Dining Kid-Friendly

5 Kid-Friendly Restaurants Your Family Will Love in Port Aransas

Fins Grill & Icehouse | www.portaransastex.com

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With over 50 unique local restaurants, Port Aransas has plenty of eateries for families to choose from when hunger strikes. From waterfront seafood dives to hidden culinary treasures, the choices are many for kid-friendly restaurants in Port Aransas, if you just know where to look.

Most restaurants in Port Aransas have ample seating and are very accommodating to families with young children. Almost every place offers a kids menu or some kid-friendly options as an appetizer. Some locations even offer outdoor patio seating, which can be a great option for kids to have a little room to move around.

Oftentimes, we are dining out in Port Aransas with our extended family or friends with kids, which means we need a big table. However, as our kids have grown into preteens and teenagers, we’ve found that seating the older kids at a neighboring table works well, if one large table for the group isn’t available in the restaurant. Sometimes dividing into two tables decreases our wait time significantly. If you’d like more information about a restaurant’s ability to seat your large group, I’d recommend calling ahead to determine your wait time and likelihood of being seated all at one table.

If you have young children, like babies and toddlers, you may find that taking your own high-chair cover is ideal. Not only does it give your child a clean place to sit in the high-chair, but it’s also great adding a little cushion to their seat. This high-chair cover is my favorite for dining out with little ones, because it’s super soft and washable.

These are my top picks for family-friendly dining with kids in Port Aransas.

Jay’s Seafood & Spaghetti Works

The spacious dining area at Seafood and Spaghetti Works (aka Jay’s) is ideal for families with young kids. Tables can be easily situated together to accommodate large families with multiple kids in tow.

The menu at Seafood & Spaghetti Works offers a wide variety of dishes, from fish tacos to seafood platters, jalapeño burgers to their popular pizzas. They do offer a kids menu with a kids-size pizza, spaghetti and meatballs and fried fish. Most adult entrees come with a trip to their impressive soup and salad bar, or the option can be purchased separately (it’s probably the best salad bar in town!).

Need a little distraction or entertainment for your young kids while you wait? Step inside the attached boutique, Stephanie’s Stuff, to browse adorable toys and puzzles for kids or clothing and accessories for mom.

Seafood & Spaghetti Works
910 State Highway 361
361-749-5666

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Moby Dick’s Restaurant

The unique, pirate-themed atmosphere of Moby Dick’s makes you feel like you’ve stepped inside a pirate ship with bounty galore at every turn. You’ll be greeted by the large shark overhead at the front, but then step inside to a cool, darker environment where kids can explore while you wait for a table.

The menu options at Moby Dick’s are primarily seafood, prepared in many ways with classic sides like hush puppies, vegetables and fries. The kids menu has several options, but my kids’ favorite was always the foot-long corn dog.

While you wait, take a walk through their souvenir shop inside or just take a look around inside the restaurant. There’s lots of cool pirate-themed decor and coastal memorabilia to discover. It’s a true feast for your kids’ eyes!

Get your little pirates ready for a visit to the sea with their own pirate chest set or bucket of pirate action figures and pirate ship.

Moby Dick’s Restaurant
517 South Alister Street
361-749-9447

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Fin’s Grill & Icehouse

Located on the marina front, Fins Grill & Icehouse has a spacious dining area indoors and a shaded patio for eating outdoors. If you’re looking for a family meal with a view, the waterfront patio at Fins is the ideal spot. The outdoor dining area is netted to keep sea gulls out, and large enough to allow for some wiggle room for the kids.

The kids menu at Fins Grill & Icehouse offers hamburger sliders, mac & cheese, fish and chicken. My kids love the burgers and the nachos on the appetizer menu, as well as a side order of hushpuppies.

While you wait for your table, browse through the cool t-shirts and stickers they sell. There’s always some colorful designs to remind you of your trip to Port A.

If dining outside, be sure to bring your kids’ sunglasses and a fun travel coloring kit with washable markers to keep them entertained.

Fins Grill & Icehouse
420 West Cotter Avenue
361-749-8646

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Pizzeria Port A

The atmosphere at Pizzeria Port A is casual and very family-friendly. Booths line the walls, and the interior tables can be combined to accommodate large families. You’ll always find kids and family groups here; some coming in straight from the beach.

While the pizza buffet is the main draw, there’s also a large menu of Italian dishes available. There’s also a fresh salad buffet, with soups available too. Once you’ve had your fill of salad, pizza and pasta, then dive into their dessert pizzas or complimentary soft-serve ice cream. A kid’s dream!

Bring your quarters. After the kids fill their bellies, they can drop a few quarters in the Pizzeria’s enclosed game room.

If your little ones love pizza, they can make their own play pizzas at home (or in your rental while you’re here) with this really cool pizza kit or this fun pizza party food set. These fun play sets were great for keeping my youngest child entertained at the table before she was old enough to enjoy the game room. Learn to make your own homemade pizza here.

Pizzeria Port A
407 East Avenue G
361-749-5226

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Cancun Mexican Restaurant

Cancun Mexican Restaurant is a popular hotspot for visitors and locals alike, especially for breakfast and lunch. The dining area is very open, casual and a great gathering place for families with children. There are plenty of tables that can be rearranged to accommodate high-chairs and large families. The atmosphere inside is very relaxed and it’s a perfect place to escape the heat with the kids for a quick Mexican meal.

The kids menu at Cancun offers tacos, quesadillas and a generous helping of chicken nuggets. They also have a hamburger on the regular menu for the older kids that are “too cool” to eat off the kids menu. Haha! It’s inevitable with teens. Cancun is easily one of most popular kid-friendly restaurants in Port Aransas.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant
1023 State Highway 361 at The Shops at Port A
361-749-5596

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Other kid-friendly restaurants in Port Aransas

Virginia’s On The Bay

San Juan Mexican Restaurant

MacDaddy’s Family Kitchen

Bron’s Shaved Ice & To-Do Bar

Tell me your thoughts

Once again, there are numerous choices for kid-friendly restaurants in Port Aransas that are more than accommodating for young children, toddlers and babies who need a little wiggle room. The vast majority of eateries in town are casual and many offer patio seating in good weather, so don’t hesitate to ask for a table outside if you think your little ones will do better in fresh air.

So tell me your thoughts… Where do you like to take your family to eat in Port Aransas?

5 Kid-Friendly Restaurants Your Family Will Love in Port Aransas, Texas | www.portaransastex.com

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