A review of 8 family friendly restaurants in Steamboat Springs, CO
We gave each restaurant a “twig rating” instead of stars. 5 twigs is the highest score.
If you’re curious when we went to all the restaurants below, be sure to check out our post on our daily itinerary while we were in Steamboat Springs, CO.
Mountain Tap Brewery
Good beer & Popcorn, plus nice outdoor patio
Mountain Tap Brewery
Mountain Tap Brewery was one of the first dining stops in Steamboat Springs. It is located right downtown on Yampa Street, which runs along the Yampa River.
It is a craft beer brewery with wood-fired cuisine, including great pizza options. We stopped for a quick snack and a beer (maybe 2 or 3, depending on the person đ ) after a day of hiking so we cannot speak too much to the menu items but the appetizers we had were all delicious.
The kids and adults enjoyed the popcorn as a light and easy appetizer. Katie (a vegetarian), LOVED the chickpea salad. We treated our kids to the root beer, later realizing it was $4 a can – eek! The atmosphere was great- family friendly with an open-air layout providing good seating options indoors or out. The weather was great so were able to sit outside under an umbrella-covered picnic table, providing shade to those who wanted it (basically everybody but Justin the sun-worshipper). The outdoor dining area was fairly large and provided great people-watching along the sidewalk. Highchairs were available and the service was great. Dogs were able to be tied-up just outside of the dining area.
Definitely recommend as a place to stop for a quick snack or a yummy wood-fired pizza with or without kids.
Dude & Dan’s
The most family Friendly + Arcade upstairs
Dude & Dans is a bar and grill in downtown Steamboat Springs on Lincoln Avenue. This was one of the most family-friendly restaurants that we visited. Our husbands stopped here for a drink one afternoon and they were persuaded to come back for the happy hour and have dinner with the families. (Note: happy hour is only offered at the bar, which was not the impression given earlier).
A shelf of kids toys and games kept them occupied while we ate dinner. We had fed the kids at home prior to leaving home on this night, so we were able to get by with just ordering them one meal to share. Additionally, there was an arcade upstairs for the kids (and adults). We went up there for the kids, and the dads got into a competitive game of âbubble hockeyâ. The menu has traditional bar fare but we all enjoyed our meals, good salads! Indoor seating only.
Taco Cabo
Authentic and yummy. Unique outdoor dining along the river.
Taco Cabo came highly recommended. It is an authentic Mexican restaurant along the Yampa River in downtown Steamboat Springs. It recently moved locations due to growing size. The front of the building looks like a house. You can order inside at the counter, choose your seats, and a server will bring out the food. The backyard has outdoor tables and a separate walk-up bar. The kids enjoyed playing in the sand area while we waited for our food. The outdoor space felt cozy yet authentic. The view and sound of the river from the back patio is exceptional.
We went to Taco Cabo on a Sunday afternoon and it was very busy and took a while to get our food, after a long wait in line to order. At times when we walked by, the line to order would be out the door. Donât go if youâre in a hurry. However, the business speaks to how much people love their food!
Salt + Lime
Hands-down favorite food of the trip
Salt + Lime
Salt + Lime was one of the favorite restaurants this trip. It is located in downtown Steamboat with a great happy hour! We struggled with wanting to go back to Salt + Lime versus checking out new restaurants in Steamboat Springs. This restaurant describes their food as a âtwist on modern mexicanâ with a lot of unique tacos to choose from. The atmosphere is vibrant and cool. The menu has great options for everyone but if you canât decide, order a few different things to share. Aside from their food, the margaritas are fantastic. And if youâre taking a trip with your kids, you deserve a margarita, get the margarita!
The upstairs outdoor dining area is where we ate dinner and it was wonderful. On the upper deck, you are surrounded by the awesome Steamboat mountain views with a coastal vibe, plus a screen awning provided for a bit of shade. The tables were equipped with crayons and fun children’s menus for kids to color on.
We got to Salt + Lime early enough in the evening to be able to take advantage of some of the happy hour specials, which were a really good deal and allowed us to save some money that night.
