Kids are the focus at Grandma Leeth's restaurant

I saw a flyer at the SW Community Center for this new kid-friendly restaurant, Grandma Leeth's. It's in the Cedar Hills Shopping Center and apparently just opened a couple of weeks ago. Anyone been there yet? I find the Web site to be a little odd -- maybe it's the painful-to-read kid font, or the fact that it refers to itself as a 'Parent and Child Retreat.' (My idea of a retreat is a place with no children.) But apparently the idea is that there is a designated, enclosed space for the kids where they are overseen by staff members. You pay to keep them there, and the kids can also be served food. You dine on the outskirts with a view to the kid's space. Interesting concept -- but does it work? It seems like I've heard of something similar in Vancouver. If you check out Grandma Leeth's, make sure to report back! Tues-Sun 10:30am-7:30pm, 10122 SW Park Way.

Comments

[Meema]

I've been there a couple of times and it is great! I wish that something like this would have been around when my oldest was a toddler -- I would have been there weekly! Is it a place that I would go without my child -- not really. But the food is good -- not great, but good and if you can't find a sitter and want to get out with your husband than you can't really beat it! The kids are well fed and entertained for a fraction of what we have paid sitters in the past!

Check it out and see what you think!

[Betsy]

We checked it out when they first opened, and it was a bit painful (bad service, not great food) but the kids (2 and 4) LOVED it.

We tried it again last night and wahoo the food was much better and the service was ok and the kids still loved it.

This is a great treat of a night. Not a babysitter, but not a dinner with the kids at the table.

We are going to try it now with friends with kids - we might actually get to complete a sentence.

(Oh and I find that font on their website annoying also)

They don't allow autistic kids into their child care area. It's discriminatory to have this as a policy. I don't plan to go there.

[Sharon Richardson]

I am the owner of Grandma Leeth's and I can assure you that the posting on June 2 about autistic children is a rumor we are aware of and is untrue. Several of our young guests have developmental disabilities, including autism, and enjoy our supervised play area. If we have a policy, it is that every child is different. I urge readers to visit the following link on how we make our decisions: http://www.grandmaleeths.com/A%20Word%20about%20Differences.html
Further, on July 23rd, we will be donating 15 percent of our proceeds for the day to children with developmental disabilities and hope that other businesses in Portland will join us in this charge. Please contact me if you are the owner or representative of a business who is interested in participating in this important fundraiser and I will be happy to share details. (Info@grandmaleeths.com)