Bowls of fresh pasta and meatballs at Grassa.
Grassa.
Rachel Pinsky/Eater Portland

Primo Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Portland

You can have children and eat good food, too

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Grassa.
| Rachel Pinsky/Eater Portland

Dining out in Portland with kids is about more than just choosing a restaurant with great food. Arriving at a restaurant to find a lack of high chairs, fragile dinnerware, no kid-friendly dishes, or an unwelcoming policy towards children quickly rules out an entire slate of options. Luckily Portland has a diverse array of choices that will leave both parents and kids satisfied. These Portland taprooms, cafes, pizza spots, and more all offer options for even the pickiest eaters, in addition to their usual crowd-pleasing menus. Here are the best restaurants and bars to dine with kids in Portland, perfect for meeting up with friends for a play date or just heading out for a bite with the family.

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Marco’s Café and Espresso Bar

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Located in the Nelson Thomas Building since 1983, Marco’s has an eclectic vibe and umbrella-clad ceiling that provides a conversation starter for the table. Marco’s offers a kids’ menu printed out with games like mazes and crossword puzzles. Standout lunch options for kids include chicken strips, quesadillas, and buttered noodles, and on the all-day breakfast menu, a single buttermilk pancake, and a “waffle gnome” with whipped cream and berries.

The Old Gold

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For stellar drinks in a sleek industrial space that’s also kid-friendly, check out the Old Gold. While there isn’t a dedicated children’s menu, the main menu is approachable for the full family with dishes like mac and cheese, grilled cheese, and a hummus plate. Adults can enjoy an Old Fashioned or a glass of wine knowing that everyone will leave happy and well-fed.

The Daily Feast

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This downtown breakfast spot maintains the all-day brunch diner tradition with some range: Alongside the biscuits and gravy and corned beef hash, the Daily Feast blends green smoothies, fills bowls with steel-cut oatmeal with berries, and slings plates of chilaquiles. Kids can opt for fresh-squeezed juices and can easily make a mini breakfast out of sides; plus, the restaurant offers an entryway bookshelf loaded with animal figurines that the kids can bring to the table, such as gorillas, giraffes, moose, elephants, and dinosaurs.

The children’s singer-songwriter Caspar Babypants once wrote an entire song about how much kids love noodles and butter, and this local chain serves a $5 version for pasta-particular kids. For an elevated-but-non-stuffy take on pasta, Grassa serves house-made noodles in a casual, counter-service setting. The pork belly mac and cheese is a huge hit of course, but you can’t go wrong with a simple combo of cacio e pepe made with truffle butter, salt, and pepper, or the spaghetti aglio olio with breadcrumbs and garlic. Kids pastas range from spaghetti and meatballs to mac and cheese, plus — of course — noodles and butter.

Bowls of fresh pasta and meatballs at Grassa.
Grassa.
Rachel Pinsky/Eater Portland

¿Por Qué No?

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Taqueria Por Qué No’s colorful atmosphere makes it a fun spot for kids to explore, with sidewalk chalk and crayons for kids along with coloring pages. The kids menu includes a bean-and-cheese taco for $2.50 and a kids bowl for $3.75, making it one of the cheaper dining-out options for kids in Portland. Pro tip: The Mississippi location has a large outdoor area upstairs that kids can move around in a bit more freely than the street-level area seating. 

Mother's Bistro & Bar

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Families will find a warm welcome and a comfortable vibe at this Portland institution, made famous for its brunches, high-quality comfort food, and special Mother of the Month dishes. Younger children will enjoy the kids menu with things like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grilled cheese, and macaroni and cheese — plus, the restaurant’s root beer floats, hot chocolate, and hot apple cider are sure to please.

Buranko

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It’s easy dining with kids at Buranko, an Asian diasporic all-day cafe and restaurant. For the little ones, the restaurant offers a choice of kids meals including fried chicken, tofu, and Hawaiian pork, all served with rice. For the rest of the menu, Buranko offers dishes like Korean galbi, takoyaki, and soft shell crab pad Thai. There’s even a play area for kids if they get antsy from sitting for too long.

