Child's Restaurant

Child's Restaurant is located west on the boardwalk (walk right, as you face the ocean), past the Parachute Jump and B&B Carousell.  After years of disrepair, it has been completely renovated for the start of the 2017 season and now features a beautiful restaurant on the first floor and terrace with great views on the second floor.

Built in 1923, the building is a terracotta work of art.  Child's was one of the first chain restaurants in the US.  Each restaurant was decorated differently and this one has a fitting nautical theme.  Child's prided itself on inexpensive, cafeteria-style service.  Wait staff wore crisp uniforms with white aprons, and all of the windows onto the boardwalk gave this location a very open atmosphere where everyone was welcome.  Eventually, Child's went bankrupt because its new vegetarian owner removed meat from the menu.

A 1907 Child's menu lists clam chowder for 15 cents, corned beef sandwiches and ham sandwiches at 5 cents a piece, and chicken salad at 25 cents.  Have a baked apple or chocolate éclair for dessert for 5 cents, too.  What a bargain!  But wait, the average pay back then was 22 cents an hour... actually, still a pretty good deal.
Child's Restaurant at Coney Island
Close-up of pre-renovation terracotta artwork, May 2015.
Child's Restaurant at Coney Island
Undergoing renovation, May 2015.
Return to Tourist Info