5 Kid-Friendly Bars and Restaurants in Portland
Updated: October 21, 2009
Our city is known for being a young and edgy hipster town but there are still plenty of places for family-focused fun. If you know where to look, you can find water parks, ice cream parlors and even pubs that make it their business to accommodate the little ones while still appealing to adults. Treat your tyke to these kid-friendly spots in Portland.
On this page:Eat, Play Time, Educational Explorations.
Eat
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Chez Jose' East
Read Reviews2200 NE Broadway St, Portland, OR 97232 (map)
Budget-minded parents eat their meals at this vibrant Mexican eatery where kids dine for free from a limited menu from 5pm to 7pm every weeknight. There's appeal beyond the menu as well: An ample supply of crayons and paper keep kids busy coloring so mom and dad can enjoy their tender carne asada in peace.
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Cool Moon Creamery
Write a review1105 Nw Johnson St, Portland, OR 97209 (map)
It could be a scene right out of a Norman Rockwell painting: Kids, soaked from the nearby Jamison Square fountain, running up to the ice cream counter after a day of park play. The shop's housemade, all-natural ice creams please health-minded parents, while flavors like vanilla fudge swirl and classic chocolate chip charm the kids.
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Laurelwood Public House-Brewery
Read Reviews5115 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213 (map)
With ales for adults and a play area for the kids, this Portland pub is a rare locale that can please all ages at once. The elevated pub grub and ales are part of the restaurants long-lasting popularity with older folks, while kids love the appetizer quesadillas and root beer floats.
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Me Too
Read Reviews16755 SW Baseline #102, Beaverton, OR 97006 (map)
Chain coffee shops beware: This local cafe goes beyond the pint-sized hot chocolate to appeal to families. An enclosed and attended play area--complete with a pretend theater, reading corner and games--keeps kids amused while parents sip lattes and catch up with friends over wholesome hot wraps, salads and deli sandwiches.
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belly
Read Reviews3500 NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, Portland, OR 97212 (map)
Belly's owners (and parents themselves) Linda and Cameron Addy know it's hard to dine out well with little ones. So, they serve a kid's menu and stock a bin full of toys at their Eastside neighborhood restaurant so that mom can fully enjoy the upscale farm-to-table cuisine.
Play Time
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Jamison Square Park
Write a review810 NW 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97209 (map)
This park's swath of grass and mesmerizing manmade fountain are as close as families get to the "great outdoors" in the Pearl District. Young parents arrive well before noon with kids in tow to snag prime seats on the grass and cool off in the fountain as the weather heats up.
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Kruger's Farm Market
Read Reviews17100 NW Sauvie Island Rd, Portland, OR 97231 (map)
Teach your kids that food doesn't grow on grocery store shelves by visiting this country farm. Kiddies love the u-pick berry patches (as evidenced by their berry-stained lips) and, during the fall, the chance to get lost in the corn maze.
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North Clackamas Aquatic Park
Read Reviews7300 SE Harmony Dr, Milwaukie, OR 97222 (map)
Poolside partiers (the pre-teen type) spend birthdays, special events and hotter-than-norm days cooling off at this massive water park. A wave pool, trio of slides and dive well keep kids entertained so parents have time to visit the lap pool, hot tub and sand volleyball courts for some well-deserved rest and rays.
Educational Explorations
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Portland Children's Museum
Read Reviews4015 SW Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 (map)
Parents seeking educational and fun pursuits for young kids drop by this veteran museum. A clay studio, digging pit and recycled arts studio inspire creativity. Extras like weekend storytime, camps and classes keep museum trips on the top of family fun to-do lists.
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Oregon Museum-Science & Indstr
Read Reviews1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214 (map)
Science experiment-loving kids strap on their safety goggles to play in the hands-on exhibits at this riverfront museum. A mix of permanent and traveling exhibits means theres always something familiar and something new for younger kids while the popular Omnimax theater creates a welcome diversion for teenage siblings.
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Oregon Zoo
Read Reviews4001 SW Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 (map)
The adorable elephant family is only part of the zoo's attraction for kids. Family-friendly activities go beyond animal-viewing exhibits with a petting zoo, exhibit talk boxes and camps and classes for rugrats.
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