Best signature restaurant to test my kids with?

[Gomer]

Ok, so a little background first...

My wife and I are foodies. We love trying new things and we love high quality food. We generally lean towards bold flavors (Indian, Thai, etc…)but appreciate pretty much any good food. For reference our favorite on property restaurant to this point has been Sanaa.

We also have two children. A 9 year old with autism and a 4 year old. So, we don’t actually get to go to nice restaurants that often (pretty much never). The 4 year old is reasonably well behaved, but he is still a 4 year old. My 9 year old is prone to involuntary stimming (repeating words and phrases over and over again…sometimes loudly). This intensifies when he is nervous.
We’ve been working for a couple of years on slowly easing them into a more socially acceptable form of table manners. At first we were dependent on video devices to keep my 9 year old calm in restaurants, but he has gotten much better. His stimming has reduced somewhat and he has replaced watching his ipod with collecting all the forks at the table and arranging them in patterns.

So my question for the forum is, which of the nicer restaurants do you suggest for someone trying to ease children into the fancier side of dining. I don’t want to go into someplace that will be too quiet and stuffy where my son stacking forks or repeatedly reciting lines from The Muppet Movie will impact other’s dining experience (these places are expensive and I don’t want to ruin anyone’s meal, and I don’t want my meal ruined by thinking I’m ruining others’.) But I also can’t do any place too loud. We had a bad experience in Via Napoli with my older son because the restaurant had db levels rivaling a monster truck rally. He couldn’t take it for very long and we ended up rushing through the meal to get him out of there.

We’ve had some success with an earliest possible lunch at Le Celier in the past. We’ve also done Sanaa lunch 3 times, but there’s never anyone there for us to bother. We’re looking at Jiko, Brown Derby, and a couple others. But, having never been in any of them, I was hoping for some advice from those who know the atmosphere better.

I appreciate any insight or suggestion anyone can provide!

 

[NYwdwfan]

I would try the Yachtsman. Our experience there was it was not loud and we really enjoyed the food. It's also not in a theme park so if you needed to get some air outside it would be a relatively quiet environment just outside the restaurant.

 

[Gomer]

Interesting! See, yachtsman was one of those I imagined on the stuffy side. That’s just based off pictures I have seen though. This is why I asked.
Thanks!

 

[G8rchamps]

Only sigs we have done are Yachtsman's and Cinderella's Royal Table. Took DS8 and DD5 to Yachtsman last June. Had a slightly early reservation (6 I think) and the restaurant was only about half full. Really enjoyed the meal, very professional service as you would expect at that price range- although waitress was very friendly with the children, and the kids were great. I even have a picture somewhere of my son chewing the bone of my steak when I was done with it!

 

[NYwdwfan]

Interesting! See, yachtsman was one of those I imagined on the stuffy side. That’s just based off pictures I have seen though. This is why I asked.
Thanks!

Oh definitely not stuffy! Actually they have one of my daughter's favorite desserts on property - it's a cupcake, a brownie and a "Mickey Puzzle" - white chocolate puzzle pieces that the kids can put together and paint - it's adorable:

 

[wdwmagic]

The Yachtsman always has a lot of families, and would be a good place to do this in my opinion. Le Cellier would be another, as would Hollywood Brown Derby. The in park restaurants are very casual due to where they are. Flying Fish would be another that has a lot of families.

Good luck!

 

[Sweet Melissa]

I would actually try Jiko or Citricos. Both have open kitchens, so they're not library-quiet, but they're also signature restaurants, so the noise level is below a din. I also think both have great food and a more casual atmosphere. Flying Fish might be too loud.

 

[Gomer]

I would actually try Jiko or Citricos. Both have open kitchens, so they're not library-quiet, but they're also signature restaurants, so the noise level is below a din. I also think both have great food and a more casual atmosphere. Flying Fish might be too loud.

Thanks! Open Kitchen is a good point. That little bit of background noise might just be enough to keep us from feeling like everyone is listening to every word coming from our table.

 

[Disvillain63]

Oh definitely not stuffy! Actually they have one of my daughter's favorite desserts on property - it's a cupcake, a brownie and a "Mickey Puzzle" - white chocolate puzzle pieces that the kids can put together and paint - it's adorable:

I'd like that dessert and I'm only a kid if you add the digits of my age together. I teach kids, so maybe that will be good enough.

 

[Disvillain63]

I know Boma's is not a signature dining experience, but the staff was very patient and helpful with our 1-year old GS (now 18 months). We call him an old soul, because he is set in his schedule. For example, at 5:00 pm yesterday, he crawled up into his high chair and was ready for dinner.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

We've been to California Grill multiple times with our girls. They were ages 2.5 and literally just turned 5 on their first visit. They love it and the servers are always so great with the girls. i.e. making finer dining more fun without compromising the integrity of the establishment. The observations decks are also perfect for taking a nice little walk if the kids look like they might be getting antsy. The view of Illuminations, water pageant, and Wishes also make it a huge hit for them.

 

[jpittore1]

I think your family would enjoy Sanaa and it is NOT signature. The food is fantastic, plus our children found found they would try. If you get a window seat the children will love the animals while you can enjoy the food. Jiko is another great suggestion if you want to go signature

 

[LAKid53]

I agree with Brown Derby in DHS. I find the atmosphere quieter than some of the other in-park restaurants and the food is very good.

 

[Csmith041177]

I would say Narcoose's. However, we see small children in all of the Disney signature restaurants we go to...Citricos, California Grill, etc.

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

Le Cellier would be another, as would Hollywood Brown Derby. The in park restaurants are very casual due to where they are. Flying Fish would be another that has a lot of families.

Good luck!

I was going to say the same thing. I think the in park TS, even if signature, will be more casual because of the location.

 

[Gomer]

I was going to say the same thing. I think the in park TS, even if signature, will be more casual because of the location.

Yeah, I think I’m leaning Brown Derby for that reason. It’s probably third on my personal list behind Jiko and Yachtsman, but is probably the smallest step up from the nicest we’ve done so far (Sanaa and Le Celier) since it is in a park.

 

[Gomer]

We've been to California Grill multiple times with our girls. They were ages 2.5 and literally just turned 5 on their first visit. They love it and the servers are always so great with the girls. i.e. making finer dining more fun without compromising the integrity of the establishment. The observations decks are also perfect for taking a nice little walk if the kids look like they might be getting antsy. The view of Illuminations, water pageant, and Wishes also make it a huge hit for them.

I could have sworn Cali Grill was no kids allowed. Am I making that up? I thought California Grill and Victoria and Albert’s were the two that restricted children in WDW. But I guess I could have been totally wrong on that all this time.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I could have sworn Cali Grill was no kids allowed. Am I making that up? I thought California Grill and Victoria and Albert’s were the two that restricted children in WDW. But I guess I could have been totally wrong on that all this time.

only V&A is adults only...well, I guess 10 and up or something like that. We have taken out girls to Cali Grill multiple times.

 

[stevehousse]

We r taking our kids to Citricos! I want to eat there real bad, my kids r 6, 3, and infant...they normally behave in restaurants pretty well so I'm hoping this location is kid friendly! I can't wait to book all my ADRs next week!