September 5, 2007
Adult Beverages at the Tot Lot
*Editors' Note: Clearly Austinist does not encourage anyone to get soused in front of their children, thereby damaging their fragile psyches. For those responsible enough to kick a couple back without ultimately taking the kids on a dangerous and terrifying road trip, we offer the following:*
If your version of the three martini playdate is to sit and sip microbrew near a playscape in the heat, Austin options abound. Whether you are a stay at home dad, meeting up with the cool moms for a couple, or would like to check out the MILFs and DILFs, there's a playscape near you that has the unique convenience of sudsy accompaniment. We feel that sometimes it's easier to deal with enraged non-Tonka-truck-sharing toddlers while having, say, a nice pint at Freddie's.
Phil's Icehouse/Amy's Ice Cream
Large play area. Live Oak on draft, several wine options.
5620 Burnet Rd.
(512) 524-1212
Central Market
Huge play area. Multiple beer and wine selections. Live music and kids concerts.
4001 N. Lamar Blvd.
(512) 206-1000
Freddie's Place
Medium-sized playscape with tables nearby; washer tournaments. Dogs welcome. Full bar.
1703 S. 1st St.
(512) 445-9197
Waterloo Ice House
Playscapes at the Capital of Texas Hwy, Escarpment and Slaughter, and Avery Ranch locations. Several local beers on tap and large selection of bottles.
6203 N. Capital of Texas Hwy.
(512) 418-9700
9600 Escarpment Blvd.
512-301-1007
14900 Avery Ranch Blvd.
(512) 255-4873
Brentwood Tavern
Small playscape. Good selection of beers.
6701 Burnet Rd.
(512) 420-8118
Patsy's Cowgirl Cafe
Playscape and patio. Live music. New restaurant opened by the folks behind Esther's Follies.
5001 E. Ben White Blvd.
(512) 444-2020
Azul
No playscape, but big outdoor area away from traffic. Relaxed about kids. Good beer selection at reasonable prices.
1808 E. Cesar Chavez St.
(512) 457-9074
Nutty Brown Cafe
No playscape, but huge outdoor area with gravel and lots of running around space. Live music.
12225 Highway 290 W.
(512) 301-4648
Green Mesquite BBQ
No playscape, but sidewalk chalk and nice patio area with chalkboard.
1400 Barton Springs Rd.
(512) 479-0485
Shady Grove
No playscape, but a very kid-friendly patio.
1624 Barton Springs Rd.
(512) 474-9991
Mandola's Market
Have a glass of wine and then head outside to the sprinkler area at the Triangle.
4700 W. Guadalupe St. #12
(512) 419-9700
Tutto Gusto
Small playscape. Italian place in Steiner Ranch. Beer and wine.
4300 N. Quinlan Park Rd.
(512) 266-2221
Photo by Tim Parkinson on Flickr.
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Well done. Nice list. I'd add a couple though:
Whole Foods downtown - upstairs playscape, bring wine/beer from the store
Ruta Maya - cool kids stuff on the weekends, play area, adult drinks of the coffee and alchohol varieties.
Freddies is the best for us, though.
Good adds. Thx.
You should add the nearby bus stops to your list so that mommy and daddy don't decapitate the family when they drive home drunk.
Yes, clearly drinking responsibly only applies to people with offspring.
#3 makes for a good Lifetime Movie idea.
AAGH! They have those damn Lifetime movies on at the Y every morning when I work out. I hate them with a passion, but always get sucked in. I guess it's better than Fox News, though.
Do watch out for the Freddy's margaritas. (Remember Moms and Dads, tequila impairs judgment!) We live close enough to walk, but if you have to drive, either mom or dad should abstain.
I used to work at Nutty Brown and it is a good place to bring kids -- it's totally open, so you can relax and keep an eye on them at the same time. They don't have a playscape, but they do have a dirty sandpit of death that all of the kids flock to. There were a few kids' toys in there years ago, but I would suggest keeping your kid away from that area. Someone always ended up crying...