The Glen Hotel’s design gives parents up on the deck a good view of the lengthy playground.Credit: The Glen Hotel
On Father’s Day, they had a petting zoo, face painting, slushie machines, popcorn and fairy floss. They were even offering pony rides.
“And for Halloween,” says Lauren McCarthy, “we’ll be giving away little treat bags.”
McCarthy doesn’t work at a kindergarten, a daycare centre or a fun fair. She’s the marketing manager for Eight Mile Plains pub The Glen Hotel.
“I live 25 minutes away, but I found that this is the best place to take my kids,” McCarthy says. “I’ve got options closer to home, but I would prefer to bring them here.”
The Fitzgibbon family has owned The Glen since 1960, growing the business from a basic boozer to a multi-channel offering with bistro, pizzeria, gelato bar, doughnut shop, conference rooms, accommodation, wedding venues and a kids’ playground.
The Glen is possibly the most family-friendly pub in town.
Indeed, renovations in 2017 oriented the entire back half of the venue around the playground.
“It’s been designed to make it easy for parents to see their kids from the dining area. And then if the kids don’t want to play any more, they can go watch the pizzas being made, which is a huge hit because Jimmy throws them in the air and catches them.”
The Fitzgibbons and other smart publicans around town are providing good-value kids’ menus, colouring-in packs and pencils, and best of all, play spaces – preferably fenced off.
Here’s our ranked list of some of Brisbane’s best family pubs.
And it goes without saying, but always drink responsibly, especially when you have children in your care.
The Glen Hotel, Eight Mile Plains
The Glen is great for families thanks to the large deck that overlooks the Kids’ Playground. You can leave children to enjoy the double slide, “Deckster” the tractor and a caterpillar tunnel tube while you dine on pub classics or a wood-fired pizza by Alphonsus.
The Glen Hotel is designed to be a meeting place for families, with playground, doughnut shop, pizzeria and gelato bar.Credit: The Glen Hotel
Free kids’ activity packs are available with the purchase of a kids’ meal ($13-$16). And let’s not forget Charles Baker Donuts & Coffee, which does cafe meals, barista coffee, and cinnamon, jam, Nutella and salted caramel doughnuts, and The Parlor, which does gelato and desserts. Kids eat free on Wednesday and at Sunday breakfast (conditions apply).
24 Gaskell Street, Eight Mile Plains. Cafe 6am-12pm; bistro 11.30am-2.30 & 5.30pm-9pm; pizza and pasta also available 2.30-5.30pm.
Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill
The largest pub in the Southern Hemisphere is an award-winning, one-stop entertainment destination with nine bars, nightclub, distillery, restaurants, hotel accommodation, and the Grand Ballroom where major Australian and international acts play.
Eatons Hill Hotel is the largest pub in the Southern Hemisphere and boasts the largest kids’ play area of any pub in Brisbane.Credit: Nick Dent
The kids’ playground is very special – three rooms of fun including jungle-themed slides, scrambling nets and hidey holes, a movie screening room, and a games room with video game screens and claw challenges. You can access the playground through the restaurant, but tables at the restaurant itself should be pre-booked on weekends. Kids’ meals are $11 and include a Napoli-style ham and cheese pizza that’s one of the best we’ve had in Brisbane – lucky kids! In the unlikely case the kids get bored, there’s an alcove with four pinball machines, too.
646 South Pine Road, Eatons Hill. Mon-Sun 11.30am-9pm.
Alexandra Hills Hotel, Alexandra Hills
Speaking of large pubs, the Alex Hills is pretty mega, too. It has a conference centre with 40 accommodation rooms, a nightclub, bistro, several function rooms, and a putt-putt course (kids $14, adults $19).
The Alexandra Hills Hotel has its own mini golf course.Credit: Nick Dent
The latter is fully landscaped with boulders, rock gardens, a waterfall, fountain and palm trees, and tables and chairs are positioned among the holes so you can keep an eye on your kids and have a drink as they practise their golfing skills. There is also a nifty little playground adjacent to the mini golf. A kids’ meal is just $10.50 and includes a soft drink and ice cream, with a grilled chicken option if your child can be convinced to try it.
332 Finucane Road, Alexandra Hills. Mon-Sun 6am-10pm.
Salisbury Hotel, Salisbury
This is not a drill: kids eat free at the Salisbury every Saturday and Sunday. Not on a Monday or Wednesday, but on weekends!
Kids can enjoy the playground and eat for free on weekends at the Salisbury Hotel (conditions apply).Credit: Nick Dent
They can clamber around in the enclosed corner play space while you chill in the large dining room, and when they get hungry you can give them nuggets, sliders, fish or pizza, with a soft drink and a mini-ice cream included, and so long as you’re buying an adult meal it will cost nothing extra (and just $10 Monday to Friday). As a bonus, the kids’ menu has colouring-in on the back. The only downside is the fiendishly difficult, coin-gobbling claw machine.
