Dining with the little ones in tow can be tough sometimes if the restaurant environment isn’t just right. Ultimately, we just want to leisurely enjoy a bite of food away from our kitchen and let the kiddos relax, too. Lucky for us, the Austin area has a lot to offer when it comes to dining out with children, including plenty of restaurants with play structures right there on their patios to provide a fun experience for the entire family.
Restaurants with Play Spaces Around Austin
— 5000 Burnet Rd. Food Park
Choose from a variety of foods and desserts in this food trailer park that includes a small enclosed playground. This food trailer park is open seven days a week, but since the trailers are mostly family-operated the hours vary per truck. To get the list of each truck and their hours, visit the 5000 Burnet website and Facebook page.
— Aviator Pizza & Drafthouse – North Location
The outdoor space at the Parmer Lane location boasts a 7,500 sq. ft. beer garden with an updated playscape, covered seating, and beer garden tables. Aviator has been operating for more than 30 years and makes their pizza dough fresh daily. They also have 50+ Texas-brewed beers and wine on tap!
— Bouldin Acres
There are now playgrounds at both Boundin Acres locations, with the addition of a new play set at their Braker Lane spot. We love the family-friendly (and dog-friendly) atmosphere at Bouldin Acres, the awesome food and drinks, and now it’s even better knowing the kids have a dedicated spot to play. The South Lamar location resembles a hearty neighborhood block party, with an abundance of lawn games, pickleball courts, and a playground. Bouldin Acres also welcomes all friendly pups to play in their backyard.
— Brentwood Social House
This charming North/Central Austin neighborhood cafe makes you feel like you’re entering a friend’s home, where you can explore its many rooms, back patio, or front porch to find a cozy spot to settle into. There is also a room designed for families, equipped with a train table and a selection of books, toys, and board games. And bonus, there is a pirate ship playground in the backyard!
— Camp Out
Camp Out is an outdoor neighborhood eatery and patio bar located in the Allandale neighborhood of Austin at Yard Bar. Looks like they’ll also have events coming soon. Check out Camp Out here.
— Central Market – North Lamar
This is a great choice for relaxing in a fun, outdoor setting. A diverse menu with items from Asian salmon salad to fish tacos, soups, pasta, and more offers something good and good for you, too. With a playscape, a big yard space, and a little pond, your kids should have a great time while you relax and enjoy lunch or dinner with the whole family. It’s a bonus that you can pop into the Market to pick up some groceries while you’re there, too.
— Doc’s Backyard Grill
Make plans for a trip to Doc’s Backyard Grill and enjoy one of their signature cocktails while the kids have fun in the play area. Doc’s does a great job of making you feel as if you’re in your own backyard — if your own backyard had delicious burgers and enormous chicken tenders.
— Easy Tiger – South Lamar
The Kids’ Zone is a shaded play area for the kiddos at this South Austin location. Enjoy the full Beer Garden menu while the kids play in this patio setting.
— El Mercado
This South Austin Tex-Mex restaurant has a very laid-back vibe with a garden-style patio with party lights and a small playscape for kids.
— FairLane Cocktails and Coffee
This new indoor and outdoor spot in Dripping Springs aims to provide family enjoyment and entertainment, with top-quality coffee, beer, wine, and food. It’s a place to gather, relax, and enjoy life, with plenty of space for kids to play on their outdoor playground. At FairLane, you’ll find a variety of food trucks, from cheese and gelato from Oro Bianco, pastries from Quack’s Bakery, burgers and a kids menu from A.T. Eatz, and tacos from Mr. Chignon. Check them out here.
— Flores Mexican Restuarant
All four of Flores Mexican Restaurants have playgrounds and they’re all great spots for families. Their location at 4625 West Cannon Drive has a great weekend brunch, daily lunch specials, and dinner items like sizzling fajitas, shrimp tacos, and chimichangas. And as one reader wrote in, you can sip a margarita and watch the kids play on the playground! Get more info here.
— Garbo’s Fresh Maine Lobster
Garbo’s Fresh Maine Lobster in North Austin serves New England Cuisine with a twist. From lobster rolls and a raw bar to hearty soups and salads, Garbo’s has a ton of options for your family, including a fantastic kids’ menu. Their outdoor area features patio dining, a fun playscape, and a soft-serve ice cream truck —Connor’s Creamery.
