5 & Diner050

The winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the Best Family-Friendly Restaurant in the Valley, 5 & Diner is the ultimate kid-friendly hangout where gum-smacking waitresses call you "Honey," bebop tunes blare on the jukebox, and hula hoops beg to be twirled on waiting waistlines. This hometown phenomenon now boasts chrome-covered franchises coast to coast. Its casual 1950s décor and affordable, homestyle menu choices appeal to families everywhere. 5 & Diner covers the comfort-food genre for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with selections like sourdough French toast, 12 signature burgers, thick malted shakes, savory meatloaf and chicken fried steak platters, and more. Service can lag a bit, which appears part and parcel with the laidback servers' attitudes and crowded booths normally associated with this type of family eatery. Kids have their own menu and activity placemats, along with cute diner hats to color and keep.