The Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Clearwater Beach
During our recent vacation to Clearwater Beach, I spent a lot of time Googling Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Clearwater Beach. Reviewing menus and overall kid-friendly vibes takes time and I don’t like to be on my phone while trying to watch kids at the pool, or honestly, while I’m on a family vacation!
Based on our experiences, I have put together a list of our favorite kid-friendly restaurants in Clearwater Beach. I also included Bahama Breeze, located on the way to Clearwater from the Tampa airport because we had such a great experience there to kick start our vacation.
I hope this list of the best kid-friendly restaurants in Clearwater Beach takes a bit of vacation planning pressure off of your plate. Enjoy your trip!!
Marina Cantina Tequila Bar and Grille
Marina Cantina is shockingly kid-friendly, don’t be fooled by the whole tequila bar thing. They are open for happy hour and dinner Monday-Friday along with brunch on the weekends, opening at 11 am. You can call ahead for reservations, which we did as we were walking there in the rain with the kids and needed a table ready on our arrival.
The restaurant offers specials Monday through Thursday, including Taco Tuesdays and Ladies’ Night, so be sure to check out the latest events on their website.
Marina Cantina Location
Conveniently located directly off the Clearwater Beach rotary, Marina Cantina is a Mexican fusion restaurant overlooking the Clearwater Marina with gorgeous rooftop views. The central location is easily walkable from most Clearwater Beach and North Clearwater Beach hotels.
Marina Cantina is located upstairs above the Salt Cracker Fish Camp. Restrooms are located downstairs, outside the restaurant. Bonus find-there is a Clearwater Beach turtle statue in the downstairs lobby for photos!
Marina Cantina Menus
For my fellow queso connoisseurs, I highly recommend the queso fundido. As if the chorizo and poblanos didn’t make it interesting enough, Marina Cantina tops their queso with a cilantro pesto?!? Mid blown!! For my main course, I can’t rave enough about the cantina bowl with carne asada. The dish was visually stunning and had just the right amount of heat without being overpowering.
As for the kids, there is a kids’ menu at Marina Cantina that made the parents drool! I was worried it would be a bit much for my picky eaters, but luckily they serve cheese quesadillas which both kids enjoyed.
Non-alcoholic Options
Shout out to the incredible bartenders at Marina Cantina who made me the most incredible alcohol-free margarita I have ever had. It was a mocktail that didn’t make me miss alcohol, wasn’t too sugary, and was beautifully presented.
What Makes it Special?
Marina Cantina boasts a huge rooftop tiki bar overlooking the marina that wraps around the inside restaurant space. It was pouring when we went, so we sat inside but the gorgeous decor, along with floor-to-ceiling windows still allowed us views of the marina.
Is Marina Cantina Kid-Friendly?
Absolutely!! The servers were so kind and patient, even with Little A asking them 100 random questions. There is a kids’ menu for ages 12 and under, and a variety of juices and milk for the kids served in plastic cups with lids for safety. Little A voted Marina Cantina the best restaurant of our Clearwater Beach Trip.
Clear Sky Beachside Cafe
I have a soft spot for the Clear Sky Cafe as we actually spent our 1 year dating anniversary at this restaurant watching football on their outside TVs!
Clear Sky serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It opens at 7 am and except for a 12 pm-1 pm closure Monday through Friday, stays open until midnight, 7 days a week. They do accept dinner reservations and welcome large parties. There is often live music, with the calendar viewable on the Clear Sky Beachside Cafe website.
Clear Sky Beachside Cafe Location
The Cafe is located right next to the Sandpearl Resort at 490 Mandalay Avenue, outside the North Beach public access point. This makes it super convenient for a mid-day beach break without having to drive or travel far. If you are staying at the Sandpearl Resort, Clear Sky Cafe is located right next door.
Clear Sky Beachside Cafe Menu
We ate breakfast here a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed the meals. My husband enjoyed their breakfast sandwiches and skillet meals while I stuck with my go-to ham and cheese omelet.
There is a kids’ menu, with some solid choices, but I would ask your server about sizes. For example, the kids’ waffle dish contains one small waffle while the kids’ pancake meal offers 2 massive pancakes. Clearly, this caused a commotion at our table and some reluctant pancake-sharing with the still-hungry waffle kid.
What Makes it Special?
The laid-back, beachy vibe of the Clear Sky Beachside Cafe can’t be beaten. The servers are incredibly kind, the food is delicious and comes out fast and their coffee is perfection.
The location right off the beach gives a sneak peek of the white sand and allows peekaboo sunset views. TVs inside and out are perfect for watching sports. Throw in live music; overall, this is a great find in Clearwater Beach.
