Fatburger
Cuisine: American
English menu: Yes
Kids’ menu: It’s a burger joint. Need we say more?
General kid-friendliness of menu: Lots of American favorites. Definitely not for the health-conscious.
Kid-friendly staff? Friendly, English-speaking staff tend to be very busy.
Bathroom: Located on the second floor and in the basement. Clean but cramped, and no change table.
Best items for kids: Hot dog, homemade onion rings and an ice cream milkshake with whipped cream.
Kids’ play area: No, but they have coloring sheets. Bring your own crayons.
Seating: Tables and chairs squished together.
Price: RMB 300
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Must-order item: The Triple Fatburger … if you dare. The healthiest option is the grilled chicken sandwich.
Award: Best Fries
In a nutshell: The restaurant prides itself on burger patties made with imported Australian beef ground fresh daily. Order at the counter, then take a seat with your number. Rub elbows with your neighbor and don’t worry about how loud your kids are. This lively restaurant is the perfect spot to chow down on all of your greasy favorites.
Daily 11am-10pm. 1-LB01 The Grand Summit, Liangmaqiao Diplomatic Compound (300m north of the Kempinski Hotel), 19 East Dongfang Lu, Chaoyang District (8532 1878) www.fatburger.com; 朝阳区东方东路19号亮马桥外交公寓1号楼会所1层1号铺
Hard Rock Café
Cuisine: American
English menu: Yes
Kids’ menu: The kids’ menu comes with a coloring sheet (for ages 10 and under).
General kid-friendliness of menu: Choose from plenty of finger food, mostly American but a few Chinese dishes.
Kid-friendly staff? Friendly, English-speaking staff.
Bathroom: Clean, spacious with sit-down toilets.
Best items for kids: From the kids’ menu try the cheesy mac, chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce or barbeque drumsticks. For dessert, order either the mud pie or apple cobbler.
Kids’ play area: No, but the rock & roll paraphernalia will keep them entertained.
Seating: Some booths, mostly tables and chairs. Highchairs available.
Price: RMB 500 (all prices subject to a 15 percent service charge)
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Must-order item: Jumbo combo appetizer with spring rolls, twice-baked potato, chicken fingers, onion rings and hickory-smoked chicken wings.
Award: Best Music
In a nutshell: Rock ‘n roll lives! From the guitars that line the walls to the famous rockers painted on the ceiling, the décor makes this a fun dining experience. Live music (Mon-Sat) starts from 8pm and is the perfect accompaniment to the restaurant’s hearty selection of classic American dishes.
Daily 11.30am-1.15am (11pm last order for food). 8 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Landmark Towers, Chaoyang District (6590 6688 ext 2571-2574); 朝阳区东三环北路8号亮马河大厦西大堂
Takenosuke
Cuisine: Japanese
Non-smoking section? No. Smoking is allowed throughout the restaurant.
English menu: Yes. Drinks menu is in Japanese only.
Kids’ menu: No
General kid-friendliness of menu: Lots of small appetizers and main courses comes in big portions, great for sharing. Staff are accommodating to dietary needs and can make some meat dishes vegetarian.
Kid-friendly staff? Yes, but they only speak Chinese and Japanese.
Bathroom: One unisex stall. Not very clean, but a sit-down.
Best items for kids: Lotus root chips, okonomiyaki (Japanese egg pancake with pork and buckwheat noodles) or fried buckwheat noodles with egg.
Kids’ play area: No
Seating: A number of booths with wooden tables and two tatami rooms (shoe-free area where diners sit on cushions at low tables). Highchairs available.
Price: RMB 200-250.
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Must-order item: The restaurant’s specialty, okonomiyaki, is a Japanese pancake of eggs, noodles and onions served pizza-style. Customize your pizza-pancake with additional ingredients of cabbage, bacon, buckwheat noodles and cheese.
Award: Best for Groups
In a nutshell: A favorite dining spot for many Japanese expats. It may be a little hard to find the first time. The restaurant has a homey feel with an open kitchen so diners can watch the two chefs in action. The tatami rooms are a good option for larger groups.
Mon-Fri 5-11pm, Sat-Sun 11am-11pm. 27 Liangmaqiao Lu (turn onto Anjia Lou, first courtyard on the right), Chaoyang District (6431 8238); 朝阳区亮马桥路27号
Zen5es,Westin Chaoyang
Cuisine: Chinese (Cantonese)
English menu: Yes
Kids’ menu: Kids’ menu (for ages 3-12) comes with a coloring sheet and colored pencils.
General kid-friendliness of menu: Lots of bite-sized options. A la carte menu notes which dishes are spicy, vegetarian or have pork. Dim sum menu does not have special notes, but the staff will gladly help.
Kid-friendly staff? The staff is very attentive and friendly, and all speak English.
Bathroom: Clean with sit-down toilets. Couches in the play area can double as change tables.
Best items for kids: Kids’ menu has Western options: Spaghetti with parmesan and tomato sauce, turkey sandwich with cheddar cheese, buttermilk pancakes. Each comes with a drink. But the dim sum menu is what you’re here for.
Kids’ play area: Only open on weekends. It has a TV, mini slide, blocks, a seesaw and its own bathroom. Their friendly ayi watches your kids while you dine.
Seating: Standard tables and chairs. Private rooms are available.
Price: RMB 350 (a la carte menu). RMB 100 (all-you-can-eat dim sum, Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm), RMB 188 (buy one get one free all-you-can-eat dim sum, Sat-Sun 11.30-3pm), half-price (kids 6-12 all-you-can-eat dim sum), free (kids under 6, all-you-can-eat dim sum). RMB 38 (free-flow soft drinks and Chinese tea), RMB 68 (free-flow soft drinks, Chinese tea and one glass of fresh juice or bottle of beer). All prices subject to a 15% service charge.
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Must-order item: Prawn dumplings
Award: Best Lazy Sunday
In a nutshell: Escape the noise of the city to dine in serenity. They have all of your favorite types of Cantonese dim sum. Extra points for attentive service, whether it’s handing you the daily paper, filling up your teacup or watching your kids in the playroom.
Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30-10pm. Sat-Sun 11.30-3pm, 5.30-10pm. The Westin Beijing Chaoyang 7 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District (5922 8880, fbreservation.chaoyang@westin.com) 朝阳区朝阳区东三环北路7号金茂北京威斯汀大饭店
