Rain Forest Cafe London - any good or would you recommend somewhere else?

[clottedcream]

planning a Oct ½ term break and wanted to take out 6yr old DS here...is it any good? If not where else that is quirky, interesting?

It's really good. He'll love it.

well, the food is like an expensive TGI (not like there were any complaints from the junior end of the table).

It is themed, as you know, and the main 'thing' is that there is kids of a special rainforest light and sound effects thing every twenty minutes. DS almost choked on his food the first time it came on (and DH had to figure out the interval to preemptively take the worried baby for a toilet break each time he knew it was coming on). But definitely an experience!

Btw - round the corner is the National Geographic cafe - which is more 'normal' - but still looks quite fun.

my children were slightly older than 6 and did not enjoy it at all. very cramped, food took ages and they asked to go to pizza hut for the buffet next time! take him to hamleys instead.

We took DS when he was 3, he loved it and had ( very expensive ) sparkly tiger face painted on. Food is expensive - you can check the menus online, but it is an experience.

It's a terrible place! The food is awful and expensive and you will have to queue for it. The entertainment consists of a few moth-eaten animatronic animals. There is a huge shop through which you must pass to get in or out.

National Geographic cafe is a much better idea.

My DD loves Belgo centraal in covent garden. Quirky yes in the old underground banana warehouses, full open kitchen, staff dressed as monks and the craziest copper sink in the toilets. The kids menu is £4.95 for a main and dessert, choice is roast chicken, pork and leek sausages, mussels or cod goujons.

Personally I'd rather eat my own arm than ever go back to Rainforest Cafe. Do you know you have to go through a shop selling naff tat before you even get into the dark, smelly basement that is the so-called restaurant?

Ed's Diner is a fun, different place not far from there.

Took my DS for his bday and it was good, expensive yes but where isn't in London?? Didn't have to queue for food?? It's table service....
Do not take kids to National Georgraphic cafe they won't enjoy it. It's mainly full off business types and the older generation. I took my DS once and he was very bored.

We hated it. The food was ridiculously priced and not good quality at all. The restaurant is hot and dark with dusty plastic leaves and animals on the roof and walls. Nafftastic. We'll not go back.
Belgo is fantastic!