Restaurants where kids can play freely

[NewYorkiforniainHouston]

Table 57 (attached to the H-E-B) at San Felipe and Fountain View always has kids running around playing screaming their guts out while the parents eat (the kids are probably eating too but taking play breaks in between bites of food lol)

The food looks good but I won't go in because the kid screehing would drive me nuts, but it seems to be pretty popular and there are always plenty o' kids there. It looks clean and inviting. Open air dining but it has a roof and the dining area is contained.

[Augiec]

Cafe Pita is a Bosnian restaurant off Richmond that used to be a daycare center or something. As a result, they still have a small playset for younger ones. I went with my family once and the food was good. The playground was appreciated, but they had a dead bird in their fountain :/

Kinda torn on whether I can recommend them now that I think about it. Take it with a grain of salt I suppose.

I think this thread is a great idea! I've been to Table 57 and it's good for keeping the kids occupied, the beer/wine is reasonably priced, and the food is pretty good.

[museumdad]

Check here: Top 11 Places to Eat in Houston, with Kids

[westres1]

Originally Posted by texasroots77

New Beavers on westheimer

Those fire pits are going to get this location in trouble. They are at eye level to a 3 or 4 year old. They could easily catch hair if they are playing to close to it or swinging around. I saw 8-10 year old boys on the ledges jumping thru the fire. They have a sign saying children must be with a parent but I did not see any parents telling them to get down.

I do like Beaver's but I stay in the 21 and up area

[westres1]

El Patio has tons of kids on Fridays. They have a balloon clown and the kids run amok while the blue margaritas flow and the mariaches play!
If we go I stay in "club no minors"

[detachable arm]

Originally Posted by Augiec

Cafe Pita is a Bosnian restaurant off Richmond that used to be a daycare center or something. As a result, they still have a small playset for younger ones. I went with my family once and the food was good. The playground was appreciated, but they had a dead bird in their fountain :/

Cafe Pita is where you go if you want an explosion. First hand experience right here. There is a reason goulash and other food made from scraps are not popular here.

[PeteyC]

If kids are going to 'run freely' they need to be at home or where there is close adult supervision. Sorry, that a part of parenting that is required after childbirth.

[3dogsnokids]

Originally Posted by Oildog

Restaurants are not intended to be playgrounds. If you want them to run around, go to a place with a ball pit.

This! Certain places are aimed at kids playing, otherwise, get a sitter.

[chris_ut]

Originally Posted by PeteyC

If kids are going to 'run freely' they need to be at home or where there is close adult supervision. Sorry, that a part of parenting that is required after childbirth.

God forbid kids should be allowed to play outside the home! We should have leash laws for kids so they are never more than 3 feet from their parents. They are after all no different than dogs.

[texas7]

I don't think "most" people mean this as anti-kids but yes getting three feet from a parent or table inside a restaurant is a no-no. They should stay at their tables unless it is a restaurant geared for families with play areas like so many have added. That's a really god feature to help them spend their natural energy and enthusiasm. Once you go inside to be seated though, the kid needs to learn to sit and use their indoor voice and manners. I really don't want someone's kids in my face when I am trying to order, dine or have a conversation. I also don't want to be knocked down into a concrete floor when I get clipped in the knees by a child running though a restaurant like an open playground. I don't know for sure, but I would think when someone's kid is running amok and clips perhaps an elderly person who falls and breaks a bone -- there may be some personal liability there as well but I don't know.

It's not that hard, most of us have been through parenthood at one time or another and it's teaching common courtesy at a young age.

I ate at a chain steak restaurant last weekend. Young couple next to us had two squealing toddlers but thankfully they were staying at the table and at that age squealing is going to happen. The mom did her best to keep them occupied by conversing with them. Wasn't a big deal other than we just really couldnt hear to talk. It's going to happen at those family friendly chains. However, after they left -- two servers came to clean up the mess -- food everywhere on the table, the floors and the seating. They looked at us and apologized that we had to sit by the mess. One young server remarked, man this is like an instant birth control reminder. Lol. He looked like college age, so maybe it serves as a psa to remember condoms until you're ready for kids.