Looking to get a couple of beers and some food with the kids in tow? While some establishments are strictly adults-only, Chattanooga has a bevvy of family-friendly options where you and your children can eat and drink without getting side-eyed by the management or other patrons. Here's where to head when you bring the family out on the town.
State of Confusion is a good spot to bring the kids for brunch on Saturday and Sunday, with a kids menu featuring adult-worthy options such as house-ground cheeseburgers, along with crayons for coloring and an outdoor area with fun igloos in the winter.
Naked River Brewing Co. has a kids' menu and a fenced-in outdoor seating area with picnic tables and cornhole, as well as board games to play indoors.
FEED Co. Table & Tavern is a good option for dinner or Sunday brunch, with arcade games, an outdoor patio and a kids' menu featuring options like pasta, chicken tenders and hot dogs.
Southside Social is family-friendly till nighttime, with 10 bowling lanes (reserve 48 hours in advance on weekends), ping-pong, giant Jenga, skeeball, foosball and cornhole. Food is mostly bar-style, but options include kid-friendly apps like mozzarella sticks, soft pretzels and nachos.
Staff file photo / Southside Social, which is family-friendly during the day, features a bowling alley, ping-pong and other games.Hi-Fi Clyde's has ping-pong, shuffleboard and large semicircular booths that work well for families. The kids' menu features favorites like mac 'n' cheese and fried chicken. The atmosphere during the day is good for families, but it feels more adult-oriented once the sun goes down.
Goodfellas Pizzeria has an arcade that's popular with the kiddos, an extensive whiskey selection for the adults and big round booths that fit the whole family.
STIR may be famous for cocktails made with artisan ice, but it also has a kids' menu and supplies crayons for coloring. Since many kids love trains, its location at the Choo Choo is also a plus.
OddStory's Central Avenue location is by far the most family-friendly brewery most people have ever experienced. The partially covered outdoor area has picnic tables and firepits. Note that you may want to choose another option if your crew is hungry, as you will likely wait a long time to order and receive your food if it's busy. Also note that OddStory's original location on Martin Luther King Boulevard is only open to adults 21 and older.
Chattanooga Brewing Co. is another family-friendly brewery with an outdoor area, along with games such as shuffleboard and foosball.
Staff file photo / Basecamp Bar and Restaurant is a family-friendly spot in North Chattanooga.Basecamp is a child-friendly bar/restaurant in North Chattanooga with a fenced-in outdoor patio and a kids' menu that includes favorites like grilled cheese and popcorn chicken.
Outpost Bar and Restaurant, located on the Southside and under the same ownership as Basecamp, has an enclosed outdoor patio that makes for a kid-friendly play area with bocce ball and a fireplace.
Overboard Bar and Grille, located on the river at the dock for the Southern Belle Riverboat (also convenient to the Tennessee Aquarium and the playground at Ross's Landing), has seating on its deck and couches indoors, as well as ping-pong and foosball tables — and TVs if you prefer to watch games rather than play them.
New York Pizza Department in Lakesite boasts the city's best bartender, according to the Times Free Press's Best of the Best awards, and also offers free kids' meals on Tuesdays for kids younger than 12.
Riverport Grille has a good kids' menu for picky eaters, with options like classic Kraft macaroni and cheese and mini corndogs.
Clever Alehouse is a neighborhood bar in Red Bank with kid-appropriate features like hand-dipped ice cream, arcade games and an outdoor patio, as well as a kids' menu with options like burgers and barbecue sandwiches.
At Signal Mountain's Civil Provisions and Bar (same ownership as Clever Alehouse), kids eat for $5 on Tuesdays. While the ambiance indoors feels a bit upscale for young children, there's a nice outdoor patio that's good for families.
Jonathan's Grille is a kid-friendly, upscale sports bar chain with a location in East Ridge that's known for its pizza and wings.
Staff file photo / A guest enjoys lunch at Naked River Brewing Company on Reggie White Boulevard next to the First Horizon Pavilion. This kid-friendly brewery has games and a fenced-in outdoor patio.