We are in Atlanta for #outandaboutAva’s first spring break. Epic eats are essential when on vacation, so we sought out some of our favorite family friendly restaurants while here in Atlanta, Georgia. When we eat out as a family, we require any restaurant we choose to have at least the following criteria:

• Booths. Only parents know the true value of being able to keep a child sequestered on the inside seat of a booth !
• Kids Menus. A restaurant must make a special effort to cater to kids. Some adult menu items do not translate easily to the palettes of a 5 yr old
• Activity Booklets. Although we live in the tech world, old fashioned coloring books and puzzles with crayons still do the trick of occupying them until the food comes.
• Variety. We need choices suitable for all of our tastes AND a bar menu featuring a cocktail and wine list for Mom/Dad because we deserve it!

Our Top 3 restaurants that made our ‘Where to Dine in Atlanta’ list has all the above and more. Check out out thoughts below.

The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar Atlanta 

From the moment we walked up to the The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar Atlanta, you could tell we were going to have a fun dining experience! Located at Atlanta’s Perimeter Mall, This is the first and only Georgia outpost of this North Carolina based restaurant. Their unique take on food has made The Cowfish stand out from the crowd.

They have a huge cowfish statue named Nugget and fun games out front. Between the bean bag toss and the plinko game, my daughter was having so much fun outside she didn’t want to come in! But once inside she was fascinated by the REAL cowfish they have in the aquarium and the wonderful kids activities menu with crayons at the table.

The Cowfish aims to offer something for the entire family. Scrumptious appetizers for sharing, entree-sized salads, homemade desserts and a fun kid’s menu are joined by their signature creations such “Burgushi”! A cutting edge fusion of burger and sushi, burgushi items include sushi rolls created using burger components, and pick-up style sandwiches created using sushi components. Since we loves sushi +burgers+bar(for the parents), The CowFish ended up being the perfect choice for our lunch date. They have such a pretty extensive menu, but thankfully it is broken down and explained by the helpful wait staff.

For  an appetizer it was recommended we try the Lobster & Crab Spring Rolls. It was 4 towers of goodness filled with lobster meat. It came with a trifecta of sauces: cilantro pesto, thai chili sauce, spicy honey marmalade The sauces were so good, I ordered extra! Uber fresh, uber delicious! Simply amazing! 

For our entrees, we all got the bento box lunches as a way to try a little of everything they had to offer. The Cowfish Bento Box and Fusion Specialty Bento Box are a great way to go to sample a mini-burger along with your choice of sushi roll and tasty side items! My little girl enjoyed her lunch too. Their kids menu is unlike any other I have ever seen. Sophisticated choices, yet very kid simple palette friendly. She had their California Roll Bento box. It came with edamame, which she loves and even a rice crispy treat with a candy cowfish gummy bear on top..plus a fun tattoo!

We split a very BIG slice of their Chef Dave’s Not Factory Made Cheesecake delicious, creamy almond coconut cheescake! We put a dent in it but can you say “a to go box please” !

The Cowfish satisfies both kids and adults alike. If you enjoy a creative handcrafted cocktail, don’t miss a chance to try any from their list. The Moscow Muleshine for Him and the Itsy Bitsy Tini-Weenie Fresh and Berry Great Martini for me has now made it our favorite libations list! 

SobeSavvy Tip:  Great news for you Birmingham foodies! The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar is coming to The Summit near Saks Fifth Avenue and slated to open summer 2017!  Now you can see what Charlotte, Raleigh, Orlando and Atlanta fans love about this restaurant

For more information visit http://www.thecowfish.com Twitter@The_Cowfish                     Instagram: thecowfishsbb              Facebook: @thecowfishatl

Bonefish Grill -Akers Mill Square/ATL

My family loves fresh seafood which makes dining at Bonefish Grill a great idea always! They have a newly opened restaurant in Akers Mill Square in Atlanta, where we enjoyed their new items on their spring menu.  Bonefish Grill, known as the fresh fish experts, are off to a healthy spring start by adding Sea Scallops to the menu. We shared the delicious Applewood Bacon Wrapped Scallops starter, featuring four tender scallops wrapped in Applewood bacon and topped with a tasty mango salsa.Lucky for us parents, Bonefish Grill just launched their Hand-Crafted Happy Hour served 4-6:30 p.m. every day, including weekends, starting April 3*.  We dined while their redefined happy hour was in full swing. Unlike some restaurants, Bonefish Grill allows any diner to order from their special hand crafted happy hour menu no matter if seated at the bar or dining at a table in the main room. We had two of their handcrafted cocktails off of their happy hour menu ($5). The Tropical Tiki Martini and a Fresh Margarita were both superb!Although this is a casual yet sophisticated restaurant, it is also really kid friendly. Kids get their own menu and activity book and crayons to go with it. Her beverage of choice..a shirley temple customized with extra cherries~thanks Bonefish Grill! Her fave from the kids menu is their popcorn shrimp, so that was what she ordered.

