packs or distractions.

Our Rating 3/5

Pro's - Good Adult food at reasonable price, Close to a fantastic park
Con's - No dedicated child facilities

Sofias Camberwell

Address: 855-857 Burke Rd, Camberwell, VIC 3124
Telephone: (03) 9882 1142
Website: None

The Set up
This is a massive Italian Pizzaria restaurant on the main road opposite Camberwell Train station, parking is pretty easy either in Camberwell Metlink station carpark or on Burke Road. There are seats outside but not really suitable for Children. Inside there are multiple areas, and plenty of space, staff are very accomodating and will move chairs/tables to fit in pusher. Lots of children here so no worries on noise, and its so busy you wouldnt hear them anyway.

Food and Wine
This place is famous for its massive servings - and I mean massive - a small pasta serve is enough to feed 2 or 3 adults, and a large pizza will easily feed 3. We have always over ordered and left loads. The ice cream/gelati comes as a tower of about 8 flavours overflowing and we have never finished one yet between 3. This makes it really good value, they will bring small plates so you can share, and laugh at those who havent been before and order large serves and are swamped with pizza and pasta. Service is pretty speedy and they are quick to bring ice cream for the kids while you struggle to finish the order! No seperate kids menu but since you will have to share doesn't really matter.They are happy to give you the left over Pizza/Pasta in containers to take home with you.

Toilets, Baby Changing facilities etc
Seperate Baby changing in the Disabled toilet, on quite a low change table, but its spacious, toilets are ok , no low kids ones but not what you would expect here anyway. No special kids things here but service is fast and friendly - Italian's love kids in Italy and its no exception here our twins always get plenty of attention

Our Rating 4/5

Pro's - Great Value, Good food, Fast service
Con's - Ser vings are really too big to enjoy

The Maling Room

Address: On the corner of Maling Road and Canterbury Road
Telephone: NK
Website: NK

The Set up
Well, we have to be honest that this is more a cafe than restaurant but has a number of highlights. Maling Road is a boutique shopping Mall with some fantastic Childrens clothes and toy shops, and a traditional lolly shop worth a visit in their own right.
This is a heritage listed Old Post Office and has a relaxed small lounge with sofas, alongside the main room with tables and chairs along with some outside.
For kids - If they can read a selection of childrens books which keeps them entertained for a while. For pushers its a bit tricky we have manoeuvered our twin Mountain Buggy in here a few times now, and the staff are helpful and most patrons will shuffle a bit this way or that.
This is a lovely setting though and very relaxing with a modern edge.

Food and Wine
Coffee and Hot chocolate are their signatures, and these are both fantastic , choice of Hot Chocolate types and comes in a faboulous mug, and very nice coffee elegantly presented. Cakes especially Carrot Cake is very good and usual range of sandwiches and specials - the Huntsmans soup - like a warm Gazpacho was very good as is the eggs and bacon!

Toilets and Baby Change facilities, etc
No toilets or baby change, but the sofa part is out of the way and no-one minded a quick nappy change here, staff helpfull , but you do need to negotiate a narrow doorway and steps.

Our Rating 3/5

Food/Drinks 3/5
Kids 1.5/5
Pros's - Coffee, atmosphere, location and varied menu alpong with books for kids
Cons - Not a huge amount of space, no baby change

Village Green Hotel

Address: Corner of Springvale and Ferntree Gully Rd, Mulgrave VIC 3170
Telephone: 03 9560 8400
Website: none known

The Set-up
A large buffet-type restaurant with indoor kids play area attached. There are loads of this type of place all over, we picked this one to visit with friends as it was local to them and they also have small kids. The kids play area was overun with 7-12 year old kids with no parental supervision and was dirty and had that kind of horrible aroma you avoid to it.Lots of the foam play things were ripped or without covers - there was a small video game section at one end, but you could see it from the table as it had a glass wall facing the restaurant. This didnt stop the kids playing in it, as they could see it and so when trying to persuade them it was dirty and no meant no, this created the inevitable face off.

Food and Wine
Smoragsbord type self service of a mix of roast dinners, asian, and fried food - what you would expect here with servers all mixed up and lack of nutrition. Not our sort of thing but you could eat plenty and it was under $20 a head.

Toilets, Baby Changing etc
Toilets and baby changing table in the TAB part of the Village Green Hotel, serviceable. Plenty of space for pushchairs, but you need to arrive at the start of service or book a table in advance if you wanted to be near the play area.

