Boston area eats with kids

[Jag]

Going to be in Boston for a few days next week after picking my son up from camp in New Hampshire. Think we have most of the touristy attractions down (duck boat, heritage trail, fenway tour, museums, haymarket/fanuel hall,etc). Staying at the Liberty Hotel on Charles and Cambridge, so would welcome any restaurant recommendations for good food but also ok for an 8 and 11 yo.

[wonderpug]

Are they geeky? What kind of food do they like best when you go out near home?

[Holman]

I saw this thread title and somehow my first thought was "Dammit, another bath salts story??"

[Kurth]

Beacon Hill Bistro is always pretty solid. Shouldn't be too hard a sell with the kids unless they are very picky eaters. It's also right down the street from you. I'd give it a shot for lunch or dinner. I've never been disappointed there.

[Jag]

Beacon Hill Bistro is always pretty solid. Shouldn't be too hard a sell with the kids unless they are very picky eaters. It's also right down the street from you. I'd give it a shot for lunch or dinner. I've never been disappointed there.

Thanks. I'll check it out.

Are they geeky? What kind of food do they like best when you go out near home?

Not overtly geeky, but with a somewhat geeky dad they are usually open to most strange things. My older one has a fairly wide range, while my younger is more kid food focused.

[Kraken]

Something I've been wanting to do is walk the Rose Kennedy Greenway and check out some of the food trucks there. As the former Central Artery, it's on the way to a lot of things, and food trucks are the In Thing right now. Should be something to please anyone within a very short walk.

[Daehawk]

10 spots for family dining

Museum of Science

[Kurth]

Something I've been wanting to do is walk the Rose Kennedy Greenway and check out some of the food trucks there. As the former Central Artery, it's on the way to a lot of things, and food trucks are the In Thing right now. Should be something to please anyone within a very short walk.

Far as I know, all the food trucks are at one spot - the plaza in front of South Station (right outside my office). They do look really good, and they are pretty popular around the lunch hour. Could be fun if you're already walking the greenway, but not exactly close to where you'll be staying.

[Kraken]

10 spots for family dining

Museum of Science

Barking Crab is my standing recommendation for people wanting a good seafood dinner that won't require a second mortgage. Most waterfront restaurants are $$$$. It's kind of a barn, though. Be prepared to share a big table unless you want to wait for an indoor table in the bar.

I wouldn't recommend the MoS as a destination for food unless you want to grab a bite during a museum visit. It's overpriced generic cafeteria/food court fare. The museum itself is very child-oriented, though.

[Kurth]

10 spots for family dining

Museum of Science

On that list, I'd recommend Jae's (great sushi), Sel De La Terre (solid French) and La Verdad (the nachos are great). I'd stay away from Durgin Park and the Barking Crab. Durgin is ok, but it's really kind of a tourist trap at this point. The Barking Crab used to be the place to head afterwork for lots of lawyers (especially summer associates), but then they got closed down by the department of health for violations. That was a while ago, but still . . .

Museum of Science is not to be missed. They're also doing some special presentations in connection with the 8/5 landing of the Curiosity on Mars. We're taking my son as part of a family birthday party on 8/4 and are really looking forward to it.

[Jag]

Sounds good. Jae's sounds really good.

We're taking my son as part of a family birthday party on 8/4 and are really looking forward to it.

Cool. We'll go the same day and hang out at the party! Kidding, we will be long gone by then

[El Guapo]

Oh, Bartley's Burgers, in Harvard Square, is FANTASTIC! It's a small place so tends to be very crowded, but it's so, so good.

[wonderpug]

10 spots for family dining

Full Moon on that list is the first thing I was going to recommend. It's totally geared to be kid friendly, with crayons on tables, buckets of toys, and a play area in the back. It sounds like your kids are too old for those, but it's still a very friendly atmosphere where you'll feel like the norm instead of the exception at a restaurant.

What sets it apart from the traditional family go-to restaurants is that the grown-up food is fantastic. It's worth going to just for the food. Mostly Mediterranean skewed food, but there's lots of good options. My favorite dishes include the Carne Asada (HUGE chunk of meat), the mussels & chorizo stew, and the steak with bleu cheese butter.

