The Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants in St. Louis

Finding kid-friendly restaurants that serve great food can feel like hunting for a unicorn. Most places where kids are welcome aren't known for culinary delights, and sometimes you just need a good meal without getting a babysitter. Luckily, we've compiled our favorites for those times when you need to get out of the house. Now if we could only train that 20-something server about a sense of urgency when kids are present...

Katie's Pizza & Pasta

Anywhere serving pizza is always a good bet with kiddos, but what sets Katie’s apart is the pizza dough they offer to keep the kids entertained while you wait for your meal. In warmer months, both locations also offer outdoor patio seating, which means your little ones can roam and you don’t have to be the "inside voice" police.

Nachomamas Tex-Mex

The parental guilt of feeding your kids drive-thru food is understandable with the less-than-healthy offerings from most drive-thrus. Nachomama's not only offers a kid-friendly environment for dining-in, but they also offer the drive-thru for those times when you or your kids are a hot mess. Combine this with the available patio seating and you have all the makings of a kid-friendly dining mecca. Also, we saw a guy eating with his pet opossum on the patio once, so that's fun.

Ices Plain & Fancy

Going out for ice cream is an experience, a special treat of childhood. So why not go over the top with the coolest flash-churned liquid nitrogen ice cream experience in town? (Not to mention boozy options for parents.) The only non-kid-friendly aspect can be the lines during the height of summer. Come prepared with distractions, the wait is worth it.

Schlafly Bottleworks

Bottleworks is big, spread out, and always bustling with music and the sounds of the brewery...which makes it perfect for hyperactive children who want to be obnoxiously loud. Plus, you can drink great beer to take the edge off. In the summertime, their large covered outdoor patio becomes the perfect spot for day drinking and hanging out with the kiddos.

BBQ.

Honestly, it doesn't really matter where you go: BBQ spots are great for kids. They get to eat with their hands and get messy, just like their parents. There's nothing not to love there.

Pastaria

When we polled other parents about places they love to take their kids, Pastaria came up often and emphatically. You love it, kids love it, everyone's happy. The restaurant's active energy (read: noise levels) help mute any tantrums, and with lots of fun stuff to look at and eat, it's a no-brainer. Their kid's menu is always a winner, but there's plenty of stuff on the regular menu they'll love too.

Mission Taco Joint

Mission probably isn't the best place for a Friday or Saturday night family outing, but any other time, it's perfect. The atmosphere is colorful and fun, and if they're still too young to enjoy the normal menu (tacos are the perfect size for anyone!), there's a kid's menu featuring all the classics. MTJ knows your kids want chicken fingers and/or a cheese quesadilla, and they've got 'em.

Peacemaker Lobster & Crab

We were a little surprised that so many parents told us their kids love Peacemaker, but then we realized we're just stupid. What kind of kid is going to say no to corn dogs, hush puppies, french fries...and that dessert menu? Pie, soft serve, snow cones, and whoopie pie. We get it now.

When you do get a babysitter, here's where to go for Date Night in St. Louis.