Family-Friendly Steakhouse in Redlands: Kids Menu & More
Finding a restaurant that satisfies every family member can feel like solving an impossible puzzle. Parents want quality food and a welcoming atmosphere, while children need options they’ll actually eat without complaint. When searching for the perfect balance between upscale dining and family comfort, one establishment in Southern California has mastered the art of making everyone feel at home—from toddlers to grandparents.
Why Family Dining Matters More Than Ever
Shared meals create memories that last a lifetime. In our fast-paced world where families juggle work schedules, school activities, and endless commitments, sitting down together for a quality meal becomes increasingly precious. The right restaurant understands this dynamic and creates an environment where families can relax, connect, and enjoy food that appeals to multiple generations.
A true family restaurant Redlands offers more than just high chairs and crayons. It provides an atmosphere where parents don’t feel stressed about noise levels, where servers understand the pacing needs of dining with children, and where the menu offers genuine variety rather than token kid options as an afterthought.
The Old-School Charm That Welcomes Families
Since opening its doors on April 15, 1964, Tartan of Redlands has cultivated a reputation as the “Cheers of Redlands”—a place where everybody knows your name. This welcoming philosophy extends naturally to families, creating an environment where children feel comfortable and parents can actually relax.
The classic steakhouse atmosphere doesn’t intimidate younger diners or make parents worry about formality. Rich wood tones, comfortable booth seating, and thoughtful spacing between tables create a setting that accommodates families without sacrificing the quality experience that makes dining out special.
Space That Accommodates Growing Families
Unlike cramped establishments where maneuvering a stroller feels like an obstacle course, Tartan of Redlands offers spacious layouts that make family dining practical. Booths provide natural containment for younger children while offering privacy for family conversations. The restaurant’s design from the 1960s prioritized comfort and space—features that serve modern families perfectly.
What Makes a Steakhouse Truly Kid-Friendly
The term “kid-friendly steakhouse” might seem contradictory at first. Steakhouses often evoke images of quiet, adult-focused dining rooms where children feel out of place. However, the best family establishments prove these assumptions wrong by creating inclusive experiences that respect all guests.
Menu Options Beyond Chicken Fingers
While many restaurants offer predictable children’s menus filled with frozen, reheated items, a quality family establishment provides real food prepared with the same care as adult offerings. Children deserve more than afterthought meals, and parents appreciate when restaurants recognize this.
At Tartan of Redlands, the famous Tartan Burger represents an excellent option for older children and teens who want something substantial without ordering a full steak dinner. Made with fresh ingredients and premium meat, it gives quality that fosters a love of good cuisine from a young age.
Younger children find options that satisfy picky eaters while introducing them to the steakhouse experience. Simple preparations of quality proteins, familiar side dishes, and portion sizes appropriate for smaller appetites ensure everyone leaves satisfied.
Flexible Dining Times That Work for Families
Family dining often requires earlier dinner times than traditional steakhouse hours. Families with young children typically eat between 5:00 and 6:30 PM—well before the evening rush at most upscale restaurants.
Understanding this reality, Tartan of Redlands welcomes families during these earlier hours, providing the same quality service and food without making parents feel they’re inconveniencing the establishment. This flexibility removes stress from the dining experience and allows families to maintain routines that work for their children.
The Full Bar: Adults Need Options Too
Family-friendly doesn’t mean parents must sacrifice their own dining preferences. The full bar at Tartan of Redlands allows adults to enjoy cocktails, wine, or beer with their meal—turning family dinner into an occasion that adults appreciate rather than simply endure.
Parents dealing with the challenges of dining with children deserve the option to relax with a well-made drink. The bar offerings complement the menu while recognizing that family dining should provide enjoyment for everyone at the table.
Service That Understands Family Dynamics
Exceptional service makes the difference between stressful family dining and enjoyable experiences that create lasting memories. Staff members who understand family needs bring patience, timing awareness, and genuine warmth to their interactions.
