VIBE: When the natives are getting a little restless from carting all of those shopping bags around Grapevine Mills, duck into Rainforest Café for a respite from the shopping frenzy. Touted as “a wild place to eat and shop,” the Rainforest Café lives up to its name as a themed eatery where a little monkey business is perfectly normal! The jungle-themed décor transports diners to the wilds of the deepest jungles with swinging vines, lush vegetation and plenty of animated wild creatures to keep the kids company.
WHY IT'S TOT-FRIENDLY: Rainforest Café is a children’s paradise. Who wouldn’t want to dine with lions, tigers and bears – oh, my!? If a trip to either coast for a trek to Disney isn’t in the immediate plans, lunch or dinner at The Rainforest may be the next best thing. The restaurant offers dishes that appeal to parents and children, including seafood, chicken and beef, as well as pizza, pastas, salads. Two of our favorite dishes: the Caribbean coconut shrimp, served with a tasty mango sauce; and the Tuscan chicken -– a marinated chicken breast with cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, accompanied by honey Dijon mustard sauce. Children ages 12 and under have plenty to choose from on the kids' menu, featuring standards like Castaway Pizza, Python Pasta and macaroni and cheese. On a recent outing, our kid testers tried out the dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets and mini turkey wrap, giving both a “thumbs up.”
BE SURE TO TRY: A visit to Rainforest isn’t complete without sampling a dessert or two. Popular kid desserts include the Lava Mud, chocolate pudding topped with crushed cookies and gummy worms and the Safari Sundae – – vanilla ice cream with caramel and chocolate sauce. One of the café’s most popular desserts is the restaurant’s trademark Sparkling Volcano. The specialty dessert features a large brownie cake filled with ice cream and whipped cream and topped with caramel and hot fudge. The volcano is served with lit sparklers to light up any festive occasion. Priced at $12.99, The Volcano can serve from four to six people.
GOOD TO KNOW: The Rainforest Café also hosts birthday parties. The Wild Bunch Bash includes a special birthday bash menu, birthday dessert, treasure map and crayons, a souvenir Wild Bunch cup and photo keepsake, and birthday bash invitations.
BEST TIMES TO GO WITH KIDS: Expect busy times on weekends and longer waits during peak lunch and dinner rushes. Weekday lunches are less crowded, ideal if you’re looking for a wild Wednesday outing or a mid-week treat for your wild bunch. During the busy holiday shopping season, reservations are recommended, so if you know you’re headed to the mall to check off Santa’s list, call ahead and make reservations for lunch for dinner. Also, if you’re planning a mall trek, head to the restaurant first thing and get a reservation for a designated lunch time. Work up an appetite and head back to The Rainforest Café for a well-deserved lunch or dinner after ferreting out all of those bargains!
Updated on 2/14/13