Tin Shed

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Catering to kids of all ages, Tin Shed serves bright, flavorful American-style dishes at family-friendly prices. Kids breakfast plates range from cheesy eggs and potatoes to sourdough French toast, with vegetarian options like tofu, greens, and grits; during lunch, plates of grilled cheese and quesadillas are accompanied by carrot sticks or chips. Tin Shed also offers Crayon coloring, and a selection of small toys for little ones. The key is to visit during the week or make a reservation because the lines can get a little extreme on weekends.

Tamale Boy Dekum

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Known for its well-priced Oaxacan and Northern Mexican fare, the Northeast Portland restaurant of this former food truck also dishes up burritos and quesadillas for the niños. Families are welcome to bring toys and games, so parents shouldn’t feel shy about spreading out on the large patio and catching some rays while sipping a happy hour margarita or Modelo.

Two Sisters Play Cafe

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Yes, places like Playdate and the Wiggle Room exist, but as far as indoor play areas and restaurants go, Milwaukie’s Two Sisters seems to find the right balance between fun for kids and food you actually want to eat. The breakfast menu here, while simple, is inexpensive and well executed, serving things like soft scrambled eggs and thick-cut bacon, or sausage gravy-smothered biscuits. Kids can play for around $5, and kids’ menu meals don’t exceed $7 — including a main, side, and drink.

The Sports Bra

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Portland’s women’s sports-focused bar, the Sports Bra, welcomes kids until 10 p.m. The menu includes special kid-friendly options like grilled cheese, buttered noodles, and chicken tenders, plus beverages like lemonade and a full slate of juices. Adults can sip on a cocktail or a draft beer while digging into nachos, baby back ribs, or a smash burger while watching the Portland Thorns play.

Hopworks Urban Brewery

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The Hopworks on Powell has long been known as the brewery with a play area and for that, it gets extra kudos. Order a burger, beer, and pretzels with beer cheese, and watch the kids disappear into the play area until the food arrives. The brewery also offers Crayons for those wanting to hang at the table. The location in Vancouver is family-friendly as well.

Pizza Jerk

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This old-school pizzeria is the ideal place to take kids for pepperoni and slushies, with beer for the booze-friendly grown-ups and Martinelli’s for the kids and non-drinkers. A large backyard with a play structure and area for kids to wander around and explore is a particular hit, especially in the summertime. Finish the day with some of the shop’s soft serve.

Slappy Cakes

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This extremely kid-friendly breakfast joint lets diners make their own pancakes on griddles right at the table, utilizing batter-filled squeeze bottles and adding their choice of fixings like fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips. If the adults at the table aren’t feeling the idea of eating DIY pancakes, Slappy Cakes also has a slew of à la carte options and plates prepared in the kitchen, such as country fried steak, eggs Benedict, and Slappy Hash. Just be careful with the young ones, the griddles can get quite hot.

Double Mountain Taproom

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Home to a casual, no-frills atmosphere and brick oven-baked pizzas, the spin-off of the popular Hood River-based brewery is a magnet for neighborhood families. If your kid isn’t craving pizza, this Woodstock pub also slings sandwiches and quesadillas for tiny diners. Coloring pages and Crayons are available upon seating. 

Pip's Original Doughnuts & Chai

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Most Portlanders probably already know about Pip’s Original and its fresh-fried doughnuts. However, when it comes to kid-friendly treats, it may be one of the city’s easiest no-brainers. The doughnuts are truly kid-sized, so families can try a few flavors without inducing major tummy aches. Drinks include kid-friendly items like hot chocolate and apple juice.

Level Beer

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The Argay location of this video game-themed brewery in Portland is perhaps the best place to grab a beer while entertaining an antsy kid: Indoors, the brewery is home to several pinball machines and arcade games, where older kids can entertain themselves while waiting for food. Outdoors, the backyard and patio are expansive, meaning kids can run around without tripping nearby patrons or servers. The carts nearby supply oysters for the adults and fish and chips or quesadillas for the tiny crowd.

