The best kid friendly restaurants in Chicago don’t just have a kid’s menu, they can accommodate young children with ease. This list is focused on sit down restaurants with kid’s menus.
In particular, the 4 Star restaurant group has wonderful kid friendly restaurants. The group has several restaurants in Lakeview and Wicker Park where kids under 12 eat free from 4 pm until 6 pm seven days a week.
Pizza is always such an easy option for kids. You can read about Chicago’s best pizza here.
Last updated: March 2022
The Best Kid Friendly Restaurants in Chicago:
Table of Contents
This list of best kid friendly restaurants in Chicago has been organized by neighborhood.
Andersonville:
m.henry
American, Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Bakery, Vegetarian/Vegan
A bakery and byob cafe that serves breakfast and lunch daily (they are not open for dinner). The menu balances sweet and savory and offers dishes like rustic peasant quiche, a Latina omeletta, a fried egg sandwich, Japanese style soufflé hot cakes, lemon-raspberry French toast, and crepes. Starting at 11 am, sandwiches, bowls, and salads are available. Separate vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free menus are available. The restaurant doesn’t seem to have a separate kids menu but they offer small items like a single pancake, two eggs, and yogurt parfaits.
Fireside Restaurant & Lounge
American, Lunch
This casual American restaurant opened in 1904! The menu has a mix of pub fare and American classics like wings, burgers, sandwiches, smoked ribs, and pizza. The large heated all weather patio is a beautiful place for a meal. The kid’s menu is $5.95 and covers classics like chicken tenders, burgers, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, and 8 inch pizzas.
Avondale:
Honey Butter Fried Chicken
American, Lunch
A casual counter service restaurant known for fried chicken. The menu includes fried chicken and fried chicken sandwiches with eight different dipping sauces plus sides like pimento mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and coleslaw. It lives up to the hype. The $10 mini meal includes chicken strips, macaroni and cheese, a corn muffin, and honey butter. Or you could opt to order extra fried chicken and sides and share.
Ravinia Brewing Co
Mexican, Brewpub, Kid friendly
This restaurant and taproom serves Ravinia Brewing Co’s local craft beer and Mexican cuisine. The menu features over a dozen classic and creative tacos (some have Nashville hot chicken, or hot dogs while others have chicken tinga or barbacoa beef). Burritos, tortas, tostadas, and salads are available too. The kids menu is $5 and includes a quesadilla, a mini burrito, and grilled cheese tacos.
Bucktown:
The Bristol
American, Kid-friendly
The Bristol is a modern American restaurant with Italian influences serving rustic cuisine in a welcoming space. The restaurants offers both an a la carte menu and an eight-course tasting menu. The kid’s menu is $10 and has options like grilled cheese, fish & chips, buttered noodles, and a cheeseburger.
Irazu
Costa Rican, Lunch, Vegetarian
Iraq’s sunny patio is an ideal place for a meal on a summer evening. The menu includes empanadas, tacos, sandwiches, burritos, and the national dish of Costa Rica, Casado. The two most important things to know about Irazu are that it is BYOB and cash only. They don’t have a kid’s menu but it is easy to order a bit extra and share.
Chinatown:
Most of the restaurants in this neighborhood are kid friendly. They might not have kid’s menus, but they have sharable menu items that kids love. We are listing just a few options below.
Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings
Chinese, Asian
A small BYOB restaurant serving artisanal dumplings. The menu includes 40 different dumplings plus Chinese bbq. QXY offers dumpling classes too!
MingHin Cuisine
Chinese, Asian, Dim Sum, Lunch
A chic modern Chinese restaurant that has earning Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. The restaurant offers an extensive menu with over a dozen different chicken, pork, beef, and seafood dishes. MingHin cuisine also has locations in Lakeshore East, South Loop, and Streeterville.
Joy Yee
Asian, Lunch
A restaurant serving a wide variety of Asian cuisine including Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, and Chinese favorites plus Taiwanese bubble teas. Joy Yee serves lunch and dinner daily and has additional locations in Chinatown and Roscoe Village.
Triple Crown
Chinese, Asian, Lunch
A restaurant serving Cantonese and Szechuan cuisine and dim sum. Several lunch specials are offered for $8.95 from 11 am until 3 pm daily and a large dim sum menu lists 60 dishes including items line congee, dumplings, egg rolls, bbq pork buns, and spare ribs. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner every day.
Gold Coast:
Lou Malnati’s
Pizza, Italian
The Gold Coast is known for steakhouses and more formal dining, and there are fewer kid friendly restaurants here. Luckily, Lou Malnati’s has a location here with a kid’s menu that is sure to please with items like chicken nuggets, spaghetti, and a mini burger. Or, share some deep dish or thin crust pizza.
