Best Family Restaurants in Riverside

"Bill Kim is best known for his modern interpretations of ramen, dumplings, and Latin-Asian fusion, but one menu item equally worthy of adoration is his soft-serve ice cream. The dessert has been a fixture at Belly Shack since day one, but my favorite version is the PB&J soft-serve at Urban Belly. The velvety, slightly sweet soft-serve is heaped into a tall cup striated with ample doses of crunchy peanut butter and huckleberry jelly."

"It’s fun to eat with your hands as a kid, which makes dumplings a great choice. For a fun mashup, Urbanbelly’s kids’ menu has a cheeseburger dumpling, but there are also more adventurous options like pork-cilantro or chicken curry fillings. Kids can also snack on edamame, slurp noodle soup or practice their chopsticks skills with a rice bowl."

"Located in Avondale (and hence, a bit out of the way for those traveling without a car), Urban Belly offers a small number of seats in a surprisingly chic space. The most expensive noodle dishes – ramen with pork belly and udon with shrimp – are $13. Dumpling and rice plates like lamb and brandy or short rib and scallion are $7-8 each."

"Find your way to this cute cafe and you’ll be forced to leave all your cravings at bay. Order their Concord grape and salty brown butter walnut tarts, honey pie, coffee cake, almond croissant, or even pecan roll, and you’ll find your senses thanking you for such a lovely reward. The cafe is well lit, and the environment is clean and chic, service too, is friendly and quick."

"This bright cafe and bakery is known for their rustic French pastries, made using fresh ingredients sourced from local, sustainable farms. Head straight to the dessert case to choose from a rotating selection of from-scratch goodies, like croissants, Basque cake, fruit galettes, and more."

"Demera has some of the best messobs and injera in the city, and luckily, this Ethiopian spot also serves them to-go. This means you can order the messob dinner for four, and make it a dinner for one. Take it home, lay it out, and enjoy your giant meal all by yourself."

"Though Demera offers traditional meat dishes, they have a dedicated vegan menu that includes authentic Ethiopian fare. Family-style combo platters are available for diverse sampling from one of the best restaurants in Chicago. Demera Ethiopian | 4801 N."

"Demera Ethiopian Restaurant offers traditional Ethiopian cuisine in a cozy and casual environment. Located in the Uptown neighborhood, diners can enjoy a great selection of African..."

"Close to both the Lincoln Park zoo and Lincoln Park, RJ Grunts is the perfect restaurant to park your stroller at after a day of running around. They have a stroller valet (and regular valet if you have a car) to keep everything safe while you enjoy one of their famous burgers with chips. They think about the little things here — kids’ meals come with unspillable cups, animal crackers and crayons on old-style cafeteria trays."

"Across the street from Lincoln Park Zoo, R.J. Grunts has the grand distinction of being the originator of the salad bar. It's also a great, family-oriented spot for over-sized burgers and sandwiches such as the patty melt, plus chicken fingers, taco specials every Monday, onion rings stacked on a stick, and hand-dipped shakes and malts. 2056 North Lincoln Park West, 773-929-5363"

"Restaurants American Lincoln Park. Located across from the Lincoln Park Zoo, this Lettuce Entertain You original is almost too convenient. Park your stroller near the front of the restaurant and sit the kids down with crayons and animal crackers."

"Restaurants American Lake View. This ultra kid-friendly restaurant in the Southport Corridor caters to parents in every way possible with wide doors that fit your stroller, a stroller valet and step stools in the bathroom. Your little ones will undoubtedly want the ice cream-topped skillet cookie for dessert—so be a sport and help them indulge."

"This restaurant was designed with kids in mind, namely the daughter, Crosby, of one of the owners. Her influence served them well — extra-wide doors accommodate strollers, and there’s a sink in the dining room, so kids can wash up. The kids’ menu is pretty standard, but adds a few different dishes like the chicken leg that comes straight off their signature rotisserie."

"This kid- and pup-friendly patio is an ideal spot for people-watching and sipping lemonade with rotating flavors like hibiscus and mango. Popular plates at this Southport spot include lobster deviled eggs, iron-skillet cornbread, and avocado toast studded with lump crab. (And speaking of kid-friendliness, here’s a hot tip: children eat for free from 4 to 6 p.m.)"

"Huck Finn Restaurant serves up hearty American meals all day, but regulars swear by their donuts.|© Salim Virji / Flickr. Huck Finn Restaurant serves up hearty home cooking all day long in three Chicagoland locations. While best known—or perhaps most appreciated—for its donuts, the diner has excellent breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, too."

