Top 10 Kid-Friendly Restaurants In Columbia, South Carolina

kid friendly restaurants in columbia sc
Tenissa
Tenissa 
Updated
| 4 min read

The best vacations are those enjoyed with your loved ones. Columbia in South Carolina is a city that you should visit because it offers plenty of attractions that are suitable for people of all ages. Have fun entering the animal kingdom as soon as you set foot at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. Permanent inhabitants include wild animals as well as farm animals. Drive to EdVenture Children’s Museum that lets kids have the best adventure in their lives through hands-on experience. Moving on from the attractions, the city is also loaded with a number of kid-friendly restaurants. Here is your guide to the top kid-friendly restaurants in Columbia, South Carolina.

1. Kao Thai Cuisine

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account


The first restaurant on the list is Kao Thai Cuisine. Thai cuisine is among the most delicious cuisines in the world–we can’t blame you if your whole family, including your kids, enjoy it. Bring them to this kid-friendly restaurant and choose to be seated on the patio so that your kids can roam freely in an outdoor space. Indulge in dishes such as Thai street waffles and chicken or ham and cheese roti breakfast quesadilla, some of the kids’ favorites.

Kao Thai Cuisine

Address: 1001 Senate St #300, Columbia, SC 29201, United States

Website: Kao Thai Cuisine

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 5pm - 10pm; Sat: 11am - 2pm, 5pm - 10pm (closed on Sun)

Visited this place?

2. Blue Marlin

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Blue Marlin is all about seafood and you better take your little kids to this restaurant to savor the most delectable seafood dishes in Columbia. As soon as you taste their seafood dishes, you can literally taste the freshness as well as an excellent blend of Caribbean, West Indian, and African flavors. Must-try dishes include Charleston crab cake and blackened salmon Charleston. What is more, the restaurant also serves children’s favorites such as pastas and fire-roasted chicken.

Blue Marlin

Address: 1200 Lincoln St, Columbia, SC 29201, United States

Website: Blue Marlin

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5pm - 10pm; Sat: 11:30am - 11pm; Sun: 11:30am - 9pm

Visited this place?

3. Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse


Welcome to Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse, a kid-friendly restaurant that is located in Kress Building. Its delightful menu will surely satisfy and keep the little ones coming for more. It would be hard for children to say no to eating filet mignon wrapped in bacon, chicken drumstick, and spicy chicken sausage. Not to mention, the steakhouse also serves a selection of desserts such as triple-layer chocolate mousse cake, red velvet cheesecake, and chocolate gelato.

Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse

Address: Kress Building, 1508 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201, United States

Website: Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 11:30am - 2pm, 5pm - 9pm; Fri: 11:30am - 2pm, 5pm - 10pm; Sat: 4pm - 10pm; Sun: 4pm - 9pm

Visited this place?

4. Red Lobster

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

There are several reasons your kids are going to love this restaurant called Red Lobster. First of all is its decoration that has the main theme of New England. Secondly, the restaurant serves a special menu for kids that includes popcorn shrimp, wood-grilled tilapia, and chicken fingers. Thirdly, there are numerous delectable desserts and beverages to choose from. Whether your kids want to indulge in a vanilla bean cheesecake or warm apple crostada and fruit smoothies or soft drinks, all are available.

Red Lobster

Address: 10136 Two Notch Rd Unit 106, Columbia, SC 29229, United States

Website: Red Lobster

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 10pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 11pm

Visited this place?

5. DiPrato's


What if your kids suddenly crave for some Italian dishes? No worries because in Columbia, you can find tons of kid-friendly restaurants, including those that serve Italian cuisine. Among them, DiPrato’s is the best of the best. Serving Italian deliciousness in an airy and casual setting, the restaurant is known for its Southern signatures. From breads and cheeses to toppings and spreads, all can be enjoyed here. Order a signature sandwich like turkey or smoked turkey Reuben. If they still feel hungry, order from the children’s menu that includes chicken nuggets with french fries and hot dog, all are served with GoGurt and fruit.

DiPrato's

Address: 342 Pickens St, Columbia, SC 29205, United States

Website: DiPrato’s

Opening hours: 10am - 4pm (daily)

Visited this place?

