iCream

Chicago, IL 

Kids will come for the ice cream, but they’ll stay for the science. Part ice cream shop, part lab, iCream allows kids (and geeky adults) to create their own ice cream, sorbet or frozen yogurt completely from scratch customized right down to the color. Patrons start by choosing a base – the six choices range from soymilk ice cream to non-fat yogurt – then select a flavor or combination of flavors. While typical ice cream flavors like vanilla and strawberry are available, adventurous eaters can also opt for flavors like burnt sugar, cinnamon or honey. Once a flavor has been created, iCream staff mixes and freezes the concoction on the spot using liquid nitrogen then adds toppings, mix-ins and coloring. While flavor combos are virtually unlimited, some obviously work better than others (for example our almond and Irish cream non-fat yogurt topped with blackberries tasted much better than the green tea and pomegranate ice cream topped with caramel), so choose carefully. Custom-tailored frozen treats cost about $5 each.

City Tavern

Philadelphia, PA 

Armed with an arsenal of awards for both cooking and hospitality, this Revolutionary War-themed period restaurant gets the thumbs up from kids who hate boredom and adults who hate crappy food. Located just across from the Liberty Bell, City Tavern features a full menu chock full of 18th century dishes (including George Washington’s personal beer recipe), served on 18th century dinnerware and presented by staff dressed in 18th century garb. The children’s menu is no exception. Featuring items like Colonial Turkey Pot Pie, all recipes are either directly from or inspired by food served during the Revolutionary War. Adult dinner entrees range from $20 to $30.

Pirate’s Dinner Adventure

Buena Park, CA and Orlando, FL 

Touting itself as “the world’s most interactive dinner show,” Pirate’s Dinner Adventure is an introvert’s nightmare. Taking place on a replication of an 18th century Spanish galleon ship anchored in a 250,000-gallon indoor lagoon, this high-tech, no-holds-barred dinner show offers theatrical parts for 150 dinner guests and includes sword fights, plank-walking, canon blasts, pyrotechnics and a fair bit of ye olde pirate-speak. The show is, in fact, so over the top that parents won’t notice that they’ve just forked over $57 per adult ticket and $38 per child for a show and generously portioned meal. While the “Port of Call Feast” is decent – think entrees like lemon pepper chicken and garlic shrimp and scallops – it’s easy to forgive culinary mediocrity when your child is wearing a pirate costume and feverishly paddling a dinghy around a fake lagoon in hopes of rescuing a princess. Booty-saving coupons are available at www.pirateadventuredinner.com.

The Magic Time Machine

San Antonio and Dallas, TX 

It’s not the healthiest place in Texas to eat, but it may be the most fun. At The Magic Time Machine, how you eat trumps what you eat as servers dressed as Jack Sparrow, Batgirl, Obi-Wan Kenobe and Marilyn Monroe cart a large selection of steak, seafood and chicken dishes to your table. Both the food and drink menus are extensive and include a couple of mystery selections such as non-alcoholic “Bubble Magic Time Machine Potions” which are available in red, yellow, blue, green and “UGLY” (their capitalization, not ours) varieties. Servers wow kids with G-rated comedy and songs while adults can feel smug about the fact that they’re getting Disney-quality entertainment for $12 to $30 a plate.

Clay’s Restaurant

Houston, TX 

Here, kids can eat animals and ride them too. Featuring burgers, sandwiches and hearty meat-centric plates on the menu, Clay’s Restaurant is also home to live horses, chickens, goats, sheep and emu children can feed for a modest 25 cents. Aside from the livestock, Clay’s provides a sandbox for little ones, open space where older kids can bring footballs and Frisbees and free live music for adults. An added bonus is that Clay’s won’t kill your budget. Kids meals including fries and a drink cost under $5 and adult dishes are almost all under $12.