Family-Friendly Event Nights: Kids Menu + Early Dining at Tartan
By The Weekend Table | Family Edition | Redlands, California
Getting the whole family out the door for a sit-down dinner is one of those small victories that deserves to be celebrated — preferably with a cold drink in hand and a warm plate in front of you. But finding a place that genuinely works for everyone across the table, from the pickiest seven-year-old to the adults who’ve been dreaming about a proper dinner all week, is a different challenge entirely. At Tartan of Redlands, that challenge has been met with quiet thoughtfulness, and the result is something increasingly rare: a restaurant that families actually want to return to.
Family-friendly doesn’t mean loud, chaotic, or stripped of personality. At Tartan, it means something closer to inclusive — a dining experience where children are welcomed as guests rather than tolerated as an inconvenience, and where parents get to actually enjoy their meal instead of spending the entire evening managing logistics.
Early Dining: The Smartest Move a Family Can Make
There’s a reason savvy parents have made early dining their secret weapon, and Tartan’s approach to the early hours makes that choice even easier. The restaurant opens its doors with families in mind during the earlier part of the evening — a window that works beautifully with the rhythms of family life. Kids are fed before the meltdown window arrives. Bedtime routines stay intact. And parents get to experience the calmer, unhurried side of a great restaurant before the Friday or Saturday night crowd fills every seat.
Early dining at Tartan isn’t a compromise version of the experience. The kitchen is fully fired, the staff is attentive, and the full menu is available. What changes is the pace — there’s more room to breathe, more willingness from the team to slow down and chat with a curious kid, and a general atmosphere that invites families to settle in rather than rush through.
Booking an early table also means you’re ahead of the live entertainment energy that builds later in the night. Families with younger children can enjoy the tail end of a sound check, catch the opening notes of the band, and head home on schedule — having gotten the best of both worlds without staying past anyone’s bedtime.
A Kids Menu Built With Actual Kids in Mind
Here’s where Tartan earns real loyalty from parents: the kids menu isn’t an afterthought. It isn’t the same four items that appear on every laminated, crayon-stained menu in every casual dining chain across the country. Someone in that kitchen actually thought about what kids eat, what they enjoy, and how to make it feel like a small version of a real meal rather than a placeholder while the adults order.
The options are approachable enough to satisfy even the most narrowly defined young palate — think familiar flavors executed with better ingredients than you’d expect. A proper burger on a soft, toasted bun. A grilled chicken option that isn’t dry or sad. Mac and cheese that doesn’t taste like it came from a blue cardboard box. Sides that are sized correctly and arrive at the right temperature.
What makes the difference is presentation. Kids notice when their food looks like it was made for them rather than thrown together as an obligation. At Tartan, the care that goes into the adult plates trickles down in the best possible way — portions sized thoughtfully, plates that look intentional, and food that kids actually get excited about when it arrives.
Parents can also breathe easy knowing the kitchen is flexible. Dietary needs, mild allergies, preference for no sauce on the side — the staff handles these requests without making families feel like a burden. That kind of accommodation, handled gracefully and without drama, is worth more than any single item on a menu.
What Parents Get to Enjoy
Let’s be direct: a family dinner is only truly successful if the adults at the table get to eat well too. Tartan doesn’t ask parents to sacrifice their dining experience in exchange for their children’s comfort — both can coexist, and at Tartan, they regularly do.
While the kids are working through their meals, parents have full access to the same thoughtfully constructed menu that draws in date-night diners and groups of friends. The steaks are as good at 5:30 in the evening as they are at 8. The cocktail list doesn’t change. The wine is poured with the same care. The only difference is that you’re doing all of this while also keeping half an eye on a table full of small humans — and the staff understands that dynamic completely.
The team at Tartan has a particular talent for timing that families will appreciate. Bread or snacks arrive quickly to buy those crucial first few minutes. Kids meals are timed to come out promptly so young diners aren’t sitting idle while hunger builds into restlessness. Adult entrees follow at a pace that gives parents enough time to actually taste their food. It sounds simple, but coordinating that rhythm consistently is a genuine skill, and Tartan does it well.
