Catching up between LA and Yorba Linda?

July 16, 2010 10:21 AM

An old friend is visiting my vast metropolitan area and we'd like to meet up for lunch tomorrow. What's a good, infant-friendly spot to grab a bite of lunch, sip a beer (maybe shoot some pool?), somewhere between Yorba Linda, CA and downtown Los Angeles?

He and his wife have a newborn that I'd like to meet, so a straight up bar is pretty much out of the question. If that rules out barsports, so be it. Basically we'd like to meet somewhere amenable to chatting, eating, and children (but no eating children) that's easily reachable by the I-5 or the 60 freeways. For once, I don't feel pressure to show out-of-towners the coolest, hippest watering hole—so there's no restrictions on chains or anything like that. If Applebees is the best answer, so be it. Is it needless to say that I'm functionally ignorant of anything east of downtown LA?

Where should we meet?

posted by carsonb to Food & Drink (3 answers total)

Best answer: Here are two options for you that shouldn't be a far drive from Yorba Linda, CA. The addresses are listed below. First is the slidebar in Fullerton...probably not a great place for a kid if there's a band playing or it's late at night. But I think for an earlier evening dinner it would be fine. Yes, it's a bar, but during off hours it's cool for anyone. There's an outdoor area so that's always nice during the summer. It's very laid back. Decent food. I like this place. There are other restaurants in that same area of downtown Fullerton. It's actually a cool little downtown area. So it's fun just to walk around. Look up Fullerton online, go to downtown and learn more.

BJ's in Brea(although I don't think it's between yorba linda and downtown LA) closer to Yorba Linda, would probably be a good choice as well. It's like a TJI Friday's type of place. Good food, plenty of drink options, still laid back. Although I've never been to this particular BJ's...the chain itself is good.

I think going to downtown Fullerton would be a lot of fun for all of you. Even if you decide not to go to slidebar because it's more of a bar, there's definitely plenty of other options within walking distance all in that same area. The address are below for both places. Hope this helps!
Slidebar cafe
122 East Commonwealth Avenue
Fullerton, CA 92832-1909
[phone]

BJ's Restaurant & Brewery
600 Brea Mall Dr,
Brea, CA 92821
[phone]
posted by ljs30 at 10:55 AM on July 16, 2010

Best answer: Yeah, Brea is a good suggestion, and ever so slightly closer than Fullerton (but still way closer to Yorba Linda than DTLA) -- I see BJ's is near the Brea mall, which is right off the 57 Fwy, but if you go west along Imperial at Brea Blvd there's also a sort of mixed-use development complex with lots of restaurants and a shopping area that'd be nice for walking around.

There's a Yardhouse, there, if I remember correctly, though I don't know how infant-friendly that restaurant is, and a Taps Brewery. But many other places as well, if you consult Yelp.
posted by estherbester at 12:02 PM on July 16, 2010

Response by poster: My friends wound up taking a break from their newborn. (Though they were fixated on their cell phones the whole time—Grandma will call if anything's awry, right? Right.)

We wound up having lunch at BJ's in Brea and then over to the Yardhouse for some beer. It was a good time! Thank you two for your suggestions. =D
posted by carsonb at 4:13 AM on July 18, 2010