The Best Family Restaurants in San Antonio, TX
Looking for the best family restaurants in San Antonio? Whether you're after a spot with a playground, incredible food, or somewhere the kids can stay entertained while you relax, San Antonio has a wide range of kid-friendly, family-approved dining options. We've organized them into easy categories—ranging from great food joints with playgrounds to interactive restaurants and live music spots—so you can find the perfect place to enjoy a meal while the kids burn off some energy (and hopefully sleep well later—we've all been there!).
Best Food & Environment
KPOT Korean BBQ - Our Rating: 9.1/10
KPOT is a lively all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ hot spot that offers a unique dining experience where you cook your own food at the table. It's an interactive, San Antonio fun family restaurant outing. They’ll even sing to you on your birthday, and you can take a picture with their mascot. The food is top-notch, and the variety makes it a memorable experience.
The entire table must agree on one dining format: hot pot (a soup-based option), Korean BBQ (the most popular choice), or a combination of both (at an added $5 cost per guest). Leftovers aren’t allowed to discourage over-ordering.
One highlight is their amazing sauce bar, where you can mix your own sauces or ask the staff for suggestions. The servers will even make custom sauces for you—mixing the right flavors can be an art form in itself.
As of now, weekend dinner is $30 for adults, $12 for kids (ages 4–6), and $16 for ages 7–10. Parking is easy, but expect crowds—call ahead for parties of 8+ or join the Yelp waitlist for smaller groups.
My personal favorite dishes: the spicy beef and spicy pork bulgogi for the BBQ.
Screaming Goat Yard & Tap - Our Rating: 9/10
Screaming Goat Yard & Tap is a lively, country-style spot with great live music acts, outdoor seating, corn hole, and a goat pen perfect for kid photo ops. The food is excellent—don’t miss the red beans and rice with andouille sausage, the massive pretzel, or the muffaletta sandwich, though everything we've had here has been great. They host fun events like goat yoga and all-you-can-eat catfish nights on Thursdays, and even serve craft coffee. On weekends, expect a long wait so try and call ahead to get wait times (since they can be over an hour), but there’s plenty of space there to grab a drink and hang out with goats and play while you wait. They also have a separate area which is rentable for private events. This place is BYOG - Bring Your Own Grass for the goats to eat! (Call ahead to see if this is okay, we do not recommend feeding goats if it’s not without Screaming Goats permission🙂)
The Cove - Our Rating: 8.4/10
The Cove is a family favorite offering organic, locally sourced food and one of the largest restaurant playgrounds in San Antonio. Parents can enjoy beer, burgers, and occasional live music while keeping an eye on their kids, thanks to the centrally placed playground surrounded by outdoor seating.
The food is excellent—try the burgers (especially the Blue Bison) or one of their many gluten-free and vegan options like vegan tacos, burgers, and nachos. Everything tastes great, whether you have dietary restrictions or not.
They also host free dance lessons every Wednesday, trivia on Thursdays, and other events listed on their website. Most seating is outdoors on wooden benches, while indoor seating is darker and often features live music. Parking is usually not an issue.
Food Hall at The Pearl - Our Rating: 8.3/10
The Food Hall at the Bottling Department at The Pearl offers a rotating variety of cuisines, making it a great option for both picky eaters and adventurous foodies. Kids can enjoy the splash pad and grassy quad while adults relax at one of several outdoor bars. Though it can get crowded, it's ideal for a picnic-style outing in the heart of the Pearl District.
Current vendors include Chilaquil(a Mexican street food spot—recommend the tacos and quesadillas), Howdy Child (BBQ), Freight Fried Chicken (fried chicken), Henbit (hamburgers), Park Bar (drinks), Wonderslice (pizza), and other rotating vendors. A draw to this option is that there’s something for everyone, especially if you have kids that are picky eaters.
It's a local favorite thing to do to grab a drink, let the kids play in the quad, and enjoy live events or simply the sunshine. There’s also plenty of shopping, dessert options, and nearby boutiques to explore afterward.
Parking is usually paid ($5–$10 in garages or nearby lots), though you can sometimes find free street parking within a quarter-mile.
Best with Playground
The Dog Co. Icehouse - Our Rating: 8.9/10
The Dog Co. Icehouse truly has something for everyone: a dog park, live music stage, food trucks, bar, and a large playground. It’s wildly popular, especially with parents, kids, and young adults. There’s also a beach volleyball court above the playground. Drinks are reasonably priced. It can get packed, and parking may require walking from a secondary lot across the street, but it’s worth the hassle for the vibrant, inclusive vibe.
The Cove - Our Rating: 8.4/10
(See description in “Best Food & Environment”)
Anchor Bar - Our Rating: 8.6/10
Anchor Bar is a classic sports bar that originated in Buffalo, New York—home of the original Buffalo wings. The wings here are excellent, with a wide variety of flavors to choose from. While it's primarily a wing joint, it’s also family-friendly thanks to the playground out front.
That said, it can be tough to watch a game inside while keeping an eye on your kids outside, so it’s not the most convenient setup for multitasking parents. Still, the food is solid, and it’s a good option if you're looking for wings and a casual outing with the family.
