RFK Rankings · Indianapolis
Best Restaurants for Family-Friendly in Indianapolis (2026)
Family dining · Indianapolis · 6 rooms ranked · Updated June 2026
Compiled by the Restaurants for Kings editorial team · Published May 22, 2026 · Updated June 18, 2026 · Reviewed by Fredrik Filipsson, Editor-in-Chief · How we rank · Corrections
The trolley car at The Old Spaghetti Factory still seats a family of five on Meridian Street, and a few blocks north the Bru Burger griddle runs all day on Mass Ave. Eating out with kids in Indianapolis means big booths, food you build to order and rooms loud enough that nobody minds a restless table. These six, ranked, are where to bring the whole family when the cooking still has to satisfy the grown-ups.
1.The Old Spaghetti Factory
Pasta in big booths and a real trolley car to eat in; take the kids downtown for the browned-butter Mizithra.
The Old Spaghetti Factory has run at 210 South Meridian Street downtown for over four decades. The browned-butter Mizithra spaghetti is the order, and the kids' meal bundles a drink and a Spumoni ice cream, with most plates roughly $11 to $18.
The draw for children is the antique trolley car parked in the dining room, which families request by name as their table. The big booths and forgiving noise make it an easy weeknight stop near Circle Centre. Book the trolley, order the Mizithra for the table, and let the kids finish with the Spumoni.
2.Bru Burger Bar
Build-your-own burgers and a kids' menu on Mass Ave; bring the family early before the patio fills on a weekend.
Cunningham Restaurant Group opened the original Bru Burger Bar in 2011 at 410 Massachusetts Avenue. The build-your-own burger and the truffle fries are the orders, with a dedicated kids' menu and most plates roughly $14 to $19.
The casual room and the Mass Ave patio make it a comfortable family stop in the arts district. The burger format lets each kid pick their own toppings, which keeps a picky table happy. Arrive before the weekend rush, build a round of burgers, and split an order of truffle fries.
3.Half Liter BBQ & Beer Hall
Brisket by the pound and a big patio with cornhole; take the kids to Broad Ripple and let them roam between plates.
Half Liter BBQ & Beer Hall smokes Texas-style brisket and ribs at 5301 Winthrop Avenue in Broad Ripple. The brisket sold by the pound and the smoked sausage are the orders, with most plates roughly $14 to $26 and Dippin' Dots for dessert.
The beer-hall format runs long communal tables and a large outdoor space with cornhole, so kids have room to move between courses. The casual, loud room forgives a restless child. Take a patio table, order brisket by the pound, and let the kids loose on the lawn games.
4.Baby's
Smash burgers, mac and cheese and milkshakes in a buzzy food hall; bring the kids for a fast, fuss-free dinner.
Baby's serves smash burgers from a counter inside The Garage Food Hall at 906 Carrollton Avenue in the Bottleworks District. The double smash burger, the mac and cheese and the milkshakes are the orders, with most plates roughly $9 to $15.
The food-hall setting lets each family member chase a different stall while the table holds, which suits a group that can't agree. The counter service is quick and the room is forgiving. Grab a table in the hall, order smash burgers and a round of milkshakes, and add the mac and cheese to share.
5.Bazbeaux Pizza
Build-your-own pizzas Indianapolis has trusted since 1986; take the family to Broad Ripple and let everyone pick a topping.
Bazbeaux Pizza has run in Indianapolis since 1986, with its Broad Ripple room at 811 East Westfield Boulevard. The build-your-own pizza with dozens of toppings is the draw, alongside calzones and salads, with most pies roughly $16 to $26.
The huge topping list lets each kid design their own slice, and the neighborhood room is relaxed and quick. The long history makes it a familiar family stop across generations. Take a table, hand the kids the topping list, and build a couple of pizzas to split.
6.Mug-n-Bun Drive-In
A 1960 carhop drive-in with homemade root beer; take the kids to Speedway and eat in the car by the Brickyard.
Mug-n-Bun Drive-In has served Speedway since 1960 at 5211 West 10th Street, near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The homemade root beer in a frosted mug and the tenderloin sandwich are the orders, with most plates roughly $5 to $12.
Carhop service to your car window turns the meal into an event for kids, and the retro picnic tables work in good weather. The low prices and novelty make it a classic family stop. Pull in for carhop service, order a round of root beer floats, and split a breaded tenderloin.
Not for the kids
Great rooms, wrong night for a family
Bluebeard. Chef Abbi Merriss's Fletcher Place dining room is a James Beard-recognized small-plates table built for a slow, shared adult dinner. It is a strong evening, but the pacing and the bar-forward room suit a date over a restless child.
St. Elmo Steak House. The 1902 downtown institution is a coat-and-tie steakhouse famous for a shrimp cocktail that makes grown men cry. Save its formal, expensive dining room for an adults-only celebration rather than a meal with children.
How to dine out with kids in Indianapolis
Indianapolis's family rooms split between downtown and Broad Ripple. The Old Spaghetti Factory and Baby's sit within walking distance of the Bottleworks District and Mass Ave, while Half Liter, Bazbeaux and the Broad Ripple strip pull the map north toward the canal and the Monon Trail. Mug-n-Bun anchors Speedway out west by the Brickyard, so a meal can fold into a track visit or a walk along the Monon.
Most of these rooms run loud and casual, so timing matters more than reservations. Bru Burger and The Old Spaghetti Factory take bookings, while Baby's, Half Liter and Mug-n-Bun run on counter or carhop service. Arrive early on weekends, since Broad Ripple fills fast after a Pacers or Colts game, and keep the Monon Trail or White River State Park in your back pocket for restless kids.
Frequently asked
What is the best family-friendly restaurant in Indianapolis?
The Old Spaghetti Factory downtown is the marquee family pick: a real antique trolley car to eat in, big booths, and a kids' meal that bundles a drink and Spumoni ice cream for roughly $11 to $18 a plate. For a casual night on Mass Ave, Bru Burger Bar's build-your-own burgers and kids' menu keep a picky table happy, and Half Liter BBQ in Broad Ripple has a patio with cornhole that absorbs a restless child.
Where can families eat barbecue with kids in Indianapolis?
Half Liter BBQ & Beer Hall in Broad Ripple is the family barbecue pick, smoking Texas-style brisket and ribs sold by the pound, with most plates between $14 and $26 and Dippin' Dots for dessert. The beer-hall format runs long communal tables and a large patio with cornhole, so kids have room to move between courses while the adults work through a tray of smoked meats.
Which Indianapolis restaurant is best for picky eaters?
Baby's inside The Garage Food Hall in the Bottleworks District is built for a table that can't agree: smash burgers, mac and cheese and milkshakes from one counter, with the rest of the hall's stalls a few steps away. Most plates run $9 to $15. For build-your-own control, Bazbeaux Pizza in Broad Ripple hands kids a topping list dozens long so each one designs their own slice.
Is Mug-n-Bun good for kids in Indianapolis?
Yes. Mug-n-Bun Drive-In in Speedway has run since 1960 with carhop service to your car window, which turns the meal into an event for kids near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The homemade root beer floats and breaded tenderloins run roughly $5 to $12, and the retro picnic tables work in good weather, making it a low-cost classic before or after a track visit.
Which Indianapolis restaurants should families avoid?
Skip the formal, pacing-driven dining rooms. St. Elmo Steak House downtown is a 1902 coat-and-tie steakhouse famous for its fiery shrimp cocktail, and Bluebeard in Fletcher Place is a James Beard-recognized small-plates room built for a slow adult dinner. Both are strong evenings, but they are built for an adults-only celebration rather than a meal with children.
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