— Hat Creek Burger Company
Hat Creek is a family-friendly burger joint with unique play yards at all of their locations. With great menu options such as burgers, chicken, sweet potato fries, milkshakes, and even breakfast tacos and pancakes, something is appealing to taste buds of all ages. But the best part is letting the kids play in enclosed areas while you can sit back with a beer and relax with friends.
— Home Slice Pizza – North Loop
The outdoor patio with children’s play area is equipped with a unique space to run off some wiggles and play some games of corn hole with mom and dad. It’s super cute! Of course, like the South location, kids are offered a big ball of dough to play with before the meal to keep those little hands busy at the table. We also love that this Home Slice has a cool full bar and features menu items like square Sicilian-style pie and Buffalo chicken wings.
— Kerbey Lane Cafe – Round Rock & Westlake
Even the pickiest little eaters can find something delicious to enjoy at Kerbey Lane Cafe. This kid-approved Austin classic has 8 area locations, you can stop into any Kerbey Lane Cafe for huge pancakes in a great variety of flavors, even with vegan options. Take note that there are little playscapes at both Kerbey Lane in Westlake and in Round Rock, and the Mueller location is just a short distance from the Mueller Lake Park. Also note that on Tuesdays, kids ages 12 and under eat free all day with the purchase of an adult entrée.
— Littlefield’s Tacos & Coffee
Grab tacos from Veracruz, coffee from Fleet Coffee Co., or shaved ice from SnoRide, and let the kids run around the large outdoor patio. There’s plenty of space to meet up with friends and for the kids to play in a casual, laid-back atmosphere.
— Mandola’s Italian – Cedar Park
A great Italian culture with a great casual environment. Serving great menu options such as chicken piccata, baked ziti, and eggplant parm. Enjoy a nice meal while the kids can play on the playground right next to our outdoor seating.
— Mesa Rosa Mexican Restaurant
Located in North Austin, this spot has a great playscape but also a sprawling lawn and outdoor patio. With over 3 acres of land, it’s easy to spread out and let the kids play while the grownups can enjoy margaritas and great Mexican food on the patio.
— Phil’s Ice House
Phil’s is one of Austin’s dreamy spots for burgers, playtime, and fun. It also helps that Phil’s is paired next to Amy’s Ice Creams at all three of their locations (Burnet Rd., South Lamar, and North Austin on 183). The menu offers up kid-friendly basics like burgers & fries, corn dogs, chicken tenders, etc. And take note that they have Parents’ Recess, which is happy hour Monday – Friday from 3-5:30 pm with discounted beer and wine specials. But the playground areas at each location are the big draw for happy families. Kids can go nuts on their colorful playscapes while you enjoy some comfort food. Just don’t forget to save room for ice cream!
— Rudy’s Country Store and BBQ – 620
Rudy’s location is at 7709 Ranch Rd. 620 has an outdoor playground with a rock-climbing wall and slides connected to the restaurant’s patio. Rudy’s is a great place to grab some BBQ and play.
— Salt Lick – Round Rock
The Salt Lick’s north location is a great choice for a relaxing night with some good BBQ. Grab a plate for the whole family or buy brisket, chicken, pork, and sausage by the pound. fun for the whole family with live music and a playground with plenty of space for the kids to run around.
— The Hive *Temporarily Closed as of April 2024
This South Austin spot serves coffee and cocktails for adults, and there’s no shortage of kid-friendly menu choices at The Hive. This place is buzzing with events, good grub, and live music performances, not to mention their awesome play area and play structure for kids.
— The Triangle
Triangle Park is surrounded by several restaurants serving up a variety of cuisines including Hopdoddy’s Burger Bar, and Mandola’s Italian Market. After enjoying your meal, head over to the park to let the little ones play.
— Waterloo Ice House
On the scene in Austin since 1976, Waterloo Ice House offers up a huge menu of salads, burgers, sandwiches, & Tex-Mex options. They have three locations where the kids can play outdoors (360/N. Capital of TX Hwy, Southpark Meadows, Slaughter Lane & Escarpment Blvd.). Kids can enjoy a playscape, sandpit, outdoor and indoor seating with plenty of shaded tables.
