Last Sunday I didn’t feel like cooking, cleaning dishes or watching my kids pick over a home-cooked meal. We don’t go to restaurants too often with our three kids in tow but it just felt like the night to take a chance and get a table for five. But where to go? I have a limited repertoire of kid friendly restaurants in Montreal but wanted to try something new. I took my query to my trusted Montreal Moms Facebook group and got a handful of responses. The one that seemed to get top reviews was Souvlaki Bar. I had never heard of this restaurant chain before but after a quick look at the website it seemed to check off all the family-friendly boxes.

What Makes a Restaurant Kid Friendly?

My kids tend to lean to the picky side so finding a restaurant that satisfies everyone’s taste buds is definitely important but so are these factors:

• Noise. Wherever we go the background noise has to be louder than my kids. Enough said.
• Entertainment. I’ve learned to pack stickers and flashcards in my diaper bag because the typical crayons and kids’ menu usually won’t do. We try to avoid devices while dining out but if necessary they’ll usually come out during the second half of the meal when we’re wrapping up.
• Parking. The night we went out was just after a snow storm. Pulling into a parking lot is certainly easier than circling the block with hungry kids in the backseat.
• Staff. I think my kids are pretty cute but not everyone is charmed by their good looks. Dining out is always a more pleasant experience when the waitstaff engages with our family.

Souvlaki Bar

With five locations across Montreal, Souvlaki Bar is an excellent family-friendly option. While there are plenty of Greek restaurant chains to choose from, this is one that not only offers delicious food at reasonable prices, but parents can actually daydream about being whisked away to the Greek isles for a short while. The décor is white and blue, but not in a cheesy way. It’s airy and light with quirky sayings plastered on the walls. Plus, my husband was beyond thrilled to find traditional Greek frappe coffee on the drink menu.

Ambiance aside, Souvlaki Bar has a menu to please everyone. From the standard souvlaki pitas and chicken sticks to spanakopita and calamari all the favourites can be found here. And the fun factor is upped by a variety of potato dishes, including a Greek take on poutine with tzatziki instead of gravy and feta in place of cheese curds. I’m a vegetarian but the meat shovels are a popular item, perfect for sharing.

In all honesty, I got my children excited about heading out for dinner that night with the promise of a blue-raspberry slush to accompany their kids’ meals. A dose of sugar preceded a healthier chicken stick with rice and deliciously seasoned fries. And the three of them partook in the ice cream dessert together…

Thanks to the many moms for the suggestion. Now it’s my turn to pass along the review and encourage you to take a night off from being the family chef and chief dish washer!