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These are the best kid-friendly restaurants in America, according to OpenTable

From casual family restaurants to luxury establishments, these are the places to bring the kids out to eat.
/ Source: TODAY

Want to treat the family to a special dinner soon? You don't have to rely on fast food for delicious dishes that will satisfy everyone.

Sure, dining on that cheeseburger or Chick-fil-A sandwich in the gentle chaos of a play room is enticing for many parents. But sometimes, we want a good, old fashioned experience, where you can sit down, order from a waiter ... and maybe even get dressed up.

To provide moms, dads, grandparents and other caregivers with a little solace, OpenTable curated a list of the country's 50 most kid-friendly restaurants in 2019. And many are not what they seem.

Among the 16 most-winning states (plus Washington, D.C.), New York and Florida ranked the highest — each state boasts seven kid-friendly restaurants on the list. Hawaii had the second most, with six restaurants on the list. California and South Carolina both had four.

A few of the winners were more popular chains, where even celebrities can be seen with their little ones.

Benihana, where Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis celebrated her daughter Jade's birthday last year, had multiple locations make the list. Other resort-friendly chains the like Hard Rock Cafe, Max Brenner, Rainforest Cafe and Carmine's also made the cut. Sugar Factory, which has a star-studded Instagram account featuring visits from the Kardashians and J.Lo, was also deemed a kid magnet.

But more surprising than any restaurant devoted to sugar were the kid-friendly restaurants that many might think to reserve only for date night.

Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen, for example, was ranked as welcoming to all ages. With the Ramsays having just welcomed their fifth child, it's hard to imagine him turning away a wee one.

Another upscale Las Vegas restaurant owned by "Cake Boss" star Buddy Valastro, Buddy V's Ristorante, was voted as a family favorite, too. And Tavern on the Green, the timeless establishment in New York City's Central Park known for its luxurious decor and garden-like setting, also made the list.

To procure its 50 kid-friendly restaurants, OpenTable analyzed more than 12 million reviews by verified diners who use the digital platform. Over 30,000 restaurants were surveyed and the 50 with the most amount of "kid-friendly" or "child-friendly" rankings won.

So, before making that next birthday reservation, think about more than just the play set. The overall experience might surprise you.

Here are the top 50 kid-friendly restaurants in America:

  1. Aquarium Restaurant - Multiple Locations
  2. Becco - New York, New York
  3. Benihana - Multiple Locations
  4. Bill's Bar and Burger - New York, New York
  5. The Boathouse - Lake Buena Vista, Florida
  6. Buddy V's at The Venetian - Las Vegas, Nevada
  7. Cap City Fine Diner & Bar - Grandview - Columbus, Ohio
  8. Carmine's - Multiple Locations
  9. Cattle Company Steakhouse - Pearl City - Pearl City, Hawaii
  10. Columbia Restaurant - Multiple Locations
  11. The Dead Fish - Crockett, California
  12. Farmers & Distillers, Washington, D.C.
  13. Farmers Fishers Bakers, Washington, D.C.
  14. Fire + Ice Boston - Boston, Massachusetts
  15. Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar - Charleston, South Carolina
  16. Founding Farmers - Multiple Locations
  17. Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn Restaurant - Frankenmuth, Michigan
  18. Hard Rock Cafe - Multiple Locations
  19. Hell's Kitchen - Caesars Palace Las Vegas - Las Vegas, Nevada
  20. Henry's Louisiana Grill - Acworth, Georgia
  21. House of Blues Restaurant & Bar - Orlando - Lake Buena Vista, Florida
  22. Keoki's Paradise - Koloa, Hawaii
  23. Kobe Japanese Steakhouse - Multiple Locations
  24. L. Woods Tap and Pine Lodge - Lincolnwood, Illinois
  25. Little Goat - Chicago, Illinois
  26. Loveless Cafe - Nashville, Tennessee
  27. Maggiano's - Multiple Locations
  28. Mama's Fish House - Paia, Hawaii
  29. Max Brenner - Multiple Locations
  30. The Mill House - Waikapu, Hawaii
  31. Monkeypod Kitchen - Multiple Locations
  32. Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner - Buena Park, California
  33. NINJA NEW YORK - New York, New York
  34. Old Lady Gang - Atlanta, Georgia
  35. Old Oyster Factory - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
  36. The Pirates' House - Savannah, Georgia
  37. Raglan Road Irish Pub - Lake Buena Vista, Florida
  38. Rainforest Cafe - Multiple Locations
  39. Sea Captain's House - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
  40. Skull Creek Dockside Restaurant - Hilton Head, South Carolina
  41. The Smith- Lincoln Square - New York, New York
  42. Sugar Factory - Multiple Locations
  43. Tavern on the Green - New York, New York
  44. Tony's Di Napoli - Midtown - New York, New York
  45. True Food Kitchen - Palo Alto - Palo Alto, California
  46. Ulele - Tampa, Florida
  47. Uncle Julio's - Multiple Locations
  48. Virgil's Real BBQ - New York City - New York, New York
  49. Wolfgang's Steak House - Waikiki Beach - Honolulu, Hawaii
  50. Zehnder's of Frankenmuth - Frankenmuth, Michigan