More restaurants with playscapes and playgrounds:
- Casa De Luz
- Homespun Kitchen and Bar
- Lazarus Brewing on Airport
- Oz Taphouse and Grill
- Oasthouse North shares a playground with Flores Mexican Restaurant Four Points
- Ski Shores Cafe
- The Boat
- Treaty Oak Distilling
- Vaqueros Cafe and Cantina
- Vista Brewing
- Whole Foods Lamar
What’s your favorite dining destination with a play space?
Feel free to send us your recommendations to [email protected].
For even more suggestions, check out our big list of Family Friendly Breweries and distilleries with Giant Yards.
I love Contigo. But it is not a place for kids, unless your kids like foody (read “weird”) food and the company of adults. The sandy area is not a sandbox, and if you let your kids run around kicking up dirt just because they happen to be outside, you give the rest of us parents a bad rep. My husband and I go to Contigo on our date nights–when we aren’t worrying about our kids. It’s not a place to avoid with your children, but it is not in the same category as the other restaurants mentioned in the article.
Thanks for the input, I added a little disclaimer into the Contigo paragraph. I really just wanted to add something with a bit more choices for adults, the other joints are so burger & fries and not every family feeds their kids those items. I’ve seen some kids having a ball there, but it’s not for everyone.
We took kids here, and it was the PERFECT venue. Adults got great food &drinks, and the kids played in the sand. Not many food choices for kids, but they ate grilled cheese, fries, and we brought applesauce.
One thing I like about Contigo is that the establishment and clientele there are accepting of kids. I think that makes a big difference in which place we go. It’s definitely higher end food for your typical restaurant but that is what makes is special for us.
What about Hat Creek Burgers at Bee Caves Rd and 360? It has a great play area. It also has great food. Chicken nuggets and stuff for the kids. Great burgers and beer for the grown ups. And a great outdoor seating area with an awesome deck. And affordable!!
Thanks for recommending another place! We will be updating this list in the near future and will definitely be adding Hat Creek. Thanks for reading.
The Hat Creek on Burnet Road looks like it has a new playscape, as well.
Thank you so much for this GREAT list. So far we’ve visited Freddie’s Place and Waterloo Icehouse. We hope to check out Nutty Brown Cafe and Austin Pizza. We are on vacation and checked out Freddie’s out first night since it is not far from our hotel. If I lived here I swear I’d never cook again. We have 3 children 5 and under and eating out is not something we do often, but we felt so welcome at Freddie’s Place. It got chilly when the sun went down, but the staff got out the table heaters and we were cozy. The kids roasted marshmallows and made smores after devouring their waffles. The hubby and I enjoyed watching the game on one of the many large outdoor tv’s. And the food was great too. I had the portobello sandwich with sweet potato fries – yum! Really folks, you can’t pass up an opportunity to eat here. We will be going again before we leave. As for Waterloo Icehouse, the staff was extremely friendly, the playscape was wonderful, but the food was only ok. Most of what we got was rather bland, but the kids menu was great! Our kids loved the mac&cheese. I’d go here again just to have drinks and conversation with my husband and to watch the kids play, but not for the food. Thanks again for this list!!!
Thanks for this list! We’re always on the hunt for a family friendly spot. Two that didn’t make the list but that we love..even including the drive out are Craigo’s Pizza in Lakeway and our ALL time fave- Verde’s Mexican Parilla out off Hamilton Pool Road.
We visited Germany/Austria recently. I was amazed how EVERY restaurant we visited had a kid friendly space included. I’m certain this was because we were seeking these types of places out, but they seemed so much more common. Looking forward to getting something cool in Northwest Austin, we’ll be watching for the next list!
I love heading to Phil’s Icehouse off Burnet and S. Lamar and I heard they are now building one 183 and Anderson area!
We need some playscapes North! There used to be a nice one at Mighty Fine in Round Rock but it closed and they haven’t reopened it 🙁
I should specify that the Phil’s Icehouse’s are 2 separate locations not an intersection
Reunion Grill in Cedar Park has a nice playscape as well. I haven’t been there yet but looks family friendly and has a great menu. They also have live music.
