Treating my daughter to a birthday lunch at New York’s American Girl Cafe (located on Fifth Avenue near Rockefeller Center) was the perfect way to end her birthday celebration. This was a first time at the American Girl cafe so I did not know what to expect. Making the reservation online was super simple plus I received a reminder email confirming our time – great for moms who have a tendency to forget appointments.
We arrived a few minutes before our reservation to a super long line but again no worries. They assign you a table so there is no need to feel the pressure to race to be at the head of the line.
The dining room is spacious and decorated in pink, white and black, very much a girly girly decor. What I liked about our table and every table in fact is that each table was adorned like a fine dining restaurant, topped with good china, table cloths and cloth napkins. Let’s face it, we don’t often take our kids to restaurants with table cloths so the experience provided my daughter with an opportunity to actually “dine” and use her proper table manners in a nice restaurant. It doesn’t hurt to start early in teaching our kids how to act in restaurants.
I thought that our meal was relatively reasonable for brunch which was $24 per person and included appetizers, entree and dessert (wine for parents is extra.) The portions were generous and I really enjoyed my chicken sandwich while my daughter’s chicken nuggets and mac n cheese were equally yummy. Our server was quite lovely especially when we told her we were there to celebrate my daughter’s 10th birthday.
As part of the dining experience, there is a box of cards with interesting and thought provoking questions like “What is the best way to apologize to somebody” to keep the conversation going. This was too fun and wished they sold them separately for future dinner conversation topics.
Of course because it was my daughter’s birthday, our server brought my daughter a little heart cake with a candle. Nice touch. For those who want it a tad more fancy or have more family and friends, there is a birthday package with deliciously decorated cake. I would have opted for this if it was more than the two us but the little cake was perfect (and cheaper.)
I almost forgot the best part of the experience, your daughter’s American Girl doll gets her own seat at the table.
Yes, it may sound somewhat extravagant to some but having a lunch or dinner at the American Girl cafe will be a delightful experience for your daughter. I so highly recommend taking your daughter to the American Girl cafe with their doll. I make this recommendation as a cynical and jaded New Yorker and I am happy that I went ahead and surprised my daughter because it is an experience she will long remember and one’s childhood should be filled with happy, happy and memorable times.
American Girl
Location: 609 Fifth Avenue at 49th Street, New York, NY 10017
Reservations: americangirl.com
Disclosure: NYC Single Mom was not compensated for this post.
