Kid-friendly restaurants in Morris County

With the school year winding down, the search is on for local Morris area restaurants to take the family for a casual weeknight dinner or lunch to celebrate the beginning of summer, graduation and vacation days.

Good locations for kids include louder restaurants, like diners and most chain restaurants.

Japanese Hibachi-style restaurants always work well for Stacey Reiber, a mother of two from Randolph.

"You sit down and its entertaining from start to finish,'' she said of her favorite spot, Sushi Hana Hibachi House Restaurant on Route 10 in the Succasunna section of Roxbury Township. "I think they really focus on the kids and keep them happy."

Reiber said when she dines there with her husband, Rob, and her two children, Ethan, 8, and Ellis, 5, the chefs' antics keep the kids laughing, so there's not pressure to smother the children to get them to behave. It's also a good way to get them to eat healthy vegetables, she said.

"The chef chopped up the zucchini and tossed it six times to my kids,'' she said. "They shoot water in their mouths. For them, its entertaining, so you're not entertaining your kids while trying to enjoy dinner."

Reiber isn't a fan of toting along video games and toys. "I want my kids to be able to sit at the table and have a conversation," she said. But at times, toting something fun has its benefits. Scratch-off lottery tickets, purchased just before the meal, are a favorite treat that always generates smiles, if not millions of dollars, she said.

The Sushi Hana menu includes appetizers priced from $4.95 to $11.95; entrees Hibachi dinners start at $17.95 for chicken. Lobster tail is available for $29.95 and filet mignon is $23.95.

The hibachi restaurant offers special prices for children under 10. A chicken hibachi dinner is $9.95, shrimp, salmon and steak are $10.95; scallops are $11.95 and filet mignon is $12.95.

The sushi restaurant, owned by Gari Li, has been in business for 10 years. The new hibachi side was added about a year ago, he said.

The restaurant can be reached at (973) 598-8999 or www.sushihanasuccasunna.com

The Urban Table in Morristown, www.urbantablerestaurant.com, also gets high marks from Morris parents as a great place for kids.

"It is a casual, fun place to go with a very warm atmosphere," said Donna Selvaggi, a mother of three from the Long Valley section of Washington Township. "It's very kid-friendly and also has great selections for adults."

The restaurant, located at 40 West Park Place in Morristown, offers children's selections and also offers several fun selections from its "Street Foods" section, including Local Grilled Cheese for $9.95, and Braised Chicken Tacos for $11.95. The restaurant also offers a breakfast menu that features a breakfast burrito for $10.95, Belgian waffles for $8.95 and Shredded Coconut Buttermilk Pancakes for $9.95.

The Urban Table is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. The restaurant can be reached at (973) 326-9200.

Another restaurants recommended by Morris County parents for family dining is Nicky's Firehouse Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria, 15 Central Ave., Madison, tel. (973) 765-0565, www.nickysfirehouse.com.

The firehouse-themed restaurant is family-friendly and will keep the children entertained with its fun décor, featuring fire fighting gear, apparatus and photographs.

The menu includes pizza, salads, sandwiches and pasta. A $5 children's menu offers macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers, grilled cheese and Italian dishes like Baked Ziti, Penne with Meatballs and Stuffed Shells in child-sized portions. Milk, chocolate milk and apple juice are available for $1.25.

The 23-year-old establishment has been on Central Avenue for 23 years and owner Nick Landieri keeps the atmosphere friendly and relaxed.

Nicky's Firehouse is open on Sundays and Mondays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Dining with young children

You can have a stress-free dinner out with young children. All it takes is a bit of advanced planning.

Talking to young children before they enter the restaurant and being clear about your expectations will go a long way, according to Christine M. Jeffrey of the Wellness Group of Montville. Choosing the right restaurant also plays a key role, as do knowing your children's limitations and curbing your own attitude before and during the meal, the child therapist said.

"Talk to them in the car, before you get to the restaurant," said Jeffrey, who has 13 years of experience in family counseling. "Have a team talk. That way they feel like they're going in to have a good time with the family and everyone is included in the plan. Everybody's working for their family team."

Jeffrey said the right approach yields the desired results. "Instead of telling them what you don't want them to do, tell them what you want them to do," she said. "If you don't make it clear what they can expect, it's shame on you."

Once inside, be careful to choose the right tone of voice when reminding children of expected behaviors, Jeffrey said. Using an angry tone will solicit anger from the children. "I see a lot of parents using 'that tone,' that annoyed tone — the one we all use when we've repeated ourselves three times."

The annoyed tone will create anxiety in children, and often will make behavior worse. "The second they hear that tone in your voice, they get upset," she said.

Remember, too, that toddlers and young school-aged children have a very limited attention span. Choosing a fun restaurant with music, colorful scenery and some sort of appeal to children with make the event much more enjoyable, she said. "We have to anticipate their needs, rather than just being an authoritarian and expecting them to behave like little soldiers."

Got a kid-friendly restaurant tip? Email eabreu@GannettNJ.com