Bars: kid friendly or adults only?

Lunchtime until maybe an early dinner, sure. I personally out of respect for other patrons do not take my kids to a bar. There are family type restaurants that serve that purpose. Nothing pisses me off worse than being at a bar the two nights a year that I have a sitter only to deal with a cranky, overtired kid running around the joint with oblivious parents bs'ing it up until 11 pm. That happens to me every friggin time

 

Yes there is, "no."

 

Unless they're being utilized as slave labor.

 

Most of the places I go typically have a bar area and a separate restaurant area. Kids really should not be in the bar area, especially after say 9pm. But I am amazed at all the responses here from people saying they want to be able to curse when they go out so they don't want kids around. Is that really a prerequisite for having a good time in a bar? Given the choice of sitting near or next to a poorly behaved kid, or a drunk patron screaming expletives every other word, I think I might just choose to stay home and drink and not have to listen to either.

 

Is this supposed to be funny? You're sick.

 

What I should have also said is that a family business can look like slave labor. It was facetious and tongue in cheek, without the benefit of an explanation. I think most people around here know me as good-natured... if a little twisted and snarky.

 

Took a ride out to FFF back in September and had to wait outside for a long while (as expected here)...but the reason me and 2 of my buddies had to wait outside was because a group of soccer moms decided that it was a good idea to bring the entire team of 8 y.o. kids. Doing stuff as a family is great but please don't take up 13 seats at an insanely popular brew pub with a bunch of kids. Generally I don't mind kids at a regular pub as long as they behave, but my example here was frustrating...take em to applebees or something.

 

Sorry, but I can understand why the owner wasn't too happy. Kids crawling on the floor, no matter how closely supervised, isn't really something the owner of an establishment probably wants to see.

As a customer, I'd probably think..."wow, if I wanted to have a bunch of kids crawling all over the place, I could have just stayed home with my own kids." Just different points of view on how kids should behave in restaurants, etc., I guess.

 

As someone mentioned above, In VA, bars need to show a certain percentage of income from food sales. So they all look and feel more like restaurants. There really aren't many "corner bars" here.

 

The place was virtually empty or it wouldn't have happened and we were in the hallway- not crawling under empty tables. Had the place had people in it, we would have taken them elsewhere- like I said. There were no customers to say "I should have stayed home with my kids"- because there were none. And anyone who has kids to stay home with usually understands.

 

Yeah, like I said, just different points of view on how kids should behave in restaurants. And I have three kids of my own.

 

Hey, kids need a creepy mean guy to stay away from I guess. Besides, I don't think the owner cared all the most, was just relating different experiences.

 

It's fine, parents just have to keep kids in line, and expect obnoxious people in the place. Everyone is just looking for a good time.

 

Not sure what "creepy" or "mean" has to do with what one thinks about a child's behavior in a restaurant. Like I said, just different philosophies.

And I do have kids (two 10-year-olds and a 5-year-old).

 

Sorry dude - going to have to agree with @LMT on this one. Even if the place was empty, I can see why the owner made a comment. Perhaps he was concerned that potential customers walking in and seeing kids crawling round on the floor of an already empty establishment, would discourage them from coming in and spending $. I know I'd think twice.

 

and a clock on the wall.

 

You wouldn't have left, because I would have brought you a beer.

 

To all those saying that it's the annoying kids who spoil the party, two points:

1. There are plenty of annoying adults who spoil the party, too. And most adults feel like they are ruining the party.
2. Believe it or not, the parents of the other children also think that those kids are out of control. And most parents feel like they are ruining the party.

 

Well if wrong, it was probably the only time. I found in my experience that people don't really judge your kids actions, they judge your response to them.

 

A bar is just a drinking establishment
A pub is a bar that serves full meals, typically will have wait staff