The reason I asked if the kids were geeky is because you're not too far from the Miracle of Science bar/grill. It's not specifically kid oriented, but it has burgers, quesadillas, chicken skewers, and other kid friendly options. What makes it fun is that it's science-themed (it's next to MIT), with chemistry lab tables and the menu laid out like a periodic table (with common themes in vertical groups, naturally). It's right next to the MIT Museum, which is small but fun and also worth a look.

You'll find a lot of food options on Charles Street right next to you; definitely worth walking down just to see if anything catches your eye.

Another restaurant to consider is Dick's Last Resort, which the kids could get a kick out of. It's a gimmick restaurant but the food is good. The idea is that the waiters are intentionally rude and brusque with the customers, also insulting them and writing belittling messages on paper hats they're made to wear. I've only been a few times, but it seems the waitstaff is good about tuning the level of crassness to the group, so unless I'm horribly mistaken it's totally kid friendly.

[Jag]

Full Moon is probably too far and young for my kids. Miracle of Science sounds fun and Dicks actually sounds perfect for my older one who has already mastered sarcasm.

How is the transit? I guess it's called the T? I spent years riding the NYC subways, so that doesn't bother me. It just looks like the best way to get to some places is on the train. I'll have a car, but don't really want to drive or take a taxi if I don't have to.

[Kurth]

10 spots for family dining

The reason I asked if the kids were geeky is because you're not too far from the Miracle of Science bar/grill. It's not specifically kid oriented, but it has burgers, quesadillas, chicken skewers, and other kid friendly options. What makes it fun is that it's science-themed (it's next to MIT), with chemistry lab tables and the menu laid out like a periodic table (with common themes in vertical groups, naturally). It's right next to the MIT Museum, which is small but fun and also worth a look.

Miracle of Science is an excellent choice! That's especially true if the weather's nice and they open up all the windows. I'm a big fan.

[wonderpug]

Full Moon is probably too far and young for my kids. Miracle of Science sounds fun and Dicks actually sounds perfect for my older one who has already mastered sarcasm.

How is the transit? I guess it's called the T? I spent years riding the NYC subways, so that doesn't bother me. It just looks like the best way to get to some places is on the train. I'll have a car, but don't really want to drive or take a taxi if I don't have to.

The T is easy to use, and will be no sweat to a NYC vet. But you won't need it for much. Everything is much closer together than it may look on a city map or subway map, and I shake my head on a daily basis at tourists who take the T one stop for what would have been a 60 second walk. Your hotel (which is an awesome hotel, did you already know it used to be a prison?) is very centrally located, and just about everything is within walking distance. Things like Bartley's are worth the quick ride on the Red Line, but most everything else listed in this thread you're better off walking.

Any interest in candlepin bowling?

[Jag]

Friends recommended the hotel and we weren't going to stay there until we saw the price come down alot for August. A few areas that look too far to walk is Haymarket, Fenway and the stuff over bridges. Not sure if people walk over them or not.

My kids would probably like bowling, not so much for me

[wonderpug]

Haymarket is still in walking distance, Fenway is worth a T ride. Crossing the bridge to MIT is walkable, but Harvard Square I'd take the T.

In your hotel, they still have one of the old cells left untouched as a sort of an exhibit. Be sure to check it out.

Also, I'd recommend doing the Duck Boat as early as possible in your itinerary, since it's a good way to be introduced to other things you may want to further explore later.

Another activity to consider is to catch a free movie on the lawn outside the Hatch Shell (where the orchestra plays for the 4th of July fireworks). Here's the calendar, looks like Cars 2 and Kung Fu Panda are next.

[Jag]

We already booked our Duck Boat first thing for that reason. We also knew about the hotel, so the kids will enjoy that and maybe I can lock them up for the night. The weather looks crappy early next week, so walking may be soggy.

My son's a huge baseball fan, but the rest of us could really care less. So rather than spend the money and time at a game, we may just do the Fenway tour.

[wonderpug]

But it's Fenway's 100th birthday!

