On Monday, July 6, my bestfriend and I decided to try the Plaid Rhino since we were bringing along our two children, and the Plaid Rhino is noted to be a place for families. I had eaten there twice previously, but I had never been there when it was very crowded or with a group. The Plaid Rhino is what I consider to be in the same category of an O’Charley’s, Chili’s, or Applebee’s in the atmosphere and type of food they serve. They have a full scale bar in the restaurant, and they, like many restaurants, have happy hour and drink specials. The big difference from the Plaid Rhino to most restaurants of its kind is that they have a small scale arcade in the back of the facility that has air hockey, basketball shooting games, video games, etc.

Even though it was somewhat crowded, we were seated immediately. The waiter came not long after that and got our drink order while we looked over the menus.

There were two things we were unhappy about before ordering food. We had a twenty month old and a two year old with us, and they did not give us any type of colors and coloring sheets for them to be entertained by like most restaurants do. The other issue was that they only had two booster seats in the whole restaurant. Because one was being used by other customers, we were only able to get one. My child ended up sitting in my lap. I understand when I go to an “adult” restaurant that it does not cateor to children. However, Plaid Rhino is suppose to be a family restaurant for parents and kids. As a parent to a small child, that is a big turn off.

We decided to order the onion straws as an appetizer. We also went ahead and ordered our food at the same time. We ordered a child’s chicken finger meal for the two year old, the T-Moody Burger for my friend, and a chicken finger platter for my child and I to share.

The appetizer was brought out rather quickly. Another bonus was the waiter went ahead and brought out the two year old’s meal so she would not have to wait. The onion straws were delicious. They came with a bleu cheese sauce that was also good. We cleaned the plate.

The children’s chicken finger meal came with a couple fingers, fries, and a child’s drink. It must have been good because the two year old ate very well, and she is a finicky eater.

Another negative experience we had with the Plaid Rhino was how long it took to bring out our food. We waited at least twenty minutes or more for them to bring out the two items we ordered. There were people in the restaurant, but it was not a packed house. People were still able to be seated without a wait.

When they did finally bring out the food, the food was excellent. The portions were also a lot for the money. My chicken finger platter came with about five or six fingers, fries, and a second side which I chose to be macaroni and cheese. It was all great, including the honey mustard sauce. My little boy nor I had any complaints.

My friend was also happy with her T-Moody Burger and fries. The burger was so large she had to cut it in half. Even then, it was still falling apart.

After eating, we visited the game area. It is a nice addition to the restaurant although I don’t think it is large enough for a full house on a Friday or Saturday night. They had a nice selection of things for older children, but there was hardly anything for children under the age of five or six.

The last complaint we had was that there was not a changing table in the restroom. Once again, I do not expect an adult themed restaurant to have a changing table, but a restaurant that claims to be for families really needs to have that.

My overall view of the Plaid Rhino is that I would go back to eat there, but I would not go if I had my child with me. He would need to be at least five or six years old to really enjoy the whole theme of the restaurant. The wait was a little long for our food, but the food was wonderful.

The Plaid Rhino is located at 122 Carlisle Drive in Hattiesburg which is off of Westover Drive. For more information, you can visit them on the web at www.plaidrhino.org or call them at (601) 264-0280.