My FIL has a gift certificate for Half Moon and/or Harvest on Hudson (didn’t know they were sister restaurants). Which one would you recommend - especially with three energetic little boys in tow? Basically, which one is a better fit for kids and has a staff that will be nice to us? (And not cringe when they see us coming!) 
Does “energetic” mean they won’t want to stay seated?
LOL! They can stay seated. I bring lots of games and coloring books. I’m just insinuating that they’re not terrors, but they’re definitely not perfect dining angels.
Got it! You’d be fine at either place. For a safer area to enjoy river views, Harvest has some advantages. There is an esplanade with very small playground nearby (IIRC) as well as some benches that face the river. Neither are part of the restaurant grounds but are adjacent. Harvest also has a restaurant garden area that probably won’t be much to look at right now.
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Ok really good to know, thank you!
I can’t speak for Harvest, and I don’t know what time of day you were planning on going, but brunch at Half Moon would probably be fine. I’m pretty sure they do that only on Sundays. Half Moon in general is so expensive, especially for dinner, that I can’t really imagine taking kids there for dinner. I think your best bet is to wait until the weather is warmer, if possible, and sit outside. That way the kids can roam if they want (and can be trusted! and make noise and no one will care. Plus the pricey food goes down easier with the beautiful setting.
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Wish my FIL was a brunch guy, but I’ll remember that for next time. Thanks, ice cream!
I can’t say about Half Moon, since I haven’t been there since it was the horrible Chart House decades ago. But Harvest on Hudson always seems to have lots of families with kids when I am there. Well behaved kids who sit at their tables and don’t run around or make noise. Although I only go when we have a large (3-4 children and 8-10 adults) family reunion dinner once a year in late Spring when relatives come in from England.
Well, we did dinner at Half Moon at 5:30 with my 8 year-old, 5 1/2 year-old and 16 month old. Pleasant, good food, and we weren’t kicked out of the place! In all honesty, my boys were wonderfully behaved - the card games I bring with me (along with apps on my phone to curb the wait for the food!) helped. They had enough choices for kids - I thought the mac and cheese was delicious. My husband enjoyed their strip steak. And the service was wonderful - our server was very sweet with my kids and very accommodating. Beautiful view - it was so cold out on Saturday night, but we enjoyed a nice brisk walk outside after dinner. I’m looking forward to brunch outside in the warmer months. We survived - Thanks for the suggestions!
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Thanks for reporting back! Smart to go early. Sounds like fun!
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