Top Dublin restaurants - would you bring a baby?

Purple said:
There seems to be an undercurrent of inverted snobbery in some of your posts Clubman, do you have an issue with people choosing to spend their income in high end eateries?
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Huh!? What on earth are you on about? I couldn't give a toss where people choose to spend their own hard (or otherwise) earned money and have never said or implied otherwise.

Becoming "highly embarrassed" just because your kids play up a bit in public sounds irrational to me personally.
 
Purple said:
There seems to be an undercurrent of inverted snobbery in some of your posts Clubman, do you have an issue with people choosing to spend their income in high end eateries?
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If this
ClubMan said:
Personally I woundn't be inclined to bring our 2 year old to a top notch restaurant but having read how much it might annoy some other people I would consider changing my mind.
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is what you have in mind, I suspect that it's just a manifestation of the well known fact (and I mean this in the most respectful way!) that ClubMan is a severely contrary mildly misanthropic mischief maker. He would of course be poking and tickling ClubMan junior in order to elicit the loudest and most excited screaming possible in an exclusive establishment, and then equipping him with a plastic imitation light-sabre to whack the elegantly attired and sophisticated diners.

And being highly embarrassed on children acting up in public does sound a little unnecessary to me... assuming the parent is making a reasonable effort to restrain the behaviour, or, if practical and necessary, remove the child from a particular public environment (and a parent who has the grace to want their children not to make everyone miserable will presumably be doing those things), then even the most intolerantly childfree among us will limit our heavy sighs, eye rolling, and glares to a minimum. To, say, just a token disapproving sniff and some elaborate ignoring...
 

Sounds just like my little lad(he is just gone 1 what do you expect)

I would not change him for the world he magic

Jaid
 

personaly (you may not all agreed) I find it highly amusing and funny when the little fella start to play the drums with two spoons and a high chair.

That said I do have the presence of mind not to let him carry on to much.

Jaid
 
Roly's in Dun Laoghaire welcome children and have high chairs if required. In general, while our little one has been eating out in restaurants since she was just weeks old, I wouldn't try bringing her out for posh nosh. We did bring her to Forde's in Wexford last year when we fancied a break from 'family restaurants', and both she and the staff behaved impeccably. We find that taking her for a little walk and look around between courses reduces chances of an explosion.
 
Loving the discussion on here, I have to say...

My own spin on it is that you probably don't get a lot of opportunities to eat out on your own in the evening, so book a babysitter and enjoy the night.
I would assume that a good restaurant would be able to cope with your child, and would probably put up the world best 'chicken nuggets and chips', why not just take the opportunity to enjoy the ambiance on your own.
If you're like most parents of small kids I know, you probably haven't had a discussion over a meal for months (little jugs, big ears)...
 
I ate in L'Ecrivain recently on a Saturday night and there was a table with about 12 adults and a baby of probably 12 months old in a buggy, so that's at least one top restaurant that accepts children. In fairness to the parents, the kid was extremely well behaved - you wouldn't know it was there.

Having said that, I don't think it appropriate that babies would be brought to a top-class restaurant. I would object to some ignoramous talking loudly on his phone at a table beside me if I was spending €250 on a meal, just as much as I would object to a child kicking up a fuss - not the kid's fault, but in a top-class restaurant the price you pay buys you an expectation that you won't be annoyed by other diners.
 
If it is before 9pm I would say maybe you could get away with it. After 9pm I think its selfish to bring a small child with you. Its way past bedtime and unfair to keep the little critter awake while so you can be out and have fun.

A child is for life not for fun!
 
So, after all that, in response to the OPs 'little question', a top retaurant won't object if you bring a child.
Great, now that's settled he can make his own mind up about bringing the kiddie with them for the night.
 
I see no problem with bringing a child with you to ANY restaurant as long as both the child (and the parents !) behave properly. Not every child of 2 sleeps at 9. Some need only a few hours sleep so I could see why you might want to bring the child with you, or you might just be on holiday etc. My kids are able to sit at a table for up to two hours and they can drink water out of wine glasses as here in Belgium that's what they pour the water into, but occasionally it does require a lot of work to keep them well behaved. If the child misbehaves the parent is expected to bring them outside and deal with them so as not to disturb other diners. Personally though I'd rather have dinner in a swish restaurant with just my other half - more romantic
 
Well, I was at the local Chinese ("middle-market" joint - not ultra-posh but not McDs either) with my other half for a romantic meal the other week. Family opposite with two lovely and well-behaved little girls, aged about 5 and 2. 2-year-old started griping a bit at the end of the meal but was soon distracted with cuddly toy. Didn't distract from the meal or atmosphere one bit, in fact the family was a joy to watch.

In many parts of the world it is entirely normal for family members of all ages to eat together.
 
A meal takes a long time and most kids just won't have the attention span to stay still for that. So you'll have to rush your dinner., Where the fun in that. Pick somewhere like a nice pub or hotel bar that isn't formal where everyone parents and babies can relax. Some hotels are specially geared up to cater for babies. Its just more enjoyable to go to one of those. Its good to have some time away from baby too.
 
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