Our Rating             1/5
Pro's Cheap and plentiful if thats your thing
Cons' Dirty play area, processed food

Food                          1/5
Facilities for kids  2/5

Hard Rock Cafe

Address: 1-15 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Telephone: 03 9650 4755
Website: www.hardrock.com
Update as of 30 Nov 07 - currently closed due to expiry of lease, will keep you informed
The Set-up

The Melbourne branch of the Global chain. We visited this place on consecutive Sundays because initially we were passing and then because it had all gone so well the following weekend because we were in the City.
In some respects the entrance is not ideal, there are two small flights of stairs on the way in, so had to lift the pushchair up them, but once in staff helpful. We had to wait a little longer for a table than others,  as they think only a couple of the booths are suitable for double pushers - We would agree but only because they allow you to trap the little ones in , and in fact provide a great nappy changing place, so ask for one when you get there.
Older kids are fascinated by the memorabilia, William danced along to the music entertaining our neighbouring booth and the waitress (who was fantastic and couldn't be more helpful). Kids have a special menu which comes with a take home plastic beaker with spill proof lid and straw and some colouring crayons and bookand a Chocolate frog.

Food and Wine
Kids menu usual fast food stuff, but good sizes and fast service ahead of the adult meals meant William was not kept waiting. Adult food is commercial but tasty Ribs were good and their burgers are reliably fresh with full range of beers, cocktails and wines.

Toilets, Baby Changing etc
Toilets are clean, no dedicated baby changing facility, but we used the seats in booth, but was a drop down table in male and female toilets. Note - the second sunday we visited, we arrived before it opened, and they were happy for us to sit down and feed the twins their bottles despite not being open - a good sign of customer service.

Our Rating
3/5
Pro's - Older kids entertained by memorabilia, and fast service
Con's - Menu limited to the fast food you would expect

Tuck's Ridge Restaurant

Address : 37 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South
Telephone: 03 5989 8660

Website: www.tucksridge.com.au

Well what a find! We went here with a party of 8 including the kids and had a fantastic time.

The Set up

This is a Cellar door restaurant which sits next to the main road (quiet) with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking a simply spectacular view. It was overcast on our visit but that didnt stop the 10 or so kids eating with parents playing on the lawns, in the sandpit and all in full view of all outside tables and about half of the inside ones. The vines do lead away steeply to a dam at the bottom of the hill, but plenty of time to catch up with them if they dissapear. This is a totally no worries environment, kids can run, scream and cry without disturbing anyone as most of those dining at lunchtime were in a similar position.

The Food and Wine
The menu has a small section for kids which was sensibly sized and gobbled up by Wiliam and the adult menu was varied. I ate a platter of meat, seafood and cheese which was nice but more of an entree( which they dont have), others had steak - fantastic, twice cooked pork belly- two thumbs up, and beef stir fry- again a resounding yes all around the $25-30 mark
Desserts were very special, coffee creme brulee again hit the spot and the pavlova was good too. We had a $45 bottle of Tucks Ridge 1994 Shiraz - which did seem expensive, but improved with breathing and we thought about taking a bottle home with us, no beers for sae, only own celar wines and soft drinks.

Toilets, Baby changing etc
Clean and serviceable, but no baby changing facilities - we did it in the back of the car, but could have done it on the grass, and we didnt ask but staff were helpful and probably found us somewhere.
There was space inside for the pusher, but if the weather had been better we would have sat outside and loads of space (Sails to cover the tables), sand pit and even a dog exercise area - off leash for our four legged friends

Our Rating

4/5 
Pros -Adults can relax whilst watching kids play, varied menu but not enormous, wine pleaseant and friendly staff
Cons - No baby changing table

About us

We are a family who enjoy eating out at a variety of restaurants. There are the two of us, and three small children the oldest William is 3 and a half, and Noah and Sienna are twins aged 6 months, oh and we have two dogs Jester and Scrappy...

We were frustrated about he lack of information about great restaurants to visit with the kids in tow, or whether they have simple things like baby changing facilities, or space for a pusher.We decided to write reviews about restaurants we have found to be great with kids.

Of course these are personal reviews, we are not paid by the restaurant and visit unnoticed ( well our kids certainly make a fair bit of noise and so not entirely unnoticed!). We are not restauranteurs but we do now good food when it is thereand good service and value for money. We also enjoy a good bottle of wine.

Please let us know if you think we should try somewhere, and of course if you disagree with us let us know too - it may be that somewhere has changed since our visit.

Hope you enjoy eating out with kids too!...