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Muriel’s kid’s menu.
Muriel’s Jackson Square

23 Kid-Friendly New Orleans Restaurants Adults Will Love

Where to dine with little ones in New Orleans

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Muriel’s kid’s menu.
| Muriel’s Jackson Square

There are few restaurants in New Orleans that aren’t kid-friendly, but some are notably pleasing for parents and kids alike. It’s always a bonus to know which restaurants put in a bit of extra effort for the little ones, so Eater’s gathered the spots around town that are especially kid-friendly when it comes to menu items, entertainment opportunities, and spacious yet well-contained surroundings. Importantly, every restaurant on this list is great for adults too (no Chucky Cheeses to be found).

From casual neighborhood favorites to upscale spots that welcome kids (and have excellent cocktails for the grown-ups), these New Orleans restaurants are perfect for pint-sized diners and their parents.

Know of a kid-friendly restaurant we missed? Send us an email.

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Bratz Y'all! Bistro Bakery Biergarten

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A solid stateside representation of a German biergarten all the way down to the handwriting on the menus, Bratz Y’all’s outdoor area sits far back from the street with shaded picnic tables, fans, and a giant Connect Four game for entertainment. The giant pretzels are the main draw for kids, but the kids’ menu includes a pretzel dog, chicken schnitzel fingers (basically, chicken fingers), and a sausage plate. Plus, it’s just around the corner from Crescent Park, perfect for checking out the mighty Mississippi before or after the meal.

Sneaky Pickle & Bar Brine

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For such a hip place, Sneaky Pickle is surprisingly kid-friendly — it fits in with the welcoming Bywater restaurant’s general “come as you are” vibe. It’s also a great spot to introduce a love of vegetables early, given that chef Ben Tabor and the talented team of kitchen professionals turn all manner of produce into some of the tastiest dishes in town. As such, there’s really no need for a separate kids menu here, though the vegan mac and cheese is a clear winner.

Sneaky Pickle.
Randy Schmidt/Sneaky Pickle

Muriel's Jackson Square

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Muriel’s is so kid-friendly that a portion of the restaurant’s website is devoted to saying that children are welcome. The thing about it that makes it really special for kids is that there’s a table set for a ghost. The kids’ menu covers the basics: chicken tenders, French fries, fried shrimp, mashed potatoes, grilled chicken breast, and pasta Alfredo. For the adults, there’s a lovely menu with shrimp and grits, turtle soup, gumbo, pecan-encrusted fish, and more.

Brennan's

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The grand dame of Royal Street is so cool with kids that it released its own children’s book covering the 300-year history of New Orleans as seen through the eyes of ten tiny Brennan’s turtles (A Topsy, Turvy History of New Orleans and Ten Tiny Turtles is available to purchase at the restaurant). Brennan’s has a turtle pond in its central courtyard, providing a destination when the little ones need a break from the dinner table (accompanied by an adult, of course). For the finish, order the bananas Foster for a little table-side display of flames.

Tableside bananas Foster at Brennan’s.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

District All Day Delicious

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This is the newest location from the popular, family-friendly mini-chain District Donuts, greatly expanding on breakfast and lunch options. A great stop before a day of museums, a game at the Superdome, or an event at the Smoothie King Center, the menus are crowd-pleasing, with lemon ricotta pancakes for the grown-ups and pigs in a blanket for the kids — a pancake-wrapped pork breakfast sausage topped with powdered sugar and maple syrup. The promise of ice cream or a cookie-wich for dessert is sure to inspire good behavior.

Reginelli's Pizzeria (Multiple Locations)

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It’s not unusual for a pizza spot to be kid-friendly, but it is unusual for a pizza spot to let the kids make their own pizzas. Reginelli’s provides the dough, sauce, mozzarella, and any small pizza topping for less than nine bucks, now available for both dine-in and to-go. Plus, the large menu includes plenty of wines by the glass, sandwiches, baked pasta, and salads.

