45+ Kid Friendly Restaurants in Maryland With Play Areas and More!
It’s always good to have a great restaurant that is also kid friendly in mind when you go out with your family. Kid friendly restaurants are really a key to a successful day trip. These winners are kid friendly restaurants in Maryland with play areas. Eating out has never been so much fun!
When I created the Kid Friendly Maryland app, I compiled over 600 family friendly restaurants options for subscribers. That’s a lot of ideas. The restaurants in this list all have something unique and fun for your kids. And let’s be honest, you will probably love these ideas yourself!
Kid Friendly Restaurants in Maryland With Play Areas Near Me
Check out this Google Map with all the locations of the restaurants with play areas and playgrounds.
Restaurants in Maryland With Arcades and Bowling
1. C&R Pub Hampstead
This might be a pub but it’s a family friendly one with great eats for kids. The kids menu has grilled cheese, chicken tenders, pizza, mac and cheese and more.
But you will really want to go for the games! There are arcade games, pool, shuffle board, skeeball, claw machines, and more.
2. Crabtowne USA
A fantastic crab house with a vintage arcade located in Glen Burnie! After your meal take a turn at one of over 100 vintage arcade games and pinball machines! Their speciality is of course crabs and steamed shrimp served with corn on the cob and hush puppies.
The kids menu offers mac n cheese, grilled cheese, chicken tenders, and shrimp. Crabtowne is a favorite with the locals for both it’s good food and vintage arcade games.
Related: 70+ Best Coffee Shops in Maryland (sorted by county!)
3. Chuck E Cheeses
Yes, it’s kinda cheesy (pun totally intended), but seriously, younger kids can’t get enough of Chuck E Cheeses, and for good reason!
The games are super fun, you play by time, not by $$$, they get tickets to redeem for cheesy awesome prizes, they can dance with a big mouse, and when they need a break, pizza and other treats are waiting for them.
Website | Location (there are 10 locations in Maryland. Check the website for the location nearest to you)
4. Main Event
Main Event in the Columbia Mall is a fantastic entertainment venue that took over the 2nd floor of the old Sears store.
This is an arcade, bowling alley, laser tag, and restaurant all rolled into one. You pay for a game card and can use it for any of the arcade games, including two super fun virtual reality experiences.
The laser tag and bowling are priced separately. But really, you could easily spend an entire afternoon having fun with your kids here!
The kids menu offers burgers, mac and cheese, pizza, and chicken dippers. For your sugar fix, they serve mason jar cheesecakes, sundaes, skillet cookies, and gourmet donut holes.
5. Dave and Busters
This is a great entertainment destination that’s great for the entire family. However, older kids will especially love it. There are plenty of kid-friendly activities. Dave and Busters has a huge arcade, bowling, virtual reality, and billiards tables. Plus you don’t have to stop playing to eat.. just order food from their restaurant!
Dave and Busters is like Chuck E. Cheese on steroids for grownups and kids alike!
There are several locations over Maryland (i.e. White Marsh, Arundel Mills, Gaithersburg) and they all have a similar vibe. Wednesdays are a great (but crowded) day to visit when games are half off! Load your card at a kiosk or a register and all the games you want to play are a tap/swipe away.
There are games that suit all ages and interests! Download the free app to keep track of your points (especially in case you lose your physical card).
Related: 100 Days of Summer Fun in Maryland With Kids!
There is also a restaurant on-site for enjoying a meal or drink. Kid’s menu items include buttered noodles, pizza, cheeseburger, mac and cheese, and pretzel dogs.
Website | Location- there are locations in Arundel Mills, White Marsh, Silver Spring, and Capital Heights
6. Fourth Dimension Fun Center
This fun play center has laser tag, virtual reality, an arcade, bowling, and an escape room. Plus, there’s tons of fun family eats! A great indoor option for Frederick.
For food, enjoy their stone fired pizza, nachos, mac and cheese bites, and more!
