Jiko with young children?

[Treacle44]

Is it suitable to take two children aged 5 and 2 to? Would really love to try the food there as the menu looks amazing, but I'm conscious that they may be bored and we may be in the monirity taking children there?

Thanks

T
x

 

[shellybaxter]

We took our four year old niece to Jiko one trip. She was very well behaved (sat still, did not crawl on the floor or wander around the restaurant, talked in quiet adult tones, etc) and there was no issue. The staff and other patrons were great. It was our first trip to Jiko and it quickly got added to our "must do" list (actually its the only restaurant currently on that list).

However, you might want to consider whether Jiko is something your children will enjoy. When we were planning our next trip to WDW with our niece (now 7)the only restaurant that she asked not to go back to was Jiko. She didn't like sitting quietly for two hours. The food was child friendly enough, but she hated the expirience. On that trip I enrolled her in the kids club for our Jiko evening instead and she was much happier.

I'm not sure I would want to take a two year old into an upscale restaurant. At that age most (I direct a child development center so I have a good idea of what "most" children do, but admit that not all children behave the same) children are not willing to sit the 1.5 to 2 hours a meal at Jiko will take.

 

[zurgswife]

Jiko is and should be a relaxing dinner, sometimes drawn out. Most small children I have seen there don't seem to make it through the entire dinner without getting bored. Some make it through others ruin the relaxing sphere for other patrons. If you don't think you kid have the stamina or personality to be semi quite for a couple of hours don't take them.

Hire a fairygodmother and have a few hours alone at Jiko with your hubbie instead.

 

[Leanne1977]

Is it suitable to take two children aged 5 and 2 to? Would really love to try the food there as the menu looks amazing, but I'm conscious that they may be bored and we may be in the monirity taking children there?

Thanks

T
x

Hi Tracey.

If you feel it is a restaurant that you and your family would like to try then you go for it!

I don't think there are many Disney restaurants if any that are not child friendly and nobody would expect your 2 year old to sit perfectly still and quiet for 2 hours!!
We are taking the boys aged 6 and just 5 to the Yachtsmans Steakhouse and California Grill and i have no worries about doing this. They are well behaved but like any children, they get excited and behave like kids as that is what they are. Most people understand this and realise that lots of families want to spend their holiday as a family which means enjoying mealtimes together.
We are having one adult meal at Narcoossees during our trip but not because we are worried about the children being noisy in the restaurant but because we thought they would enjoy the Neverland Club and we would enjoy a meal alone. Something we havent done for years!!!

You will always get one person no matter how well behaved your children are that just waits for them to make the slightest noise to start moaning but dont stress about it.
If your little one does become a little noisy as kids do then just take him outside for a little stroll while he settles down.

Have a great meal and enjoy Jiko!!

 

[madalex]

You can absolutely take the kids there and you will likely not be in the minority if you are there with a child. However, Jiko can be a lengthy meal, so, in consideration of the other guests at the restaurant, you need to be prepared to take your children out if they start disturbing the other guests.

 

[jodifla]

We were just there in January, and I'd say fewer than 10 percent of people had kids with them.

It's pretty upscale.

 

[raidermatt]

Is it suitable to take two children aged 5 and 2 to? Would really love to try the food there as the menu looks amazing, but I'm conscious that they may be bored and we may be in the monirity taking children there?

They should be fine, but you're the best person to decide whether they will be able to handle it. If they normally handle sit-down meals ok, then this should be fine too.

 

[katiesmom2]

We were there two weeks ago with our 2 and 4 year olds. We had a 5:30 reservation and when we arrived, only 2 other tables were full. By the time we left, the restaurant was very busy. So, if you want to eat with fewer people (but a quieter restaurant) book an earlier ressie. If you want more people and a slightly louder environment, book later (note: the restaurant was never loud - just not as quiet).

Our kids did just fine. We brought stuff for them to play with and they did very well.

I don't think you should avoid going because of your kids. Go and enjoy!

 

[CarolA]

You can absolutely take the kids there and you will likely not be in the minority if you are there with a child. However, Jiko can be a lengthy meal, so, in consideration of the other guests at the restaurant, you need to be prepared to take your children out if they start disturbing the other guests.

I ate there in March. Of the five or six tables I can recall around me, there was only one with children. It was two girls, I would say 8 and 10. They were well behaved, but were in the minority. (The younger one was also miserable. She finally gave in and fell asleep, esentially wasting whatever money Mom and Dad spent on that meal at her place.) I saw no "high chairs" or toddler seats. (I was there with my coworkers, we would have noticed LOL!)