The Atmosphere: Warm Enough for Kids, Good Enough for Adults
One of the quiet victories of Tartan’s design is that it manages to feel like a proper restaurant — one with character, atmosphere, and a distinct sense of place — without feeling off-limits to families. The lighting is warm rather than harsh. The noise level during early dining is comfortable for conversation without the sterile silence that makes kids feel like they need to whisper. The decor has personality and gives children things to notice and ask about, which is a small but underrated way of keeping young guests engaged.
There’s a particular kind of restaurant confidence that shows up in how a place handles families: either the staff visibly tenses when a highchair is requested, or they bring it over without a second thought and set it up with a smile. Tartan is definitively the latter. Children are met with warmth at the door and treated as valued guests throughout the meal, which sets the tone for the entire evening and removes a layer of parental anxiety that can otherwise color the whole experience.
Making Memories Around the Table
Something shifts when you take the family out to a real dinner — not a fast food run, not a pizza pickup, but an actual sit-down meal at a restaurant that makes everyone feel welcome. Kids remember those evenings. They remember the food that surprised them, the music playing softly in the background, the way their parents actually relaxed and laughed. Those dinners become part of the family story.
Tartan of Redlands offers exactly that kind of evening. It’s a place where the standards don’t drop because children are present, where the early hours are treated with the same care as prime time, and where the entire family walks out having eaten well, felt welcomed, and maybe even stayed a few minutes longer than planned because nobody was quite ready to leave.
That’s the quiet magic of a restaurant that genuinely gets families. And in Redlands, Tartan has figured it out.
Quick Tips for Families Visiting Tartan
Booking early is the single best move — tables between 5:00 and 6:30 PM offer the most relaxed experience for families with younger children. Let your server know upfront if you have little ones who need a quicker pace; the kitchen will prioritize accordingly. If there’s live music scheduled for the evening, arriving early gives your family a chance to enjoy the ambiance without the fuller crowd that builds as the night progresses. And don’t skip dessert — the kids won’t let you anyway, and at Tartan, that’s not a bad thing.
Tartan of Redlands welcomes families during early dining hours with a dedicated kids menu and a team that genuinely loves having younger guests at the table. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. Contact the restaurant directly for current hours, entertainment schedules, and menu details.
About Tartan of Redlands
Established on April 15, 1964, Tartan of Redlands has long been a favorite dining destination within the local community. Known for its traditional steakhouse cuisine and welcoming atmosphere, the restaurant was originally founded by the Ctoteau brothers—Velmer, Al, and Art—who set out to create a place where guests could enjoy quality food paired with exceptional hospitality.
Although ownership has evolved over the years, the restaurant’s commitment to great service and hearty, flavorful meals has remained unchanged. Larry Westin later partnered with the Ctoteau family and became an integral part of Tartan’s story. Following his passing in 2003, his son, Larry Westin Jr., continued leading the restaurant until 2015. That year, Jeff and Lisa Salamon assumed ownership and have proudly carried the tradition forward.
Jeff Salamon, a Boston native and Marine Corps veteran, upholds the restaurant’s longstanding values of dedication, heritage, and community connection. Under his leadership, Tartan continues to serve as a gathering place where relationships are built and traditions are honored.
The menu features timeless steakhouse favorites, including its popular Saturday prime rib, premium cuts of steak, and the house specialty, the Redlands Tartan Burger. Guests can also enjoy a complete bar selection that complements the dining experience.
Often described as the local equivalent of “Cheers,” Tartan of Redlands is appreciated for its comfortable ambiance, friendly staff, and devoted patrons. With both indoor and outdoor seating available, it remains a year-round favorite for residents and visitors alike.
About Tartan of Redlands
Founded on April 15, 1964, Tartan of Redlands has been a beloved local steakhouse for decades. Originally opened by the Ctoteau brothers, the restaurant was built on a foundation of quality food and warm hospitality.
Over the years, ownership transitioned from the Ctoteau family to Larry Westin and later to his son before Jeff and Lisa Salamon took over in 2015. Today, Jeff Salamon, a Marine Corps veteran, continues to honor the restaurant’s tradition of community, loyalty, and excellent service.
Tartan is known for its classic steakhouse offerings, including Saturday prime rib, premium steaks, and the signature Redlands Tartan Burger, along with a full bar. With its welcoming atmosphere and loyal following, it remains a favorite gathering spot for the Redlands community year-round.
