Red Robin

The problem with trying to go out to dinner on a Friday night is the after-work crowd. We went to go to the Fernwood Inn, and although it was early, we weren't able to get a table, especially one that can accommodate a highchair. I guess that is the menace of trying to go somewhere "hip". Don't get me wrong: we like the FI and they are family friendly, but it was a bad choice on our part to go there on a Friday night.

So, instead, we went to Red Robin. Time was moving on, we all were hungry, and one of us has a seven o'clock bedtime.

Entertaining himself: he loves to eat lemons and limes

Now that we have a real life-sized toddler, I totally understand the appeal of Red Robin. It has always been decent on our list of chain restaurants, but this experience took it up a notch.

1. It is loud, but not crazy music loud, just goings-on loud. So, when a young boy screeches because you aren't giving me a fry past enough, it is lost in the din.

"How do I fit this lemon in this hole?"

2. It is FAST. Like, really fast. We had our food probably within 10 minutes of ordering it. Now, this doesn't speak highly to the quality of the food, clearly they aren't making anything fresh, but sometimes having to entertain a little monkey is more difficult.

3. It is accommodating to requests, both with food and otherwise. I wanted to add extra extra pickles to my burger. Done. No charge. We wanted two extra orders of fries. Done. No charge. We had 3 refills on Matt's lemonade (mostly so C could eat the strawberries). Done. No charge. Extra napkins. Done. A side-plate. Done. Another straw. Done. I hate being a pain to the waitstaff, but sometimes there are things you need or want. I really like that Red Robin does it all, and acts like it is no problem.

"B, Charlie, B."

4. The kid's menu is pretty darn good. $6.29 for drink, entree, and side. Matt got Charlie a kid's meal when they went with a friend a few weeks ago, but we are still not quite there. Still, like many of the family's around us, when you have a brood, it is still reasonable to take the kids out to eat (and not that much more than McDonalds).

5. The food is tasty. It may not be the best quality, but it is consistent. People around us were ordering the calamari (same woman who ordered a Perrier) and fajitas, and I cannot speak to those entrees, but I feel like sticking with a burger, I know I will like what I get.

Whiskey River Chicken Burger

I had a Whiskey River Chicken Burger on a onion bun with pickles. I did get fries, although I usually get salad since Matt's fries are bottomless anyways. The chicken was a little puny, but, overall, it was a great burger.

Matt had some sort of Chop House Burger. It has provolone, mushrooms, and horseradish. He really liked it, but it is definitely not my thing.

Charlie had some tomato, lettuce, beef, chicken, cheese, mushrooms, lemon, lime, strawberries, and fries. (This is an off-menu item :P)

Chop House Burger