7. Mustang Alley’s
Why not try duckpin bowling while you eat? A bowling alley might not be what you think of when deciding on lunch or dinner. But your kids will have a blast! Mustang Alley’s offers some items kids will love like chicken tenders, nachos, chicken quesadillas, sliders, and cheese sticks.
8. Pinstripes
Yes, this is actually a super fun bowling alley. But they also have amazing kid-friendly food! For kids they offer buttered noodles, mini burgers, chicken tenders, mac n cheese, and more.
9. Stratosphere Social
A great place for indoor family fun! They have a game room with loads of arcade games, bowling, axe throwing, virtual reality, and more! You can also eat lunch, dinner, or a snack here!
They serve flatbreads, appetizers, burgers, salads, and more!
Beach and Waterfront Restaurants in Maryland with play areas or beach access
10. Davis’ Pub
A great kid friendly and even dog friendly restaurant! Eat outside at the picnic tables and take the kids to feed the ducks at the small waterfront park across the street. The kids menu offers grilled cheese, chicken tenders, hot dogs, and burgers. The main menu offers salads, seafood inspired pub favorites, sandwiches, and soups!
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Beaches on the Chesapeake!
11. Carson’s Creekside Restaurant and Lounge
A great menu with salads, sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. It’s on the water so the views are very nice. There is also a park next door for kids to run around in and ducks they can feed. Kids up to 4 years old eat for free off the kid’s menu!
12. The Pier Waterfront Bar and Grill
This great location is totally worth the drive. They offer a huge menu with options such as delicious Seafood, Salads and Steaks, Orange Crushes and more! Kids will love the fact that there is a playground at this restaurant… and kids menu options include cheese pizza, mac n cheese, chicken fingers, and fried shrimp.
Also The Pier has a waterfront view you will love.
13. The Sandbar at Rolph’s Marina
This is THE place to go for a relaxing afternoon and evening. While you sip on beverages your kids can play on the beach and go swimming. They serve kid friendly food like grilled cheese, chicken nuggets, and hot dogs.
And the best part? This is one of the most incredible places to watch the sunset! This would be a fantastic destination for a Maryland day trip on the Eastern Shore.
14. Kentmorr Marina Restaurant
The Kentmorr Marina (formerly Kentmorr Restaurant and Crab House) in Stevensville has a beach! This dock side and Chesapeake Bay restaurant is a fantastic idea for a family friendly outing… and it won’t be as crowded as many public beaches in the area.
Why? Because the beach area is private and meant for patrons of the restaurant. On the weekends and holidays you have to reserve a spot on the beach and can keep it (they provide an umbrella for you) from noon until they close.
During the week you still have to pay a nominal fee but don’t need a reservation.
Note: In Fall 2022 Kentmorr was sold to new owners. Check the website in Spring 2023 for details on if they will still allow beach access.
15. The Jetty
This is another bay side restaurant option. The Jetty has a sandy beach and sand box complete with beach toys! How cool is that? As for food? Check out their Cream of Crab and Pretzel Combo. Delicious!
They have great salads, steamed shrimp and seafood, tacos, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and seafood entrees. For dessert try the Triple Chocolate Cake or Reeses’ Peanut Butter Pie!
16. New Seasoned Mariner
Located in Dundalk, this is a fantastic waterfront restaurant with a small beach and play area for kids. Their menu specializes in American and Latin dishes.
Related: 50+ Super Fun Things to do With Kids in Baltimore
17. The River Shack
The more casual restaurant by the Wellwood Club. All you can eat steamed crabs come with their famous shack fried chicken, corn, crinkle fries, and hush puppies. They also serve sandwiches, tacos, wraps, pizza, seafood platters, and more.
Kids will love that they can play at the beach while waiting for dinner/lunch to be served. The restaurant even supplies beach toys! Kids eat free at this restaurant and I couldn’t find a kid’s menu per se, but there are loads of kid friendly options like pizza, chicken tenders, and more!