"This diner mini-chain has three locations on the South Side that provide patrons with a satisfyingly sweet finish to every meal. Chow on golden brown pancakes, club sandwiches, and burgers but make sure to save some room for a donut delight. The signature treat features one of Huck’s donuts topped with choice of ice cream and whipped cream."

"A Costa Rican restaurant in Bucktown with a beautiful patio that's perfect for gatherings with friends or a low-key date. Why we love it: There's something for everyone on the menu at Irazú, whether you're looking for a vegetarian burrito and some empanadas or are ready to dig into the signature chifrijo (fried pork layered with black beans, white rice and pico de gallo) and a pepito stacked with steak, grilled onions and spicy Lizano sauce. Just make sure to save room for an oatmeal milkshake."

"This Costa Ricanstaple starts with a layer of black bean soup, a scoop of rice, and an extra scoop of black beans. Then pork belly is cooked with garlic, deep fried and scooped over the black beans with a house made pico de gallo. The chifrijo is finished with slices of avocado and a drizzle of Lizano salsa."

"Irazu is a laid back restaurant in Bucktown serving up authentic Costa Rican food. Come for the $7 Pepito sandwich (ribeye steak, cheese, sautéed onions, and special sauce), but stay for the oatmeal milkshakes, which have a cult following."

"We've tried finding a less-than-delicious dish on Tweet's massive menu and have determined such a dish does not exist. The cute, cozy, cash-only breakfast and lunch spot in Uptown truly has something for everyone. From huevos rancheros to bagels and lox to vegan-friendly faves, good luck eating your way through all of it!"

"Machine: Engineered Dining and Drink has Dirk Flannigan in the kitchen fashioning a Modern American menu of smoked mushrooms with crispy with chicken skins, Parmesan, chestnut crumbs and puffed wild rice; pillowy gnocchi with duck confit; lavender chicken; Scottish salmon; and pan-roasted Branzino. Cocktails are something to look at as well as ingest. Shareable sips include a fountain of six house-made wine shots."

"Wicker Park's new "engineered dining and drinking" spot is taking advantage of its spacious sidewalk real estate with a 105-seat patio. The restaurant's in-house florist will also expand its operations with a flower cart. Diners can purchase bouquets for their loved ones as the cart passes by."

"Under one roof it’s home to the best of Chicago’s culinary scene. At 24,000 square feet in the center of the city’s business district, Revival Food Hall hosts 15 fast-casual stalls representing Chicago’s favorite restaurants and up-and-coming concepts. The goal of the food hall is two-fold: to expose the business community to cuisine from outlying neighborhoods, and to give new restaurateurs a place to gain exposure."

"Helmed by pastry great Mindy Segal (Mindy's Hot Chocolate), this cozy oasis within the buzzy Revival Food Hall, this part-cafe, part-bar offers all things caffeinated, boozy, and baked. Stop by the one-stop shop for brioche donuts and nitro draft lattes during the day, and stiff (and coffee-infused, if you wish) cocktails in the evening."

"The Loop’s bustling dining hall has nearly all the bases covered. Several of the city’s most popular bites are found here, such as the Budlong’s Nashville hot chicken, Smoque’s barbecue, tacos from Antique Taco, and more."

"You’re sure to get great shots of the iron bridges, boats smoothly sailing by, people kayaking in the Chicago river, and fun spots like the so-called River Domes at City Winery. There, guests enjoy wine and tapas from the comfort of a see-through, bubble-like dome, complete with comfy loungers and board games which makes it a fun addition to any Illinois getaway."

"Restaurants Mediterranean Loop. A micro version of the chain's outpost on Randolph Street, City Winery's Riverwalk location presents a short but smooth-sipping wine list and summery bites to match—plus, you can't beat the Riverwalk views."

"The lakefront Navy Pier offers tons of dining options, many with outdoor patios featuring water views. Enjoy a classic “cheezborger” at Billy Goat Tavern, casual Mexican fare at Chango Lango, frozen cocktails at the tiki bar at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, or smoked meats at Harry Caray’s Tavern. Explore all outdoor food and drink options at Navy Pier."

"At 280 acres, Big Marsh certainly lives up to its name, but this far southeast side public park—opened in 2016 in the Calumet Area Reserve—is still a relative secret to most locals. The park includes 45 acres of recreation areas designed specifically for mountain and BMX biking and casual trail riding. The rest (234 acres) is a nature preserve great for hiking and bird-watching."

"Whether you want to relax with a nature walk or go on an adventurous hike, this park is a great place to check out. Forty-five acres of the park are dedicated to more intense endeavors, such as hiking, adventure courses and off-course biking. The other 235 acres is devoted to more passive activities like bird-watching and nature walking."