Blue Smoke050

It's easy to see why Blue Smoke gets raves from families - it's very kid-friendly, and it goes the extra mile to change things up a bit.

Instead of those run-of-the-mill crayons, waiters come equipped with pig ear paper crowns and wikki sticks (wax molding toys). High chairs and booster seats are readily available. And yes, the ladies' room and men's room both have changing tables.

The Kids' Menu serves children up to age ten; for $9.50 little ones can opt for a tuna sandwich, grilled cheese, a small serving of ribs, grilled salmon, or a pasta dish. Dessert (ice cream or a brownie) is included. One dollar for each kids' menu is donated to Spoons Across America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children, teachers and families about healthy eating habits.

We were also impressed by the Nut-Free Menu - a terrific boon to families that suffer from allergies. Gluten-free and vegetarian menus are also available.

The food is good and plentiful, but we found the wait for our food to be a bit longer than expected.

In the fall and spring, Blue Smoke hosts a Jazz for Kids program on Sundays from 1pm-3pm.

The restaurant's bake shop provides cupcakes, pies, cakes, cookies, bars and breads to go.