Bars: kid friendly or adults only?

kids do not belong in the bar under any circumstances

 

It all depends on the place. My favorite spot has a great early bar scene with great camaraderie and the presence of kids could in no way detract from the atmosphere. To categorically state that kids should not enjoy a nice bar/restaurant with their parents is very peculiar to me. There are many places I would never have taken my kids, but since they're both over 30 now, their tantrums are rare and we can go anywhere.

 

I thought those were just for folks to sniff 'caine off of.

 

Bars should be adults only. If you want to have a couple beers with the kids around go to a restaurant with a decent tap list.

 

How are PA bars different? I feel like you can find rough establishments pretty much anywhere. I'd hate to be missing out

 

From my perspective there is a reasonable time depending on age - but parents should be self regulating like this:

I agree with the 'no food served = no children' this seems just common sense (and probably a licensing law in most states?). But that aside, I don't get the 8-9pm thing at all. For really little kids (say under 5) surely by 6 or 6:30 it is time to be heading home and having some quiet time before bed? If I turn up anywhere (even my $50 steak restaurant) before about 6:30 I do so fully expecting small children as I think of this as the family hour - I mean, when else are parents supposed to go out for dinner?
Beyond that, I would say under 10, out by ~7:30pm. Under 15ish out by 8-9pm with the huge caveat that I expect the establishment to kick out any and all poorly behaving patrons regardless of age at any time.

 

No children.

 

If they're open during lunch and dinner hours, I see no problem with someone bringing the kids for food. Don't keep them around much later than 8pm though.

 

If I have to bring my 7 year old daughter to a brewery for some growler fills and maybe a quick flight tasting before 8 then yes I am bringing her!! Bar is a different story and I would not bring her.

 

Went to a brewpub in PA that had a family area, off to side that had a small sandbox. In Munich we went to a beer hall (my kids were 2 and 4 at the time) and they actually had free baby sitting. In Ireland we were once thrown out of a world famous pub when when my infant daughter woke up and alerted the bartender to her presence at 3 in the afternoon ("out!, out!" he yelled). We were eating in a pub on the same trip, the bartender came over and quietly informed us that children are not allowed in after 8 PM but we could finish eating. They also have signs in pubs saying "parents mind your children". My kids are older now, but I know what other people are experiencing with their kids. But I know we always tried to be quiet and can't stand it when other parents don't control their kids- even to the point of leaving when they get out of hand (which we only had to do once). Quick story. We were at a late, great brewpub in Gettysburg, PA (not the one mentioned above) with another couple (total, six kids fairly well behaved). We had spent over $300 there during our vacation and were in the process of spending more money during lunch when our group was practically the only ones there (loved that place). Our kids, under close supervision by two Dads, were crawling around the hallway while waiting for food (place was empty- and kids gotta move). My uncle walks in (to spend more money) and the owner whispers to him "welcome to Chuckey Cheese"- wasn't thrilled- but I loved that place and didn't hold it against him.

 

Are you talking about the Angel Cocktail Lounge at 9:30 PM or McMannions Irish Pub with a childrens menu at 5:30 PM?

 

I don't disagree, but I'd add that many adult patrons don't realize they are assholes. Much of what goes for acceptable adult behavior, especially in context of sports viewing at bars, is often as bad or worse than some of the annoying behaviors by children. I'm not defending kids in bars per se (I posted that early on), but I find it more than a bit curious that there's a sort of double standard with some folks.

 

As for bringing kids to a bar - NO! Really, I'm not even sure how that's possible to bring kids to a bar. Most bars I've been to recently around Louisville check IDs like hawks - bouncers/stamp guy at the front door.

Even a couple of the more "beer-oriented" establishments do this (i.e. Flanagan's Ale House). If you look like you're even so much as a day younger than retirement age they ID you (ask my old man, he got a good laugh out of it last time we went out). So a kid isn't getting in with their parent(s), snowball's chance in hell.

That being said, I think bringing kids to a brewpub is acceptable - it is a restaurant, after all, they just happen to make beer too. Kids going to a restaurant that serves beer isn't a big deal, so I don't see much of a difference with kids going to a restaurant that makes/serves its own beer.

 

There's a local brewery here that got in hot water because they allowed kids inside. And the particular suburb they are in won't let children into 'bars.' If they'd open a kitchen, it'd be legal, but not without food.

It's too bad, because it's not a bad place to spend an afternoon with your family. But the gov't knows better . . .

Personally, I feel these decisions should be up to 1)The business and 2)the customers. Don't want your kid in a bar? Don't bring him in.

 

Short version: It's pretty simple for me, bars/pubs/businesses should just ask parents with unruly kids to leave the same way they do with patrons. Having a hard rule of "no kids" or "kid-friendly" is both unfair and short-sighted. Leave it to the parents to decide what is "appropriate", not the restaurant or other patrons.

Long and personal version: Our first, who is 2 now, and our 2nd who is nearly 2 months, went/go to nearly every bar/pub with us since they were a few days old. We don't go back to bars that give us a hard time for bringing our kid(s). We've been to many many bars in and around Philly, and the only place that irked us was Tattooed Mom, which the bouncer asked us to leave by 7pm (as we were still eating) because the 8-month-old at the time was "under age". Srsly! POPE actually didn't let our first sit with me at the bar, but was OK with him at the "bar table" away from the bar. We didn't mind the request, but the bartender gave us such an attitude and pulled the "it's the law" card on a baby in my lap, we avoid going there unless they tap something really special.

At Tired Hands, the older one used to be on my lap at the bar watching the cooks and bartenders (I don't do this any more though because tables are better). It was the same at Capone's Beer Week event that featured CBS. Monk's, Boot & Saddle, Gunner's Run, North Bowl...you name it, at the bar, no problem. I can understand if the kid is bad/crying/screaming and annoy other patrons, but pulling the whole "adult establishment" attitude when the kids are well-behaved like ours, you won't get our money or would we give a shit about what you think of how we parent our kids. Treat customers on how they behave when they are there, not how they potentially can behave; or, believing that they are not capable of deciding what is and isn't appropriate.

 

Here in Seattle many of our breweries have taprooms that serve as sort of community gathering places. Most of these places don't serve food, but they welcome families so much that it isn't unusual to see boxes of toys or coloring books for kids stashed in a corner. There are so many places like this that many neighborhoods have several, if not at least 1. The no food no kids idea wouldn't really apply in Seattle.

Personally, I like the idea of our local breweries being entrenched in our neighborhoods. Usually the kids don't bother me, so long as the parent keeps an eye on them and makes them behave. Just this past Saturday in fact my girlfriend and I were sitting next to a large group of people with just one kid that they let pile toys next to our table and crawl around the floor, effectively sealing us behind a wall of toys and writhing child. In order to get more drinks (or to go anywhere for that matter) we were forced to awkwardly step over this kid and all his toys.

This is the exception rather than the standard. Like anything, a few bad parents/kids ruin it for all the good ones. Parents, please be a little conscientious!

 

In Wisconsin you even drink at kids birthday parties.

 

That's awesome. I haven't really heard of that before. I'll have to keep that in mind while my wife is applying for jobs. I think breweries with tap rooms attached are in a different category then bars with no food. Community centered brewing I think is totally the way to go.

 

And now you know why most of my drinking is done at home/in my hotel/at a friend's house.

 

For the "I don't see the difference between a bar and a pub" crowd. Although there may not be an agreed upon set definition of each, for me the difference is pretty clear (usually).

Bar (what you see here is the full extent of the seating. there is no food. people are there to drink)



Pub (more non-bar seating, food, more casual atmosphere)