Bars: kid friendly or adults only?

In the US, what's the difference between a "bar" and a "pub"? Drinking establishments have lots of names - besides those two (the latter borrowed from the UK) there are Tavern, Hotel, Cafe, Grill, Bar & Grill, House, Lounge, Taproom, Saloon (where legal), etc. They can vary from region to region (and types of state on-premise license), some serve food and other don't, but the chosen term gives little clue as to the clientele or atmosphere.

 

Kids don't bother me. Cussing does. Seriously, sitting next to some moron who can't complete a sentence without a swear word in it is a buzzkill. Especially, as said moron gets louder and less able to communicate without swearing with each drink. C'mon dude, learn some new words. It will be good for you.

 

To summarize a number of perspectives shared here that I concur with:

• I'm totally fine with kids at "pubs" (well-lit, open spaces, bigger tables meant for groups, usually with food menus and games of some sort), but not in "bars" (darker, narrower spaces, drink specials aimed at quick inebriation, loud music). The ideal "kid-friendly" space is a biergarden.
• The above is probably true because these preferences also match my own preferences for places to imbibe.
• At similar places, I don't understand the "daytime/nighttime" distinction, except to say that children (at least mine) need bedtimes, and I wonder about anyone who has their young children out at a drinking establishment at 10 o'clock at night.
• There are some places that are just better environments for kids, usually because of moves that the owners have made to make them so. I have a pretty clear internal sense of where I would and would not bring my daughter with me.

And, finally...

• If you don't want kids at your public drinking establishment because it limits your ability to curse like a drunken sailor and act like an imbecile without recourse, perhaps you might want to consider that most of the adults around you likely think you're an idiot.

 

Places like Applebees of course, true bars like we have back in Pa no, it's not appropriate, most Pubs I think so as well, here they're family places to say dinner time, but after I'd say not as well.

 

Personally I think that if you want to take your children out with you then go to a resturant and get a beer there. Bringing kids to bars or pubs or even public houses aren't cool. Why? Well because for every 5 great acting kid there is either a really bad one or bad parents. I can't tell you how many times I will be at a place and I have to hear some crying kid or kids. So damn annoying. It's bad enough I have to deal with that every where else but when I go to a place to drink good beer I still have to deal with it. I feel bad for those that have good kids and are good parents but it's always that one percent.

 

Pubs okay since most around my area serve food as well as alcohol, bars no. CA has a no one under 21 law in its bars but I've been to bars where junior is sitting right to next to daddy. Time is also a factor, if it's past 9 no kids in the pub or bar.

 

there are many types of "bars," and the family oriented ones should be able to stay that way... but some "bars" are just not a family environment, and the parents need to respect that for the patrons and the kids sake.

 

Agreed! I have co-worker who talks non-stop about how wonderful his daughter is. Needless to say I'm not a fan of him or his kid.

Why don't some parents get this...not everyone thinks your kids are terrific.

As far as the OP, I wouldn't bring any of my kids to a "bar," and probably not to a tasting room at a brewery. I love my kids, but that doesn't mean I need to be with them 24/7.

 

It depends on the place and the time. Here in Belgium, bringing kids to a brewery or to any other place serving alcohol during the day is fine. I would not bring children out at night. My 3 year old daughter has been to multiple breweries, different beer fests and many other beer related functions over here. In the States, she would not have gone to half of those due to the difference in society. At school my daughter attends (they can start school at 2.5 years old, basically its a day care to prep them for school) when there is a festivial you have to walk past 3 different bar set ups in the school to get to where the activities are. Most of the bars are sponsored by the local brewery, St. Feuillien, so the beer is actually fairly decent. At the De Dolle brewery, the owner's wife brought toys out for daughter to play with as I was enjoying a few beers. At In De Vrede, at St. Sixtus abbey, there is a play ground out front. I can go and enjoy a nice Westvletern 12 and my daughter can swing and run and play.