Is Clear Sky Beachside Cafe Kid-Friendly?
Yes! The kids’ menus include something for everyone, from the picky kids to the more adventurous. The food comes out quickly, and the outside seating is always wonderful with kids, offering lots of things to look at.
For parents of early risers, like us, a 7 am opening time is a huge bonus for a full-service restaurant.
*Bonus- Clear Sky will give you a to-go cup for your coffee to chase down your kids who do not understand the joys of sipping that first-morning coffee.
Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill and Bar
Palm Pavilion is a restaurant we spotted from our balcony, located right on the beach, and I’m thankful we did! There is ample inside and outside seating and the sunset views are the best of any restaurant we ate at in Clearwater Beach.
Palm Pavilion Beachside Bar and Grill restaurant was named the 2022 Best Beach Bar by Visit St Pete Clearwater and Second Best Grouper.
This restaurant has been around since 1926! Get there early, as there are no reservations, and the seating is first come, first serve. We arrived at 5 pm and there was plenty of availability as the restaurant is huge!!
Palm Pavilion Location
Palm Pavilion is located directly on Clearwater Beach. Walk past the Sandpearl and Frenchy’s and you can’t miss it. It is easily walkable on the beach or by sidewalks. If you are driving, there is a city parking lot conveniently located next to the restaurant.
Palm Pavilion Menu
The Palm Pavilion menu is extensive! Appetizers include everything from shrimp and tuna to grouper and gator. Truly a variety of options that all look delicious
I had their Island Mahi-Mahi and, oh my goodness, it was perfection. The spice of the blackened fish combined with cool mango-avocado salsa over jasmine rice was perfection.
I have to give extra praise to the Palm Pavilion’s kids’ menu. The choices are kid-friendly, but the prices are also family-friendly, which can be hard to come by. Some restaurants are charging $15+ for kids’ chicken nuggets, but Palm Pavilion charges $4.99 for a kids’ meal at the time of this post. We also grabbed the kids ice cream after dinner right at Palm Pavilion (we couldn’t walk away from that view!) which is also reasonably priced at under 4 dollars.
Non-alcoholic Options
Palm Pavilion offers O’Douls Non-Alcoholic bottled beers.
What Makes it Special
The sunset. Palm Pavilion’s sunset views right on the beach with the ocean as the backdrop makes it truly one of a kind. Their website offers the sunset time daily, be sure to catch it!
We loved the laidback, friendly atmosphere at Palm Pavilion. Despite being very busy, we never felt rushed, the food was delicious and memorable with fresh fish and bright flavors.
Is The Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill and Bar Kid-Friendly?
Yes! Palm Pavilion is Baby J’s favorite restaurant in Clearwater Beach. Sitting outside on the covered porch with the beach view, we felt relaxed and the team members were all very kind and accommodating to the kids’ many questions. Kid noise wasn’t an issue between the music playing on the speakers, followed by the live acoustic musician.
Bahama Breeze (Tampa)
If you fly into Tampa, there’s a convenient, delicious, waterfront, kid-friendly restaurant right off the highway in Tampa, called Bahama Breeze that I have to mention. We stopped there on the way from Tampa Airport to Clearwater Beach because everyone was starving.
Bahama Breeze Menu
The food at Bahama Breeze is fresh and delicious. I had the Jerk Chicken Pineapple Bowl and still dream about it!!! My husband had the Tequila Sunburn Glazed Salmon and thoroughly enjoyed his meal.
There was a great kids’ menu. Little A had the burger sliders, Baby J had crispy chicken fingers! Little A also enjoyed a Virgin Ultimate Pineapple drink, served in a pineapple, to start her vacation.
What Makes it Special
Bahama Breeze is not only convenient off the highway, but it even has views! The restaurant is waterfront on a local causeway with outdoor and patio seating available. There was a wait for outside seating so we ate inside and still had a great view through the huge windows. There is also a nice aquarium inside for the kids to enjoy. Finally, there is plenty of parking free parking at the restaurant.
Is Bahama Breeze Kid-Friendly
Very! The team members are some of the kindest I have encountered since we had kids. Our server was a former preschool teacher and the kids both loved him! Bahama Breeze is definitely a family-friendly and kid-friendly restaurant.
Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Clearwater Beach
I hope you and your family enjoyed this list of Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Clearwater Beach. Please comment below if you tried any of the restaurants and your thoughts. I would also love to hear about your family’s favorite kid-friendly restaurants in Clearwater Beach so we can check them out next time!
Visiting Clearwater Beach with Kids
Want more information about visiting Clearwater Beach on your family’s next vacation? Be sure to check out my other posts on this incredible family beach vacation destination:
