Kid Friendly Restaurants in North Texas

The Best kid friendly restaurants

Whether you’re a foodie or not, we all need places to eat out with kids. Dining out can be a perennial challenge on the search for Kids Menus and maybe some adult beverages! It is hard enough to choose a restaurant out of the so many great choices here in Plano but it is harder to find that perfect place that is kid-friendly restaurants with play areas.

That said, we are so fortunate that the Plano and surrounding areas have tons of options for families.  For your Kids meal – are you tired of burgers, hotdogs, chicken nuggets, grilled cheese and fries? Well there are many restaurants with an excellent menu that will satisfy kids and adults, even those who have sophisticated taste buds. From farm-to-table spots to a hangout where parents can enjoy a drink while the kids can play nearby, there are lots of options for you. Some have free kids meals to help you with saving money too.

Well, if you live in or around Plano, Texas, there are a bunch of them available. Or, if you’re going out to eat with kids then you want to make sure you visit one of these kid-friendly places. We have several with parks for play areas built in for instant fun and entertainment for the kids. These restaurants were suggested from other Plano Moms that have tried these places.

We have created a list of some of the best family and kid-friendly restaurants around North Texas, where adults and children can both have a great time! Scroll down to see the Top 10 things we recommend to make eating out great fun for Kids.

Benihana

5840 Legacy Cir, Plano, TX 75024

Date night, girls night or a family night, Benihana’s extraordinary one-of-a-kind dining experience is a perfect place for everyone!  Enjoy catching up with friends and family while you leave the cooking to a Benihana master teppanyaki chef, who performs some tricks that will surely entertain both adults and kids. The kids will love the full Benihana Kabuki kids menu, which includes teppanyaki favorites like Hibachi steak, chicken and shrimp.

The Hub Streat

1212 14th St, Plano, TX 75074

The Hub Streat is a perfect place for a variety of occasions; it may be a special celebration, a Sunday brunch or a dinner out with friends or the whole family. It has a big open-air space, a relaxed atmosphere and very friendly staff. It provides TVs for the sports enthusiasts, a cocktail bar with plenty of space for a group to hang out and a pool table and arcade games is available. It offers a great selection of food on the menu, burgers, pizza, rotisserie chicken, and tacos. Sunday brunch is a perfect time to tag along the kiddos.

Central Market

320 Coit Rd, Plano, TX 75075

Talking about convenience and healthy food selections –produce, meat, seafood, cheese, bread to name a few. Central Market is most of the local go-to grocery shop and hang out place. After grocery shopping, we can grab our drinks from the shelf and get our food from the café. While kids tend to finish eating fast, they get to play at the barnyard-themed playground just right outside the store. There are outdoor picnic tables for you to sit and watch the kids play in a nice sunny day in Plano.

Panera Bread

1900 Preston Rd, Plano, TX 75093

Did you know that Panera Bread offers over 40 entrees combined with a choice of sides (e.g., squeezable organic yogurt, apples, baguette, sprouted grain roll, or chips) and a 250 kid-friendly combinations possible on Panera Bread’s menu? Hey fellow moms, they are giving us a real break, don’t you think? YES, guaranteed that the kids will find something they’ll enjoy. And, the adults have tons of options to choose from.  Not to mention their pastries, desserts, and sweets which are all freshly baked each day.

Grimaldi’s

836 Watters Creek Blvd C-200, Allen, TX 75013

This restaurant is the most award-winning pizzeria in the United States, with its fresh ingredients, handmade mozzarella, ‘secret recipe’ dough and pizza sauce, it makes them one go-to restaurant among families. They had the bright idea of giving kids some pizza dough to play with and keep them entertained. YES, What a brilliant idea! Their pizza is delicious which makes it perfect for both the kids and adults.

To add, their décor makes you feel that you are in a New York Pizzeria and the ambiance is so welcoming and warm.

Hat Creek Burgers

555 E Exchange Pkwy, Allen, TX 75002

A great story behind this restaurant, with a mission “to provide fellowship and fresh cheeseburgers to all who come in contact with Hat Creek”, and a goal “to become the best fast-casual, family-friendly restaurant in the country”. They have really good size kids play area with a slide, a half-airstream and plenty of climbing apparatus; these will keep the kids occupied, while parents can enjoy a drink and a quiet talk.

Babes Chicken Dinner House

6475 Page St, Frisco, TX 75034

Who doesn’t like fried chicken? No one. Babe’s is specializing a casual home-style dinner for the whole family to enjoy together. This is a family-run business which has nine locations throughout Texas serving both their original fried favorites, like catfish with green tomato relish, as well as healthier options. Kids and adults will love the real fire truck and a giant tractor parked outside in the Frisco location.

The Frisco Rail Yard

9040 First St, Frisco, TX 75034

This is a perfect place to hang out when the weather is beautiful. It has become the North Dallas’ favorite food truck park with its live music, events and its rotating food trucks for the whole family.

UP Inspired Kitchen

5285 Dallas Pkwy #400, Frisco, TX 75034

Breakfast, brunch or lunch make up the full menu at this casual daytime local’s favorite spot in Frisco. Everyone raved about their healthy food options, which each dish is a thoughtful combination of special flavors from locally sourced ingredients, and the family-style patio which has a play-house and kids area for the kids to enjoy while Mom and Dad and friends get to catch up in peace.

Lava Cantina

5805 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX 75056

Great food (a blend of Cajun and Mexican cuisine), family-friendly space ( outdoors and overlooking the water)  and live music, what else can you ask for? Check it out and make sure to check their site for a schedule of their free kid’s movie, arts and crafts, and all the family fun.

Mi Cocina (Plano, Lakeside Location) Covered Patio and attached side area that is gated for kids to run and play games.  

More great options

Kid friendly restaurants – Frisco

Hula Hut

210 E Eldorado Pkwy, Little Elm, TX 75068

Flix Brewhouse Frisco/Little Elm

1660 FM423, Frisco, TX 75033

Cane Rosso

3685 The Star Blvd #200, Frisco, TX 75034

Nerdvana

5757 Main St #112, Frisco, TX 75034

Pizzeria Testa

8660 Church St, Frisco, TX 75034

La Hacienda Ranch

4110 Preston Rd, Frisco, TX 75034

Super Chix   Playspace at all locations, one in Frisco and one in Dallas

Kid Friendly Restaurants – Plano

Chip’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers

5872 TX-121 #105, Plano, TX 75024

Shake Shack

7401 Windrose Ave #150, Plano, TX 75024

Legacy Hall and Box Garden

7800 Windrose Ave, Plano, TX 75024

Little Greek Fresh Grill

3100 Independence Pkwy #102a, Plano, TX

Kid friendly restaurants Dallas

Medieval Times

2021 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, TX 75207

The Melting Pot

4900 Belt Line Rd #200, Dallas, TX 75254

The Magic Time Machine

5003 Belt Line Rd, Dallas, TX 75254

The Lot, 7530 E Grand Ave, Dallas –  The LOT is an indoor/outdoor restaurant and bar in the heart of East Dallas …where all are welcome. Located off the Santa Fe Trail and a stone’s throw from White Rock Lake and the Arboretum.  Enjoy their bar, dining room, covered patio or their beer garden.

Kid friendly restaurants in Allen

Uncle Julio’s

190 E Stacy Rd #3400, Allen, TX 75002

Watter’s Creek  (Allen) Lots of restaurants and a play area for kids in a grassy area

Gloria’s Mexican Food (Fairview) 152 Fountain Court, Fairview, TX 75069. Restaurant is next to a splash fountain/water show for kids

Richardson & Carrollton

Super Chix

1551 E Renner Rd Suite 830, Richardson, TX 75082

The String Bean Restaurant 1310 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080. A Kid-Friendly foods and a Playroom area for kids

Nico’s Cocina

3065 N Josey Ln #24, Carrollton, TX 75007. They have a covered patio with a playground attached for kids

Heritage Pizza

3750 Plano Pkwy Suite 600, The Colony, TX

Hutchins BBQ

1301 N Tennessee St, McKinney, TX 75069

We also know of some great Restaurants where, with the purchase of an adult meal, on specific days, Kids Eat Free!. We know a couple of Mi Cocina restaurants have play areas too. Want even more ideas? Check out Guide Live for more.

Have we left off your favorite kid-friendly place? Let us know by leaving us a comment and we’ll add it to this list!

10 Things Guaranteed to Make Families Visit Kid-Friendly Restaurants

1. Coloring books

We love coloring books that have enough clean pages to keep our little ones going for a while when we have forgotten to bring our own, plus crayons that work and don’t break.

Bonus: how about some comics or magazines for our older kids to browse as coloring is now beneath them!

2. Kid-sized cutlery

Little fingers struggle with adult-sized cutlery. Big forks always drop on the floor with a clang. Have some kid-sized cutlery and you will have happy little diners.

3. A space to put strollers out of the way

So everyone passing doesn’t trip and kill themselves. Or an offer to put it somewhere quickly and efficiently out of the way until we need it again.

4. Proper changing tables in both male & female toilets

We hate being forced to change baby on the floor yet again. Some baby wipes and a nappy or two in case of memory loss are helpful too.

And, yes, males do change nappies too, so changing facilities in both male and female toilets is a must!

5. Kids’ Menus with a bit of imagination

What about some carrot sticks and cucumber slices and baby tomatoes on the plate?

If you must serve those french fries then offer something fresh for little fingers to enjoy, and to keep parents happy that there’s something healthy on the plate.

6. Smaller portions for kids

We’re tired of huge adult sized goopy macaroni cheese that our kid takes one spoonful of and then pushes away.

7. Kids are HUNGRY when they arrive

Please bring their main courses with the adult starters without us having to remember to ask for this!

8. Short plastic tumblers

We kindly request tumblers and preferably plastic instead of long tall glasses that kids can knock over, and while we are at it, we’d love some healthier drink options for kids.

9. Extra napkins on tables

For the inevitable drink spill.

10. And if you could possibly manage…

Oh yes, a corner of the restaurant with TV, DVD, playing a kids’ movie and some cushions that they can park themselves on….