Jack’s Prime

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jacks prime
Photo credit: planspark / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Jack’s Prime is a great spot for families. A huge casual menu has something for everyone. . . including fried pickles. Yup, beer-battered deep fried dill pickle spears – we had to try them. While I thought they were amazing, my kids preferred the traditional french fries.

The Jack’s San Mateo location has a medium sized room at the back where they always seem to seat families with younger kids. Not a bad thing, it’s usually less crowded and the kids have room to breathe. We’ve found the service to be quick, and they have crayons and coloring placemats to help entertain little ones while you wait for your food.

Jeffrey’s Hamburgers

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jeffrey hamburgers
Photo credit: Robert Raines / Foter / CC BY-SA

Jeffrey’s is a 50’s style hamburger joint in downtown San Mateo, complete with retro-style booths and artwork. The limited menu is primarily burgers, but they also offer veggie burgers and even a “burger bowl” (basically a burger on top of a salad) for more health-conscious types.

There are typically plenty of families when we’ve been for lunch or dinner, and the vibe is friendly. There is also an enclosed sunroom way in the back of the restaurant that’s a great place for younger kids who may want to stretch their legs a bit or are too squirmy to stay at a table for the 15-or-so minutes it takes for your meal to get delivered.

A full condiment bar ensures your kids’ burgers will be exactly how they like them, and they also have full-size dill pickle spears (which one of my guys absolutely loves).

Baskin-Robbins

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Wild ‘n Reckless Sherbet Goatee

Yes I know there may be nothing particularly special or exciting about Baskin-Robbins in downtown San Mateo, especially when shops like Cream are offering hand-crafted ice cream sandwiches and Clear Optometry (yes an Optometrist) has amazing frozen yogurt and specialty ice creams.

Still… when we’re in the mood for simple, no-frills ice cream cones that we can get quickly from friendly staff, BR is our go-to place. The seating is minimal (a few 2-top booths, a family of four really has to squish to sit in one) and usually somewhat sticky, but the ice cream is consistent and everyone knows their favorite flavor. I’d suggest bringing your own wipes, as they never seem to give out many napkins and it can be a hassle to get a glass of water if the place is busy.

Baywatch

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Enjoying the “Hungry Jack“

One of our favorite places for a traditional big breakfast is Baywatch in downtown San Mateo. On the weekends, we’ve gotten a table relatively quickly if we arrive before 9am, after that you may have to wait a bit. The place is boisterous and kid-friendly, with a kid’s menu and no-spill cups.

We’ve found ordering one “Hungry Jack” breakfast (which includes pancakes, eggs, and a choice of breakfast meat) is enough for both kids to share, and they are happy to bring an extra plate. The menu offers lots of healthy and unhealthy options for adults as well.

We’ve been known to accidentally spill an entire pitcher of water which the unflappable friendly staff take in stride. Overall, very kid-friendly and definitely on our short-list for breakfast.