Bandit BBQ & Burgers - Our Rating: 7.4/10
This restaurant used to be known as Biff Buzby Backyard and it rebranded to Bandit BBQ & Burgers. It’s still very good food and there's a large playground at this place. They also play live music and have plenty of drinks. It's got a little bit of everything is a little bit pricey, but definitely good if you have kids. It has a playground that you can watch and supervise them while you have food and drink. We think the burgers are better than the BBQ.
The Friendly Spot Ice House - Our Rating: 7/10
The Friendly Spot is a beloved San Antonio beer garden known more for its atmosphere than its food. While the bar food is just average, it's serviceable if you're hungry. The real draw is the large outdoor space, multiple bars, and a pop-up screen showing major sports events—making it a popular spot, especially in the evenings.
There’s a small play area for kids under 8, but it's a bit rougher than others, with small rocks on the ground and crowded conditions. You're likely to hear a parent yell--"Don't run in front of the slide!!!" Still, it remains a go-to for parents wanting to catch a game while the kids play in the heart of Southtown.
Two Bros BBQ - Our Rating: 7.6/10
Two Bros BBQ offers a medium-sized playground and plenty of bench seating, making it a convenient, family-friendly spot. The barbecue is good—nothing extraordinary—but it’s a solid choice if you're looking for a casual place where kids can play while you enjoy your meal.
Nearby Walker Ranch Park features a short walking trail and another playground, and there's also a cozy coffee shop within the Two Bros complex. With a dedicated parking lot, finding a space is typically easy.
Künstler Brewing - Our Rating: 8.1/10
Small playground, good for kids under 6. Offers board games, beer, and a fun vibe. Bonus: a nearby train track kids love. The food is very solid German fare so very tasty pretzel and schnitzel to pair with your brew. Prost!
Backyard on Broadway - Our Rating: 7.1/10
Large and engaging playground, best for kids under 10. The food is slightly above average, but it’s great for drinks and exploration nearby, very close to DoSeum.
The Pigpen - Our Rating: 7.7/10
Small playground for younger kids, solid beer options, food truck, and sometimes food from Smoke Shack next door.
Best Downtown
Pinkerton’s Barbecue - Our Rating: 8.4/10
Pinkerton is very solid barbecue lots of great options for eating. The one of the issues is that it is a very expensive barbecue so if you go here be willing to pay quite a bit of money, but it is for good barbecue, one of the best in San Antonio, they do have Legacy Park right out front and which is essentially a grassy lawn for lounging, live events, and kids running around. It definitely is a spot in downtown area that is going to be more, appealing to a family environment.
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Pete’s Tako House - Our Rating: 8.1/10
Savory tacos and spacious seating in downtown San Antonio. One of the best taco spots for accommodating large groups.
Leo's Hideout - Our Rating: 8/10
Leo's Hideout is the best pizza in the downtown area, though it's a bit pricey. There's not a ton of room to sit, only a few booths, and it took about 20 minutes for a couple of slices. It's not far from Legacy Park, so if you're up for a picnic consider maybe bringing the pizza over there if there's no seating. Parking can be difficult and expensive if you take your time.
The Buckhorn Saloon - Our Rating: 7.4/10
A quirky downtown experience with novelty games like a shooting gallery. The food is just okay, but it’s fun for tourists and kids alike who want to travel back in time to the Old West.
Best Hill Country Options
Guadalupe Brewing Company & Pizza Kitchen (New Braunfels) - Our Rating: 8.8/10
Guadalupe Brewing is a hidden gem in the Hill Country worth the short drive from San Antonio to New Braunfels. It offers a wide variety of great beers, consistently excellent food, and live music every week. One of the standout highlights is the pizza—whether you prefer crispy Detroit-style, classic New York-style, or artisan creations, every slice is delicious. Plenty of large tables for families and room for kids to run around.
Spechts Texas - Our Rating: 8.4/10
Spechts Texas is a Hill country venue in the countryside and it is a very solid food place as well as being able to get a variety of different drinks. They also have live music events and plenty of seating. Parking is not an issue and there's a large grass area as well as an abandoned truck bed in the back that now acts as a sandbox. Kids can run around in the yard over there and check out the cows nearby. Our favorite dish so far has been The Spechts Burger: A hearty burger stacked with grilled jalapeños, pepper jack and cheddar, house slaw, crispy fried jalapeños, and Specht's signature sauce for an extra kick.
Screaming Goat Yard & Tap - Our Rating: 9/10
(See description under “Best Food”)
Places with Activities That Serve Food
Popstroke - Our Rating: 8/10
Popstroke offers a wide range of kid-friendly activities, including mini golf, ping-pong, and more—all within an enclosed area that makes it easy for parents to relax with food and drinks while keeping an eye on their kids. It’s convenient, fun, and well-designed for families. While it can be a bit pricey, the experience is worth it. Parking is plentiful in their lot. Parents and their kids could probably spend at least 3 hours here and still be having fun.
Chicken N Pickle - Our Rating: 7.4/10
Packed with family games like pickleball, corn hole, and giant board games. Food is decent, but the fun and social atmosphere are the real draw.
Of course, if you didn’t find what you were looking for, maybe you were looking for our list for restaurants in San Antonio for large groups or arcades in San Antonio that have food.