There are restaurants with kid menus, and then there are interactive restaurants that take dining to a whole ‘nother level for kids (and fun-loving grown-ups). These unique dining establishments not only offer delicious food but also provide engaging experiences that make dining out a memorable adventure. From restaurants with live shows and performances to those with interactive games and activities, there’s something for every child to enjoy.
Royal Cuisine Museum
In recent months, performance restaurants that take you back in time to ancient China have been on the rise in cities all over the country. Dining at these restaurants is a whole different experience. At the Royal Cuisine Museum, before you’re seated at your table, you’re first taken to hair and wardrobe where you put on traditional attire and get your hair and make-up professionally done by their team. This step is usually optional and will require an additional fee, but since these performance restaurants already cost a pretty penny, why not go all out?
There are “NPC” performers who act out their role, and you’re served food from the specific time period while watching dance and theatrical performances. It’s as close to experiencing what it would have been like to be a guest of the emperor as you can possibly get.
Since these are shows and dinners, you need to go by their schedule. Be sure to arrive early so you can get pictures and really enjoy the whole experience.
Lunch: 11am-2pm and will cost RMB 238 per person for regular and RMB 298 for VIP
Dinner: 5pm-9pm and will cost RMB 498 per person for regular and RMB 598 for VIP
Booking is highly recommended.
Find it:
Royal Cuisine Museum 御仙都皇家菜博物馆(金四季购物中心店)
117, North West Fourth Ring Road
西四环北路117号
Tel: 8849 1680, 8849 4069
Palace
Palace does something that’s very similar to Royal Cuisine Museum but focuses more on traditional dances. You’re also given the option to dress up in traditional attire before your meal and there are plenty of NPC performers for you to take photos with throughout the meal.
Here you’ll get to dine while dancers perform right in front of your long table. Palace offers two shows daily – one from 10.30am to 2pm and the other from 5.30pm to 9pm.
Tickets to the experience are RMB 398 for the regular lunch show and RMB 498 for VIP. For their dinner show, tickets are RMB 498 for the regular seating and RMB 598 for VIP. Booking is highly recommended.
Find it:
Palace
宫宴
50 Qianmen Street
前门大街50号
Tel: 5218 0616, 152 1086 8830
Small World
This one is fun, especially for younger kids. You’re seated in a dark room and Small World uses a video that’s projected directly onto your dining table to tell an animated story. Similar to Le Petit Chef, you get to watch characters move about your table to create each course you’ll be enjoying. When they’re done, the waiter places a real edible version in front of you to enjoy.
Since the entire place needs to run on a set time, there are specific starting times for each meal and it’s highly recommended that you book in advance.
Price range from RMB 463 per person to RMB 861 for one adult + one child. They also offer party packages available for 9-16 people for RMB 7,383.
Find it:
Small World
袖珍世界 Small World·桌面美食剧场
Bldg 422, East Fourth Ring Road, Coastal Sailuo City A (east side of the second floor from the rainbow staircase)
东四环路沿海赛洛城甲422栋（从彩虹楼梯上二楼东侧）
Tel: 198 0135 8467
Master of Life
Aarrgh! Want to live your best pirate life in Beijing? Well, there’s a restaurant for that! Master of Life is a pirate-themed dinner and show. You get to sit at your own private table within the main dining room (an option that’s not available at all dinner and show restaurants) and watch the actors play out their pirate adventures while dining on a tasty Western meal.
The show is from 5pm to 8.30pm daily. They do interact with the audience, but the entire show is done in Chinese.
Tickets range from RMB 191 per person for the basic seat to RMB 422 per person for the VIP section. If you’re going for a birthday celebration, you can ask them to add a bowl of longevity noodles along with birthday wishes from their NPC performer for an additional RMB 1.
Find it:
Master of Life
无畏海盗沉浸式主题餐厅
D107, Temple of Heaven, D107, Fahuasi Street
法华寺街91号德必天坛D107爱马思艺术中心天坛空间
Tel: 166 0007 0853
Crystal Metaverse Light and Shadow Restaurant
This is less for the kids and more for a fancy grown-up party. While the idea is similar to Small World, there’s no video that tells the story of your meal. What you’ll get is a beautiful room that projects a variety of soothing video decors that dance and sway, adding a fun ambiance to your dinner party.
They offer everything from private dinners for two to afternoon teas for groups of friends to dinner + KTV parties. You definitely need to call in advance and communicate exactly what you’re looking for before showing up.
Find it:
Crystal Metaverse Light and Shadow Restaurant
水晶元宇宙光影餐厅
The first floor of No. 10, Bldg 21, District 4, Gaobeidian
高碑店村四区21号楼10号一层
Tel: 138 1031 7806, 183 1026 9831
For more family-friendly dining recommendations, be sure to join our FamFriendlyEats group on WeChat. Message TBJButler on WeChat and request to be added.
Images: Dianping, Pexels
