Best Restaurants for Kids and Families in Carmel

The restaurant scene in Carmel is a real treat, offering a variety of international experiences and comfort food locations. We’ve found all of the best family-friendly restaurants in Carmel.

Best Kids Menu Options in Carmel

Blaze Pizza

12697 N. Pennsylvania Street, Carmel

When the day has gotten the best of me and there’s no time to feed everyone before they get hangry—but fast food is out of the question—I know I can count on the speed and efficiency here to make hungry bellies full. By the time I have finished helping everyone fill their drinks, we’ve got our pizza in hand. We love the fast-fired convenience of Blaze Pizza. Also, the brownies are warm ooey-gooey goodness, if you need a pick-me-up after all that.

Bru Burger Carmel

12901 Old Meridian Street, Carmel

American fare, a local beer menu, and portion sizes that are more than generous (especially since the kids are going to want to try whatever I order). The kids meals are big enough to fill one up, and if I’m adding a dessert or appetizer, kids meals can be easily split as well. Excellent food across the board and delicious dessert means everyone in my family leaves satisfied. I also love that we can make reservations ahead of time to skip the wait.

Bub’s Burgers & Ice Cream

210 W. Main Street, Carmel

The outside of Bub’s looks like a house, and for good reason—all of the comfortable ambiance inside. This is a burger joint through and through, offering beef burgers, elk burgers, and a giant burger known as the “Big Ugly.” This burger of insanity is a solid pound AFTER cooking, and if you finish this monster off, your picture goes on the wall. We love the sweet potato fries. With the marshmallow dipping sauce, it’s more like dessert! Little Bub’s kid’s meals have a price point that includes entree, side, drink, and a busy bag to occupy them while waiting for their food.

Charleston’s Restaurant

14636 Greyhound Plaza, Carmel

When I am looking for something a little more hearty, like a prime rib, Charleston’s is where we are going. (The lighting can be a little dark in here at times, just so you know before you go!) This family-friendly steakhouse offers a wide variety of comfort food, and if you have room left, I highly recommend the key lime pie. I appreciate a kid’s menu that offers kid’s ribs and sirloin, which allows my little to feel like a grown-up. All kid’s meals include entrée, drink, and dessert. Reservations are accepted here, so I always call ahead to cut our wait time.

Fork + Ale House

350 Veterans Way, Suite #150, Carmel

If we have spent the day playing in Midtown, Fork + Ale is a great option for grabbing a bite to eat before heading back home. The menu features pizzas, shareable appetizers, and more. There isn’t a dedicated kid’s menu here, but everything is shareable size. The patio opens up to the Midtown green space, which means we might get to check out a movie or concert with our meal.

Jamaican Reggae Grill

622 S. Rangeline Road, Carmel

Jamaican Reggae Grill will be closing this location on September 15, 2022. New location TBA.

Expand your palette with authentic Jamaican food. The kids love to check out the fun mural décor, and I enjoy the delicious food. While there is no dedicated kid’s menu, my kids love the Jamaican patties as an entrée. They offer indoor, outdoor, and covered patio seating options, so you have a variety to choose from.

Kona Grille

14395 Clay Terrace Drive, Suite #180, Carmel

Kona offers a variety of American food, along with sushi options. We love all of the choices for the Kid’s Meal Bento Box. Each one comes with a meat or sushi choice, 2 side items, an orange cut up like a bear, and a drink. I love that you can add a brownie sundae to their meals for only a dollar more, which means I can order a dessert all to myself. My kids always like to pass the time checking out the fish tank here while we are waiting for our food to arrive.

MCL Restaurant & Bakery

1390 Keystone Way East, Carmel

My kids are always stoked to see all of the food already laid out and ready to put on their tray in this cafeteria-style restaurant, and I’m happy to not have to wait for the food to come before we can eat. Another win for me? You can get up to two free kids’ meals for every adult meal purchased every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, so we leave with full tummies and a happy wallet.

Matt the Miller’s Tavern

11 W. City Center Drive, Carmel

Of course we have to stop and admire the large fountain outside when going in AND coming out of Matt the Miller’s Tavern. My kids wouldn’t have it any other way. This family-friendly tavern offers fare befitting of the location. We appreciate the kid’s menu here, for offering different serving size options for different sized appetites, with a little kids and big kids menu.

