Kid-friendly restaurants making dining out fun.
We asked. Richmond parents told us!
Below is the list of Richmond kid-friendly restaurants you told us you love with the reasons why. Congrats to Alexis Fisher-Rizk who won a $100 gift certificate to Joe’s Inn in the fan!
Feel free to post your additions here to share with other Richmond parents.
Angelo’s Italian Pizza & Restaurant in Midlothian
The owner’s whole family is there running the place. Every time we go they are ready with crayons for the boys and after dinner the boys get to see a salt water fish tank full of colorful fish. They have an amazing kid menu and always make my family feel like part of their’s .
I love them because they’re the only place (in Richmond and as a chain) that serves Kraft Mac and Cheese…which is the only type acceptable to my youngest daughter. LOL! But aside from that, they have a great menu for kids, including healthy options. Plus, my kids love the ice cream for dessert.
Great food for adults and children. Good location, you can walk around short pump mall before or after dinner.
It’s noisy enough to drown out any sound kids make, they are equipped for and welcome children during the hours children are normally awake, and it’s not a chain!
We love this place for dining out with our kids!Casa Grande at Short Pump, off of Pump Rd. They have chips and salsa for the kids to eat while waiting for the main dish.The service is always fast.Fast serviceFriendly serversCheapGreat tasting foodcan accomodate large parties.
Chick fil a Richmond locations
There are so many reasons to love Chick-Fil-a. They have Tuesday night free kids’ meals. They have great play areas with a clear glass wall so parents can see in. The play areas are safe and the cleanest of any of the fast food restaurants. Our kids love the ‘extras’ like the cow when he makes an appearance, the balloons, and educational ‘toys’ in the kids meals. They always have the ‘toddler toys’ available as an alternative for younger children. If our meal is in any way late, they give us a coupon for a free item at a later visit. It is the perfect place that we can take our children after a long day’s work when we don’t have a meal planned at home where both parents and children can have a nice meal and have fun.
Chuck E. Cheese Restaurant Richmond locations
My family loves Chuck E. Cheese, we have an 8 year old granddaughter and a 4 year grandson, they both love to play video games and the rides and the menu has both pizzas and salad bar for people that don’t want pizza, there is one near our house as well as one near my daugher’s house, everyone has fun and gets to spend time together.
I love taking our 4 kids to El Toro Loco because they always give a table in the back, where my kids are free to be kids and less likely to disturb other diners. The kids love the chips and salsa. They have no problem with our children sharing plates of food. The service is fast and friendly. We can dine there with our family of 6 and spend right around $40 including tip, so it is very economical for us.
Firebirds Richmond
I love Firebirds because the service is great, the food is great and best of all, it’s loud! No one notices my kids at that noise level. But I still get a grown up meal.
Firebirds Richmond
Now, when you say “Firebirds” the last thing most people think of is “kid-friendly.” But I beg to differ. I rate a restaurant as kid-friendly based on the kids menu. First, do they even have one? If they don’t, that’s bad right off the bat. Because then I have to ask if they have anything for children or I have to figure out something I can eat that my 5 year old will also like.Second, are the prices reasonable? Kids don’t eat much (and don’t need fancy) so why pay $10 for chicken nuggets and french fries that will end up only half-eaten? Firebirds has reasonable prices.Third, do they have a good selection and are they somewhat healthy choices (see above re: chicken nuggets and french fries). Even Firebirds’ chicken strips look and taste good! The choices of sides mean that I can create a healthy meal for my child. Plus the Oreos at the end are an added bonus for my Oreo-loving child.And Firebirds is a restaurant where the food is great for mommy and daddy too!!
TVs everywhere so the kids always have something to look at; video arcade in the back of restaurant; memorabilia on the walls; basketballs and goals hanging from the ceiling. The servers are friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed. My 5 year old always picks it as the place he wants to go. Even took Mommy on a date there once. 
Friendly wait staff and family-oriented owners. Supports the community and families in need and has age appropriate food and seating area. Inexpensive and non smoking and not many alcohol signs around.
Islamorada Fish Company (Bass Pro Shops)
Islamorada Fish Company is such an awesome place to eat! They have wonderful food, friendly staff, and a great atmosphere. My kids love the giant fish tank at the bar and all of the amazing fish/ocean decor hanging from the walls and ceiling. They even have a super cute tackle box that you can purchase with your kids meal! And, when you’re all full and happy, you can go shopping and have a blast inside the Bass Pro Shops!! What kid doesn’t love their fun shooting range, bow and arrows, fish pond, and other seasonal activities? It’s like a field trip that’s close to home! The restaurant at the Bass Pro Shop. The eel in the aquarium and everything to see and do before or after dinner.