Hyde Park:
Medici on 57th
American, Pizza, Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch
Medici has been in Hyde Park for 60 years. The bakery sells breads, pastries, cookies, and pies while the restaurant serves a mix of American standards like chili, roast beef on rye, Italian subs, burgers, Italian pasta dishes, and both thin curst and pan pizzas. Breakfast sandwiches are available on weekdays and a full brunch menu is served on weekends. They don’t seem to have a separate kid’s menu but the menu has kid friendly foods like grilled cheese, pizza, and sandwiches.
Morry’s Deli
American, Lunch
A deli that has been around for over 50 years and that is known of its corned beef, roast beef, and pastrami sandwiches. The menu focuses on sandwiches and had classic sandwiches, triple decker sandwiches, submarines, plus hot dogs, burgers, soups, and chili. The menu has lots of kid friendly options like hot dogs, sandwiches, and burgers.
Lakeview:
Crosby’s Kitchen
American, Kid-friendly, Lunch
* owned by 4 Star – kid’s eat free from 4 pm – 6 pm
Crosby’s Kitchen has a Midwestern inspired menu with items like burgers and wood fired rotisserie. The space is casual and inviting and the food is consistently great. The weekend brunch is one of the neighborhood’s best.
Frasca Pizzeria + Wine Bar
Italian, Pizza, Kid-friendly
* owned by 4 Star – kid’s eat free from 4 pm – 6 pm
A low-key neighborhood Italian spot with great pizzas, pastas, Italian entrees and a lovely selection of meats and cheeses. The fact that kids eat free in the evening makes this on of the best kid friendly restaurants in Chicago.
The Smoke Daddy
American, Barbecue, Lunch, Kid-friendly
Smoke Daddy is one of Chicago’s best barbecue restaurants. It is known for the ribs and the burnt ends. If you feel like ordering something a little lighter, the Wrightwood salad is excellent.
Tuco and Blondie
Mexican, Kid-friendly
This family-friendly Mexican spot serves lunch, dinner, and brunch and has a menu that focuses on tacos, fajitas, and enchiladas. The kid’s menu here is just $6. Check out their Kid’s Patio Class schedule which includes music classes. (The classes are offered in colder months but at a different location).
Southport Grocery
Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Kid-friendly
An iconic Chicago cafe and market known for its outstanding brunch. The menu includes items like cupcake pancakes, bread pudding pancakes, and a grown up pop tart. From scratch baked goods are available too. Southport Grocery is open from 8 am to 3pm daily and is not open for dinner.
Wilde Bar & Restaurant
American, Irish, Gastropub, Lunch, Kid-friendly
A cozy gastropub with fireplaces and shelves filled with books. The large menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches, and burgers, plus entrees like shepherds pie, fish and chips, chicken curry, and meatloaf.
Lincoln Park:
Summer House Santa Monica
American, Healthy, Lunch, Kid-friendly
It feels like summer all year long in this sunlight restaurant with a rosé cart. The menu highlights lighter California style food with a menu that includes several salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and pastas. Summer House serves weekend brunch, weekday lunch, and dinner nightly.
Mon Ami Gabi
French, Romantic, Kid-friendly
A traditional French restaurant located beside the park, Mon Ami Gabi has an a la carte menu in addition to a prix fixe menu that changes weekly. The menu has several steaks plus mussels, roast chicken, escargot, and beef bourguignon.
Stella Barra
Italian, Pizza, Kid-friendly
Stella Barra shares an entrance with Summer House Santa Monica next door and serves pizza and pasta. The kid’s menu gives children a chance to choose their own pizza toppings. During the weekday happy hour, cocktails are $8 and individual pizzas are $7.95.
Nookies Too
American, Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Kid-friendly
A diner serving a large menu of breakfast and lunch classics. Nookies does not serve dinner. Nookie’s has another location in Old Town.
Parson’s Chicken & Fish
American, Lunch, Kid-friendly
Parson’s is a casual restaurant known for negroni slushies, fried chicken sandwiches, and fried fresh fish. It’s the type of place where you can grab a quick meal, or hang out and sip drinks with friends.
The Fat Shallot
American, Lunch
A casual restaurant serving classic sandwiches, salads, and side that is open for both lunch and dinner. The menu features six perfectly executed sandwiches including a Truffle BLT piled high with bacon and a reuben with house made corned beef. The truffle fries come topped with a creamy truffle sauce and are some of the best fries ever. This restaurant started as a food truck and still operates several food trucks.
