Move along if you prefer enjoying a pint without babies, kidlins, ankle biters, moppets, munchkins or small fry nestling newborns, than this story on the Top 10 Best Kid Friendly Craft Beer Spots in Portland is probably not for you. However if you are one of those handicapped by mini-me’s strapped to your chest like bombs than this list of the best places to enjoy a craft beer with your progeny might be the best thing that’s happened to you since they invented the sippy cup.
Now before you object to little prepubescent whippersnappers in bars, I understand your frustrations, but we think teaching the little tykes how to behave in public and respect beer at an impressionable young age is a life skill that not enough of us have developed. Just remember that some bartenders, will not serve your baby milk in The New School.
Without further ado, here are the ten best beer destinations in Portland that cater to your little little squirt.
Photo by Tim Labarge
Hopworks Urban Brewery
No surprise that HUB owner/founder Christian Ettinger was the brewer at Laurelwood before opening Hopworks, he took their family friendly colorful and bright aesthetic and love of local northwest ales and added bikes to the equation. Over the years they have expanded the kids area all the way into the old banquet room so there is tons of space for the little ones to play while the parents can sit nearby and watch them over a pint. There is even a special kids menu/coloring book, for kids to fill out and take home. The pub has family friendly and adults sections, outside seating, happy hour and a great beer selection. Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd. Portland, OR 97202 503 / 232-HOPS (4677) http://hopworksbeer.com/
Laurelwood Brewing
A longtime bastion of kid-friendly pubiness, Laurelwood Brewing Co. is almost as acommodating to kids as they are to thirsty adults craving a local favorite Workhorse IPA. Head to their flagship location on 51st and Sandy for the full experience with outside seating, rooftop deck and a fully stocked kids play area. You can also find kid friendly items like housemade root beer and macaroni and cheese and adult friendly items like happy hour from 3-6pm. The Sellwood location is also very kid friendly but not quite so much as the Sandy blvd one. 5115 NE Sandy Blvd. Portland, OR 97213 503-282-0622 http://www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com
Oregon Public House
The only other tap room/brewery that I know of with a dedicated kids area is also a dedicated non-profit charity operation called the Oregon Public House. Just one block away from Breakside Brewery on 7th and Dekum in NE Portland, the OPH is a family friendly pub that pours both guest taps and their own beers made at Pints Brewing. They have live music just for kids in the back area by the play pit every Wednesday at 5pm. OPH is kid friendly all hours, all days and they have toys, games, books and more stuff provided by Woodlawn Swap ‘n Play. 700 NE Dekum St, Portland, OR 97211 (503) 828-0884 http://oregonpublichouse.com
Old Town Pizza/Brewing Co.
Though they have two locations, you want to take the family to their newer, larger location on NE Sumner and MLK where the brewery is located. The kid friendliness begins with a special kids menu with mini pizzas, pastas and garlic knots that the little ones love. They also provide kids toys, like the plastic pizza pictured above as well as coloring books. The mezzanine is a great space to hold events like birthday parties or just for kids to watch the chefs throw fresh pizza dough two stories high. 5201 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97211 (503) 200-5988 www.otbrewing.com/
McMenamins Grand Lodge
OK so technically McMenamins Grand Lodge is in Forest Grove, not Portland, but it’s only a short 25 mile drive to the former Masonic & Eastern Star property. Features include 77 European-style guest rooms, a full-service spa and 102 degree soaking pool, and two restaurants on site. The kid friendly features begin with the outdoor lawn seating where kids can run and play outside of the Pat’s Corner pub on the Grand Lodge property. For July and August the Grand Lodge has free movies on the lawn every Thursday through Sunday. You can bring the kids, lawn chairs and blankets while they screen movies like Karate Kid and The Goonies. If your slighly adventurous you can visit the nearby Hagg Lake’s disc golf course for family fun fishing, boating, and trails for hiking and biking. There is even a zipline park adjacent to the lake. 3505 Pacific Ave, Forest Grove, OR 97116 (503) 992-9533 www.mcmenamins.com/GrandLodge
McMenamins Kennedy School
