Top 10 Places to Eat in Houston, with Kids

What I’ve learned over the last 10 years of visiting Houston restaurants, with kids, is… not all are great for families. Some are just not set up for kids, and some just don’t like kids.

I do understand not liking kids running through your restaurant or damaging property or disturbing other patrons. I find this irritating too.  (And seriously, watch your kids.)

But I was once at a casual restaurant and the kids were eating quietly at the booth. We had already spent way more money than the coffee drinkers surrounding us… and the owner came out to thank every single table for their business… except ours.

This place was small and it was deliberate and I was shocked and furious. And I quickly learned to be careful where I spent my money.

So… with that said, there are many family friendly restaurants in Houston and JillBJarvis.com has updated our 10 FAVORITES!

1.  Mia’s Table – Mia’s is a Carrabba family restaurant and it says “family friendly” right on the logo.  We love this cozy home-like restaurant because they treat us so well here.  We walk in, order at the counter and find our seats.  The staff always greets us warmly and comes by our table to check on us.  The interior is casual but very nice with a punched tin ceiling and big windows that open to the large porch.  Ice cream is free and the managers have been known to bring around free cookies.  I also think the iced tea is the best in town!

Barnabys Cafe Museum District Decor
2. Barnaby’s Cafe – Oh, we love this funky fresh restaurant for kids and for parents.  There are several locations, but the museum district restaurant is our favorite.  The walls are playful yet modern and this is very much a grown up restaurant that is welcoming to families.

3.  Little Matt’s – Don’t let the bland gray exterior fool you.  This little restaurant is wild inside.  There is good food, nice patio, iPad station, candy store, arcade AND the proceeds go to help children and families affected by cancer.   Psssst – Here is a secret… you can ask for an adult beverage and get it for a donation!

4.  Betsy’s – This is a cool place to go with kids…. there is room to run and good food!

Betsy’s is right in Bellaire’s Evelyn Park and serves up a food that’s not your typical fast park food.

Kids Meal at Punks Simple Southern Foods
5. Punk’s – This restaurant in Rice Village was a great find for us. The grassy area is a hit with the kids and the southern food was absolutely delicious! The staff is very friendly and the cookies served with the kid menu were some of the best in Houston.

6. Swanny’s – Swanny’s Grill has a patio, playground, cornhole, volleyball and soccer fields. And table tennis and pool and sports on TV. And live music (on weekends), darts, shuffleboard and fishing!

They serve hamburgers, salads, wraps, tacos and more. Plus there is a kids menu with $5 kids meals.

7.  Buffalo Grille – On the patio, kids can run their own restaurant. There is a new counter in the play area, with a cash register, play food, chalk board and small picnic benches. And I hear that a kids kitchen is coming soon.

Buffalo Grille on Bissonnet has always been one of our favorite places. It’s casual, breakfast is served all day and the tea is highly caffeinated.

8.  Luigi’s – This restaurant has one of the the very coolest patios, is kid friendly… and is also half beer garden. (Yes, beer garden.)

Luigi’s Pizza & Axelrad on the edge of midtown (and nearly in 3rd ward) share a patio between their restaurants. And this patio is filled with hammocks.

9.  Melange Crêperie – It used to be a Parisienne street style creperie in Montrose. Now they have their own restaurant across from Donovan Park in the Heights, tucked between Local Foods and Cloud 10.

The restaurant is sleek and casual, in a great location, has plenty of free parking… and is a much better option than the traditional chicken nuggets kids meal!

10. Frey’s Backyard – Located in Tomball, north of the Houston, this casual restaurant has good (and reasonable) food and a giant backyard.  Sit at the picnic tables and you can watch the kids run in the fenced-in bug-free turf covered yard.

Looking at Airplanes at Black Walnut at Conroe Airport
11. Black Walnut at Conroe Airport – This place is good for little aviators! The Black Walnut Cafe in Conroe is located inside the Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport!

Go inside the airport, ride up the elevator and eat lunch as you watch the planes and helicopters!

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2 Comments

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