VIBE: Cowboy chic with western themed art and modern touches a la Andy Warhol throughout the dining room — in other words, very cool. A thriving local bar scene is here, but not in your face, separated rather well from the dining room proper.
WHY IT’S TOT-FRIENDLY: Ranch Fries, Starch of the Day (gotta love that level of devotion to the humble masher) and appetizers such as the Jalapeno Shrimp or the Classic Tortilla Soup can serve double duty as an eye-opening entrée for the little ones, dispelling the belief that “adult cuisine” cannot be enjoyed by those of us who may still be on training wheels.
BE SURE TO TRY: Of course you cannot go to Michaels and not try the crab cakes — it just isn’t done. You have to eat them; skipping them would be like going to Paris and skipping the Eiffel Tower. Of course, once you’ve fulfilled your civic duty, you should give the Orange Jalapeno Quail and the Ranch Lamb Chops a spin -– and as I have always stated, there isn’t a kid alive who doesn’t get a kick out eating quail. It's something about the little legs and bones that just cracks them up …
GOOD TO KNOW: Call ahead to see if there are any wine dinners planned. While these are heavenly for parents, a coursed and wordy wine dinner equals slow death to a kid. Reservations recommended.
BEST TIME TO GO WITH KIDS: The bar crowd is pretty tame early on but can get crazy later on, so early dinner is probably the best option for those with their young in tow. Lunches are great here as well, though like most restaurants, they close down by 2:30pm. Watch your timing.
Updated on 2/28/13