 

[Treacle44]

Thanks everyone, still can't decide what to do. Both children are well behaved but obvisouly I wouldn't expect them to be quiet for the whole meal.

If we do do it, I will make an early ADR. Does anyone know when they start serving dinner?

Thanks

T
x

 

[mrsltg]

Thanks everyone, still can't decide what to do. Both children are well behaved but obvisouly I wouldn't expect them to be quiet for the whole meal.

If we do do it, I will make an early ADR. Does anyone know when they start serving dinner?

Thanks

T
x

They start at 5:30, I believe. I have taken a small child to Jiko - my dd was a brand new 3 at the time. She was also the exception to most child rules. She was quiet and easygoing and never made a public scene. Fast forward to my second dd. She is almost two I could see her swinging from the bird formations hanging from the ceiling! There is no difference in parenting, but there is a BIG difference in the children. I would like to take my parents to Jiko in September but unless something changes drastically with Stitch, uhhh... I mean, Caroline, I think we'll skip it this time!

Good luck!

 

[Ciao Mickey]

Is it suitable to take two children aged 5 and 2 to? Would really love to try the food there as the menu looks amazing, but I'm conscious that they may be bored and we may be in the monirity taking children there?

Thanks

T
x

If you feel it might be too much for the little ones to handle a Jiko-type atmosphere, have you considered Boma?

Boma has the same type of food and it's noisy and busy and perfect for kids.

 

[laughinplace199]

We brought our kids to Jiko when they were 4 & 2 and again when they were 6 & 4. They did great both times. It's their favorite WDW restaurant! We always make the earliest ADR possible. Last time, I bought a new coloring book for them to use while waiting for their meal. Most WDW restaurants give the kids a page to color, but it's almost always the same at all of the restaurants, which gets pretty old by the end of the week. The new coloring book kept them occupied. Also, our waiter brought the phone over to them during dinner and told them they had an important call - it was Goofy on the phone. They still talk about that call and wonder how Goofy knew they were there that night.

 

[jenrose66]

This is an interesting thread. I didn't realize that Jiko was upscale. Is it 2 TS credits?

 

[TxRabbit]

Is it 2 TS credits?

Yes.

We stayed at AKL in March during Spring Break. We did not eat there but just saw into the restaurant from the outside. It is a very nice, upscale looking restaurant. White table cloths (if memory serves), low lighting, a low level hum restaurant as opposed to a clanging silverware restaurant. Some people were all dressed up, some were much more casual. It is one of those restaurants that you can make what you want.

Regardless, the real point to remember is that the restaurant is at WDW, which is a family oriented vacation destination. Restaurants like Jiko are there to give families a fine dining option, and many families have children, young children. Children gain valuable experience from having a variety of experiences, including going to a nicer restaurant where they may need to use inside voices and do quite table activities. It is a family vacation, everyone should have a chance to do the things that they really want to do, Mamas and Daddys are no exceptions. If you really want to go to Jiko, I say whole heartedly, GO!!

 

[thirtycats]

We went to Jiko with our 5 year old son.

We had a wonderful experience.

The restaurant IS upscale. But it is still child-friendly. The waiter was very friendly towards our son. They have crayons there, a children's menu, etc.

Where else can you go to a restaurant that is both upscale AND child-friendly?

 

[PlutoLuvr]

We've done Jiko many times, and we've always seen kids there. Not as many kids as some of the other restaurants, tho. Like others have mentioned, it is a lengthy meal, and I wouldn't call the menu items "typical."

I forget what's on the children's menu, but I do remember one visit where an adorable child was sitting close by to us. He wasn't loud, but, boy, did he LOVE the mac & cheese served there -- and he wasn't shy about that one bit. He had a massive bowl of it (in something I might toss a salad in here at home) and he was just grinning from ear to ear through the whole meal eating a bowl of mac & cheese that probably weighed more than him.

The mac & cheese is delicious there ... too bad it's so hard to make at home!

 

[Hollymom1229]

We have 7 adults and a 1 y.o. going in October. We chose Jiko as our upscale meal with the kiddo. We got the earliest seating time available, and we figure if she gets fussy during the meal there is no better resort to walk a kid around. We'd trade her off to ensure all of us got to enjoy our meal.