Lincoln Square:
Jerry’s Sandwiches
American, Burgers, Lunch, Kid-friendly
Jerry’s specializes in sandwiches and has over three dozen on the menu, plus several burgers. The menu has it all: fried chicken sandwiches, blacked chicken sandwiches, corned beef sandwiches, skirt steak sandwiches, pork belly sandwiches, seafood sandwiches, and vegetarian sandwiches. The menu has soups, salads, and sides too.
The Warbler
American, Kid-friendly, Lunch
The Warbler serves lunch and dinner daily and the menu has flatbreads, sandwiches, pastas, and entrees like pork loin and butternut squash falafel. A family-style supper is available from 4:30 pm – 6 pm on weeknights for $27 a person and includes a selection of five dishes from the dinner menu including a salad, two appetizers, vegetable dishes or a pasta, and a flatbread. Kids under nine-years-old eat free.
Logan Square:
Lula Cafe
American, Breakfast, Lunch, Vegetarian
A favorite restaurant in Logan Square among locals and the chef community, Lula Cafe has been serving farm to table cuisine for over twenty years. The restaurant takes pride in serving adventurous food for vegetarians plus meat and fish from sustainable sources. In addition to dinner, Lula Cafe serves breakfast and lunch. The menu has plates like braised lamb with turnip, rosemary, green strawberry, and first spring watercress. A current vegetarian offering is winter squash agnolotti with three sisters pecans, parmesan, and tomato butter. In 2022, Lula Cafe received a James Beard Award nomination. For children, kid friendly menu items are available and crayons and coloring sheets are available.
Mini Mott
Burgers, Lunch
A sister restaurant to Mott Street in Wicker Park that is devoted to their acclaimed burger. The “Original Mott Burger” is available as a single or double patty. The menu also has a few more burger options, including a jackfruit burger, some sandwiches, sides, and a few types of fries. Several items on the menu are perfect for kids. For $6 you can get either a single patty cheese burger or a hot dog. Or for $7 you can order katsu chicken tenders.
Chicago Diner
Vegetarian/Vegan, Kid-friendly, Lunch
This diner has been meat free since ’83 and is loved by both vegetarian and meat-eaters. It’s known for things like the radical reuben, vegan milkshakes, veggie burgers, brunch, and cakes.
Park & Field
American, Gastropub, Kid-friendly
Park & Field is known for their 6,000 square foot patio which has fire pits and bocce courts. The indoor space has a vintage sports club theme. On weekends, the restaurant hosts a bottomless boozy brunch for $45 a person. The menu is casual American bar food like chili, pretzels with cheese, buffalo chicken nuggets, burgers, and sandwiches.
The Loop:
The Berghoff
German, American, Lunch
One of the oldest restaurants in Chicago, The Berghoff opened in 1898 and serves traditional German and contemporary American cuisine. The large menu features Wiener schnitzel, spatzleknodel, and sausages plus a variety of sandwiches and appetizers. The kid’s menu has crowd pleasers like chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, burgers, and roasted turkey with mashed potatoes.
Russian Tea Time
Russian, Lunch, Kid-friendly
Russian Tea Time serves lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner Tuesdays through Sundays plus weekend brunch. The tea service is available all day and ranges in price from $36 to $56. The lunch and dinner menu focuses on traditional Russian cuisine and has the option of family style platters for two.
Pilsen:
La Esperanza
Mexican, Breakfast, Lunch, Vegan/Vegetarian, Kid-friendly
A traditional and affordable Mexican restaurant known for their mole. The menu is huge and even has an entire plant-based section offering plant-based meats. La Esperanza serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Fridays to Sundays, is closed Tuesdays, and serves breakfast and lunch the rest of the week.
Old Town:
Nookies
Brunch/Breakfast, Lunch, Kid-Friendly
A casual BYOB diner that serves breakfast and lunch. Their large menu has something for everyone. It’s a great place for a quick meal.
Ravenswood:
Root’s Pizza
Pizza, Kid-friendly
Roots serves up Quad Cities style pizza, and has four locations in Chicago. Roots often collaborates with other restaurants to bring things like Korean Fried Chicken Pizza and Butter Chicken Pizza to the menu. They have a long list of salad options too.
The Bad Apple
American, Gastropub, Burgers, Kid-friendly
A relaxed gastropub known for beer and burgers. The menu has fourteen burgers plus starters like fried cheese curds, nachos, and poutine. If burgers aren’t your thing, there are some salads and sandwiches on the menu.
