For those of you who had been to Doc Holidays, the floor plan is pretty much unchanged.  You walk in to either a bar area or a dining area.  The two areas are connected by long, slimmer hallway area.  The big change is the décor.  Gone is the country atmosphere and stuffed animals.  In its place is a slicker, modern restaurant that is definitely not as dingy feeling. 

We arrived at a strange time and, although the place was empty, we could not get the full menu.  Apparently, there is a two hour period between lunch and dinner where you can only get soup and salads.  Despite this, we decided to stay and had a relatively nice lunch.

We did take the time to grab a menu and it looks like they should have some fairly interesting food.  They have a “Small Plates, Salads and Sandwich” menu which has some unique choices – Smoked Duck Soft Tacos, Yellowfin Sushi Roll, Duck and Spinach Salad and Lamb Burgers.  I had the Duck and Spinach salad which was very good.  The Entrees looked equally exciting with Lobster Macaroni and Duck Breast Pizza. (They must have come into a lot of duck somewhere). 

The kids menu has the old stand-bys – chicken tenders, pizza and hamburgers.  It also has meatloaf and grilled chicken which are great to see on a kids menu.  Each meal comes with a beverage and a scoop of ice cream.

I wish I could talk more about the food but because we came at an off-hour we didn’t get to sample much.  If anyone’s been, please send your thoughts.  I am sure we will soon be trying it again and will let you know how it goes.

            For those of you who haven’t been, Gullifty’s is located in a strip mall off of I-83 South near New Cumberland.  There are two floors – the dining room upstairs and a bar area downstairs.  I have never sat in the dining area.  I had been to Gullifty’s downstairs area for concerts on a couple of occasions and would not have thought to take the kids there.  We called ahead and although they won’t take reservations we were assured there would be seating in this basement area which was fine for us because it has numerous televisions to watch the game.

            The downstairs has a large wooden bar and two seating areas.  There is also a pool table and (my kid’s favorite) a pop corn machine with free pop corn.  I was surprised it wasn’t busier but there were a number of families. 

            The menu is large and ranges from pizza to seafood.  I think it used to be owned by the same people who own Highway Pizza which is a well known State College restaurant.  We had the pizza and wings which were very good.  The service was also good and very accommodating to the kids.

            The kids menu also has a lot of selections all of them priced between 2.59 and 2.99.  The selections include normal stuff like burgers, hot dogs, pasta, pizza and mac & cheese.  The menu also has interesting things like peanut butter, jelly and banana sandwiches, scrambled eggs and peanut butter and jelly pizza.  They also serve kid’s dessert – ice cream, heated brownie and “dirt” (chocolate pudding with crushed oreos and gummy worms.)

            I really am glad our friends thought about going to Gullifty’s.  My wife and I have often talked that there is not a place in our neck of the woods which has good pizza/wings/beer and is fun for the kids.  Gullifty’s meets that definition.

For those that haven’t been, Coakley’s is located in downtown New Cumberland.  From the outside it looks like an Irish Pub and has two entrances.  The “Pub Entrance” leads to a bar area which is long and skinny and has a very nice wood bar running along one wall.  Past the bar is a dining room area which I think used to be an open patio.  Coakley’s sells what I believe to be the coldest beer in town and has a full bar and great selection of beers.  It is probably not the kind of bar area for families just because there is very limited seating.  I have not sat in the back area which has televisions and could be better suited for families. 

The other entrance leads to a “Dining Room” area.  The first thing to strike you about Coakley’s dining room area is that it seems to have been cobbled together from an older home.  There are a number of separate rooms and various nooks and crannies.  We sat in a little room with one table which could seat around 10 people.  The kids enjoyed having our own area.

Aside from the maze-like set up, the dining room area has a very stuffy feel.  It is very quiet which can be trouble with energetic kids. However, on the days we have gone it is not overly crowded – so there wasn’t too many people to bother. 

The wait staff is very professional but maybe (like the dining room) a little stiff.  Our waitress was prompt and attentive but not a load of laughs.   

