Kids Eat Free at Perkins

We took a road trip to northern Minnesota last weekend to see family. 350 miles provides lots of opportunities to get hungry. We discovered that just about every Perkins restaurant has at least one, if not two, days a week with times when kids eat free with an adult meal between Madison, WI and Duluth, MN. A google search for "Kids eat free at Perkins" shows that it's most Perkins across the country. The Perkins web site doesn't have the times for any of the franchises so you have to call or drive past your local Perkins, but some restaurants have "kids eat free" days during the weekend.

Kids eat free between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Tuesdays at the east side Madison, WI Perkins.

Perkins on the east side of Madison, WI:
Perkins Restaurant
4863 Hayes Rd.
Madison, WI 53704
608-241-9123
Open 24 hours
http://www.perkinsrestaurants.com/

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Flat Top Grill in Madison, WI

The Flat Top Grill stir fry bar is a healthy alternative to burger and fries. The menu lists combinations of ingredients from the stir fry bar to create the different dishes in it. You walk up to the stir fry bar, fill your bowl with the ingredients, and add different colored sticks to let the cooks know what options you would like. They fry it up and then it is brought back to your table. The only tricky part of the whole experience is how to pick out the food, put it in a bowl, and carry it and a squirmy baby over to the cook.

Overall, it's a pretty inexpensive lunch and the food was fairly healthy and tasty. Kids under 10 eat free all day on Mondays.

Flat Top Grill
534 N Midvale Blvd
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 236-0500
flattopgrill.com

The Village Green in Middleton, WI

Traditional Sconnie table fare can be had at the Village Green in downtown Middleton. This is a very kid-friendly place with two exceptions: they're not open on Sundays, and the bar allows smoking, hence the 4 stars.

The staff is attentive yet laid back, while the clientele is also relaxed and typically family-friendly. There are lots of yummy foods like fried cheese curds for the kids, and there are also a couple of video games. The interior is decorated with trains, trains, and more trains. Best of all, they serve great burgers on sheets of waxed paper and have Capital seasonal on tap! The bathrooms are small, so change your young 'uns before you go if possible.

The Village Green
7508 Hubbard Ave
Middleton, WI 53562
(608) 831-9962

(Thanks for the review Honkus!)

East Towne Mall in Madison, WI

Most malls have places to take kids or find things for your kids. East Towne Mall has a couple: Cyber Station, a video arcade, and Pawsenclaws, a make your own bear store that also hosts birthday parties. East Towne also has Gymboree and Children's Place to get clothes and nice Barnes and Noble (with coffee shop of course) where kid's can look at books.

One of the cool, free things that kids can do at East Towne Mall is play several mini-games projected on a 4'x6' floor. The projector detects where the kids are moving and then the game reacts. The games aren't very long or complex. There is hockey, soccer, a mouse maze, and a soon to be classic stomp the ninja monkey game. Some of the games are creative too. One game consists of kicking paint blobs around. We spent the good part of an hour watching the girls play.

Parents shouldn't underestimate the indoor mall as a place to shake off cabin fever during the short days of winter. It's free, and you can push the stroller around with a good cup of coffee without trying to wrap a ski glove around your latte.

East Towne Mall
89 E Towne Mall
Madison, WI 53704
(608) 244-1387
shopeasttowne-mall.com

Chuck E Cheese's in Madison, WI

Chuck E. Cheese only slightly resembles the Chuck E. Cheese pizza parlors from the early 80's arcade era. The singing robots are still there as well as the ticket dispensing Skee Ball machines. The video games are for younger children. They still cost only one token (each token costs 25 cents or less) to play and they all dispense tickets now. The tickets can be traded in for prizes at the counter. Another big difference from 20 years ago is that there is a large climbing structure and a smaller one for toddlers so they can burn off some calories after eating pizza. There are also rides besides the games and play structure.

We were there for a birthday party. Each guest received tokens to play, pizza, drinks, and cake. At the end of the party the kids also received a goody bag full of small toys, candy, stickers, and a coupon for 10 free tokens.

It was a great way to spend and afternoon during the middle of winter. They got to run around, play games, and win prizes. Everyone took a long nap when we got home.

Chuck E Cheese's
438 Grand Canyon Dr
Madison, WI 53719
(608) 829-2659
chuckecheese.com

Beerntsen's Confectionary in Manitowoc, WI

Beerntsen's Confectionary is a fabulous little candy and ice cream shop that I have frequented since I was a little girl. Beerntsen's is located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and has been around since 1932. My parents used to take my sisters and I there for home made sandwiches, sundaes and, of course, their yummy candy. My parents still live in the area, and when we go to visit, we always make sure to stop at Beerntsen's. Our daughter's love it as much as we do! It's a great tradition.

