4 Las Vegas spots make list of top family-friendly restaurants in US
Bring the kids.
On Tuesday, Yelp released its inaugural list of the Top 100 Family-Friendly Restaurants in the U.S. Four Las Vegas spots made the grade (school).
What are some characteristics of a family-friendly restaurant, according to Yelp?
The place might keep kids occupied beyond basic coloring books by offering tablets or an arcade. The restaurant might have picnic-style outdoor spaces where children can play. Or the appeal might be healthy foods that appeal to children and adults. Fair pricing is key, too.
Families welcome
Juan’s Flaming Fajitas & Cantina, 9640 W. Tropicana Ave., comes in at No. 7. Kids and grown-up kids love the namesake fajitas set alight tableside, Yelp reviews report. The fajitas are built with fish, shrimp, chicken, pork or beef, plus add-ons like mushrooms and nopales cactus paddles. Diners also praised the “spoonworthy” complimentary bean dip and the servers’ easy way with children.
Lou’s Diner, 431 S. Decatur Blvd., at No. 12, originally debuted as Jo-Ells in 1969. Louise “Lou” Walters, a longtime employee whose three sons grew up working at the restaurant, purchased the diner with her husband in 1997, renaming it Lou’s. Today, under new owners, Lou’s still sends out breakfast and lunch standards, including huevos rancheros, pigs in a blanket and a chocolate chip pancake for kids.
Eggscellent, 2534 E. Desert Inn Road, takes the No. 13 spot. The breakfast and brunch menu is extensive enough to accommodate kids, adults and picky eaters. Look for waffles, pancakes and French toasts (including stuffed Fruity Pebbles French toast); omelets and eggs Benedicts; a host of hashes; and classics like a Monte Cristo sandwich and steak and eggs. Daily specials appear on the chalkboard stand.
Blueberry Hill Family Restaurant, a family-owned Vegas institution, has four locations in the city. The East Flamingo Road and South Decatur Boulevard stores are open 24 hours. Folks appreciate the large portions, the potential for leftovers, compotes made from fresh fruit, scratch pancake and waffle batters, and the house-baked bread for French toast. The menu runs to 19 pages — from breakfast to Mexican, burgers to Italian, house desserts to dozens of sides. And soups.
Methodology
To create its Top 100 list, Yelp identified restaurants with reviews that frequently mentioned “family friendly,” then ranked those spots using several factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews. Visit here for the full list.
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.