Have a friend that is looking for a recommendation for a kid-friendly restaurant in B/CS area possibly with a playground - not fast food joint. Know of anything? Thanks!

There are no 'sit-down' restaurants in BCS with a kid's playground. The best you can do would be those with arcades or game rooms (CiCi's, Chuck E Cheese, Gatti's).

I have three children and have taken them to most of the restaurants in town. Most are very family- and kid-friendly and have crayons/coloring sheets to help keep them entertained while waiting on the food.

[This message has been edited by MiMi (edited 3/21/2011 9:17a).]

Thanks for the reply. I forgot to mention that their kids' ages are 5 and 2.5. Anyone else with recommendations?

The only eateries I know of with a playground would be Joe's Crab Shack, which isn't here in B/CS. Very sad...

I've taken my brood to IHOP in Bryan and requested their back room. It's large and semi-private, I don't have to fret about the young'un noise bothering anyone.

Cracker Barrel has table games and is always noisey anyways. No one seems to mind the kids underfoot.

Los Cucos in College Station has an outdoor patio area that is decent. The new location in Bryan is huge and has a side room that usually isn't filled to capacity, but beware - they have tons of tv's that are tuned to the sporting event du jour, it can easily turn into a sports bar atmosphere depending on the event.

People at Souper Salad (on Harvey at Texas) don't look at you cross-eyed when your kids (er...my kids) run around crazy. Just don't expect too much, as far as the food goes it's pretty lame.

I'd say this town is chock full of wonderful restaurants, but none actually cater to families with small children. None that I've come across. You'll get the typical couple of crayons with a paper kids menu, but that's really about it...

Good luck!

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I'd say this town is chock full of wonderful restaurants, but none actually cater to families with small children. None that I've come across. You'll get the typical couple of crayons with a paper kids menu, but that's really about it...

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With wait-staff who look at a 6 month old, try to hand him crayons and ask "does he need a kid's menu?"

So far, the best "bang for the buck" would be Chick-fil-a. Slightly better than typical fast food, but a nice play area for slightly older kids.

Beyond that, we try to hit the restaurants at off times, we're usually put in the "kid's corner" with other families. So it typically works out.

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but none actually cater to families with small children

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This.

The young upper/middle class family is the most underserved/underutilized demographic in town...

I agree. On the other hand, children should be able to sit down and behave in Cheddars or the like.

Do all the Wings 'N More locations have a small arcade game area (2-3 games)? The one close to our house in Houston does? Any other restaurants with a small arcade area?

Nothing like a "When I have kids they'll never act that way" response from those with no children. Just you wait, The Todd, just you wait.

Boston's has a small arcade in the bar area, Koppe Bridge has one too... and Chicken Oil.

I have 3 kids. 7, 5, 2.
They can sit still and eat at a restaurant.
I must be parent of the year.

My apologies. I just assumed you were another judgmental childless poster. I, too, have 3 kids, (6,4 and 2 - all boys! Yikes!) who can sit still and behave. I just know not to boast about how well behaved my children are for fear of public tantrum karma. I know for certain I would NEVER judge a family for their child's behavior since ALL of our children have embarrassed us at least once.

When the weather nice (like now) I take my kids to the back deck of Ozona's. There's not a play area, but they like to look over the edge and walk around--plus kids always enjoy eating outside. It's a laid back atmosphere.

No worries. I have all boys too, and there are certain days that I just won't take them anywhere.

I agree with the above poster. Outdoor eating is a good idea for children. Schlotzky's ShipWreck, Ozona, Blue Baker, etc.

Heck, even pick something up and take it to a nearby park. If the kids are so wound up that they can't sit down for an hour, the park would be a good bet anyway.

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Heck, even pick something up and take it to a nearby park. If the kids are so wound up that they can't sit down for an hour, the park would be a good bet anyway.

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THIS! Time together as a family, and a place for the small ones to play and burn off energy. Heck, even a place for the adults to burn off some extra energy and calories!

We sometimes take the crew to Fuddruckers. Decent food, made the way they like (kids can fix up own burgers) and the back room has games and space for them to spaz without too much worry. So, it works for us.

But I have always thought we needed a Joe's Crab Shack here. I imagine one side would be the deck over looking sunken playground and the other side could be decking more geared for the college crowd. I think it would do well.

I love to take my kids to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. Great playground and great food. Then we usually venture over to Spoons Yogurt for a frozen treat. They have high chairs and a chalk board for the kids to play around on!

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Nothing like a "When I have kids they'll never act that way" response from those with no children. Just you wait, The Todd, just you wait.

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As Todd already pointed out that he has kids, and I'll just add this: parents need to be tuned in as to how their child behaves in public and make their decisions from there.

I've seen babies that got a good nap in early do just fine in a place like Cheddars or Casa Ole. I've also seen older kids who should have known better run wild at the same places.