6. Real Mexico Restaurant

PESCADO EMOANIZADO ( breaded fish )

Posted by Realmexico on Thursday, 6 February 2020

Now, forget about Italian cuisine and let us talk about Mexican cuisine like tacos and enchiladas–something that younger kids certainly love. Chipotle chicken tacos along with fajita burrito and chicken enchilada are among the most popular dishes at this restaurant. So, it is best to order them. And, since you are coming with your kids, it is best to savor all the tantalizing dishes outdoors. The restaurant features several outdoor tables.

Real Mexico Restaurant

Address: 2421 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, United States

Website: Real Mexico Restaurant

Opening hours: Sun, Tue - Thu: 11am - 9:30pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 10pm (closed on Mon)

Visited this place?

7. Little Pigs Barbecue


Who does not love barbecue? It does not matter whether you are a kid or an adult, barbecue seems to have the ability to elevate everyone’s mood. For a superb barbecue dining experience in Columbia, it is hard to think of another restaurant but Little Pigs Barbecue. The restaurant serves not only barbecued dishes but also side dishes and desserts, all-you-can-eat for lunch, and buffet for dinner. Macaroni and cheese, pork chops, and chicken are among the most popular dishes. Good news for children–their meals are priced lower than adults.

Little Pigs Barbecue

Address: 4927 Alpine Rd, Columbia, SC 29223, United States

Website: Little Pigs Barbecue

Opening hours: Wed: 11am - 2pm; Thu: 11am - 8:30pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 9pm; Sun: 11am - 3pm (closed on Mon & Tue)

Visited this place?

8. Alodia's Cucina Italiana

kid friendly restaurants in columbia sc | alodia's cucina italiana
Source: instagram

Start the day right by taking your kids to Alodia’s Cucina Italiana, a humble Italian restaurant that serves classic dishes and is well-known for its handmade pasta. The restaurant serves Kids Brunch menu that will awaken their taste buds in an instant. Kid’s Banana Pancake, Kid’s Grilled Cheese and Kid’s Chicken Fingers are the most popular choices. As for you adult, you can order Seafood Cassoulet or Strawberry Banana Pancakes.

Alodia's Cucina Italiana

Address: 2736 N Lake Dr, Columbia, SC 29212, United States

Website: Alodia’s Cucina Italiana

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 11am - 3pm, 4pm - 10pm; Fri: 11am - 3pm, 4pm - 11pm; Sat: 11am - 3pm, 4pm - 10:30pm; Sun: 9:45am - 2pm, 5pm - 9pm

Visited this place?

9. Lizard's Thicket Restaurant

kid friendly restaurants in columbia sc | lizard's thicket restaurant
Source: instagram

Forget about eating healthy when you are on a vacation. Instead, eat whatever you want, whenever you want. Lizard’s Thicket Restaurant is the eatery you will want to be at, especially because it opens as early as 6am every day and features a wide variety of food for breakfast, lunch, and supper. For example, if you come during breakfast time, you can indulge in a bologna and egg sandwich while your little sunshine enjoys a bowl of cereal served with raisins or banana. If you prefer going at lunch time, the whole family can order chicken and waffles, fried pork chops, and chicken fried steak and share them all together.

Lizard's Thicket Restaurant

Address: 818 Elmwood Ave, Columbia, SC 29201, United States

Website: Lizard’s Thicket Restaurant

Opening hours: 6am - 9pm (daily)

Visited this place?

10. Julia's German Stammtisch


Last but not least is Julia’s German Stammtisch. As the name says, this casual restaurant serves a variety of German classics, with the most popular dish being the schnitzel. With kids around, it would be best to try their apple strudel and pork schnitzel. Leave the restaurant feeling happy and you will be ready to go on with your adventure.

Julia's German Stammtisch

Address: 120 Sparkleberry Crossing Rd, Columbia, SC 29229, United States

Website: Julia’s German Stammtisch

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 11am - 2pm, 5pm - 9pm; Sat: 5pm - 9pm (closed on Sun & Mon)

Visited this place?

Have the ultimate vacation with your loved ones in Columbia

Macaroni and cheese (2) (cropped)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Sumeet Jain used under CC BY-SA 2.0

What do you think of having a family vacation in Columbia? It is going to be one of the most unforgettable ones, especially with a number of kid-friendly restaurants available. Visit the ones mentioned above and your kids will be happy at all times. When your kids are happy, you will be happy too. Enjoy Columbia with loved ones!

Visited this place?
Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

Tenissa is a content writer, translator and editor. She enjoys being a globetrotter and has traveled to many countries around the world. So far, her favourite destination is Switzerland. She looks...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore Columbia
Looking for accommodation?
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.