18. Deep Creek Uno and Honi Honi Bar
If you are on a family getaway to Deep Creek, Uno and the Honi Honi Bar should be on your short list of restaurants. Yes, the Deep Creek Lake Uno Pizzeria and Grill is an outpost of the popular chain. However, this particular location has teamed up with the Honi Honi Bar for a great family friendly destination restaurant.
The restaurant is at the lake so the views are great. There are plenty of play structures and live music. This is a really fun place to grab a bite to eat!
Related: Kid Friendly Hikes in Deep Creek Lake Area!
Ice Cream Fun! Maryland Creameries with play areas
19. Chill Snowballs and Ice Cream
Chill Snowballs and Ice Cream is a wonderful place to stop for a cool treat and some time on the playground. The playground is open for purchasing customers.
There is a larger area with a seesaw, slides, climbing net and many areas for the kids to climb. There is also a smaller area for tiny kids that has two bucket swings. Chill has a few options for seats including a shaded area with tables at the back of the building. This is a great option for hot days!
Related: Plan a road trip on Maryland’s Ice Cream Trail!
20. Prigel Family Creamery
The Prigel Family Creamery in Glen Arm, MD scoops up some amazingly creamy ice cream. You can hang out with the cows and enjoy the farm. The creamery’s location is gorgeous.
Prigel Family Creamery has been in the dairy farming business for over 5 generations. They are organically certified and offer more than just ice cream. On Friday and Saturday evenings their signature Food Truck, The Farm Kitchen, serves delicious sandwiches as well. They are closed on Sundays.
Sign up for one of their special event ice cream factory tours to make your own ice cream flavor and do some special taste testing!
21. Broom’s Bloom Dairy
Broom’s Bloom Dairy in Bel Air, MD is a Harford County institution and it has a large and loyal following. Why? Well the ice cream is phenomenal and they offer a full lunch and dinner menu as well. Everything is fresh, natural, and locally made.
From late Spring until the weather chills, Broom’s Bloom has live music on the weekends.
They also have sunflowers in late August. Ice cream, live music, and Insta-worthy frolicking among sunflowers? How awesome is that?
22. Misty Meadow Farm Creamery
Misty Meadow Farm Creamery is located in Smithburg, MD near the Pennsylvania border, not only serves amazing ice cream, but has tons of other fun activities too.
There is a play yard for kids, various animals like chickens and goats you can feed, and sunflowers! Yep, Misty Meadow Farm plants sunflowers in the summer too! In the spring they hold Easter Egg Hunts and in the fall there is a corn maze, hayrides, and a pumpkin patch!
23. Rocky Point Creamery
The Rocky Point Creamery in Tuscarora, MD is a family run creamery and farm that whips up homemade ice cream fresh every day. Their ice cream is super delicious and they serve both soft serve and hard packed ice cream flavors, as well as special ice cream treats such as sundaes and banana splits.
The Rocky Point Creamery is one of nine farms picked as part of the Maryland Ice Cream Trail. So, you know their ice cream is the best!
There is also a giant John Deere Tractor playground. And in the summer, they plant a field of sunflowers!
Related: The Best Sunflower Fields in Maryland and Beyond!
24. South Mountain Creamery
The South Mountain Creamery in Middletown, MD is probably the most well-known of the Maryland Creameries… and with good reason. Not only is their ice cream to die for (we have tried multiple flavors. They are all awesome), but there are a few other treats in store at the creamery as well.
South Mountain Creamery bottles their own milk and makes their own butter, yogurt, and ice cream. The cows used for all their delicious treats are milked 50 yards from the creamery. You can actually see them in action. A real treat for kids to see how a dairy farm operates.
There are so many fun family activities you can do at South Mountain Creamery. See the cows get milked, pet the calves and even bottle feed the calves at 4pm every day!
There is a sizable playground for kids to burn off energy on too. Don’t forget to get your photos on the huge chair!
