Left to right, Delphi Drake-Mudede, 7, and Rogan and Domenica Zangari, 9 and 8, respectively, enjoy chicken and seafood skewers during happy hour at Kushibar.
Beyond the Happy Meal: Family Dining Bargains, Happy Hour Style
By Bellen Drake
Some afternoons, after a long day of work or school, the idea of making something healthy and yummy for my family’s dinner feels overwhelming. These are the days that I want to sit down with my children and have conversations. I want somebody else to cook for us and clean up, too. The idea of going to a drive-through and just tossing away the paper wrappers occurs to me, but there are other options as well.
Before I had children, I often sought out happy hours that offered free sushi, Indian buffets or burrito bars. I was not looking for the drinks so much as a comfortable place to relax with friends and have a cheap meal. Many of the bars and restaurants that offer delicious happy hour fare are off-limits for the under-21 crowd – or happy hour is offered only in the section where kids aren’t allowed. There are some out there, though, that offer the best of both worlds: a place where families can dine together and order fabulous food that won’t bust their budgets.
Here are a handful I’ve enjoyed with my 7- and 12-year-old children that we’d recommend to families with kids of any age:
Nijo Sushi
The food and ambience at Nijo Sushi share much in common with the two neighborhoods on either side of it. It offers the high-quality traditional Japanese cuisine that’s typical of the International District and has Belltown’s urban glam.
My children and I eat at Nijo happy hour often because the food is healthy, plentiful and affordable. Although there are no placemats to color and you won’t find many other children in the restaurant, the servers are nice and never complain when we ask them to bring new chopsticks because my daughter dropped hers on the floor for the fifth time.
The menu is strictly Japanese, but there are several options for children who are unfamiliar with the food or reluctant to try new things. From the happy hour menu, I recommend the Tamago (Japanese omelet, $3) or the Karaage Chicken (fried chicken bites, $5). My kids are big fans of the calamari ($3), but I was surprised that they barely touched the Agedashi Tofu ($3). The appetizer menu has some bargains as well, including miso soup ($2), edamame ($4) and a house salad ($4). The Hamachi Kama (“Kama” means collar) is the most expensive item on the happy hour menu, but it’s a really nice piece of fish for only $7. My kids’ favorite is the deep-fried tempura ice cream ($3, serves two children).
It’s easy to order way too much food. Go toward the beginning of happy hour and order just a few things firs,t and then order more after you’ve seen how much they serve and how much your children will eat.
Where: 83 Spring St., Seattle Happy Hour: 4 to 6 p.m. on weekdays (There’s also a 10 p.m. to midnight happy hour, but children are allowed in the restaurant only before 10 p.m.) Contact: 206-340-8880; www.nijosushi.com.
Rosebud
Rosebud Restaurant and Bar on Capitol Hill is full of intimate tables and couches, candlelight, jazz, rotating art and friendly wait staff. Again, this is not the kind of place that’s full of children and families, but it’s comfortable and welcoming.
My daughter asked the waiter if she and her brother could each have a cherry for their drinks, and he brought six of them. These are the subtle gestures that let kids know that they are welcome and treated as valuable customers.
There’s a happy hour menu that’s offered from 4 to 7:30 pm as well as an appetizer menu that’s offered from 5 to 10 p.m. My kids both chose the Smoky Gouda Mac and Cheese ($4). I had the Duck Confit salad ($7), and woke up the next morning wishing I had a little left over in the fridge. Items on the happy hour and appetizer menus range from $4 to $11, including a pork sandwich ($4), a lamb burger ($11) or calamari and spinach ($9).
If you’re out to wet your whistle, too, beware: The well drinks are strong and cheap, ($3).
Where: 719 E. Pike St., Seattle Happy Hour: 4 to 7:30 p.m. weekdays Contact: 206-323-6636; www.rosebud-restaurant.com.
The Pig ‘N Whistle
I first discovered the Pig ‘N Whistle in Greenwood when my son was attending 826 Seattle tutoring center next door. This pub has tables and booths that are big enough for your kids to spread out and do homework or color. It’s a welcoming place for children and has a kids’ menu. The happy hour menu is the snacks and salads, and burgers and sandwiches menu offered at half price.
I passed on the crunchy pig ears with spicy mustard ($2.25) but enjoyed the iceberg lettuce wedge salad with blue cheese, baby tomatoes and bacon ($4.15). My daughter was satisfied with the fish and chips from the kids’ menu ($5.95). My son was still hungry after he finished his cheeseburger from the children’s menu ($5.95). One problem with many restaurants is that they have several menus: a dinner menu, a lunch menu, an appetizer menu, a happy hour menu and a children’s menu. I did not see the complete happy hour menu and probably would have ordered differently had I known all of my options.
The happy hour menu, I later learnd, touts a fresh ground all natural Washington beef chuck, cheddar and bacon burger with fries for $6. All other sandwiches, served on locally made Columbia City bread, are $5, including a grilled ham and Swiss topped with a fried egg and cheese gravy, and a seasonal veggie burger made with white bean and bulgur wheat.
The Pig ‘N Whistle is full of people chattering and music playing. It’s not so loud that you can’t have a conversation or work on your spelling homework, but not so quiet that my kids stand out when they are laughing or goofing around or playing footsie under the table.
Where: 8412 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle Happy Hour: Seven days a week 4 to 6 pm. Contact: 206-872-6044; www.pignwhistleseattle.com.
Kushibar
Kushibar in Belltown is a casual, yet elegant, restaurant. I felt happy and relaxed even before I ordered. We chose to sit in the enclosed porch, which has the look of a cedar sauna without the dry heat. There were small heaters running, and the host turned on one larger, extra heater near our table even though I felt comfortable in my sweater. The waiter brought us a complimentary bowl of popcorn and cucumber water with our menus.
Kushi means “skewer” which is how much of the food is served here. We ordered the Chicken Set (seven skewers for $10) and the Seafood Set (five skewers for $10). The Chicken Set has seven skewers, including breast meat, chicken hearts, livers, gizzards, skin and a wing. The Seafood Set includes shrimp, eel, tuna, white fish and salmon.
These plates are meant for sampling, and they require sharing skills and communication for everybody to get a chance to try everything and know what they are eating. In addition to the skewer plates, I recommend the miso soup ($1), a side of edamame ($4) and rice to make sure that nobody leaves hungry.
Where: 2319 2nd Ave., Seattle Happy Hour: Monday to Friday 4 to 6:30 p.m. Contact: 206-448-2488; www.kushibar.com.
Bellen Drake is a Seattle photographer, writer and mother of two.