Dat Dog (Multiple Locations)

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From the bright colors and funky decor to the creative hot dogs and unpretentious atmosphere, Dat Dog is great for the little ones. Dogs are welcome on the Magazine Street location’s lovely outdoor patio as well, so you can bring the whole family for this outing. The bar program is also surprisingly great, so parents won’t be missing out here.

Inside Dat Dog. Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Blue Oak BBQ

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Blue Oak offers a sunny and joyful location near City Park with ample indoor and outdoor seating for families to enjoy while savoring some of the city’s best smoked meats. Kids will love the ribs, sides, nachos, and specials, as well as the spacious patio.

Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Katie's

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Katie’s is such a quintessential neighborhood spot that it’s only natural the staff welcomes the little ones with open arms. Beyond the comfortable atmosphere, you also don’t need a separate kids menu to satisfy, as age-appropriate items abound with options like quesadillas, chicken parmesan, and even a make-your-own-pasta section.

Barracuda

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What’s more kid-friendly than picnic tables? Barracuda offers a funky picnic space-meets-margarita garden that’s often teeming with happy children, but also couples and groups. Order food and then grab a picnic table out back, and for the adults, don’t miss the incredibly fresh cocktails. A second, even larger location in Algiers Point is equally family-friendly.

Randy Schmidt/Barracuda

Zee's Pizzeria

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The delicious Zee’s Pizza is one of the best pie-slingers in town, a highly-anticipated pop-up-turned-restaurant from Zander White. The colorful, industrial-style restaurant is adorned with comic book-style wall art, a good distraction for the kids while you wait for thin-crust, old-school New England pizza. Zee’s is known for pies covered in glistening cups of pepperoni, so if pepperoni wasn’t already your kids' favorite, it might be now. Beer and wine for the adults.

The Velvet Cactus

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Lakeview families swear by the family-friendly atmosphere at the funky and colorful Velvet Cactus. A large, enclosed outdoor patio is fit for the restless. The kids’ menu includes tacos, nachos, burritos, and — of course — chicken strips. Plus, margaritas and a huge menu for the adults (chilaquiles, fajitas, salads, churro, and more).

The High Hat Cafe

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It’s no wonder that so many spots on Freret Street are kid-friendly (see also: Company Burger, Val’s, and Origami) given its placement in a family-heavy area of Uptown. High Hat is among them,  a relaxed spot that showcases the best of Louisiana cuisine. Kids will enjoy the fried catfish with cornbread and greens or smoked and roasted chicken with black-eyed peas or pimento mac and cheese.

The kids’ menu at MoPho is truly something to behold. Yes, there are “kids wings” and crispy chicken bites, but there’s also a yummy cucumber snack, a range of kid-friendly pho, meatballs, and a vegetable bowl. One reader says the staff is cool and accommodating, and that in addition to the surprising kids' menu, their kids love going here. Sounds like the dream trifecta for dining while parenting.

Brasted

The Company Burger

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The Company Burger has a welcoming (and kid-friendly) patio with ample outdoor seating, televisions tuned into the game, lots of lush greenery, and a happy hour Monday through Friday. For kids, hard to go wrong with burgers, tater tots, grilled cheeses, and milkshakes.

The Company Burger/Official

Café Navarre

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Chill neighborhood restaurant Cafe Navarre is a favorite for families in Lakeview, a rare spot serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and (early) dinner. With a homey, backyard vibe and wide-ranging menu, kid-friendly items extend beyond the kids’ menu with chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, and pizza, while salads and paninis steal the show for adults. The patio is also dog-friendly, a bonus.

Origami Restaurant

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This neighborhood sushi spot on Freret has a patio with a mid-height fence all the way around it, great for the kiddos who need to get up and walk around a little bit on a nice day. Inside, there’s plenty of space between tables, but the best option for families is probably the generously sized, high-back booths lining the wall. The kids’ menu offers noodle soups and fried chicken or shrimp tempura bowls, but the large appetizer menu works as well — try tiny dumplings, like shrimp shumai, and appetizer-size portions of grilled salmon.

