Vegging on the Mountain

Menu
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Food Events & Restaurants
  • Cooking with Kids
  • Gadgets, Products & Services
  • Contact

Kid-Friendly Restaurants at the Jersey Shore

August 7, 2014 By Marci Lutsky 8 Comments

When our kids were babies, eating out was pretty easy. They stayed in their infant seats, slept most of the time and didn’t throw food. Almost every Friday night we took them to our favorite restaurant, TJ’s (we were still living in Malvern, PA at the time). Sometime around the age of one and half, we banned eating out with them. It was just an awful experience. It was nearly impossible to get through a meal without a floor covered in food, screaming kids who needed to be walked around the restaurant and plates of untouched food. Our twins are now four and while we still breathe a sigh of relief when we have successfully completed a meal in a restaurant, it has gotten a lot easier. It’s helpful to identify kid-friendly restaurants and here is a round-up of our favorites around the shore. We are a cost-effective family so we often try to visit a restaurant that is included in the perks of our American Express Gold card. The $10 statement credits can make it so much more affordable for a young family like ourselves. Find out more here if this of interest to you.

bocca

Bocca (year-round)

Bocca in Margate tops the list for so many reasons. My mama friends and I like to go to storytime at the Margate library and we frequently go to Bocca afterwards for lunch. Yesterday we walked in with 12 kids (including 4 set of twins) and they welcomed us warmly. The owner, Lou, is so nice and goes above and beyond to make us comfortable. Usually they give the kids pizza dough to play with but yesterday he actually let each kid go behind the counter to help make pizza (photo above). Besides being accommodating to the kiddie crowd, the food is fantastic and they offer more than just pizza. Their entrees are delicious and they serve alcohol, which is always a bonus in my book.

El Coyote (year-round)

El Coyote in Egg Harbor Township is a favorite of ours and not just because the guacamole is so good. The food is fantastic, it’s extremely reasonable and they take reservations. Mary, the owner, is so sweet and always present overseeing the operation. The kids love the fajitas and eat well when we go there. The portions are huge and we usually end up taking home a good amount of leftovers.

Venturas (year-round)

Ventura’s Offshore in Northfield is always a winner with the kids. My son’s favorite part of going there is the self-serve popcorn which he likes to snack on while waiting for a table or for our food. They give crayons to the little ones and have a kids menu. They offer nice appetizer specials if you go from 4-6 pm, which we tend to do, and overall the food is always good.

Jon and Patty’s (year-round)

Jon and Patty’s in Ocean City is one of our favorite lunch spots. They are so sweet to the kids and always offer them crayons. The food is extremely fresh and innovative. In some ways it reminds me of the food you would find at a country inn- delicious pancakes, quiches, salads and sandwiches. I’ve heard that they have a killer homemade veggie burger, but it’s only offered as a special sometimes and of course never when I’m there. This place gets really crowded in summer as it’s right on Asbury Avenue but worth a visit.

Margate Dairy Bar & Burger (seasonal)

Margate Dairy Bar has been around for decades, but they recently added a burger bar to the mix. This is one of the only places at the Jersey shore that makes their own veggie burger (what a novel idea to not heat up a frozen patty) and it’s delicious, made of lentils and quinoa. You can sit outside or inside and on most Sunday nights in the summer they have an entertainer, Chad Juros, making balloons for the kids. When everyone has gotten their fill of food, you can hop next door for ice cream.

Dairy Bar

Clam Bar (seasonal)

I’m not sure how it’s possible that I’ve been coming to the Jersey shore my whole life and only recently discovered the Clam Bar in Somers Point. This is a great place to take the kids because not only is the food delicious, it’s an anything goes kind of place. It’s noisy so even if your kids are loud, no one will really notice. The clam chowder and mahi fingers are favorites of my little ones. The lines here are super long so I wouldn’t take a hungry kid here without snacks or coloring books. Get there early and even if you do have to wait, the kids will love checking out the boats on the dock outside.

Clam Bar

Honorable mention goes to Chido Burrito in Northfield for always being fresh even though it’s fast food. On Sundays kids meals are $1.99 which is a great bargain, especially with multiples. Hula Restaurant on the Ocean City Boardwalk is also a winner because the seafood is fresh and delicious. If you are doing the Ocean City rides with your family, it’s nice to have real food (not that funnel cake isn’t real food).

There you have it, my round-up of kid-freindly restaurants at the shore. If you are a local or a shoobie (not familiar with term, see definition here) I hope this is helpful next time you are planning to eat out with little ones. I would love to hear about your favorite spots for eating out with kids at the shore too!

If you like this post, you should also read about the Best Coffee Shops at the Shore.

signature

Filed Under: Food Events & Restaurants, Uncategorized

« Broccoli Kale Meatless Meatballs
Cedar Plank Salmon »

Comments

  1. Julia says

    August 11, 2014 at 12:16

    I love all these places. We haven't done the Bashful Banana yet, hopefully before the summer is over.
    Reply
  2. Jenn says

    October 13, 2014 at 15:37

    We llove the Harbor View Deck in Cape May. They have hula hoops out for the kids on stage and in additional to their regular menu (and kids menu) they have a sushi chef. It's also dog friendly!
    Reply
    • Marci Lutsky says

      October 13, 2014 at 15:57

      That sounds like a great place Jenn! I will check out next time I'm in Cape May with the kids.
      Reply
  3. Jessica @eatsleepbe says

    August 4, 2015 at 17:57

    Totally bookmarking this post and will be sure to hit Bocca the next time we're in Margate!
    Reply
  4. Barbara Hoyer says

    August 4, 2015 at 18:20

    I'm bookmarking this, too. Great list!
    Reply
  5. Jody Corcoran says

    August 5, 2015 at 13:30

    Sunday nights at Maynard's (outside) in Margate is GREAT, too! LIve music and all the kiddos dance in front of the band while the parents relax. Service is a little slow, but the kids are entertained, and entertaining!
    Reply
    • Marci Lutsky says

      August 5, 2015 at 13:48

      Good to know Jody, will check it out!
      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Exchange in Galloway, NJ - Vegging at the Shore says:
    February 24, 2016 at 15:50
    […] Coyote will open at The Exchange this week.  El Coyote made my list of best kid-friendly restaurants at the shore a couple years ago.  Mary, the owner, is so friendly and welcoming.  The food there is great, […]
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Thank you for stopping by Vegging on the Mountain! My name is Marci and I live in the beautiful Green Mountain State of Vermont with my husband, 9 year-old twins and sweet dog.

Here you will find family-friendly recipes featuring whole ingredients. Thanks for stopping by!
Learn more →

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

Newsletter

Subscribe to Vegging at the Shore!

Gingerbread French Toast

Artichoke Crostini with Stella Cheese

Quinoa, Squash and Bean Soup

Hello

Thank you for stopping by Vegging on the Mountain! My name is Marci and I live in the Green Mountain Sate of Vermont.
Learn more →

Popular Posts

Copyright © 2021 Vegging at the Shore | Design by Tech·mom·o·gy Designs™.