Servers Who Welcome Children
The team at Tartan of Redlands treats young diners with respect rather than tolerance. Servers engage with children directly, take their orders seriously, and respond to their needs without making parents feel like a burden. This approach teaches children proper restaurant behavior while making them feel valued as guests.
Experienced servers understand the pacing challenges of dinner with kids Redlands families face. They bring children’s meals promptly, recognize when families need their check quickly, and adapt to the reality that dining with young ones rarely follows predictable timelines.
Handling the Unexpected with Grace
Spilled drinks happen. Dropped utensils occur. Children have meltdowns. The best family restaurants respond to these inevitable moments with understanding rather than judgment. Staff members who remain friendly and helpful during challenging moments earn lifelong loyalty from grateful parents.
Building Traditions Through Multi-Generational Dining
Some of the most cherished family memories center around shared meals at favorite restaurants. When families discover establishments that welcome them consistently over years, these locations become part of their personal history.
Saturday Night Prime Rib: A Family Tradition
The famous Saturday Prime Rib at Tartan of Redlands has become a tradition for countless local families. Grandparents who enjoyed this special meal decades ago now bring their children and grandchildren, creating multi-generational traditions that strengthen family bonds.
These recurring experiences teach children about ritual, appreciation for quality food, and the importance of coming together around the table. What starts as simply going out to eat evolves into treasured family customs that children remember into adulthood.
Celebrating Milestones Together
From birthday dinners to graduation celebrations, family milestones deserve proper recognition. A family restaurant in Redlands that families trust becomes the natural choice for marking these special occasions.
Tartan of Redlands accommodates celebrations with appropriate acknowledgment—enough to make the occasion feel special without creating uncomfortable spotlight moments for children who might feel shy. This balance allows families to create positive memories associated with important life events.
Practical Considerations for Family Dining
Beyond food and atmosphere, practical factors determine whether restaurants work well for families with children.
Parking and Accessibility
Arriving at restaurants with children, car seats, diaper bags, and everything else required for family outings creates logistical challenges. Convenient parking near the entrance reduces stress before families even enter the building.
The location of Tartan of Redlands in historic downtown Redlands provides accessible parking that eliminates the struggle of walking long distances with young children. This seemingly small detail significantly impacts the overall experience.
Cleanliness and Restroom Facilities
Parents quickly assess restaurant cleanliness as an indicator of overall quality and care. Well-maintained facilities signal respect for guests and attention to details that matter when dining with children.
Clean, accessible restrooms become particularly important for families. Parents are more at ease selecting a place for frequent visits when it can promptly attend to the requirements of young children without having to deal with convoluted layouts or dubious hygiene.
Teaching Restaurant Etiquette in Welcoming Environments
Introducing children to proper dining behavior represents an important aspect of parenting. However, this teaching process requires environments that balance patience with standards.
Learning Through Positive Experiences
Children develop restaurant skills gradually through repeated exposure to dining situations. When establishments welcome families while maintaining a quality atmosphere, children learn appropriate behavior through positive reinforcement rather than constant correction.
Tartan of Redlands provides an ideal learning environment—nice enough that children understand they should use good manners, yet welcoming enough that parents don’t feel excessive anxiety about minor mistakes during the learning process.
Preparing Future Food Enthusiasts
Early exposure to quality ingredients and proper preparation develops children’s palates and appreciation for good food. Restaurants that offer real food rather than processed substitutes plant seeds for lifelong appreciation of culinary excellence.
When children taste the difference between a well-prepared burger made from quality beef versus fast-food alternatives, they begin understanding why some meals cost more and why dining out can be special rather than just convenient.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tartan of Redlands appropriate for families with young children?
Absolutely. Tartan of Redlands welcomes families and has served multiple generations since opening in 1964. The old-school atmosphere provides comfortable booth seating, spacious layouts that accommodate strollers and high chairs, and a welcoming environment where parents can relax. Staff members understand family dining dynamics and provide patient, friendly service that makes everyone feel valued.
Does the restaurant offer a dedicated kids menu?
The menu at Tartan of Redlands includes options suitable for children of various ages. While younger children find familiar favorites prepared with quality ingredients, older kids and teens enjoy items like the famous Tartan Burger. The kitchen accommodates special requests and dietary needs, ensuring every family member finds something satisfying.