Sugarpine Drive-In

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This Troutdale drive-in can be a busy scene on a summer afternoon, and there’s a good reason why: The custardy soft serve here comes slathered in toppings like miso caramel or honey hot fudge, the grilled cheeses are waffle-pressed, and the salads come loaded with Oregon- and Washington-grown produce. Kids can toddle around the picnic tables or nearby park while waiting for treats, and soft serve comes in kid-sized servings.

Marco’s Café and Espresso Bar

Located in the Nelson Thomas Building since 1983, Marco’s has an eclectic vibe and umbrella-clad ceiling that provides a conversation starter for the table. Marco’s offers a kids’ menu printed out with games like mazes and crossword puzzles. Standout lunch options for kids include chicken strips, quesadillas, and buttered noodles, and on the all-day breakfast menu, a single buttermilk pancake, and a “waffle gnome” with whipped cream and berries.

The Old Gold

For stellar drinks in a sleek industrial space that’s also kid-friendly, check out the Old Gold. While there isn’t a dedicated children’s menu, the main menu is approachable for the full family with dishes like mac and cheese, grilled cheese, and a hummus plate. Adults can enjoy an Old Fashioned or a glass of wine knowing that everyone will leave happy and well-fed.

The Daily Feast

This downtown breakfast spot maintains the all-day brunch diner tradition with some range: Alongside the biscuits and gravy and corned beef hash, the Daily Feast blends green smoothies, fills bowls with steel-cut oatmeal with berries, and slings plates of chilaquiles. Kids can opt for fresh-squeezed juices and can easily make a mini breakfast out of sides; plus, the restaurant offers an entryway bookshelf loaded with animal figurines that the kids can bring to the table, such as gorillas, giraffes, moose, elephants, and dinosaurs.

Grassa

The children’s singer-songwriter Caspar Babypants once wrote an entire song about how much kids love noodles and butter, and this local chain serves a $5 version for pasta-particular kids. For an elevated-but-non-stuffy take on pasta, Grassa serves house-made noodles in a casual, counter-service setting. The pork belly mac and cheese is a huge hit of course, but you can’t go wrong with a simple combo of cacio e pepe made with truffle butter, salt, and pepper, or the spaghetti aglio olio with breadcrumbs and garlic. Kids pastas range from spaghetti and meatballs to mac and cheese, plus — of course — noodles and butter.

Bowls of fresh pasta and meatballs at Grassa.
Grassa.
Rachel Pinsky/Eater Portland

¿Por Qué No?

Taqueria Por Qué No’s colorful atmosphere makes it a fun spot for kids to explore, with sidewalk chalk and crayons for kids along with coloring pages. The kids menu includes a bean-and-cheese taco for $2.50 and a kids bowl for $3.75, making it one of the cheaper dining-out options for kids in Portland. Pro tip: The Mississippi location has a large outdoor area upstairs that kids can move around in a bit more freely than the street-level area seating. 

Mother's Bistro & Bar

Families will find a warm welcome and a comfortable vibe at this Portland institution, made famous for its brunches, high-quality comfort food, and special Mother of the Month dishes. Younger children will enjoy the kids menu with things like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grilled cheese, and macaroni and cheese — plus, the restaurant’s root beer floats, hot chocolate, and hot apple cider are sure to please.

Buranko

It’s easy dining with kids at Buranko, an Asian diasporic all-day cafe and restaurant. For the little ones, the restaurant offers a choice of kids meals including fried chicken, tofu, and Hawaiian pork, all served with rice. For the rest of the menu, Buranko offers dishes like Korean galbi, takoyaki, and soft shell crab pad Thai. There’s even a play area for kids if they get antsy from sitting for too long.

Tin Shed

Catering to kids of all ages, Tin Shed serves bright, flavorful American-style dishes at family-friendly prices. Kids breakfast plates range from cheesy eggs and potatoes to sourdough French toast, with vegetarian options like tofu, greens, and grits; during lunch, plates of grilled cheese and quesadillas are accompanied by carrot sticks or chips. Tin Shed also offers Crayon coloring, and a selection of small toys for little ones. The key is to visit during the week or make a reservation because the lines can get a little extreme on weekends.