The tour is pretty cool, too, but from recent stories it sounds like it's not quite as cool as it used to be. When I went circa 5 years ago, they let you go into the press box and occasionally onto the warning track, but a friend that went recently got to do neither.

[Kraken]

In addition to what wonderpug said about the T, you can save a little money (50 cents per ride) by getting a Charlie card rather than buying Charlie tickets. You have to ask a T employee for the cards. If three people are riding, you'll save $1.50 per trip...if you're taking 2-3 trips a day for three days, it adds up.

[Jag]

We need a good Italian food recommendation. Preferably something with very good food, but not very fancy. Hotel recommended Bricco, but menu wasn't great for kids.

Food hits so far have been 75 Chestnut and the Paramount which we loved. Yesterday was rainy and cold, so we spent most of it in the Science Museum.

[wonderpug]

My favorite place by far is Massimino's. It's in the North End, but not on the main drag (Hanover St). Despite its distance, it's always bustling, which I attribute to the fantastic food.

That said, you may want to eat closer to Hanover Street just so the kids can see the spectacle of the street and stop into Mike's Pastry (or Modern or Maria's) to get some cannoli. Mike's is the more famous one, with a distinctive box and a line out the door, but the other two have their loyalists and are not usually as busy. Even if you don't like or want cannoli, their cases of baked delights are probably going to be fun for the kids to see.

That said, I've never had luck eating on or near Hanover Street. Maybe someone else can chime in.

[Jag]

Thanks. That sounds perfect. Back at Paramount for breakfast. Just love this place!

[Kurth]

We need a good Italian food recommendation. Preferably something with very good food, but not very fancy. Hotel recommended Bricco, but menu wasn't great for kids.

Food hits so far have been 75 Chestnut and the Paramount which we loved. Yesterday was rainy and cold, so we spent most of it in the Science Museum.

Giacomo's. Here's some more info on it from Yelp.

I note that on the Yelp listing, it says it's not for kids. Not sure why that is. It's pretty casual (but it is a little cramped). Although I haven't taken my clan there, I'd probably give it a shot, especially on a Monday when there's not likely to be the usual around-the-block line (no reservations) you get on the weekends. Check out the menu and see what you think.

I don't think you can find better Italian (especially seafood) anywhere!

[Jag]

At Giacomo now. Got here around 5 with a 20 min wait but line was growing steady. Around the block now. Food so far is amazing. Was going to check out Massimo but realized we had walked past it off the bridge and I wasn't walking back.

Ended up walking and cabbing everywhere. Wife wasn't doing the T.

Thanks for all the great recommendations. Really enjoyed eating my way through Boston. Off to the Hamptons tomorrow!

[Kurth]

At Giacomo now. Got here around 5 with a 20 min wait but line was growing steady. Around the block now. Food so far is amazing. Was going to check out Massimo but realized we had walked past it off the bridge and I wasn't walking back.

Ended up walking and cabbing everywhere. Wife wasn't doing the T.

Thanks for all the great recommendations. Really enjoyed eating my way through Boston. Off to the Hamptons tomorrow!

Glad you liked Giacomo's! The line there gets nuts - good thing you got there early. The calamari, the fruiti de mare and the squid ink papardelle are some of my all time favorite dishes. Good eats.

[Kraken]

Ended up walking and cabbing everywhere. Wife wasn't doing the T.

Pity; the T is integral to the Boston experience IMO. Glad you had an enjoyable visit (and nice weather for the most part).

[Daehawk]

Whats the wife got against trains? Phobia?

[Jag]

Just the hassle of not knowing the system well and potentially wasting time getting lost. She prefers to walk over anything else.

[wonderpug]

What did you guys think of the hotel?

[Kraken]

Walking is always preferable, and often faster, when the weather's good and the distance is reasonable.

[Jag]

What did you guys think of the hotel?

Very nice. Fairly upscale and not very kid friendly, but we didn't spend much time there and the cool factor was well worth it. It's a Starwood property, so there is always a high level of quality at their hotels. The restaurant in the hotel was just ok and really expensive, so I probably would skip that. There are many better places to eat. I loved the Beacon Hill location as well. Would probably stay there when we come back.