The menu is fairly large.  It starts with sandwiches and runs to seafood and steak entrees.  I have always liked the food at Coakley’s.  We started with a spinach/crab dip which was great.  The entrees (mostly steaks and the seafood) were also very good.   The kid’s menu is short but covers all the bases – hot dogs, mac & cheese, grilled cheese and pasta. 

Actually, I think the best stuff on the menu is the soups and sandwiches and Coakley’s is open for lunch.  If you go for lunch (or dinner) try the Irish Breakfast Sandwich – it is my favorite.  

If you want to check out the menu – they have a website at www.coakleys.com.

The dining area is pretty “bar-y” but given the lack of people during the day, you don’t have to worry. The staff is friendly and have always been welcoming of the kids. (I did see a high chair once too.) They have a number of televisions, video games and a pool table which can keep the little ones occupied.

The menu is fairly traditional with a focus on fish sandwiches and great black bean chili which is used on any number of selections. You have your traditional kids meals. I have always been surprised by how good the food is. It is by no means gourmet food but it is a unique menu.

Zoggs to me is really what this blog is about. A place that families may shy away from given its appearance. We find that places like Zogg’s are some of the best places for families with kids because they are never busy when we go (early) so the kids can mess around with bothering anyone. Also, because families are unique to Zoggs, the staff always goes overboard to provide great friendly service.

The restaurant recently opened a new location with a more clean and modern atmosphere.  The dining area is separated from the bar area and smoke is not an issue.  We will many times go in the afternoon or on off times and sit in the bar area so the kids can watch the televisions.

Like most restaurants on Rehoboth Ave, Dos Locos can get busy at night and on weekends.  However, it is open almost year round, so feel free to stop in off season.With the new location, Dos Locos appears to serve a larger number of families with children. 

Upon arrival, be sure to immediately order the complimentary nachos and salsa – however, you parents knew that already.  To be honest, I am not a hugh fan of Mexican food.  However, my wife loves the black bean burrito.  The kid’s menu is not expansive but they do have at least two different types of French fries – regular and smiley.  So, you should be okay.  Also, traditional American fare is also available.   

We have been going to Dos Locos for years and the real draw for us has always been the staff.  The owners and the wait staff have always been very friendly and accommodating – remembering our names and coming over for small talk during our meals.  One of our tenants is that the most important part of any restaurant and bar is the staff – particularly for family diners.  Dos Locos has always been the example of how important a friendly staff can be. 

The atmosphere at Fish On is sophisticated but not stuffy.  The dining area has a very modern look with interesting pictures on the walls.  When the restaurant is busy, the high ceilings and sparse design give the restaurant a pleasant noise level perfect for kids.  There is outdoor seating but last I checked there was no dinner service on the patio area - just drinks.

The restaurant opens at 5:00 but does not get busy until later – when there can be a wait.  Each time we have eaten at Fish On, we observed a number of other families with children and the staff is very accommodating.      

Be sure to immediately order the complimentary bread upon arrival.  It tastes great and will definitely keep the kids happy while you get settled in.  The kids will enjoy the kid’s meals which include the old standards – Mac and Cheese, etc. - and root beer floats are a special treat. 

As for the parents, the food is wonderful and, maybe more importantly, is really unique.  I love the Shrimp and Grits but you really can’t go wrong with anything. 

It was good timing as I had just taken my family to Dockside Willies for dinner and I really echo what the reader submitted.