What time should families with young children plan to visit?
Early dinner hours between 5:00 and 6:30 PM work well for families with young children who eat earlier than traditional dinner times. Tartan of Redlands welcomes families during these hours with the same quality food and service, recognizing that family schedules often differ from typical dining patterns. Advance reservations ensure your preferred timing, especially for Saturday Prime Rib dinners.
Can the restaurant accommodate birthday celebrations and special occasions?
Yes, Tartan of Redlands handles family celebrations with appropriate acknowledgment that makes occasions feel special without creating uncomfortable attention for shy children. Communicating your celebration when making reservations allows staff to prepare thoughtful touches. The establishment has hosted countless family milestones over six decades, from birthday dinners to graduation celebrations.
Is there parking available for families arriving with strollers and car seats?
The downtown Redlands location provides convenient parking accessibility that simplifies arrival with children and all the equipment family outings require. This practical consideration removes stress from the beginning of your dining experience and makes visits more manageable for parents juggling young children.
How does Tartan of Redlands compare to chain family restaurants?
While chain restaurants offer predictability, Tartan of Redlands provides authentic quality and character that corporate establishments cannot replicate. Since 1964, this locally-owned establishment has served families with real food prepared from quality ingredients rather than mass-produced, reheated items. The community atmosphere creates genuine connections rather than transactional service, and the experience teaches children to appreciate quality dining while accommodating family needs.
Why Local Matters for Family Restaurants Near Me Searches
When families search for “family restaurants near me,” they often encounter chains that promise consistency but deliver mediocrity. Local establishments offer something chains cannot—authentic character, community connection, and genuine commitment to quality that extends across generations.
Supporting Community Through Family Choices
Choosing locally-owned restaurants like Tartan of Redlands means supporting community members rather than corporate shareholders. Current owners Jeff and Lisa Salamon, along with their dedicated staff, live and work in the area their restaurant serves. This investment creates accountability and genuine care that manifests in every aspect of the dining experience.
Building Lasting Community Connections
Local restaurants become part of community fabric in ways chain locations never achieve. Children who grow up visiting Tartan of Redlands develop connections to Redlands history and local identity. These experiences create sense of place and community belonging that enriches childhood.
Creating Memories That Last
Years from now, your children likely won’t remember every meal they ate or every restaurant they visited. But special places that welcomed them, served food they loved, and provided settings for family connection will remain in their memories.
Tartan of Redlands has created such memories for countless families since 1964. The combination of quality food, welcoming atmosphere, understanding service, and genuine community spirit transforms ordinary family dinners into experiences worth repeating and remembering.
Whether you’re introducing toddlers to restaurant dining, celebrating a teenager’s achievement, or gathering three generations for Saturday Prime Rib, this family-friendly steakhouse provides the foundation for moments that become treasured family stories.
The next time you’re searching for a place where every family member can find something to enjoy, where quality meets comfort, and where you’re welcomed as part of the community rather than just another table number, remember that some traditions deserve to continue. After six decades of serving Redlands families, Tartan of Redlands proves that the best family dining experiences combine excellent food with environments where everyone—from toddlers to grandparents—genuinely belongs.
About the Restaurant
Tartan of Redlands is the quintessential steakhouse known for Prime Rib on Saturdays, an assortment of steaks, a Redlands Famous Tartan Burger, and a full bar. This beloved establishment opened its doors on April 15, 1964, founded by three brothers: Velmer, Al, and Art Ctoteau. Larry Westin managed the restaurant and eventually became a partner, with Mr. and Mrs. Westin owning it until Larry’s passing in 2003. The restaurant was then passed down to Larry Westin Jr., who continued the family legacy until 2015 when Tartan of Redlands was sold to its current owners, Jeff and Lisa Salamon. Jeff was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and served in the Marine Corps. Even with the changes in ownership, you will find that the old-school atmosphere has remained and the reputation of being the Cheers of Redlands where everybody knows your name remains strong.