When you are going out with the family, everyone wants to find a restaurant that pleases the whole family.

Since we live in Fort Lauderdale, we are often asked for a good restaurant for the whole family.  So we polled the kids as part of coming up with this list of the best family-friendly restaurants within an easy driving distance of the major hotels, the airport and Port Everglades.

Pomodoro’s
2908 E Commercial Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
(954) 267-9000

Hours:
Tue – Sat  5:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Serves:   Dinner Only

Pomodoro’s offers great Italian organic food. It has become one of our favorite local restaurants. The food is always very fresh and excellent. My kids enjoy it so much that they are always asking to go back.  One of our favorite dishes is the Penne a la Vodka, the other is the Snapper Special.

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK)
2301 N Federal Hwy
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305
(954) 565-1196

Hours:
Mon – Sun  11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Serves:  Lunch/Dinner

California Pizza Kitchen (also known as CPK) is an authentic California-style cuisine which offers innovative pizzas, distinctive pastas, salads, soups, appetizers and desserts.  The kids really like the personal style pizza dishes and the kids sundae.  We normally order the salads.

H2O Cafe
101 S Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
(954) 414-1024

Hours:
Mon – Sun   8:00 am – 11:00 pm
Serves:  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

H2O Cafe serves American Cuisine. It is located across the street for the ocean on AIA. It is great place to enjoy the views and people watch.  Parking is behind the restaurant and they charge $10 to park, but if you have your ticket validated you get the money back. The food is always very good as well as the service.  We prefer to eat outside rather than inside.  My favorite dish there is the lobster special.

D’Angelo
4215 N. Federal Highway
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
954-561-7300

Hours:
Sunday – Thursday 11:30am-10:00pm
Friday, Saturday 11:30am-11:00pm
Serves:  Lunch/Dinner, Reservations are preferred

D’Angelo is a Pizza, Tapas, Wine Bar.  We enjoy ordering several of the Tapas plates and sharing them with the table.

Il Mulino
1800 E Sunrise Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL
954-524-1800

Hours:
Mon – Sat 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Sund        11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Serves: Lunch/Dinner, Reservations are preferred

Il Mulino serves Italian cuisine, it’s a nice neighborhood type restaurant – especially if you go right before or after the movies.  The Gateway Movie Theatre is located next door.

Benihana
276 Commercial Blvd
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL 33308
(954) 776-0111

Hours:
Mon – Thurs  12:00pm – 3:00 pm / 5:00pm – 10pm
Fri – Sat         12:00pm – 11:00pm
Sunday          12:00pm – 10:00pm
Serves: Lunch/Dinner, Reservations are required

Benihana is a hibachi japanese restaurant which prepares dishes grilled tableside by theatrical chefs.   It’s quite entertaining to watch the chefs throwing shrimps into their chef hats, and making smoking volcano’s out of rice.   It’s a fun place to go for a birthday celebration.

Las Vegas Cuban
2807 E Oakland Park Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306
(954) 564-1370

Hours:
Sun 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Mon – Sat 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Serves: Lunch/Dinner, No Reservations Required

South Florida’s has a large hispanic community who really enjoys eating at Las Vegas Restaurant.  Guests can enjoy an authentic Cuban meal.  My favorite is the palomilla steak, which comes with black beans, white rice and fried bananas (maduros).  Delicious…