Reunion Grille was great for families, but it closed down. They are planning on reopening soon, it will have a new name and some new features. I think the playscapes will be staying for sure.
The new Maudie’s at the Triangle has a playscape right off the patio that’s fenced off from the street. My kids enjoyed the playground and I appreciated the turf grass for the falls they took.
Midway Food Court on 360 deserves mention. Great food trailers, playground, and lots of tables.
Dahlia Cafe in Liberty Hill-
I know a bit out of the way. However, if you need some home-cooked food and great country atmosphere. Great Place. The food is great, has a playscape for the kids, washer pits, and live music. They do have beer and wine only.
We love Dahila Cafe in Liberty Hill. Check out the weekend band line up.. My son loves the dance floor and the tables outside by the band is ideal for a smaller child or toddler.
Where is Mandola’s Italian in Bee Cave and Arbor Trails? Both locations have excellent kids menus and wonderful free gelato. They also have great playscape areas that you can sit and eat so you can watch your tots at the same time.
If your welling to drive to the country, the Good Luck grill in Manor,TX off east 290 is very kid friendly! They have a great area outdoors for children, with a very home-y feeling lots of space and table to easily supervise your kids. We have two toddler boys who love the food as well the fun kids area
The Whole Foods Market on Lamar has a great play area up stairs with restrooms close by. Bonus points: you can get all kinds of delicious foods!!
Please check out the Farmhouse Pizza place…….it’s so wide open. We bring the soccer balls and the kids get dirty. Food is also pretty fantastic.
Golf and Guitar is a fun place for both kids and adults as well. It’s off HWY 71 in Bee Cave. 15506 West State Hwy. 71 Bee Cave, TX 78738 Maybe a bit out of the way but def worth checking out 🙂
Lonestar steak house in Cedar Park (i believe is hope avenue) has a playscape and it also has live music at night, i am not sure is only weekends or only special ocassuons but either way, we love that place.
Another steak house with playscape is Salt Lick in Round Rock is right next to the Dell Diamond.
County Line on the Lake – great BBQ & the kids can feed the turtles from the deck. Not super-cheap, but a good value as the portions are enormous.
Docs backyard in sunset valley!!!
I have a few more ideas to add to the list.
Mandola’s in Arbor Trails has a playscape in the back, Doc’s Backyard off Brodie Lane has a playscape and Flores Mexican Restaurant off William Cannnon near Mopac has an enclosed playscape.
Thanks for these ideas!
There is a great playscape right between Flores Mexican Restaurant and Highlights Gametime Grill off of FM 620.
Stubbs Graceland Grocer on 290 and circle drive has 2 giant playscapes, outdoor bar, and stubbs.
Treaty Oak Ranch is an awesome place to take the kids! Big fields and a playground, and a kid friendly menu.
You should add to the list Las Flores on West William Canon Dr. Good food, drinks and a great fenced playground.
Treaty Oak Brewing and Distilling has a great play area and acres for the kids to run.
Most of these are good legacy picks. But you have to add these 3:
– Graceland Grocery/Stubbs @ 290 and Circle Dr
– Rusty Mule on 290 past Graceland
– Stanley’s Farmhouse Pizza off Fitzhugh
When you next update this list be sure to include Fresa’s on S. 1st. It’s got fantastic food for parents and kids alike and a gorgeous patio with plenty of space for the kids to run wild.
This is a great list! We also LOVE Lucy’s on the Lake out on 620. Big play area and tons of easy outdoor seating. The food is all really good (even salads) and they have great drinks.
Rebel Pizza Bar at Anderson and Mopac is also good for kids. Their roof deck has lawn games and room to run around.
Doc’s Backyard on Brodie is pretty awesome for both kids and adults!
Thanks so much for the mention, Do512 Family! We love y’all. –The Waterloo Ice House family
We love Vista brewing. The restaurant there is delicious and the kids love running free in nature. There’s also a cool playground and it’s just beautiful out there.
Don’t forget Flores ! In south Austin off of William cannon .
Casa de Luz on Toomey Rd near Zilker park. Ample free parking in the baseball field lots on the weekends (not free on the street)
Ooh, we’ll add this – thank you!