8 Des Moines-area restaurants where kids can eat for free that adults will enjoy too
Dining out with children doesn't always have to be expensive. Restaurants in the Des Moines area that parents will love offers specials where kids can eat for free. Sports bars, Mexican restaurants, brunch and pizza places all come with opportunities to order great food while getting the children fed for free. Here's a look at nine restaurants in central Iowa that offer specials for kids.
Gilroy’s Kitchen + Pub + Patio
Head to Gilroy’s Kitchen + Pub + Patio in West Des Moines for brunch, where kids under age 6 eat for free from the brunch buffet. Choose from loaded scrambled eggs, crispy red potatoes, biscuits with sausage gravy, pancakes, corn-flake French toast, cinnamon roll bread pudding and more every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adults pay $21.99 for the all-you-can-eat meals served family style at the table, and can add bottomless bloody marys, mimosas or screwdrivers for an additional $14.99. Kids age 7 to 12 pay $11.99 for brunch.
Find it: Gilroy’s Kitchen + Pub + Patio, 1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines, 515-809-1727
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Rookies Sports Bar & Grill
Rookies in Clive prides itself on being a family-friendly establishment. What better way to show that than on Tuesdays when kids eat free? Kids under the age of 12 can eat free with the purchase of each adult entrée on Tuesdays. Order Rookie’s famous Texas burger topped with chili, American chees and onions for $14 while the kids can eat anything from pizza to mini corndogs.
Find it: Rookies Sports Bar & Grill, 2180 Northwest 156th St., Clive, 515-987-0093
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The Chicken
The Chicken in West Des Moines is a classic roadhouse-style restaurant that has exactly what the name entails as its specialty. Mondays all day you can order any adult entrée and kids under 12 can eat free. Order Iowa’s take on Nashville hot chicken with The Chicken’s version marinated in a spicy, buttery seasoning blend with a biscuit and another side for $13. Kids can get burgers, chicken strips, grilled cheese or corndogs usually priced at $5.99 each but free with the Monday special.
Find it: The Chicken, 4221 S. Orilla Road, West Des Moines, 515-410-2520
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U Bar & Grill
Tuesday nights at U Bar & Grill are for family. Children 5-12 can eat free with the purchase of any adult entrée. Try U Bar & Grill’s signature U wings as an appetizer and then jump to their U tacos served with three crispy or grilled shells stuffed with a choice of fish or chicken, house-made taco dressing, cabbage, feta cheese, pico de gallo and a lime for $12. Kids can then order anything from kid’s menu from burgers to macaroni and cheese.
Find it: U Bar & Grill, 7500 Douglas Ave., Urbandale, 515-278-9575
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The Longest Yard
The Longest Yard is a sports bar and grill located in historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines. With no shortage of things to do in Valley Junction on Fifth Street, The Longest Yard offers a place to stop in between and refuel. Kids under 12 eat free on Sundays with the purchase of an adult entrée. The sports bar celebrates Hawkeye fandom with the ambiance and dishes such as the signature Junction burger with pepperjack cheese, jalape?o garlic sauce and onion rings for $10.99. Keep in mind, The Longest Yard closes on July 10 after 16 years in business.
Find it: The Longest Yard, 122 Fifth St., West Des Moines, 515-274-1710
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The Great Escape
An experience for the whole family from entertainment to food is available at The Great Escape in Des Moines. From bowling to arcade games and laser tag, The Great Escape is the one-stop shop for family fun this summer. Kids under 12 eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée between 5 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays. Kids can play their hearts out while adults relax with a drink in hand. With food options range from salads and poutine to flatbreads and burgers, The Great Escape has everything you could need for a family night out.
Find it: The Great Escape, 655 NE 56th St., Des Moines, 515-263-1700
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Los Charros
Los Charros has Tex-Mex cuisine the whole family can enjoy. The Ankeny restaurant offers kids’ special runs on Mondays where children under 12 can eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée. House specials include molcajete with a grilled rib-eye steak with shrimp, chicken and chorizo; a chimichanga filled with chicken, shredded or ground beef; and pork carnitas cooked with salsa verde.
Find it: Los Charros, 2010 SE Delaware Ave. Suite 230, Ankeny, 515-964-4264
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Wig & Pen Pizza Pub
Wig & Pen Pizza Pub in Ankeny offers a family deal where multiple kids under 12 can eat for free on Wednesdays with the purchase of an adult entrée. Options include the Union Jack topped with Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions and bell peppers for $16 and $27 based on size and style of pizza, which includes thin crust, the Flying Tomato — a deep-dish version with extra mozzarella and fresh tomato slices on top — or Chicago-style stuffed.
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Find it: Wig & Penn Pizza Pub, 2005 S. Ankeny Blvd. Suite 300, Ankeny, 515-963-9777
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: The best restaurants to take kids in the Des Moines area for free food