Great easy place to dine with kids. Love the muffins on the salad bar and the frozen yogurt always encourages the kids to finish their meal for the sweet dessert!!!
Lots of healthy choices, convenient locations, fast service, and…ICE CREAM!
The food is healthy and my girls still love the taste! Plus the free soft serve is wonderful!
Ample seating so we have not had to wait for a table. The best thing? They have some toys and books to entertain little ones while we wait for our food.
I love that they bring my meal quickly, that I can get breakfast anytime, that they have a kid’s menu, and that it’s loud enough that my son’s squeaky little voice blends in with the noise.
Johnny Rockets Richmond location
I love everything about this restaurant. The staff is super friendly. They draw faces for the kids with their ketchup. There is great 50s music playing that the waitstaff even dances and plays air guitar to. The kids love that the jukebox is .05. They love the decortations and that there is a crane game that lets you play until you win. Also, the food is great especially all the different milkshakes. We all have a great time and don’t feel worried that kids want to be kids there.
Johnny Rockets Richmond location
My girls love the food and the milkshakes! They also love the waiters dancing!
Johnny Rockets Richmond location
Fun for the whole family……dancing by the waiters and waitresses….it is FUN FUN FUN.
Johnny Rockets Richmond location
Great menu, great energy, very kid-friendly servers, the kids love the music and dancing. Locations on both sides of the river make it accessible to all. The prices are extremely reasonable, every Tuesday night kids eat free with an adult meal, and there’s nice choices for the kids.
My kids love to be entertained by the chef cooking at the table right infront of us. It allows my husband and I to actually eat our food without having to entertain teh kids ourselves. The food is always great adn our four year old loves to use the kids chopsticks.
Great food selections, laid back atmosphere, kids can be loud and won’t disturb others! Fun for kids and parents too!
Service is great, food comes fast and is good, and there are little activities on the table to keep kids busy before dinner.
It’s super fast! And, free chips and salsa keep my three year old entertained while we wait for our food. I have three kids under age three, so we don’t go out much, but when we do, it’s usually to Mexico!
Lots of menu choices, big space, multiple locations, colorful!
I honestly have not been to the Mimi’s in Short Pump yet, but I went to one inNew Mexico. That one was great. They gave the kids a plate of food to munch on while waiting to order and for food. They won me over with that. I do hope that the one here does the same thing and look forward to checking it out.
I generally eschew the “chain” restaurant but since having a small one have come to find that Mimi’s Cafe is a cut above the others. We recently went there with a cranky, hungry 2 year old in tow. I asked if we could order his food with our drink order, explaining that we were late in feeding him. The waiter gave him crayons and coloring sheets then came back with mandarin oranges, cheerios, assorted melon and berries and several packages of crackers to tide him over. We also received his food very quickly and the waiter brought out a small bowl he had chilled so we could quickly cool some of our son’s food. Now that is good service! Combine that with good food, great variety and decent prices and I am sold!
Mimi’s is great for kids! They not only provide crayons and a coloring and activity sheet, but healthy kid-friendly options! The kid cups have jokes on them, the food is fast in coming to the table. Once, when dining with a baby, our server brought out cheerios in a little cup soon after we were seated! If I share a meal with my little ones, most servers still bring them the dessert “dirt” cup, complete with gummy worms! The staff is always friendly, we’re seated right away. The atmosphere is comfortable and not-to-quiet, so you don’t have to worry about the kids talking loudly! And last, but not least, are my daughter’s favorite, the Mimi Mouse pancakes, available all day!
Well, they always welcome you with a yell, “Welcome to Moes!” Every kid loves to yell indoors….They make eating veggies and meat fun for kids! My kids looove their cheese sauce!
The service is fast, which is a plus when you have little ones who get antsy staying still for too long. The food is always fresh and delicious. They always find a great spot for us so we and our two infant car seats are out of the way of hot food in servers’ hands.
They don’t try to sit us away from other people.Service is fast.