The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar

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Blue Crab offers solid, fresh and no frills seafood right on the water, where kids can watch all the boats go by while snacking on fried shrimp and the like — the fried seafood is a star here. Usually live music on the weekends, adding to a fun atmosphere. See also, Lakefront restaurant Felix’s.

The Backyard

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The Backyard is a kid- and dog-friendly outdoor space that radiates a summery, Sunday afternoon vibe, complete with picnic tables and playground equipment. The eats are smoky barbecue-centric for adults, with a solid kids menu of hot dogs, burgers, sloppy joes, chicken bites, grilled cheese served with fresh fruit, a soft drink, and fries or tots. Plus there’s a full bar with creative cocktails and plenty of TVs to watch the game.

Wishing Town Bakery Cafe

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Walk by Wishing Town at the corner of Nashville and Magazine in the early evening hours and tables are often full of families, with parents wisely making sure dim sum is a staple for their kids early on. Charming and friendly, there are non-spicy noodle dishes and dumpling options, but the star will probably be dessert, like the fruit-adorned Wishing Cake, pink strawberry Chantilly cake, rainbow crepe cake, or puff pastries.

Taqueria Corona

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Cute piñatas and colorful lights make for a lively atmosphere at this decades-old Magazine Street taqueria. The kids’ menu at Taqueria Corona includes a taco of choice (including carne asada), black refried beans, rice, and a drink, but there are also cheese quesadillas and taco pizzas. Arrive early to snag one of the few tables by the front window or grab a stool at the counter to watch the kitchen in action.

Picnic Provisions & Whiskey

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This Uptown spot co-owned by Ti Martin and Darryl Reginelli serves a menu of fried chicken and picnic fixings, a childhood summer memory in a meal if there ever was one. There’s a great side patio at Picnic Provisions & Whiskey as well, very pet and kid-friendly.

Outdoor tables at Picnic Provisions & Whiskey Picnic Provisions & Whiskey/Official

The Camellia Grill

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This 1940s-era Riverbend diner has a countertop that weaves its way through the pink restaurant so diners can perch on stools while they order breakfast or hamburgers. Everything is cooked behind the counter in full view, so the kids are entertained. Save room for Camellia Grill’s chocolate freeze.

Kids and adults dine at the counter in a restaurant in front of an open kitchen.
The Camellia Grill
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Bratz Y'all! Bistro Bakery Biergarten

A solid stateside representation of a German biergarten all the way down to the handwriting on the menus, Bratz Y’all’s outdoor area sits far back from the street with shaded picnic tables, fans, and a giant Connect Four game for entertainment. The giant pretzels are the main draw for kids, but the kids’ menu includes a pretzel dog, chicken schnitzel fingers (basically, chicken fingers), and a sausage plate. Plus, it’s just around the corner from Crescent Park, perfect for checking out the mighty Mississippi before or after the meal.

Sneaky Pickle & Bar Brine

For such a hip place, Sneaky Pickle is surprisingly kid-friendly — it fits in with the welcoming Bywater restaurant’s general “come as you are” vibe. It’s also a great spot to introduce a love of vegetables early, given that chef Ben Tabor and the talented team of kitchen professionals turn all manner of produce into some of the tastiest dishes in town. As such, there’s really no need for a separate kids menu here, though the vegan mac and cheese is a clear winner.

Sneaky Pickle.
Randy Schmidt/Sneaky Pickle

Muriel's Jackson Square

Muriel’s is so kid-friendly that a portion of the restaurant’s website is devoted to saying that children are welcome. The thing about it that makes it really special for kids is that there’s a table set for a ghost. The kids’ menu covers the basics: chicken tenders, French fries, fried shrimp, mashed potatoes, grilled chicken breast, and pasta Alfredo. For the adults, there’s a lovely menu with shrimp and grits, turtle soup, gumbo, pecan-encrusted fish, and more.