Maryland Restaurants With Playgrounds
25. Hightopps
Hightopps is an incredibly family friendly restaurant with a great kids menu. The kids menu includes options like chicken and cheese quesadillas, grilled cheese, cheese pizza, ham and cheese sliders, turkey burgers, regular burgers, hot dogs, mac n cheese, and chicken fingers.
Related: The 75+ Best Playgrounds in Maryland (sorted by location!)
26. Baugher’s Appleman Playland
If you have visited Baugher’s Farm you may be familiar with the market place located at 289 W Main St. Westminster, MD 21158. At this location there is a market, restaurant and a playland.
The restaurant is a home-style family friendly restaurant. This is a great restaurant to bring kids to! If you are not looking to sit down and just want a quick treat the restaurant has ice cream right as you walk in the door.
This playland is a great place to visit on a hot day. The playland is mostly shaded by trees. It is also surrounded by a fence. But keep an eye on those little ones it is right next to the parking lot and even though there is a fence the road is right at the bottom of the hill.
The playland has different types of swings, a tree house structure with a slide. There is also an old tractor the kids can climb on.
27. Iron Rooster Canton
Another outpost of this super family friendly restaurant. The Iron Rooster serves breakfast all day. Try their strawberry avocado french toast, breakfast nachos, mini Belgian waffle flight, or really anything on the menu. For lunch or dinner try the southern fried rooster or the waffle burger.
Whatever you do though, make sure to snag a RoosTart– Iron Rooster’s gourmet pop tarts. Kids options include breakfast all day, sliders, grilled cheese, quesadillas, rooster bites, and spaghetti… and of course, a RoosTart!
The Canton location is adjacent to a grassy area and the cutest train-themed playground. Great for kids to run around before or after the meal!
28. Steelfish Grille
This popular restaurant has all the kids meals options you would hope for, and a playground. It’s actually a pretty big playground with multiple slides.
Adults will love the expansive seafood-inspired menu and live entertainment schedule.
29. Conrad’s in Abingdon
A great seafood restaurant with a ship-themed playground. Well, the main thing to eat here are crabs, and they do crabs really well.
For kids they serve cheeseburger, fish bites, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, and chicken bites.
30. Humagala’s in Bel Air
Humagala’s specializes in pizza, signature sandwiches, burgers, and tacos. They have a number of kid friendly menu options too. And for kids they have a great playground!
31. Fat Boys Crab Shack
Fat Boys Crab Shack in Gambrills is a great option for outdoor dining in the warmer months. It’s a crab shack and that’s the main draw. However, they have a kids menu too. But you will love this place because of the playground and the shaded picnic tables that are near the playground!
Farms and Breweries- Outdoor Maryland Restaurants with play areas
32. Spring Meadow Farms
Spring Meadow Farms is such a fantastic outdoor place for great eats and kid friendly fun! Your taste buds will thank you for dinner and desert at Char’d BBQ and The Bus Stop (anyone say extreme milkshakes?). Parents will love the selection at the Monument City Brewing beer garden on site.
And there are so many fun activities for kids! There is a farm zoo and nature walk, the Ropewalk playground (with an extra cost), and a lineup of live music.
33. Braglio Farms
Braglio Farms in Baltimore County is another outdoor dining venue open seasonally. They serve ice cream treats, the Braglio Smokehouse Trailer is open for delicious bbq, and on Friday’s they host food trucks!
Kids will love the nature-themed play area.
34. Falling Branch Brewery
This is a super chill 100-acre farm brewery in northern Harford County. The main draw of course are the craft beers, ciders, and more. However, the regularly have food trucks and you can also bring your own food.
Here’s what you can expect from a trip to this farm brewery in northern Harford County. There is a small playground for kids next to the animal barn.
35. Lone Oak Farm Brewing Company
As stated on their website, Lone Oak is a Farm with a brewery, not the other way around. They have a full menu of brews, but also great food options that has kid favorites like grilled cheese, mac and cheese bites, pizza, hot dogs, and more.