It makes sense that McMenamins Kennedy School would be a great kid friendly destination considering it is a former elementary school. Kids can enjoy playing in the classroom or catching a movie in the old auditorium while parents can re-live their childhood enjoying a Pint and a Cigar in the detention room. The property has 57 comfy guestrooms with private baths (some fashioned from former classrooms complete with original chalkboards and cloakrooms – others with an author’s theme), a restaurant, multiple small bars, a movie theater, soaking pool, gift shop and a brewery. If the weather is good they also have a great enclosed beer garden with little private alcoves, fun for groups or to let kids wander around and play. Dont miss the movie theater that plays 2nd run showings, you get to sit on couches or recliners and the kids can get a slice of pizza and a soda while the adults grab a pitcher or even a cocktail. (Just don’t run in the hallways, please. You might spill your beer.) 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97211 (503) 249-3983 www.mcmenamins.com/KennedySchool
American Dream Pizza
Twenty-five year old pizzeria in the Laurelhurst neighborhood has been a classic since I was a kid. Known for their square slices, killer salads and eclectic decor covered with kitschy and vintage art and creatively illustrated pizza boxes. The pizza style tends towards a thicker chicago-style with big doughy on the inside, crunchy on the outside crust but they also have a very kid friendly mini-pizzas with thin crust. On the beer and cider side they were holding it down with taps from Ninkasi, Atlas Cider, Rogue, Coalition and Widmer as of just yesterday. In addition to the pizza and beer, there are crayons and paper for kids to sketch on or they can illustrate an empty pizza box either at the pub or take it home to work on it more, American Dream will hang your kids work (or yours) and rotates through. 4620 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97213 (503) 230-0699 www.americandreampizzapdx.com/
Lompoc Hedge House
Pretty much all of Lompoc’s five locations have kid friendly features but the Hedge House on inner southeast Belmont is the only one with a grassy front yard to play on. Located in a craftsman style house, the indoor has spacious wood booths and tables but the best part is the covered deck, the open air picnic benches, a perch on the front porch or sitting in the grass of the front lawn that earned it a place on our Top 10 Beer Bar Patios. There is always a great rotating selection of Lompoc Brewing beers and seasonals, pints are only $2.50 on Tuesdays and a happy hour food and drink menu daily 4-6pm + 10-close. You can bring your dog, or lawn games for the whole family and their is a kids menu and bike parking. 3412 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202 (503) 235-2215 http://www.lompocbrewing.com/hedge-house/
Hawthorne Hophouse
There are two locations of the Hophouse, the original on 43rd and SE Hawthorne and the other at NE 15th and Brazee, both are dedicated to a diverse local centric beer and cider list, pretty good pub grub and a family friendly atmosphere. The Hawthorne Hophouse has 24 rotating taps and a full liquor bar with a couple tv’s but caters towards a family friendly crowd looking for a night out. The food occasionally rises above standard pub grub with their specials and their burger recently ranked on our Top 10 Burger & Beer Destinations in Portland. They have a happy hour food menu 2-5 & 9-close Monday – Friday and all day on Sunday. While they do not have enough space for a kids play area they have the requisite crayons and coloring paper with kids books and a kids food menu. They also have a small outdoor hop beer garden. 4111 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, Oregon 97214 503-477-9619 http://oregonhophouse.com/
C-Bar
Learn your kids how to smack a silver ball with paddles at this unsuspecting kid friendly bicycle beer bar. Not only is it a popular hang-out for the New Belgium, Hopworks and Apex crews but they have a great rotating taplist, and one of the 10 Best Burgers & Beer joins in town. Who knew that they were kid friendly if accompanied by a parent or guardian until 9:30pm? I had no idea until a tip from Ron Setzer of New Belgium clued me in. Pictured here is Ron’s kid being taught the cult favorite game of slap ball *ahem* Pinball by C-Bar’s friendly neighborhood manager Jeremiah. C-Bar has outside seating, a full bar and fifteen of those pinball games ranging from classics to modern that draw a crowd of enthusiasts and that kids love. Get your kid a mac and cheese and a couple quarters and they are good to go. 2880 SE Gladstone St, Portland, OR 97202
(503) 230-8808 cbarportland.com/
The post Top 10 Best Kid Friendly Craft Beer Spots in Portland appeared first on New School Beer.