Mellow Mushroom

2340 E. 116th Street, Carmel

My kids love the bright wall décor covering almost every surface—the giant mushroom statue, and the bus front that leads the booths. (You know we are sitting in the bus booths, if they are available.) We love getting the pretzel bite munchies (appetizer) to share, and the Funky Q. Chicken, their BBQ chicken stone baked pizza, which is visually appealing to all with the fun swirl of barbecue sauce on top. They also are food allergy and sensitivity friendly, which makes it great for meeting family and friends here.

Muldoon’s

111 W. Main Street, Suite #100, Carmel

Serving Irish classics and American pub fare, plus a good sized kids’ menu, mean there is something for everyone here. We love the fried cheese skewers, fish and chips, huge onion rings, and locally supplied tenderloins. The family side indoors and outdoor patio dining options make it a relaxed and family friendly place to grab a meal.

Noble Roman’s Craft Pizza & Pub

1438 W Main Street, Carmel

If you haven’t been to a Noble Roman’s in years, then you have to check out The Noble Roman’s Craft Pizza & Pub. The pub reimagines the pizza place of our childhood, but maintains the same great flavor! They offer daily food and drink special and the kids menu options are all under $5! We also love that we can choose from a large beer selection, including local brews from Sun King, Taxman, and more.

Omoni Fresh Fast Korean Grill

13710 N. Meridian Street, Carmel

The pairing of Korean and American cultures found here works wonderfully. You can get traditional Korean or opt for a fusion option, like their awesome Korean nachos. Another neat feature is their stone serving bowls, which can keep your food piping hot the whole time, but may be too hot for little hands. We appreciate the kid’s menu, for having more than the standard fare and including international items such as Bulgogi Beef and Chap Chae noodles.

Papa Fattoush

15 E. Main Street, Suite #100, Carmel

Expanding our palette, the kid’s menu here features more adventurous options, including Chicken Shwarma and Gyro, but the portions are huge on the regular menu. This means I can either share a meal with one of my kids, or take leftovers home for lunch. They also have flexible, build-your-own menu options, which means even my pickiest eater leaves here satisfied. A fun highlight for the kids is getting to see their food being prepared through the glass that surrounds the kitchen area.

Pies and Pints Pizzeria

14550 Clay Terrace Boulevard, Suite #100, Carmel

I love the kids plate menu option here for littlest of littles. (If everything comes out already chopped and finger food friendly, that’s more time I have to eat my own meal before it gets cold.) There are great specialty pies and build your own options on the menu, and we love the nachos for a shareable appetizer to start.

Pizzology Craft Pizza & Pub

13190 Hazel Dell Parkway, Carmel

We love sitting at the little bar that has a window peeking into the kitchen, so the kids can watch the chefs preparing food while we are waiting. Regular tables are awesome, too, because you get crayons immediately to draw on the paper table covering. Fire baked, farm to table gourmet pies add a bit of variety to your family pizza night. Pizza is always shareable, but if you want a more sophisticated palate option for grown-ups, there is also a kid’s menu, featuring Chicken Parmesan, Spaghetti, Alfredo, or an individual pizza.

Red Robin

14599 Clay Terrace Blvd, Carmel
9965 N Michigan Rd, Carmel

Red Robin is one of my favorite places for the whole family. The burgers are good and thanks to the bottomless sides, our family never leaves hungry. Their kids menu also features two bottomless entrees–the Mac It Yours and Swirly Twirly Pasta. Sometimes when our kids are extra hangry, we have the server bring out the sides first. Regardless of which Red Robin you go to, they are decorated brightly with lots of neat burger fixtures. And, usually the kids get to leave with a balloon!

Thai Castle

19 E. 126th Street, Carmel

Thai Castle is a hidden gem in Carmel, as the location is unassuming, but once you locate it, the food is delicious. This is authentic Thai cuisine, with varying levels of heat and properly proportioned plates, so do not plan to share dishes. If spicy and diverse is your kid’s jam, go for the regular menu. If not, there is a dedicated kid’s menu for more delicate preferences.

Woody’s Library Restaurant

40 E. Main Street, Carmel

Housed in the historic Andrew Carnegie Library, this American fare restaurant and pub has a family friendly ambience. The inside is decorated with bookshelves and lots of wood, giving it a really cozy feel. There is also a fish tank my kids love to check out when we visit. They have large kid’s menus and dessert menus, so everyone finds something they enjoy!

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