Beerntsen's Confectionary
108 North 8th Street
Manitowoc, WI 54220
(920) 684-9616
beerntsens.com

(Thanks for the review Julie!)

Roman Candle in Madison, WI

A pizzeria and ice cream shop. I've taken the kids there many times and they've always enjoyed it, but since I work downtown, I've often gone there for lunch just for me.

They can be fairly quick if you order by the slice, and they have free wi-fi. They've also been known to host birthday parties, and when I had them host a birthday party for my child, they helped me arrange for a magician, as well.



Roman Candle
1054 Williamson St
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 258-2000
theromancandle.com

They have another location in Middleton:
Roman Candle
1920 Parmenter St
Middleton, WI
(608) 831-7777

(Thanks for the review Media Ninja!)

Zuzu Cafe in Madison, WI

Zuzu Cafe is a nice rest stop after visiting Henry Vilas Zoo across the street. They have a train table for toddlers and yummy sandwiches.

Zuzu Cafe
1336 Drake St
Madison, WI 53715
(608) 260-9898

(Thanks for the review ChrisDolan!)

Pasqual's On Monroe in Madison, WI

There are always piles of kids at Pasqual's at dinner time. It's open, seat-yourself atmosphere and cheesy food appeals. They lack a changing table in the bathroom, however.

Michael's Frozen Custard and Wingra Park are right across the street for post-dinner activities.

Pasqual's On Monroe
2534 Monroe St
Madison, WI 53711
(608) 238-4419

(Thanks for the review ChrisDolan!)

Ginza of Tokyo in Madison, WI

If you have kids who are somewhat adventurous with food, I recommend Ginza of Tokyo restaurant. A Teppanyaki-style establishment, if you sit at one of the large hibachi tables, they prepare the food in front of you with a fair amount of theatricality. (My kids are especially delighted when they make an onion volcano while cooking.)

The hot meals they make on the hibachi are good, and if you want to supplement it with some sushi, it can add just the perfect adventurous touch.

For sushi for kids, my kids recommend the following varieties:

Good starter sushi:
- Smoked salmon (tasty, and smoked, so not really raw.)
- Tamago (egg sushi, cooked like an omlette)
- Philadelphia Roll (smoked salmon and cream cheese.)

And for the more daring children, some really tasty sushi made of things that might make other kids go "ewww!".
- Ikura (Salmon caviar, very salty.)
- Unagi (Cooked Eel in barbecue sauce, very yummy.)

And finally, for someone who just has to try something raw:
- Negihama (raw yellowtail fish with green onions in a roll.)

Ginza of Tokyo
6734 Odana Rd
Madison, WI 53719
(608) 833-8282
http://www.ginzaoftokyo.net/

The restaurant has other locations in Madison as well:

Ginza of Tokyo
4802 E Washington Ave
Madison, WI
(608) 661-8890

Ginza of Tokyo Inc
122 State St
Madison, WI
(608) 251-2171

(Thanks for the review Media Ninja!)

Monty's Blue Plate Diner in Madison, WI

Monty's is a diner on Madison's near east side. It has some diner fare, but it also has some really tasty vegetarian twists like the "Sheldon", a vegetarian reuben, or "Sloppy Faux" - a sloppy joe with seitan. Incredible breakfasts are also served all day.

We went there on a Tuesday night and it was packed. The reasonable prices and the good food ensure a wait just about anytime you go. The staff keeps an amazing attitude with customers especially children. One of the wait staff even attempted to do the pretend ice skating routine that was being given.

Just to add to the heaps of praise: get pie there. It is awesome.

Monty's Blue Plate Diner
2089 Atwood Ave
Madison, WI 53704
(608) 244-8505
foodfightinc.com/montys.htm

Ella's Deli in Madison, WI

Ella's Deli is one of my favorite place to eat with kids. The food is typical American restaurant fare with a nod to New York delis.

The best part of Ella's though is all the toys. Just about every table has a game in it and there are all sorts of moving eccentricities squeezed into every non-dining space. There is a carousel out front which I think is a dollar to ride when its open in the summer. Cowboys and cowgirls can still spend time in the saddle for a dime on a horse inside when the carousel is closed.

They also have a kid's night once a month where they have simple crafts out for the kids to do.

Nostalgia warning: back in our rock clubbing days we would see the bands who played Madison the night before eating breakfast there on their way out of town.

Ella's Deli
2902 E Washington Ave
Madison, WI 53704
(608) 241-5291
ellas-deli.com