As for kid fun? Well, it’s a farm. There is tons of space to run around, a pond, seasonal sunflowers and pumpkins, fire pits, and a playground!
Lone Oak gets high marks for great atmosphere and a great spot to enjoy some food, beverage, and let your kids play.
Restaurants In Maryland With Play Areas, toys, or games
36. Miss Shirley’s
Miss Shirley’s is a Baltimore and Annapolis institution. We love the Inner Harbor location because while you wait for your table, you and the kids can play board games in a separate waiting area. (note: this was true pre-2020. It is possible they have evolved to a different system now).
As for food, Miss Shirley’s arguably offers the best breakfast in town and is a very popular choice to start a day trip to the Inner Harbor. The kids menu is awesome… kids can pick from a choose your own bento box that includes a breakfast main course and healthy side.
Website | Locations in Baltimore Inner Harbor, Roland Park, and Annapolis
37. The Board and Brew
If you are in the College Park area you have to check out The Board and Brew. This kid friendly restaurant isn’t just a restaurant… it’s a board game mecca. There are 1000’s of board games you can play with your kids while you eat lunch!
38. Papermoon Diner
This diner is so awesome for kids! The menu is awesome (you have to save room for a milkshake). But the real winner for families is the decor. It is sooo fun and wacky. Papermoon is not exactly a hidden gem, but you will still want to play seek and find when you visit.
Every time we eat here we play a big game of I Spy!
39. Englanders
This diner and soda fountain is such a treasure! Located in the back of a thrift store and it couldn’t be cuter! They serve a fantastic breakfast with one of the best milkshakes I have ever tasted! You will also love their burgers and made from scratch cinnamon rolls!
While you wait for your food, walk around the thrift store and search for treasures with your kids!
40. Silver Queen Cafe
This Baltimore restaurant serves amazing food and have carved out a lovely play area for kids with baskets of toys.
They serve all the kid’s favorite menu items but offer a delicious seasonal menu for adults too. Their peanut butter pie looks utterly delicious!
41. Franklin’s
This place is so cool. It’s the only combination of microbrewery, restaurant, and toy store in the world. The restaurant serves burgers, pizza, soup and salad, main course comfort food, and a large kid’s menu. And don’t forget to end your meal with ice cream or a milkshake!
42. Brown Mustache Coffee
The Brown Mustache Coffee in Downtown Annapolis is a full service espresso and coffee bar that offers locally sourced pastries and other menu items. It is located in Fox Books so you can browse and savor your coffee at the same time. For kids they have a garden area in the back of their shop with a playhouse for kids!
Ocean City restaurants with playgrounds
Yes, Ocean City Maryland has tons of kid friendly restaurants with playgrounds. On your next family vacation you have to check one of them out! Some of our favorites include Dead Freddies Island Grill, Fish Tales, Alley Oops, Ropewalk, and de Lazy Lizard.
You can read more about all of these Ocean City restaurants with separate play areas here.
Kid Friendly Dinner Theatre
43. Medieval Times
Part performance, part sheer awesomeness. Tickets to Medieval Times will definitely wow your kids, especially if they like horses and lots of noise (I would not recommend for kids with sensory issues).
The meal is roasted chicken, garlic bread, tomato bisque, corn, potatoes, and dessert.
Knights and princesses, lords and ladies– they make the arena come to life with horse tricks, falconry, and an epic jousting battle. This is really a fun and rowdy good time for families.
44. Washington County Dinner Theater
How about watching a great play or musical while eating a great meal? Check the calendar for a kid friendly show (2023 shows include Clue, Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Xanadu). The food served changes with the show.
45. Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Toby’s Dinner Theatre is one of the best in the nation. The buffet is huge with tons of options that would appeal to everyone. The theatre is in the round and there isn’t a bad seat in the auditorium.
46. Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre
Another dinner theatre with a great buffet. Check their schedule for specific family friendly shows!
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