7 Restaurants in Austin You Should Take Your Family To

Eating out with the family can be a fun, though sometimes stressful, endeavor. If you are dealing with young kids or picky eaters, you need to find the right restaurant that caters to everyone’s interests. 

While most restaurants will offer high chairs or baby chairs, that doesn’t necessarily make them kid-friendly. For instance, you probably don’t want to take your kids to a noisy pub or crowded bar. Luckily, Austin offers enough family-friendly restaurants for you to easily find a suitable one for a night out with the family. 

Looking for a fun gift to surprise your loved ones with? Treat them with a virtual GiftYa card! GiftYa cards can be applied to a number of different restaurants around Austin. Whether your loved one is a huge sushi fan or is obsessed with crepes, they can enjoy their favorite meals at top Austin restaurants with their GiftYa cards. Before sending yours, make sure you add a special message to the recipient! 

1. Kerbey Lane Cafe

Charming cafe in Austin known for its delightful breakfast and lunch dishes

3704 Kerbey Ln. | Austin | kerbeylanecafe.com

Looking for a new breakfast spot to take your family to? Since 1980, Kerbey Lane Cafe has served as one of the top breakfast places in Austin. This family-owned restaurant offers fun choices like the Crispy Chicken Benedict, Breakfast Tacos, and Kerbey Scramble. Kerbey Lane Cafe currently offers a seasonal Fall menu, which includes savory dishes such as the Sweet Potato Hash, Texas Benedict, and Grilled Cheese. 

If you’re not in the mood for breakfast, Kerbey Lane Cafe is also open for lunch and dinner. Some of their most popular dishes include the Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf, Green Chile Mac, and Patty Melt Sandwich. An extensive selection of beers, mimosas, and cocktails are also available for the parents. 

“Beautiful restaurant with innovative southern food. This restaurant came highly recommended from many locals. I tried their fried chicken Benedict and the infamous queso, and both dishes are well deserving of the praise.” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for Kerbey Lane Cafe. 

2. Culinary Dropout

British-style gastropub that offers innovative cocktails and comfort food

11721 Rock Rose Ave, Suite 100 | Austin | culinarydropout.com

If you’re looking for a restaurant that likes to change things up a bit, we recommend visiting the Culinary Dropout. Throughout the year, the Culinary Dropout hosts fun events like game night, live music, and sports screenings. 

While these events might temporarily be put on pause, you can still enjoy some delicious cuisine at the Culinary Dropout. Shareable plates, snacks, salads, sandwiches, and more are offered at this popular family restaurant. The kids menu also includes delicious options like chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, and burgers. 

“I LOVE coming here and I try to come a couple of times a year. When family visits, I always bring them here. But my favorite dish is the spicy vegan curry. I order this almost every time. It has so many good ingredients with a good kick of spice.” - Yelp Review 

Purchase a GiftYa card for Culinary Dropout. 

3. Ramen Tatsu-Ya

Popular family restaurant perfect for enjoying a hearty bowl of Ramen

8557 Research Blvd, Suite 126 | Austin | ramen-tatsuya.com

Founded by local chefs and DJs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto, Ramen Tatsuya is dedicated to bringing delicious and authentic ramen to the city of Austin. While Austin offers a great food scene, the founders felt like the city was lacking in terms of their quality of ramen offerings. Now, you can enjoy all of the ramen you could ever want at Ramen Tatsuya. From the Tonkotsu Original to the Mi-So-Hot ramen, you are sure to enjoy all of the exciting ramen dishes Ramen Tatsuya offers. 

“I had the Tonkotsu Sho-Yu (pork bone broth, chashu pork, ajitama, and nori) with a corn bomb. Absolute heaven. The broth was briny and a little sweet thanks to the corn, my egg yoke added a little extra creaminess to the already creamy broth, and the chashu was perfect.” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for Ramen Tatsu-Ya. 

4. Brentwood Social House

Vibrant cafe in Brentwood known for its wide selection of pastries and treats

1601 W Koenig Ln | Brentwood | brentwoodsocial.com

Located in the neighborhood of Brentwood, the Brentwood Social House is a fun and casual destination for sweet pastries and treats. While the Brentwood Social House is not open for indoor dining, except for private rentals, guests can still enjoy to-go or pick-up orders. 

At this woman-owned, family-friendly cafe, you can order delicious cheddar pastries, croissants, sausage rolls, and pie. Lattes, teas, and other refreshing drinks are also available at this popular breakfast and lunch spot. 

“The food and drink offerings are wonderful, and they have adapted very quickly to the new safety protocols. I'm particularly fond of the espresso drinks, the curry chicken pie, and the millionaire's bar, but it's tough to go wrong here.” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for Brentwood Social House. 

5. Foreign & Domestic

Contemporary, upbeat restaurant known for its regularly changing seasonal menu

306 E 53rd St. | Austin | fndaustin.com

Looking for a true farm-to-table dining experience? Bring your family to Foreign & Domestic. At this popular Austin restaurant, you can treat yourself to inventive dishes like the Parisian gnocchi, squash blossom risotto, and foie gras mousse. For dessert, you can dine on sweet dishes like the blackberry cardamom buttermilk pie and warm brownie and caramelized barley ice cream. An extensive selection of wine, beer, and cocktails is also available. 

Foreign & Domestic is also a popular brunch spot in Austin. Your family will love the restaurant’s savory brunch dishes like the crispy pork and grits and cast iron frittata. 

“We tried several different dishes and all of them were delightful, but if I had to narrow it down, here are the three that stood out to me: For an appetizer, I loved the red pepper zeppole. I had never heard of zeppole before, but it is like a savory little donut hole and it was incredibly delicious.” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for Foreign & Domestic. 

6. Olive & June

Elegant dinner spot perfect for special meals and celebrations

3411 Glenview Ave. | Austin | oliveandjune-austin.com

After spending months cooped up inside, you’re probably more than ready to treat yourself to a nice meal inside a vibrant and sophisticated restaurant. At Olive & June, you will be treated to an upscale dining experience filled with great service and delicious dishes. 

From the Baked Rigatoni to the 12 oz NY strip, all of the dishes at Olive & June are made with care. Whatever meal you choose, make sure you save enough room for the dessert. You’ll love their Chocolate Olive OIl Cake and Ricotta Cheesecake. Olive & June also serves inventive cocktails and wines, which are great for enjoying alongside your meals. 

“What a great way to celebrate Mother's Day.  A very affordable brunch - $25/person.  The sausage was unbelievably good - just the right size, not too salty.  The frittata was firm and had that right mixture of ham, cheese and veggies, and the pesto added a welcome punch to the frittata.” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for Olive & June. 

7. Hat Creek Burger Company

Popular burger spot in Austin for enjoying laidback family meals

3210 Esperanza Crossing, Suite 100 | Austin | hatcreekburgers.com

Hat Creek Burger Company is the perfect spot for enjoying a casual meal with your family. This popular burger joint even offers Tuesday Night Family Night every week! From 5pm to close, families can get $2 off combos and $1 off kids meals. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all served at this popular family restaurant. From the Chicken Sandwich to the Cobb Salad, Hat Creek’s meals are sure to leave you satisfied and eager to return. 

“Our go to spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The play area is always a hit with my son and the food is always good. Every time we come here, the other customers are always friendly and everyone gets to enjoy their food in a super chill atmosphere, while the kids play.” - Yelp Review

Purchase a GiftYa card for Hat Creek Burger Company. 

Austin is a bustling city filled with wonderful food spots to take your family! It can be hard to pick just one place to head to for dinner. What are your favorite family restaurants in Austin? Let us know in the comments!