Brennan's

The grand dame of Royal Street is so cool with kids that it released its own children’s book covering the 300-year history of New Orleans as seen through the eyes of ten tiny Brennan’s turtles (A Topsy, Turvy History of New Orleans and Ten Tiny Turtles is available to purchase at the restaurant). Brennan’s has a turtle pond in its central courtyard, providing a destination when the little ones need a break from the dinner table (accompanied by an adult, of course). For the finish, order the bananas Foster for a little table-side display of flames.

Tableside bananas Foster at Brennan’s.
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

District All Day Delicious

This is the newest location from the popular, family-friendly mini-chain District Donuts, greatly expanding on breakfast and lunch options. A great stop before a day of museums, a game at the Superdome, or an event at the Smoothie King Center, the menus are crowd-pleasing, with lemon ricotta pancakes for the grown-ups and pigs in a blanket for the kids — a pancake-wrapped pork breakfast sausage topped with powdered sugar and maple syrup. The promise of ice cream or a cookie-wich for dessert is sure to inspire good behavior.

Reginelli's Pizzeria (Multiple Locations)

It’s not unusual for a pizza spot to be kid-friendly, but it is unusual for a pizza spot to let the kids make their own pizzas. Reginelli’s provides the dough, sauce, mozzarella, and any small pizza topping for less than nine bucks, now available for both dine-in and to-go. Plus, the large menu includes plenty of wines by the glass, sandwiches, baked pasta, and salads.

Dat Dog (Multiple Locations)

From the bright colors and funky decor to the creative hot dogs and unpretentious atmosphere, Dat Dog is great for the little ones. Dogs are welcome on the Magazine Street location’s lovely outdoor patio as well, so you can bring the whole family for this outing. The bar program is also surprisingly great, so parents won’t be missing out here.

Inside Dat Dog. Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Blue Oak BBQ

Blue Oak offers a sunny and joyful location near City Park with ample indoor and outdoor seating for families to enjoy while savoring some of the city’s best smoked meats. Kids will love the ribs, sides, nachos, and specials, as well as the spacious patio.

Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Katie's

Katie’s is such a quintessential neighborhood spot that it’s only natural the staff welcomes the little ones with open arms. Beyond the comfortable atmosphere, you also don’t need a separate kids menu to satisfy, as age-appropriate items abound with options like quesadillas, chicken parmesan, and even a make-your-own-pasta section.

Barracuda

What’s more kid-friendly than picnic tables? Barracuda offers a funky picnic space-meets-margarita garden that’s often teeming with happy children, but also couples and groups. Order food and then grab a picnic table out back, and for the adults, don’t miss the incredibly fresh cocktails. A second, even larger location in Algiers Point is equally family-friendly.

Randy Schmidt/Barracuda

Zee's Pizzeria

The delicious Zee’s Pizza is one of the best pie-slingers in town, a highly-anticipated pop-up-turned-restaurant from Zander White. The colorful, industrial-style restaurant is adorned with comic book-style wall art, a good distraction for the kids while you wait for thin-crust, old-school New England pizza. Zee’s is known for pies covered in glistening cups of pepperoni, so if pepperoni wasn’t already your kids' favorite, it might be now. Beer and wine for the adults.

The Velvet Cactus

Lakeview families swear by the family-friendly atmosphere at the funky and colorful Velvet Cactus. A large, enclosed outdoor patio is fit for the restless. The kids’ menu includes tacos, nachos, burritos, and — of course — chicken strips. Plus, margaritas and a huge menu for the adults (chilaquiles, fajitas, salads, churro, and more).

The High Hat Cafe

It’s no wonder that so many spots on Freret Street are kid-friendly (see also: Company Burger, Val’s, and Origami) given its placement in a family-heavy area of Uptown. High Hat is among them,  a relaxed spot that showcases the best of Louisiana cuisine. Kids will enjoy the fried catfish with cornbread and greens or smoked and roasted chicken with black-eyed peas or pimento mac and cheese.

