Family Style chronicles an urban mom’s search for DC area restaurants that both kids and adults will enjoy.

I’m always skeptical when I hear that a restaurant has a “kids eat free” special. What does that mean? Reheated frozen chicken sticks? An overcooked hamburger?

Apparently, there are a number of DC area restaurants that tout family nights, no doubt appealing to parents looking to save a little money. I, for one, love a good value, so I decided to try the Argonaut in the H Street Corridor, which lets kids under 12 eat for free every Wednesday.

The restaurant bills itself as a neighborhood gathering place, hosting events like a weekly game night, trivia night and poker night. The bar opens to a patio area and has flatscreen TVs and an extensive list of beer, wine, rums and specialty cocktails (great for mom and dad).

As we walked up, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the simplistic exterior, but was pleasantly surprised by the interior. As its name suggests (an Argonaut was a crewman of the ship Argo in Greek mythology), the décor and menu take on a nautical theme in this English-style tavern. Food options include steamed seafood, assorted sandwiches, fish and chips, crab cakes, and fish, chicken or tempeh tacos.

The kid’s menu looked good enough for adults with choices like ground beef mac and cheese, black bean hummus with gyro pita bread, butternut squash lasagna and a cajun chicken sandwich. Plus, you can choose the portion size based on your child’s appetite.

My 20-month-old Alex devoured his fish and chips, which would have cost us six bucks on a non-family night. Not bad for a free meal, though in retrospect, we could have ordered more food for him, in case he wanted to try another dish. After all, it’s free.

Argonaut
1433 H Street NE
(202) 250-3660