 

I was wondering about this, I've alays regarded pub and bar to be two names for the same thing. Though the area where the drinks are actually dispensed is called the bar.
Not long ago there would be two rooms in a pub, the bar (where things were pretty basic and welcomed people in work clothes , muddy boots and dogs) and the lounge which had a carpet and expected people to be reasonably dressed.
Regarding kids, no problem in well run pubs. I was once scolded by a landlord for leaving my kids outside, he brought them into his kitchen, gave then orange juice and crisps (which for some reason you call chips although that's the proper name for fries)........would never hesitate to take kids into any of my local pubs, all are family friendly.

 

I thought in Pa there was a law no kids in bars after maybe 5 or 6 pm. kids = anyone under legal drinking age. The local corner bars etc should obviously be kid free, just makes sense, not a great environment right there for youngsters.

 

I don't know if everyone is familiar with the bars that exist in places like PA or other northeastern states.

They are absolutely not a place for kids!

 

Not sure what the difference between a bar and a pub are. That said I rarely ever take my kids to a brewery. Maybe if I'm running in to get a growler fill but they remain at my side and are merely something cute clingy to my leg in what to them is a strange environment.
I think the problem obviously here is the parents. The kids are merely a reflection of their parenting skills and if they're in a bar after 8, well then there ya have it.
I remember about five years ago some other patrons gave my wife and I some shit for bringing our oldest into Founders. She was strapped in her car seat sleeping for most of it. We had some sandwiches and beers, one for the driver and two for me. I guess that experience has scarred my outlook on kids there. By all accounts we weren't doing anything wrong. It was mid day, we drank in moderation and our daughter was almost unnoticeable. I see parents with multiple kids in there every weekend, some behaving and some not. Every time I do it brings back our original experience and to me I guess I just think get a damn sitter.

 

If a place doesn't serve food, well I don't think that's acceptable personally. As a parent of 6 month twins in a new city, my wife and will bring our kids to beer centered restaurants or large brew pubs at a reasonable time. I am not going to just eat at McDonalds and Fridays just because I have kids. If one of the kids gets cranky which luckily doesn't happen much will take our food to go. I don't understand when I do see parents with their infants out and about after 9 pm. So if I offend you by bringing my kids into Fat Head's at 4:30 pm, I apologize, but please let me enjoy my possible twice a month dinner outside the house.

 

There isn't much that annoys me more than going to a restaurant/bar/pub to sit at the actual bar and not being able to get a seat because some asshole decided he didn't want to wait for a table for his family of 5. So, I'm against kids at the actual bar but could care less if they are seated elsewhere in the establishment. FWIW, all the 'bars' in VA have to sell food so there isn't a place you can go to just have drinks.

 

Virginia still has a few laws on the books that make drinking "less easy", like making a percentage of a drinking establishment's revenue come from food sales. This has turned what would normally be a bar into pubs or restaurants for the most part. Long story short, I see kids in most every drinking hole, but laws also prohibit underage individuals from bellying up. Ultimately it's up to parents to decide whether or not the want kids in that environment, but I'm never overly impressed by the decision to have kids in bars. I for one won't take my kids anywhere to watch dad get loopy on a few bevs. I was raised in bars and appreciate not exposing my kids to the same lifestyle. Having a beer with dinner when my wife is present and can take the keys - perfectly fine, which if THAT is why a kid may be present in an establishment that serves, than so be it. Just keep the kids under control and most certainly, no screaming babies.

 

I'm beginning to get the feeling that I wouldn't want to visit a bar where I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing my kid. Sounds like a lot of out-of-control adults frequent them.

 

True. There aren't any "real" bars in VA. Like the dirty, run-down, corner bars in PA.

 

I don't have a problem with well-behaved kids. I don't go to a bar to be rowdy and don't enjoy being around other drinkers who have had one or two too many. If we're talking about a bar where I wouldn't want to bring my (hypothetical) ten-year-old kid, then I probably wouldn't want to be there anyhow.

 

...and so many types of kids.