I love the fun, healthy food choices for little ones at Outback. When there is a long wait, they offer a snack to your child — usually animal crackers, which I usually just stash away for his dessert.Also, I love that it is fairly loud, so my little hollering 2 year old blends right in with the noise!
We like to sit outside and the kids love their healthy smoothies. They have an healthy menu for all too.
One of my children’s favorites. Lots to look at and games to keep the kids entertained before the food arrives. We had my son’s t-ball end of the season party there this past summer and the kids had a ball. The staff was great!
It is very kid friendly, the staff, atmosphere and items are the menu. We enjoy going when we can and the kids love it. Just getting the ballons before we leave puts a smile on their face
My kids love the decor. They play kid friendly music. We love the tower of onion rings. My kids love the smoothies and the burgers & fries are tasty. My kids always do a good job eating there which doesn’t always happen;) Excellent service. And video games in the front. Overall fun atmosphere!
It’s always kinda loud, so not many people freak when my son does. Plus, there are TVs for them to watch, games to play, and occasionally a Red Robin walks around. My kids love the menu, and eat broccoli with their dinner. Service is always great, and the food is usually pretty quick (very important considering my kids don’t sit still for long!).
It is kid-friendly, loud so my kid’s noises don’t bother others who are eating. They have good food and lots of options. They also offer healthy items for the children, not just burgers and fries.
I love the ambiance, the food, and the cool drinks they have for kids and adults. My son loves the free balloons too.
Red Robin is the best kid-friendly restaurant because for one price your child gets to enjoy either a burger, chicken or pizza of their choice and all the fries and drink they can muster!! If you wanna talk about the most bang for your buck, well here it is!! This is good for every gender, age, ethnicity, and creed. I love this restaurant. Very laid back atmosphere and if your kid is having a bad day and you are a bit embarrassed, you don’t have to be here because no one looks at you funny. The Red Robin bird even goes around and greets you and if you wanna take a picture with him, thats all good too.
Great food for parents and kids. Great place
Red Robin (esp. at Chesterfield Towne Center)
The staff is so friendly and nice to my kids, talking and playing with them. There are always many families and kids present, and birthday parties going on. Everyone always seems like they are having a good time! They have a nice rewards program where you get a free burger on your b-day (adults) and free kids meal if you are younger. And even though you get a free entree on your b-day, they still bring you a free sundae as well. Overall, they are friendly, fun, and have good food:)
Red Robin (esp. at Chesterfield Towne Center)
love the fries and quick service-great choice for taking out our Richmond family.
The staff are amazing! We had my son’s 5th birthday party there last December and everyone there was helpful, polite, upbeat and awesome.
We love Ruby Tuesdays because my son eats everything we give him there. He adores the cheddar biscuits, salad bar, and the entrees. They are always quick to seat us and very quick to serve us food so it’s great for parents with a hungry toddler!
I named Sakura but I think any Japanese Hibachi place is a great place for kids. When my parents wanted to take me to dinner for my birthday, I knew they really wanted to take my son (3+) out and just have me along for the ride. I know their priorities. It’s the grand kid. It’s cool. But taking kiddo anywhere that I would have loved would have been a nightmare. A Japanese Hibachi steakhouse was the only place I could think of where the sushi and food (and cocktails) would be a treat for me and there would be entertainment for kiddo. Not sure if that’s what you were looking for. But it’s the truth. And I know it’s not cheap and not fast. But it was the only dinner I have had out without a meltdown in a long time. He was as captivated by the flaming onion volcano as I was with my martini. Win-Win.
Kids eat free on the buffet and get a balloon and a sucker! It’s not gourmet but it’ll do.
We love the Silver Diner. You can get breakfast all day long and the kids love to play with the jukebox. We order yogurt parfaits and fresh fruit and let the kids nibble on that while we wait for our food. They can color and keep themselves busy too. There is rarely a long wait and the staff is very friendly. We always leave there happy.
My son loves the jukeboxes on the table and the cars that hold his kids meals. We love that they use local ingredients and have a lot of healthy options!
We take our son who loves to people watch! Between the crowds (waiting avoided with call ahead seating) and the staff line dancing no need to take other toys. We love the food too! Makes us all happy!
I love this restaurant because it’s friendly to kids. They offer a variety of foods that kids love to eat example: burgers, fries, and chicken. We love to eat at Tripp’s their service is excellent and the food is hot. The waiters and waitresses are constantly asking if everything is o.k. and if you would like a refill on your drink. Great customer service.
