Kids' Birthday Party Restaurant in Halifax
Planning a kids birthday party in Halifax? Bring your own cake with no fee, no room fee, easy dishes for kids, and Filipino spaghetti party trays at Barrios on Barrington Street.
Barrios Restaurant & Bar
10/20/20264 min read
Planning a Kids' Birthday Party at a Halifax Restaurant
A kids' birthday party at a restaurant means no house to clean first and no dishes after. Barrios Kitchen & Bar is a family Filipino restaurant at 1571 Barrington Street in downtown Halifax, and children are welcome at lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.
Here is what to know before you book a birthday with us: the house rules on cakes and seating, what to order for a table of kids, and when party trays at home make more sense.
Before you book
Bring your own cake. There is no cake fee. We do not decorate cakes, so sort that out with your bakery.
There is no room fee and no minimum spend. The restaurant seats up to 60.
There is no kids' menu. Fries or a salad can be ordered as a smaller side for around $5.
We have high chairs, but no booster seats or change table. There is one step at the entrance, and the washroom is downstairs.
Peanut appears in the kare-kare sauce, which cannot be made without it, the crushed topping on the pad thai, which can be left off, and the sauce packed on the side with the lumpiang sariwa party tray. We fry in canola or vegetable oil, not peanut oil.
Pick the right time
Younger children usually do better at lunch or an early dinner, before they get tired. Saturday nights usually have live music, which older kids may enjoy, but it is a louder room.
Book early enough for the meal and the cake, and tell your server when you need to leave.
For a daytime party, Sunday brunch is a self-serve Filipino spread. It costs $29 per adult and $15 for children 12 and under, and children 5 and under eat free. The breakfast side is the same every week, with scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, pandesal, siomai, longganisa and tocino, so picky eaters have options. Book ahead.
What to order for a table of kids
Shared plates in the middle of the table work well, because kids can try a little of everything. These tend to go down well with younger eaters:
Spring rolls, $9 for four. Crispy rolls of seasoned ground pork and vegetables with sweet chili sauce.
Pancit bihon, $17. Thin rice noodles with vegetables in a light savoury sauce, with grilled chicken, crispy pork belly or shrimp.
Barbecue skewers, $15. Three Filipino-style marinated pork skewers with a sweet, smoky finish.
Chicken inasal, $22. Grilled marinated chicken with garlic rice.
Fish n' chips, $22. Beer-battered Nova Scotia haddock with fries and tartar sauce.
Chicken wings, $19, with mild or honey garlic sauce among the choices.
For the adults, share a pork sisig ($20) or crispy pata ($27).
Filipino spaghetti, the birthday tradition
At Filipino birthday parties, the spaghetti is almost a given. The sauce is tomato-based and sweetened with banana ketchup, with ground meat and sliced hot dogs, and grated cheese on top. Pancit is often on the same table, since long noodles stand for a long life.
Filipino spaghetti is not on our dining room menu. You can order it as a party tray for pickup.
A party at home instead
If the party is at home or in a community hall, our party trays may suit you better. A family size tray serves about 5 and a party size tray about 10. Trays that tend to go well with kids include Filipino-style spaghetti ($40), spring rolls ($20), pancit bihon ($35), chicken ala king ($40), breaded chicken wings ($70) and pork barbecue skewers ($70). Those are family size prices.
Order 24 to 48 hours ahead and enter your pickup date and time at checkout. Trays are pickup only from 1571 Barrington Street. We do not deliver trays, but you can book an Uber courier in the Uber app to collect them. Hot dishes are packed to hold their heat for the trip and the first serving, but they will cool over a long party, so plan to serve soon after you get home.
A private birthday party
For a private event, call or message us on Facebook, even for a group under 50. You can decorate the room for a private event once you have talked through the details and timing with us, and private events have an audio and video system if you want to play a slideshow. For 50 guests or more, ask about catering, which needs at least one to two weeks' notice.
Visit Barrios
We are at 1571 Barrington Street, open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 AM, until 9 PM Tuesday to Thursday and 11 PM on Friday and Saturday. Sunday is Filipino brunch from 10:30 AM to 4 PM, and we are closed on Mondays. Book a table or call 902-444-2515. Prices shown are from our current menu and may change.
Quick answers
Can we have a kids' birthday party at Barrios?
Yes. Book a table for a small party, or call or message us about a private event for a bigger group.
Can I bring my own birthday cake?
Yes, with no cake fee. We do not decorate cakes.
Is there a room fee for a birthday party?
No. There is no room fee and no minimum spend.
Does Barrios have a kids' menu?
No, but fries or a salad can be ordered as a smaller side, and spring rolls, pancit bihon and barbecue skewers are easy picks for kids.
Can I order Filipino spaghetti for a birthday?
Yes, as a party tray for pickup. It is not on the dining room menu.