Tamale Boy Dekum

Known for its well-priced Oaxacan and Northern Mexican fare, the Northeast Portland restaurant of this former food truck also dishes up burritos and quesadillas for the niños. Families are welcome to bring toys and games, so parents shouldn’t feel shy about spreading out on the large patio and catching some rays while sipping a happy hour margarita or Modelo.

Two Sisters Play Cafe

Yes, places like Playdate and the Wiggle Room exist, but as far as indoor play areas and restaurants go, Milwaukie’s Two Sisters seems to find the right balance between fun for kids and food you actually want to eat. The breakfast menu here, while simple, is inexpensive and well executed, serving things like soft scrambled eggs and thick-cut bacon, or sausage gravy-smothered biscuits. Kids can play for around $5, and kids’ menu meals don’t exceed $7 — including a main, side, and drink.

The Sports Bra

Portland’s women’s sports-focused bar, the Sports Bra, welcomes kids until 10 p.m. The menu includes special kid-friendly options like grilled cheese, buttered noodles, and chicken tenders, plus beverages like lemonade and a full slate of juices. Adults can sip on a cocktail or a draft beer while digging into nachos, baby back ribs, or a smash burger while watching the Portland Thorns play.

Hopworks Urban Brewery

The Hopworks on Powell has long been known as the brewery with a play area and for that, it gets extra kudos. Order a burger, beer, and pretzels with beer cheese, and watch the kids disappear into the play area until the food arrives. The brewery also offers Crayons for those wanting to hang at the table. The location in Vancouver is family-friendly as well.

Pizza Jerk

This old-school pizzeria is the ideal place to take kids for pepperoni and slushies, with beer for the booze-friendly grown-ups and Martinelli’s for the kids and non-drinkers. A large backyard with a play structure and area for kids to wander around and explore is a particular hit, especially in the summertime. Finish the day with some of the shop’s soft serve.

Slappy Cakes

This extremely kid-friendly breakfast joint lets diners make their own pancakes on griddles right at the table, utilizing batter-filled squeeze bottles and adding their choice of fixings like fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips. If the adults at the table aren’t feeling the idea of eating DIY pancakes, Slappy Cakes also has a slew of à la carte options and plates prepared in the kitchen, such as country fried steak, eggs Benedict, and Slappy Hash. Just be careful with the young ones, the griddles can get quite hot.

Double Mountain Taproom

Home to a casual, no-frills atmosphere and brick oven-baked pizzas, the spin-off of the popular Hood River-based brewery is a magnet for neighborhood families. If your kid isn’t craving pizza, this Woodstock pub also slings sandwiches and quesadillas for tiny diners. Coloring pages and Crayons are available upon seating. 

Related Maps

Pip's Original Doughnuts & Chai

Most Portlanders probably already know about Pip’s Original and its fresh-fried doughnuts. However, when it comes to kid-friendly treats, it may be one of the city’s easiest no-brainers. The doughnuts are truly kid-sized, so families can try a few flavors without inducing major tummy aches. Drinks include kid-friendly items like hot chocolate and apple juice.

Level Beer

The Argay location of this video game-themed brewery in Portland is perhaps the best place to grab a beer while entertaining an antsy kid: Indoors, the brewery is home to several pinball machines and arcade games, where older kids can entertain themselves while waiting for food. Outdoors, the backyard and patio are expansive, meaning kids can run around without tripping nearby patrons or servers. The carts nearby supply oysters for the adults and fish and chips or quesadillas for the tiny crowd.

Sugarpine Drive-In

This Troutdale drive-in can be a busy scene on a summer afternoon, and there’s a good reason why: The custardy soft serve here comes slathered in toppings like miso caramel or honey hot fudge, the grilled cheeses are waffle-pressed, and the salads come loaded with Oregon- and Washington-grown produce. Kids can toddle around the picnic tables or nearby park while waiting for treats, and soft serve comes in kid-sized servings.

Related Maps