River North:
Quartino
Italian, Lunch, Late Night, Kid-friendly
You can’t go wrong with Quartino. This small plates Italian restaurant has an affordable menu with something for everyone and a fun lively atmosphere. Quartino was doing small plates before everyone else and it works so well with Italian cuisine – you get to try everything you want without over ordering. When it comes to wine, Quartino has a huge wine list and sell wine by the quarter liter, half liter, liter, and bottle. Quartino is open from 11 am until 1 am every day – it tends to be busy at dinner so make a reservation. The best part: the Italian food is some of the best in Chicago.
Eataly
Italian, Lunch
Eataly is an Italian marketplace with multiple dining options including sit down restaurants and fast-casual food counters with seating areas. La Pizza & La Pasta is a restaurant on the second floor serving Napoli-style pizza and pasta. On the first floor you can find grab and go food items, pizza by the slice, and a pasta bar. Currently, on Sundays La Pizza & La Pasta is offering pizzas made in bunny, butterfly, and fish shapes cementing Eataly’s place as one of the best kid friendly restaurants in Chicago.
Rogers Park:
The Owl and the Peacock
Lunch, Kid-friendly
A new lunch spot that serves salads, sandwiches, and quinoa bowls. It’s lunch only – the restaurant is not open for dinner.
Honeybear Cafe
Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Kid-friendly
A diner serving breakfast and lunch (not dinner) every day from 8 am until 2:30 pm. A large breakfast menu offers scrambles, skillets, pancakes, benedicts, waffles, French toast, and several indulgent types of pancakes. The lunch menu has burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal.
Roscoe Village:
The Reveler
American, Gastropub, Lunch, Kid-friendly
A family-friendly sports bar with over 60 beers on tap and a menu of casual bar food like wings, nachos, burgers, pizza, and sandwiches. The 100-person patio has flatscreen televisions and is dog friendly.
Commonwealth Tavern
American, Gastropub, Lunch, Kid-friendly
An upscale sports bar and home base for Dallas Cowboys and Notre Dame football and Marquette basketball that serves a large menu of American fare. The menu has lots of bar snacks like wings, nachos, guacamole, cheese curds, and hummus. Beyond snacks, the menu has salads, sandwiches, tacos, and burgers. Lunch is served on weekdays, brunch is available on weekends, and dinner is served nightly. The large kid’s menu will please even the pickiest eaters.
Lucy’s Cafe
Vegan/Vegetarian, American, Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Kid-friendly
A family-owned restaurant serving vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free meals. The menu has vegetable based dishes, egg dishes, and meals using tofu and soy-based meats. Veggie burgers, impossible burgers, and veggie chicken burgers are available. If you aren’t vegan or vegetarian, you might not even notice that this cafe is! The large menu has a big selection of omelets, flatbreads, French toasts, pancakes, waffles, salads, and wraps – there is something for everyone. Lucy’s Cafe does not serve dinner.
Kitsch’n on Roscoe
American, Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Kid-friendly
A colorful funky spot with a 1970s vibe that is known for their brunch which is served daily. The menu has brunch items like chilaquiles, French toast, breakfast tacos, and chicken and waffles plus lunchtime fare like sandwiches and salads. Kitsch’n does not serve dinner.
The Region
American, Burgers, Lunch, Kid-friendly
The Region specializes in Indiana-style griddled burgers. An Indiana style burger is a smashburger that is crispy around the edges and juicy on the inside. Each burger is formed by hand and topped with a mayo-based secret sauce. In addition to six burgers, the menu has all beef hot dogs, a few sandwiches, a variety of fries, onion rings, and fried pickles. Lunch and dinner is served Wednesdays through Mondays.
South Loop:
Half Sour
American, Kid-friendly, Lunch
A casual restaurant serving bagels, soups, salads, sandwiches, and a few entrees. Lunch and dinner is served daily, brunch is also served on weekends. Check Half Sour’s instagram to see specials that include creative dishes like macaroni and cheese sandwiches.
Taco Maya
Mexican, Lunch, Vegetarian, Kid-friendly
A restaurants serving tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, tortas, and margaritas in a casual environment. The menu includes a good number of vegetarian options.
Aurelio’s Pizza
Pizza, Italian, Lunch, Kid-friendly
Aurelio’s has several Illinois locations and has been serving pizza and other Italian classics since 1959. Both thin crust and stuffed pizzas are available with the option to order from the menu or create your own.
