About our reviews

Reviewing dining with a baby is different than writing a standard food review. And while we eat out frequently, have for years, and have experienced and varied palates, we aren't professional food critics. We aren't professional parents, either, but we are making a go at it. There are a few different aspects of eating out with baby which have become important to us, and these are some of the criteria we will use to review a restaurant.

We also want to point out that we don't tend to go to "child friendly" places like your typical chain, or anywhere there are crayons and place mats. We tend to frequent a variety of types of restaurants, but mainly they are either ethnic restaurants, "trendy" city restaurants / fine dining restaurants, or places for convenience since we live in PG County and there are limited options here.

Some of the things we are looking for in our reviews:

FOOD: If the food isn't good, then well, there's no point. There may be parents who will forgo a tasty meal for a place where their kids can get the food they like the best, but at this point, this isn't us.

NOISE: We're on the other side of the fence from Tom Sietsema in that we are looking for places with higher decibels. We now see why parents love 2 Amys since it's so loud in there every child realizes that there is no point in crying or screaming since no one will hear them anyways. A restaurant with a nice buzz gives you a bit more wiggle room with a noisy baby.

WELCOME VIBE: Does the hostess look at you like you are bringing a KFC bucket into their restaurant when you walk in with your baby? The way the staff treats you with a baby can make a big difference, and this starts at the door.

SEATING: Have you ever tried nursing or playing with a baby in a tight booth, the little ones head banging against the table? That said, a booth has more privacy, and chairs can be tricky for nursing. A variety of seating is a plus.

POTTY: I don't need a changing table, they are more of a "bonus", but I do need a shred of clean floor or counter to change the kid on. Bonus points for changing areas in the daddy's bathroom spaces.

HOURS: Alexander loves brunch, and appreciates a restaurant who can serve a fine meal before the possibly more difficult and tenuous nighttime hours.

BABY SIGHTINGS: As I mentioned, we don't tend to go to typical baby restaurants, so to see other parents and happy babies can be comforting. They are at least worth a mention.

LIGHTING: And other enticing things to stare at are plusses in the baby category. I know that no one designs a restaurant to entertain a baby, but restaurants which are completely bland and unintereting seem to bore them. A variety of lights, contrasts, colors, and the ever delightful ceiling fan all get a few extra mentions.