MoPho

The kids’ menu at MoPho is truly something to behold. Yes, there are “kids wings” and crispy chicken bites, but there’s also a yummy cucumber snack, a range of kid-friendly pho, meatballs, and a vegetable bowl. One reader says the staff is cool and accommodating, and that in addition to the surprising kids' menu, their kids love going here. Sounds like the dream trifecta for dining while parenting.

Brasted

The Company Burger

The Company Burger has a welcoming (and kid-friendly) patio with ample outdoor seating, televisions tuned into the game, lots of lush greenery, and a happy hour Monday through Friday. For kids, hard to go wrong with burgers, tater tots, grilled cheeses, and milkshakes.

The Company Burger/Official

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Café Navarre

Chill neighborhood restaurant Cafe Navarre is a favorite for families in Lakeview, a rare spot serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and (early) dinner. With a homey, backyard vibe and wide-ranging menu, kid-friendly items extend beyond the kids’ menu with chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, and pizza, while salads and paninis steal the show for adults. The patio is also dog-friendly, a bonus.

Origami Restaurant

This neighborhood sushi spot on Freret has a patio with a mid-height fence all the way around it, great for the kiddos who need to get up and walk around a little bit on a nice day. Inside, there’s plenty of space between tables, but the best option for families is probably the generously sized, high-back booths lining the wall. The kids’ menu offers noodle soups and fried chicken or shrimp tempura bowls, but the large appetizer menu works as well — try tiny dumplings, like shrimp shumai, and appetizer-size portions of grilled salmon.

The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar

Blue Crab offers solid, fresh and no frills seafood right on the water, where kids can watch all the boats go by while snacking on fried shrimp and the like — the fried seafood is a star here. Usually live music on the weekends, adding to a fun atmosphere. See also, Lakefront restaurant Felix’s.

The Backyard

The Backyard is a kid- and dog-friendly outdoor space that radiates a summery, Sunday afternoon vibe, complete with picnic tables and playground equipment. The eats are smoky barbecue-centric for adults, with a solid kids menu of hot dogs, burgers, sloppy joes, chicken bites, grilled cheese served with fresh fruit, a soft drink, and fries or tots. Plus there’s a full bar with creative cocktails and plenty of TVs to watch the game.

Wishing Town Bakery Cafe

Walk by Wishing Town at the corner of Nashville and Magazine in the early evening hours and tables are often full of families, with parents wisely making sure dim sum is a staple for their kids early on. Charming and friendly, there are non-spicy noodle dishes and dumpling options, but the star will probably be dessert, like the fruit-adorned Wishing Cake, pink strawberry Chantilly cake, rainbow crepe cake, or puff pastries.

Taqueria Corona

Cute piñatas and colorful lights make for a lively atmosphere at this decades-old Magazine Street taqueria. The kids’ menu at Taqueria Corona includes a taco of choice (including carne asada), black refried beans, rice, and a drink, but there are also cheese quesadillas and taco pizzas. Arrive early to snag one of the few tables by the front window or grab a stool at the counter to watch the kitchen in action.

Picnic Provisions & Whiskey

This Uptown spot co-owned by Ti Martin and Darryl Reginelli serves a menu of fried chicken and picnic fixings, a childhood summer memory in a meal if there ever was one. There’s a great side patio at Picnic Provisions & Whiskey as well, very pet and kid-friendly.

Outdoor tables at Picnic Provisions & Whiskey Picnic Provisions & Whiskey/Official

The Camellia Grill

This 1940s-era Riverbend diner has a countertop that weaves its way through the pink restaurant so diners can perch on stools while they order breakfast or hamburgers. Everything is cooked behind the counter in full view, so the kids are entertained. Save room for Camellia Grill’s chocolate freeze.

Kids and adults dine at the counter in a restaurant in front of an open kitchen.
The Camellia Grill
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

Related Maps