Now that the weather’s finally cool enough to be enjoyable outside, chances are you’re itching for a little al fresco day drinking this weekend. But if you have kids, your venue options are rather limited. To aid your quest for a morning Mimosa without a side of stink-eye from childless patrons, here are a few of our favorite kid-friendly bars to wile away a few daylight hours.
King’s Bierhaus
Although it hasn’t been around very long, King’s is already beloved of the family crowd. A spacious patio and a selection of kid-friendly menu items (think chicken tenders and burgers) score King’s big points with parents. Even better, the large patio is enclosed, so you don’t have to worry about little ones darting off into the street. If you’re not feeling a burger, opt for some of the more traditional German dishes, and a big mug of German beer to wash it down.
D&T Drive Inn
While there isn’t much for them to do, D&T allows kids and nobody will look at your sideways for bringing them as long as it’s earlier in the day. There isn’t a kid’s menu and the food offered isn’t particularly munchkin-centric, so you’d be wise to feed the little ones before you come, unless your kid is the type that enjoys kimchi nachos. The front seating area is dog-friendly, too.
Town in City Brewery
The oldest brewery in the Heights, Town in City offers a spacious patio perfect for kids or furry companions. They even supply board games and coloring supplies to keep everyone occupied and mostly stationary. Couldn’t ask for more than that! For a real taste of Houston beer history, try out the Mosquito’s Revenge pale ale.
Holler Brewing Company
Welcoming to both kids and dogs, Holler Brewing Company is a new favorite among the parent set. While it doesn’t go out of its way to cater to kids, Holler offers a more adult environment where you can bring well-behaved kids without getting an attitude about it. Saturdays during the day is the time to come if you’ve got kids in tow. You can bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages, and the brewery supplies high chairs and unisex bathrooms with changing tables. Dad’s on diaper duty! Be aware that the crowd can get a bit rowdier at Holler than some of the other places on the list, and songs played over the speaker system are unedited and sometimes include profanity. It is a brewery, after all, not a Chuck E. Cheese!
Karbach brewery
While the sit-down restaurant is a little too nice to be truly kid-friendly, the outdoor area is perfect for a family outing. It’s also dog friendly, so feel free to bring your furry family members too. There’s plenty of space to let kids run off some steam or play a game of corn hole without bothering anybody, and food trucks to supply a burger or order of fries if somebody starts getting hungry. (Although you can also bring your own food from home and have a picnic.)
Cottonwood
Located just north of the 610 Loop, Cottonwood is a major favorite of the young parent crowd, thanks to its ample outdoor seating and adjacent fenced-in park. Play a game of washers or corn hole, or giant Jenga if you’re lucky enough to grab it before somebody else does. The Squirrel Master burger is not to be missed, while you’re there. It easily cracks our top five burgers in Houston.
Cedar Creek
No list of kid-friendly bars would be complete without Cedar Creek. A laid back atmosphere, inexpensive food options and drink specials, and lots of outdoor space make it a long-standing Heights institution for young families. Of all the places listed, you’re least likely to encounter an attitude from childless patrons here if you bring your kids. Let the kids occupy themselves with giant Jenga, or if you’re really brave, allow them to play in the less-than-sanitary small creek that borders the seating area. We’ve not personally felt that adventurous, but there are always at least a few kids playing in the water, so have at it.
With plenty of options to choose from, now the only hard part is deciding where to visit first! Keep in mind that these are all adult-centric businesses, so please keep the kids from running amok and ruining the experience for other patrons. Otherwise, all the rest of us with kiddos in tow get immediate stink-eye just for showing up! Well-behaved kids are welcome almost anywhere, but letting kids go totally wild and knock over strangers’ drinks, etc, gives all day-drinking parents a bad name. Of course it also goes without saying that you should always drink in moderation and not drive if you’ve had too many, with or without your kids present. See you (and the kids) at the bar!
Thank you to our reader Marla for the wonderful story idea! If you have any ideas for blogs, let us know. We are always looking for fun things to do in the Heights!