668 Toohey Road, Salisbury. Sun-Tue 10am-3am; Wed-Sat 10am-4am.
The Gap Tavern, The Gap
Enjoying a position high among the cliffs of Mount Coot-tha Forest, The Gap Tavern has a bistro blessed with great views and both a small kids’ game room and an outdoor shaded playground fenced in by hedges.
The Gap Tavern has an enclosed playground where kids can play while parents dine in the bistro.Credit: Nick Dent
Grab a table on the deck out the back and you can keep an eye on your charges while enjoying a menu of steaks, pizza and pub favourites. The games room has tabletop video games that are free, as well as claw-grabbing games that are not, and Pokemon-dispensing machines. The playground may be careworn and in need of repair but that won’t stop kids enjoying it. Kids’ meals are just $10.
21 Glenquarie Place, The Gap. Mon-Sun 10am-12am.
Full Moon Hotel, Sandgate
This pub sits up on the ridge above the Sandgate waterfront and has all the water views and breezes you’d hope for in the main dining room. But there’s a second dining area around the back designed for families.
The Treehouse play area at the Full Moon Hotel has a large artificial tree.Credit: Nick Dent
A large pretend tree dominates the space next to a large swing seat, playhouse, children’s bookshelf, blocks and Connect Four. Kids may be more drawn to the nook behind it with toy and Chupa Chups dispensing machines, claw challenge (watch out, it’s a heartbreaker) and three retro video game screens. Kids meals are $12 and come with salad (huzzah!) and a soft drink, and kids’ brekkies (waffle, bacon and eggs, baked beans) are all under $9. Cross the road and take the walkway down to the water, and Shorncliffe Pier is just a 15-minute walk to the south.
118 Eagle Terrace, Sandgate. Mon-Thu 10am-3am.
Koala Tavern, Capalaba
The large, airy bistro at the Koala Tavern looks out on the AstroTurf beer garden and the kids’ playground, which is five stories of climbs and slides decorated with koalas and gum leaves.
Koala Tavern in Capalaba has an enclosed playground in the beer garden that can be viewed from the indoor bistro as well.Credit: Nick Dent
This thing is fully enclosed, so you can keep the chaos contained. The beer garden has plenty of outdoor seating and a small outdoor stage for live music. Over in the main bar there are pool tables which kids are welcome to use. Kids eat free every Monday (conditions apply) and during school hols they have activities like colouring-in and arts and crafts. Kids’ meals are $12 and include a small dessert, but drinks are extra.
36-40 Moreton Bay Road, Capalaba. Mon-Sun 10am-4am.
The Pineapple Hotel, Kangaroo Point
The good ol’ Pineapple may be a hardcore sports pub – there are screens everywhere you look – but the Garden Bar bistro is still a nice place to eat, and you can leave the kids to muck around behind glass while you’re at it.
The playground adjacent to the Garden Bar bistro at the Pineapple Hotel.Credit: Nick Dent
Helpfully, the play space has bench seating if parents wish to supervise up close. Kids’ meals for anyone 14 years old or under are $13-$14 and include steak, schnitzel, calamari and fish as well as the usual nuggets and burgers. Ice cream cups aren’t included, sadly, and cost $3-$3.50.
706 Main Street, Kangaroo Point. Sun-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-11pm.
Waterloo Bay Hotel, Wynnum
This heritage pub was built in 1889 and had bits added on in 1918, 1889 and in the 1990s. Today, it’s an elegant hodgepodge of styles with accommodation rooms and two restaurants: indoor steakhouse Hepburn’s and outdoor Fig Restaurant & Beer Garden.
Waterloo Bay Hotel in Wynnum has a nautical-themed play area.Credit: Nick Dent
The latter occupies a large roofed area that curls around the building and catches fresh sea breezes. A shaded, fenced-off play area features a speedboat and a tug for kids to play on plus a bank of undercover stand-up video games. Kids’ meals are $12. The little ones can eat for free on Fridays.
75 Berrima Street, Wynnum. Mon-Wed 10am-9pm; Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-11pm; Sun 10am-7pm.
Browns Plains Hotel, Browns Plains
Love a parmi? The “Parmigeddon” menu has variations on the chicken parmigiana including The Mexican (with beef chilli and guac) and The Queenslander (with Mooloolaba prawns and garlic cream).
Browns Plains Hotel has a dedicated play area on the dining terrace.Credit: Nick Dent
Enjoy one on the hotel’s covered dining terrace, which has wooden tables and striped umbrellas next to a walled playground to keep the kids occupied. This three-level structure features a brown tube side and puzzles. Kids’ meals are $12 – choose from bolognaise, fish burger, dagwood dog, nuggets or pizza – and includes ice cream (but no drink). If your kids like to play pool, the tables are free to use on Sundays.
64 Browns Plains Road, Browns Plains. Mon-Sun 10am-4am.
Prefer cafes? Try this list of Brisbane cafes to visit with kids.