Our #HeighPartyof3 believes 3 is the magic number and so does Bonefish Grill with their new Hooked on Tuesday menu special. Starting at $14.90, you get a 3-course meal that includes a fresh salad, entree and decadent dessert.

If you love Salmon, it served many ways at Bonefish Grill.  I choose to have it grilled with pesto and mango salsa (it’s so addictive)  on the side. From the seasonal menu try Cedar Plank Norwegian Salmon – Roasted on a cedar plank, topped with a seasonal glaze of sweet honey and savory Dijon, served with jasmine rice and a vegetable medley of fresh asparagus, button mushrooms, pearl onions, and peas.

For a sweet ending to your meal, I highly recommend the Jen’s jamaican coconut pie. Warning.. this is the one dessert that is not kid friendly because they use a Meyer’s Rum sauce that compliments the dessert well.

And, for dessert from the seasonal menu, try the perennial favorite Strawberry Shortcake! Our daughter loved the made in house whipped cream and fresh strawberries. 

For more information, visit http://www.bonefishgrill.com.   

*Hand-Crafted Happy Hour is available at participating Bonefish Grill restaurants.

Bonefish Grill (Akers Mill Sq.)
2997 Cobb Pkwy SE
Atlanta, GA 30339

BRIO Buckhead-Atlanta

BRIO Tuscan Grille is a favorite of my family because of the variety of tasty dishes on their menu. When I learned that BRIO Tuscan Grille has two locations in Atlanta at Buckhead and Perimeter Mall, I knew they should be added to our “Where to Dine” list during our visit. They say variety is the spice of life and BRIO is  embracing this philosophy with an array of new dishes on the “A Variety of Flavors” lunch and dinner menus. Available Tuesday, Feb. 28–Saturday, April 15, the menus present two exciting new appetizers, three entrées (including two mouthwatering seafood dishes), a divine dessert, and delightful wine options. Here is what we tried from the menu:

 Appetizers

·         Calamari Fritto Misto: Peperoncini, aioli, Pomodoro; $10.75 at lunch, $11.75 at dinner

*This was enough for my family of 3 to share and it we had fun dipping the calamari into the two sauces. 

Entrées

·         Peroni Beer-Battered Fish & Chips: North Atlantic cod, fries, Brussels sprout slaw; $17.95

·         Braised Beef Pappardelle: Rosemary pappardelle, crimini mushrooms, roasted carrots, red onions,  tomato porcini sauce; $21.95

* Fish for him, Beef for me. We both loved our dishes so much, we didn’t share..lol I’m looking at the picture wondering what the brussels sprout slaw tasted like? He said it was all very good and he hopes they keep it on the menu. The braised beef was very tender and full of flavor. The portion was very much family style anf meant for sharing..but I didn’t. It was that good!

Dessert

·         Butterscotch Budino: Italian for “pudding,” Marcona almonds, caramel, vanilla whipped cream; $3.95   

*The perfect sweet ending to a great meal. 

Serving as perfect complements to these special dishes are BRIO’s exquisite wine selections, which this Mom and Dad appreciates! Suggested wines are the light, fruity and elegant Sketchbook Pinot Noir (Mendocino, California); and the lush and silky Benziger Family Winery Chardonnay (Sonoma, California).

We enjoyed their unique flavors with a Tuscan twist, and #outandaboutAva liked their special Children’s Menu.

For a Family Date Night out consider dining at BRIO. Guests can now make reservations online for all BRIO restaurants by visiting http://www.BrioItalian.com or call (404) 601-5555. For a list of locations, please visit http://www.BrioItalian.com and follow the restaurant on Twitter (@brioitalian) and Facebook (facebook.com/brioitalian)

BRIO Buckhead – Atlanta

2964 Peachtree Road N.W.

Atlanta, GA 30305,

*south of Pharr Rd.
Open Sunday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.