Glitzy lounges, upscale tapas bars and posh restaurants litter the blocks around Steppenwolf Theatre. And that’s all well and good if you’re an adult looking for a drink or nosh before showtime. But if you’re a kid, it’s the pits. Luckily, there are kid-friendly options around Steppenwolf, great news for parents bringing their `tween-age children to Ray Bradbury’s “Dandelion Wine,” Chicago Children’s Theater’s latest production.
Adobo Grill, 1610 N. Wells St., 312-266-7999, www.adobogrill.com. This lively and bright Mexican restaurant offers a bargain kids’ menu of cheese quesadillas ($3.95), tiritas de pollo, known to your kid as “chicken fingers” served with french fries ($4.95), tacos ($3.95-$4.95) and that old standby: pasta with tomato sauce, or butter and parmesan cheese ($4.95). There’s also ice cream for dessert ($1.95). Adobo is a short cab or car ride from the theater (both Steppenwolf and Adobo have attached parking garages).
Trattoria Gianni, 1711 N. Halsted St., 312-266-1976, www.trattoriagianni.com. Just a short stroll up the street from Steppenwolf is this Italian family-style restaurant serving cappellini al pomodoro, essentially pasta in tomato sauce, ($10.95) and grilled chicken, called petti di pollo alla griglia ($14.95). Desserts include gelato, sorbet and biscotti. Heading to a Sunday matinee? Trattoria Gianni serves Sunday brunch, including egg dishes, hash browns and fruit with yogurt, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Flat Top Grill, 319 W. North Ave., 312-787-7676, www.flattopgrill.com. Bring your budding chefs and picky eaters to this make-your-own-stirfry restaurant a short cab ride or drive from Steppenwolf. Your young dining companion will be given a bowl to load up on veggies, rice, meat and various sauces and spices. Flat Top cooks will fry it up in no time. Best kid-friendly feature? If your kid doesn’t like her creation, she can push it aside and start over. Kids ages 5 to 11 eat for $4.99, kids over 11 and adults eat for $8.99 at lunch, $13.99 at dinner.
Pizza-Ria, 1599 N. Clybourn Ave., 312-397-7777, www.pizza-ria.com. This casual New York-style pizza joint serves massive slices of pizza with a variety of toppings from the big meaty, with bacon, sausage, pepperoni, ground beef, Italian beef and mozzarella cheese ($4.25) to the veggie, which is covered in broccoli, peppers, onions and other healthy things ($4).
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Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge, 819 W. Armitage Ave., 773-281-0029, www.ethelschocolate.com. This chocolate-soaked, pink-and-brown restaurant is girly and adorable. Truffles with flavors such as PB&J (a chocolate that tastes like the sandwich) and raspberry rhapsody are sold piece by piece. This comfy loungelike restaurant also serves hot chocolate and chocolate fondue, a hot pot of melted chocolate including strawberries, pound cake and bananas to dip. This one’s a bit more than a walk from the theater, so a cab ride or car drive is necessary. And be forewarned: Parking around Armitage is no piece of cake.