An American Girl Birthday Party at the American Girl Bistro

Living in the suburbs of Atlanta we are one of the lucky states that have an American Girl Store and Bistro within a few miles from our house.  Back in 2013, the tough decision for Big Sister was where to have her 6th birthday party.  Ultimately she had to decide between a Pirate Party at the park where she could essentially invite as many friends as she wanted or to invite only a few friends to an American Girl birthday party.  The final verdict was the American Girl Store (clearly).

How much money does it cost to have a birthday party at the American Girl Boutique and Bistro?  There are several different American Girl birthday parties and add-ons you can have at the American Girl store.  Since my daughter was turning six and this was the first party we have ever been to at the American Girl store, we opted for the basic, no extra frills birthday party.  The costs associated with our party were: $28 per girl aged 5 and older, $17.50 for girl aged 4, $18 for adults.  We also tipped our server, but that was IT!  I know, at first there is a loud gulp and a voice yelling at you when you hear that $28 figure.  And then another voice that says “Wait, I have to pay for me too?”  Trust me, it’s worth it!!!

What does the birthday party come with?  The birthday girl gets a special birthday crown.  Each doll gets a booster seat to sit at the table.  Children receive a drink with unlimited refills (except the Root Beer), an appetizer, entree, cake, ice cream, and goody bag.  Adults receive the same, without the goody bag.  A server takes your order and ensures that your party is wonderful.  You will also receive invitations and thank you cards in the mail.

What does the goody bag come with?  The goody bag comes with a doll sized t-shirt, a small sticker set, a plastic American Girl balloon (which fits the American Girl doll and not the Bitty Baby), a doll size tiara, and an activity book all tucked into an appropriately sized American Girl bag.

Is the food good?  YES!  Honestly, the food was much better than I expected it to be.  Neither my husband nor I really like sit down chain restaurants because the food is always sub-par.  We didn’t have high expectations of the American Girl Bistro.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that that American Girl Bistro food was way better than we expected.  It went above and beyond our expectations.  We both ordered the Spinach Dip with Pita and ohmygosh….it was all I could do to not lick the bowl clean.  Sooo good.  I had the Chicken Penne with Sundried Tomatoes and broccoli.  Yuuuummmm! My husband had the panini with onion rings…and there were no leftovers.

Do the kids like the food? Yes!  The people at American Girl knew what they were doing when they set up the menu.  Several girls in our party chose fruit kabobs with yogurt as an appetizer.  The fruit was cut into cute shapes which meant it had bit of pizzazz.  The other appetizer option the girls chose was pretzel bites.  The were round circles with salt on the top.  It didn’t look like a normal pretzel, which puzzled some of the girls, but there wasn’t a bit leftover!  The entrees were also a huge success.  At the ages of 4 through 6 the food portions were large and each of the girls had leftovers.  Upon request, our server brought to-go boxes for the girls’ leftover food.  It was perfect!

 

My daughter doesn’t have an American Girl doll.  Can she still come?  Yes!  Any doll works….even Elmo!

Is this a drop off party?  That depends on your budget.  For the party package we chose, each adult was an additional $18 and that money adds up quickly.  We chose to have the parents pick up the girls after the party.  They enjoyed their shopping time in the mall.

What happens with the leftover cake?  American girl packages the leftover cake into a box and sends it home with you.

Are balloons allowed?  The Atlanta store does not allow balloons in the Bistro.  Call your store prior to going to your birthday celebration before taking balloons with you.

Would I do it again?  Absolutely!  The girls had a great time and my daughters are still talking about it.  The girls at our party ranged in age from 4 to 6 and, honestly, they were a bit young.  Little Sister turns 5 in January and is already talking about her American Girl party, but I am going to have her wait until at least her 6th birthday to have a party at the American Girl store. I feel like a little bit older is definitely the way to go.

I asked my older daughter “What was your favorite part of your birthday party at the American Girl Bistro?”  She said “Having all my friends come and having a great time at the birthday party.  I liked the cake and how our babies could it in the seats.”  There you have it, straight from a six-year-old.

In the past I have stressed majorily about birthday party details. Our parties have included Care Bears, Sesame Street, and Dumbo.  While those parties were a ton of fun it was very nice to have American Girl take care of all the details this year.  All I had to do was make sure the girls had their hair brushed and out of their faces.  The party was truly perfect.

Have you had an American Girl birthday party?  If you have any questions that I did not address please let me know and I will answer them.

Disclaimer: This post is in no way associated with American Girl.  We paid for a Celebrations birthday party at the American Girl Bistro.  All opinions are my own.