Eleven City Diner
American, Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Kid-friendly
Breakfast is served all day at this diner, and the menu has all the classic egg dishes and omelettes, plus pancakes, waffles, and French toast. Eleven City Diner also serves sandwiches piled high with deli meat.
Flo & Santos
Italian, Polish, Lunch, Kid-friendly
Flo & Santos serves a mix of classic Italian and Polish cuisine and American pub food. This spot is known for being the place to get pizza and pierogi. A large patio is open during the warm months.
Streeterville:
Egg Harbor Cafe
Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Kid-friendly
This suburban favorite has its only Chicago location in the heart of Streeterville. Egg Harbor Cafe has a large menu with Benedicts, pancakes, French toasts, and omelettes plus lunch fare like soups, salads, and sandwiches. They offer full gluten-free menus and kids menus too.
Pinstripes
Italian, American, Lunch, Kid-friendly
Pinstripes is a restaurant with bowling and bocce. The menu has a mix of American and Italian cuisine of options including salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and pastas. Pinstripes serves brunch on weekends, lunch on weekdays, and dinner every day.
Offshore Rooftop & Bar
American, Kid-friendly
Offshore has the largest rooftop deck in the country, making it the perfect place to dine on a sunny day while enjoying panoramic views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. In addition to the outside space, there is plenty of room inside so the space can be enjoyed during all seasons. Offshore is open for dinner Friday through Sunday and small brunch menu is served on Saturday and Sunday with the option for bottomless mimosas. The rooftop has an entertainment and game area plus several fire pits. Note: Offshore is 21+ after 9 pm, but they have a kid’s menu available before then.
West Loop:
Beatrix
American, Healthy, Pastries, Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Kid-friendly
Beatrix is a restaurant and market in the Fulton Market District. The market has grab and go options while the sit down restaurant serves breakfast and lunch on weekdays, brunch on weekends, and dinner sever days a week. The menu has a little of everything: chicken enchiladas, miso glazed salmon, meatloaf, and a mushroom quinoa burger. A gluten-free menu and a kid’s menu are available.
Formento’s
Italian, Kid-friendly
Formento’s was inspired by the red sauce joints of the 1950s. The menu has meaty entrees like pork chops, whole grilled branzino, and chicken parmesan. The pasta menu includes bucatini carbonara, canestri with pork neck gravy, and tortelloni with black truffle ricotta. They have a kids menu too.
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken
American, Lunch, Kid-friendly
A casual chain out of Tennessee that serves fried chicken and sides, plus fried pickles, green tomatoes, and okra.
West Town:
Fry the Coop
American, Lunch, Kid-friendly
The menu here keeps it simple: you have the choice of four different fried chicken sandwiches or chicken tenders. Six heat levels range from no heat to lil’ insanity. Sides include three types of fries that are double fried, plus mac and cheese, potato salad, and coleslaw.
Wicker Park:
The Perch
American, Kid-Friendly
* owned by 4 Star – kid’s eat free from 4 pm – 6 pm
The Perch is a large brewery/restaurant with a menu with a nice mix of salads, sandwiches, and meaty mains, and one of the best kid friendly restaurants in Chicago. The restaurant has a kid’s menu that is free every day from 4 pm -6 pm. Their weekend brunch starts at 9 am, which is much earlier than most restaurants in the area, and their cheesy hash brown casserole is incredible. At dinner, the burger, the beer braised short rib, and the rotisserie chicken have won us over.
Smoke Daddy
American, Barbecue, Lunch, Kid-friendly
See full description under Lakeview.
MAK (Modern Asian Kitchen)
Asian, Chinese, Vegetarian/Vegan, Kid-friendly
A modern Asian restaurant committed to using high quality ingredients and offering vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. Their Awesome Broccoli Chicken and the Korean Fried Chicken “Wangs” are menu staples. MAK’s food is flavorful without being heavy or greasy.
Urban Belly
Asian
Bill Kim’s Asian fusion restaurant serves up ramen, pho, bao buns, and bowls with your choice of protein (tofu and pea shoots, lemongrass chicken, katsu fried chicken, pork and pineapple, shrimp, Korean bbq beef) over fried rice, udon noodles, or rice and veggies. The kid’s menu has chicken and rice, noodle soup, and chicken bao. Many of the items on the main menu are easy to share with kids, like dumplings and bao buns.
Parlor Pizza
Pizza, Kid-friendly
One of three locations in Chicago, Parlor is a large pizzeria/bar with lots of outdoor space. The pizzas are all 12 inches and the menu has a mix of classics and creative options. On weekends they also serve brunch. Their Wicker Park location is their family friendly location.