If your family loves Halloween, Tim Burton, or anything delightfully creepy, you’ve probably seen Beetle House NYC pop up in your feed. With its year-round haunted vibes and costumed characters roaming the dining room, this unique restaurant promises the creepiest dinner-and-a-show-style experience in town. But is it worth a visit, and if so, is it family-friendly? We recently checked it out with kids in tow to find out if it lives up to the hype—or the fright.
No matter the season, find all our picks for family-friendly eats in our NYC Kids’ Guide to Restaurants, plus all our spooky season must-do’s in our Halloween Fun Guide.
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Visiting Beetle House NYC: The Basics
Beetle House NYC is nestled in the East Village and, in true downtown fashion, it also houses a bar, which is separated from the dining space by a wall. That means your first few moments inside might feel more like you’ve entered a lounge than a family dining destination. Don’t worry: Once you’re checked in, you’re ushered into the adjacent dining area.
The restaurant space is small and dimly lit with a haunted house-meets-art-school-vibe. Vintage oddities, flickering candles, and portraits that follow you with their eyes all set the scene. The music is a mix of theatrical and eerie, and the whole place is dripping with Burton-esque flair.
Beetle House NYC offers a prix-fixe menu for adults, plus kid-friendly selections, too. Photo by the author
Family-Friendly Eats at Beetle House NYC
Let’s be honest—this isn’t the kind of place you come for five-star cuisine, but the menu does offer solid options for adventurous eaters and Halloween lovers alike, and the food was surprisingly tasty. You’ll find cheeky, themed names like the Sweeney Beef, Edward Burger Hands, and Cheshire Mac (a creamy mac and cheese that was a hit with our youngest).
The set menu includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for a fixed price, and while it’s not cheap (more on that later), the food exceeded our expectations. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available, and the staff were friendly and accommodating when we asked for some adjustments to our dishes.
Mocktails are available, so even the underage can join in on the spooky sips with drinks like the Coco Skellington and The Beetle’s Juice.
Scare-Factor at Beetle House NYC
Now for the big question: Is it too scary for kids? Throughout our dinner, costumed characters including Sweeney Todd, Michael Myers, and a very intense Freddy Krueger—knives and all—wandered through the restaurant interacting with guests. (Characters rotate, so you may meet someone different during your visit.) The actors stay in character, cracking jokes, striking eerie poses, and often leaning into their creepy characters (think Sweeney Todd holding his razor blade up to people’s throats). Characters also take turns doing musical numbers where they grab the mic and belt out a tune while roaming the restaurant.
When the actors approached our table (especially the scarier ones), we asked if they could keep things low-key for our younger kid, and they all obliged. Although their costumes were still pretty intense, they did tone down the creepy quotient for us and kept things light and silly rather than frightening. One performer even gave a high-five and asked before joining our table for a photo.
That said, some younger kids might still find the atmosphere overwhelming, especially with the dim lighting, spooky decor, and booming background music. We wouldn’t recommend Beetle House for kids who scare easily or those under 10. Bottom line: Beetle House NYC is a one-of-a-kind experience for families with older kids who appreciate the weird and whimsical. It’s not your average dinner out, but if your crew is into spooky fun, it might just be the most memorable meal you’ll have all year.
Know Before You Go
Logistics and budget: Beetle House NYC is a flat-rate, prix-fixe experience coming in at $65 per adult (includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert) and $25 for kids 12 and under (includes a kids’ menu entree and ice cream). When you tack on drinks, tax, and gratuity, it’s definitely a splurge, especially for a family night out.
For Tim Burton fans, there is Beetlejuice-themed decor, but there was no sign of Beetlejuice himself during our visit, which isn’t to say he never shows up.
Reservations are highly recommended (they fill up fast, especially on weekends). Be sure to arrive a few minutes early to navigate check-in.
There’s no formal dress code, but some of the guests were leaning into the theme with spooky or goth-inspired outfits, which can be a fun excuse to dress up as a family.
Age recommendation: We suggest Beetle House NYC for kids 10 and up, especially those who love Halloween, cosplay, or Tim Burton movies. Teens and tweens will likely have a blast, while kids younger than 10 may find it more intimidating than entertaining.