# Restaurants with Playgrounds and Beer
This is a cheat sheet for finding places around San Antonio that have food, drink, and a playground. Does a parent need a break? Take your kid out to one of these spots and have a break yourself! The kids shouldn't be the only ones having a good time when you go out.
I hate sandboxes, so there will be notes when there's a sandbox.
# Around Downtown
# The Cove
You may may have seen this place on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (opens new window). It has a large covered play area seating around three sides of the play area which make it easy to watch kids. Two bars (one indoor and one outdoor), good number of beers on tap outside, lots of Texas beers. One of the best spots for food on this list. Try the Latin Lover if you're not sure what to get. Fans around most outdoor seating areas. Laundromat and car wash attached.
# Friendly Spot
This place is in Southtown and is a popular spot to watch games. They will occasionally have up an inflatable screen for games. It has a small play area in one corner, so you need to find a table near that area. Two bars, one in front, one in the back. The bar in the back has more taps. Solid bottle selection. Limited menu, but good food including a kids menu. The fish tacos are a solid choice. Trees in the front provide decent cover.
# Splash pad at The Pearl Brewery
The splash pad is right by the Bottling Department (opens new window) in The Pearl. The Bottling Department has a handful of restaurants to choose from. During weekends, when the farmers market is up and there are additional food vendors, it's even better from a food perspective. You can sit all around the splash pad and there are generally tables and chairs all around it. Area for kids to run around right by the splash pad for those that don't want to get wet. One of the biggest benefit is you are in The Pearl so you have proximity to other shops, restaurants, coffee, and more. Five food places in the building adjacent to the splash pad. Even more food options when the farmers market is going on. Okay beer and wine selection. If you're going on a day that may be busy, you may want to bring your own shade and chairs. It gets packed.
# The Pigpen
The Pigpen (opens new window) is near the zoo. Includes beer, wine, and alcohol. They have a limited kids menu. The outdoor seating and play area is setup in a way where if you're outside, you pretty much have line of site to the play area. If you have friends that are vegetarian, there aren't really any good options available for them.
# Tycoon Flats
# Shuck Shack
# Alamo Heights area
# Cerroni's Purple Garlic
Cerroni's Purple Garlic (opens new window) is one of my favorite lunch locations. All breads are made in house, great sandwiches soups, pastas, and pizzas. Kids eat free on Wednesday and Saturday! They are closed on Sunday. The play area is a sandbox that has some shade.
# BurgerFi
# Joe's Crab Shack (Quarry)
# Taco Palenque Loop 410
# Street Fare SA
Street Fare SA (opens new window) has various food trucks go to this location and there is a bar in an Airstream that serves wine and beer. Check the food truck schedule before heading over since it rotates.
# North San Antonio
# Two Bros. BBQ Market
Two Bros. BBQ Market (opens new window) is right across from Walker Ranch and it's a pretty quiet place. The outdoor seating has decent cover as does the play area. They do tend to run out of meats, so if you have something specific in mind, get there before the dinner rush. Beer is your only adult beverage choice, but they generally have about a dozen things you can choose from and you can order by the bucket to lessen the back-and-forth for beer. There isn't a kids menu, so my friends and I will typically grab the Mac and Cheese side for the kids.
# La Hacienda de Los Barrios
La Hacienda Los Barrios (opens new window) is about equal distance from 281 and 1604 on Redland. The play area is away from all seating areas, so to keep an eye on the kids, you'll need to sit in opposite corer from where the hostess stand is if you sit inside, or outside in an area with line of site to the playground. It's probably one of the highest quality play sets at a restaurant in town. They have some of the best food of any of the spots on this list and a kids menu as well.
# Big'z
Big'z (opens new window) is just off 1604 and gets packed. It's closed on Mondays, which we always seem to forget. The outdoor seating area has umbrellas and trees, so there's a decent amount of shade. The is an area for kids to run around that's covered in turf. Take a ball or something for your kids to play with since there isn't a play set. They do have a kids menu as well.
# The Pod
# Blanco BBQ
Blanco BBQ (opens new window) is on Blanco near Wurzbach parkway. They have a play area and outdoor seating with limited shade. Since it's all concrete in the back, it is definitely hot in the summer. They do have kids options for food and they have wine and beer. The line to order can get long, so if you need to get another round of beers, do it for the group since it can take a while.
# Willie's Grill & Icehouse
Willie's is on 281 South near Thousand Oaks. I'll go ahead and say it, I hate sandboxes. They have a sandbox. They do have beer and wine options. The food is actually decent for the price and you can also order beers by the bucket, which I would recommend if you're there with a group.
# Longhorn Cafe (on Blanco)
# Northeast San Antonio
# La Cabana
# Northwest San Antonio
# El Chaparral (Helotes)
# La Gloria (by the Dominion)
# The Block SA
# The Point Park & Eats
# East
# Texas Pride Barbecue
# West
# Viola’s Ventanas
# Bourne
# Dog and Pony Grill
# Mi Casa Tamales
# Random Beer Garden
# Dodging Duck Brewhaus
The Dodging Duck (opens new window) does not have an actual playground, but they have a kids menu and the kids can run around a bit outside. They even brew their own beer.
# Spring Branch
# Richter's Antler Cafe
Food portion sizes for things like the chicken fried steak are pretty big. The play area is partially shaded by trees. It's one of the quieter places on the list since it's outside the city and about a mile from 281.
# Chick's Prime Meat Market
Just past highway 46 when going North on 281. Chick's Prime Meat Market (opens new window) is both a meat market and a restaurant. Nice outside seating area that's covered by trees and has misters. There are two play sets and a bouncy house and they tend to have live music on Friday and Saturday nights. There are a few beer options, and we typically end up buying something from the meat market on our way out. For kids food, they do have things like grilled cheese and hot dogs.
# RIP (no longer in business)
These are some the places that had playgrounds but have since closed:
- Beefy's Backyard
- El Machito
- Fatso's
- Mama's Cafe
- MoMak's Backyard Malts & Burgers
- Perico's Mexican Restaurant