If your child is well behaved, that's awesome. If you have a toddler who gets cranky when they miss their nap and they did, in fact, miss their nap that day, consider either a more relaxed atmosphere (picnic in the park idea was great), or spring for a babysitter so the rest of the diners don't get to "enjoy" their dinner to the tune of a tamtrum.

Koppe Bridge on Hwy 30 has an area with tables, pool tables, and games. You can sit while your kiddos play. When our kiddos were younger, we could let them play with the cue ball for an hour or so (as long as no one else wanted to play). Now they know that more balls are supposed to come out!

I think there is some crossover to purpose on this thread. Parents enjoying quality food without distraction, and kids getting some exercise. The difficulty is when you (us) try to kill two birds with one stone, which will limit you to the Chuck E Cheese/Gatti's/CiCi's "dual purpose" joints.

My wife & I have found that it works best to do one, then the other. Unless we are "working" on making the kids sit without toys (we do this often, but not always), we will bring our iPhone + Netflix or DVD player and headphones and enjoy a quality meal while they watch a movie. Then it is off to the park for some quality exercise for all of us. Granted, the Chuck E Cheese/Gattis/CiCi's are options from time-to-time but we know that we sacrifice quality on both food and exercise when trying to combine these.

When my husband was graduating from A&M, we had the whole family eat on the porch of Koppe Bridge. He had four nephews at the time (all under the age of 5) and they enjoyed being able to run around in the grassy area while waiting for the food.

Double Dave's, at least the one in the Kroger shopping center at Rock Prairie, has a couple of arcade games to keep the kiddos busy while you get your Wednesday night pizza buffet and $1 beers on.

Dudley's and The Chicken are great for kids! Where else can they learn darts or pool. They just don't teach those skills anymore.

We like to eat at Boston's with the kids. When it's nice we sit on the patio and let them run around the fountain area. You just have to keep an eye on them, but they love it. There are usually a ton of kiddos out there doing the same thing. After pizza, we head to the ice cream shop for dessert right next door.

We need help as well in College Station when Grandkids visit.
However most kids' play areas are either outside (it's snowing as I write this) or only open @ 11am, too late for breakfast then their parents drive home.

With enough $1 bills, WingsNmore South IS ideal and even cameras on the play area if adults not sitting near it.
Opens @ 11am like most others, so can't always be the #1 choice.

Blue Baker opens early but only Outdoor play area & only Mills Park location

Looked into CiCi, Chuck E. Cheese's, et al. = indoor play but 11am opening

Nothing else?

Doesn't Lupe Tortilla have that playground in the back portion of the place?

MiMi said:

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There are no 'sit-down' restaurants in BCS with a kid's playground. The best you can do would be those with arcades or game rooms (CiCi's, Chuck E Cheese, Gatti's).

I have three children and have taken them to most of the restaurants in town. Most are very family- and kid-friendly and have crayons/coloring sheets to help keep them entertained while waiting on the food.

[This message has been edited by MiMi (edited 3/21/2011 9:17a).]

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What about Lupe Tortilla?

(Rats, beaten by 2 minutes)

BuLi97 said:

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Have a friend that is looking for a recommendation for a kid-friendly restaurant in B/CS area possibly with a playground - not fast food joint. Know of anything? Thanks!

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Lupe Tortilla has an outdoor sand-filled playground with a couple of "rollercoaster" plastic cars the kids can ride down ramps, lots of digging toys, a climbing playhouse at one end, etc. There are outdoor tables the parents can sit at, or there is a room just inside from the playground.

Paolo's Italian restaurant has a smallish (maybe 14 by 12) play room, but you aren't supposed to leave kids alone in it -- someone should keep an eye on them. It has some books, a TV with a movie playing, etc.

Blue Baker off of Mills Park Circle and Mad Taco off of Greens Prairie Rd West both have outdoor play areas. Blue Baker's is bigger with some sort of smallish spinning merry-go-round in the middle, a large wooden xylophone/marimba, three concrete tunnels to climb on/crawl through, etc. There are 3 or 4 tables outside by it. Mad Taco has more tables but a smaller play area with some large blocks and a giant-size "Connect 4" game. Both of these restaurants blur the line between fast food and sit-down dining. You order at a counter, but they are nicer than chain fast food places. Blue Baker has no alcohol. Mad Taco has alcohol.

I have heard that Smitty's has an outdoor area where kids can play, but haven't been there myself.

Supposedly some fun for kids can be had in a field or grass square by the various Century Square establishments, but I haven't been there either.

Mad Taco South has a little outdoor area on their patio that would keep them occupied. There is a giant Connect 4 game and a little playground area.

My kids can sit in a restaurant but sometimes you wanna let them go wild!!! We have a place in Sugarland called Talyard Brewing Company. Has a HUGE playground area, pickleball courts and more!!! So relaxing. Order your food and go outside and let the kiddos play before food comes. ALL bigger cities need more of these.

It's not exactly a restaurant but The Grove (former Kinderhill location) seems to be very kid friendly and has multiple play areas.