 Dockside Willies sits right on the river between the Rock Bass Grill and the old G-Man (I can’t remember its new name). You enter into a nicely redone dining area with a large bar to one side and a smaller seating area on the other. It had a very clean feel and was not smoky when we ate there. The real attraction for me is the deck overlooking the river. It is very large with a lot of seating. Restaurants with decks are hard to come by in this area.  As noted by the reader in his/her comments - the menu is large. It ranges from traditional bar-type food - pizza/burgers - to your steaks, seafood and chicken. As noted, they have the standard family-friendly requirements - highchairs, crayons and coloring paper. The children’s menu was good with a number of selections. I thought the food was good but not great. However, again, the deck really made up for things. We actually went a little later than usual - @7:00 on a Thursday. The crowd was pretty well divided between groups enjoying happy hours and families (many with young children). The deck was not loud or out of hand in any way. We felt very comfortable and enjoyed the evening. RESTAURANT ROW - Last week there was an article in the paper discussing “restaurant row” and all the comings and goings of restaurants. The part that interested me the most was a quote from a couple with a young child in which they declared restaurant row to not be “child friendly,” Apparently, the restaurant at which they ate for some reason refused to make buttered noodles for their child.  Working downtown, I have visited most of the restaurants running from Market Street up Second Street to the Fire House (approximately the end of restaurant row). As I think about each restaurant, nothing really sticks out as being particularly family friendly. Therefore, over the next few weeks, I am going to try to visit as many of the restaurants as possible to determine which if any are family-friendly. Any assistance from the readers would be helpful and I would appreciate any comments about your experiences.

Theos Bar and Grill, 3315 Hartzdale Dr, Camp Hill, PA 17011 – Theos is located near the Capital City mall and has been around for some time.  The exterior is fairly nondescript.  The interior is clean and well decorated.  The restaurant is divided into three areas.  There are two dining areas separated by a large bar in the middle. 

Theos always struck me as a place where 40 year old professionals went for happy hours and a nice meal.  I don’t mean that as an insult – it is just a nice but low energy restaurant.  The kind of place you might take your elderly parents for their birthday.  When we have gone, there have been other families with children and I would not be afraid to take the family even later in the evening.

The menu is large with all the normal favorites.  There are a few interesting choices and a decent variety of selections but nothing ground breaking.  When we asked if they had a kid’s menu – the answer was:  “yes, but not a physical menu.”   Okay, here is the deal.  They have kid’s meals but no menu describing the meals.  The meals seem fairly standard – my son had the pasta and it was a large portion with a tasty sauce.  In all, we always like our meals but there is nothing spectacular or particularly memorable.

Rich Valley Golf Course, 227 Rich Valley Rd, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 – One of the family activities we enjoy is golfing.  Rich Valley is a newer course right off Interstate 81 (you can see it from the road).  Rich Valley offers a three hole, par 3 course which is great for kids and families.  It costs $2 per hole per person to play and it is never really busy.  You can rent clubs for yourself or the kids.  The course also is the site of the First Tee which is a program to introduce kids to golf. 

Once we are done golfing, we often head to the bar/restaurant located in the club house.  It is called Nolo’s Grill and consists of a small bar, a small dining area and some outdoor – deck seating.  We have sat in both the bar and the dining area without problem. 

The staff is extremely friendly and we are usually one of the few patrons there.  When we eat in the dining area, we have the television turned to children shows and the dining area has large windows overlooking the course. 

The menu is good and has a decent selection of the sandwiches and meals.  They have daily specials and a good kid’s menu.  One piece of advice – if your kids want a hotdog, get one down at the pro-shop because they don’t have them in the bar/restaurant upstairs. 

My kids love the egg sandwich which is part of the main menu.  

So, if you want to try golfing and get a nice family meal, Rich Valley is the place to try.

   Michaels Café,  54 Benvenue Road, Duncannon, Pa 17020 (Clarks Ferry Area) – 

I encourage every reader of the blog to submit suggestions for family restaurants.  I got one recently for Michaels Café in Clarks Ferry.  I have always wanted to stop by but never have.  Here is what the reader said:

got another one for you….Michael’s cafe in Duncannon.  Again, went at
5:00.  Place was empty but other patrons came once we were there.  There
were 3 kids in total with us.  They have a kid’s menu, crayons, and
coloring pages.  It used to be an old arby’s but don’t let the outside fool
you.  Inside is very contemparary and food was excellent!  Great wait staff
and a nice beer selection.  Worth the short trip.  We will be going back
again soon.  Here’s their website:  michealscafe.com

I will definitely be giving it a shot.