Definitely recommend this restaurant as a must-do while in Steamboat Springs!
Steamboat Springs, CO
Yampa Valley Sandwich CO
On-the-go SANDWICHES & DELICIOUS cookies
Yampa Valley Sandwich Company
Yampa Valley Sandwich Company has âmade to order from scratchâ breakfast and sandwich items. This isn’t a sit-down restaurant but is a great option for a quick bite while youâre on the go. We scoped this place out while we were shopping one afternoon and decided it would make an easy lunch for our trip to Pearl Lake the next day. It is located downtown and was conveniently right on our way out of town. Online ordering for pickup on our way out of town was convenient. This worked great and provided an easy, no-fuss meal for a picnic at the lake. (Note: the sandwiches are wrapped in paper and can be a little messy – but yummy!). If you stop here, get cookies for the kids and yourself (especially if you have a sweet tooth like Sara who didnât want to share with her kids). The shop opens up early in case you’re looking for a quick and easy breakfast option – it looked good. The downside: itâs not cheap. Two âbuild-your-ownâ sandwiches cost about $20 total, but they were all tasty (except for Justinâs, which got dropped in the sand at Pearl Lake before he could have a bite!)
**We did not order food for the kids here – we made them PB & Jâs at home and packed in our cooler.
Blue sage pizza
Just Okay.
We ordered Blue Sage Pizza our first night in Steamboat Springs for an easy meal.
They delivered, which was nice. The pizza was only okay and was expensive for what it was. It served our purpose, but we probably wouldnât order again.
Slopeside Grill
Can’t beat the outdoor atmosphere!
Slopeside Gril
Slopeside is located in the mountain village with a creek flowing in its backyard at the base of the ski hill. We went to Slopeside two different nights (see itinerary) because we couldnât resist the laid back, family-friendly atmosphere. The restaurant had live music on the outdoor lawn both nights that we visited. The outdoor patio is a good size, with umbrellas shading the tables. The patio has views of the creek, Burgess Beach (which locals call âthe beachâ) and the mountains. If you have the ability to wait for an outside table, do that – they donât accept reservations. (Tip: get there early, put your name in for a table, walk down to the creek and let the kids play. *Pack a change of clothes because they will get wet. Slopeside will text you when the table is ready. *ALL members of the party must be present in order to be seated when your table is ready)
It seemed too good to be true, but the adults were able to sit outside enjoying a meal and conversation while the kids ran and played in the grassy lawn near our table. As parents, we couldnât help but commenting throughout our entire meal how awesome the atmosphere was. Kids were happy, parents were happy!
In addition to a great atmosphere, the food was delicious too – we liked the pizza, the boys liked the wings. The menu is large and has options for everyone. One negative was the price of a kidâs meal – $10/kids meal seemed a little pricey for what it was. We learned this the hard way when the kids barely ate and we wasted $20 on each of our bills. Rather than spend $10 for a kidâs chicken nugget meal, we fed the kids at home prior to going out for dinner on our second visit. By feeding the kids ahead of time, they were able to play and not be reminded to sit down and eat and behave. (âremindedâ might be a nice way of wording that – if you know what I mean?). Overall, this place deserves an A+.
See our post talking more about the mountain village area.
Timber and Torch
Happy Hour drinks along Burgess Beach = Happy kids & happy adults
Timber and Torch is a relatively new restaurant to the Steamboat Springs Mountain Village area. The atmosphere looked like everything we get excited about – string lights, rustic/industrial vibe, outdoor patio, nice decor and specialty cocktails. Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed for a private event on the night we planned to eat here so we werenât able to try the food.
There is also a walk-up outdoor bar with a limited menu. We didnât order food but did take advantage the happy hour drinks, which could be taken anywhere within the designated area that included areas alongside the creek. There were some tables near the bar but we chose to sit in the red adirondack chairs along the water and watch our kids play. Even if you arenât able to eat here, it was a fun place to stop for a drink at the base of the ski hill.
Kid-Friendly Hikes and Outdoor Activities in Steamboat Springs
One Day in Rocky Mountain National Park + Grand Lake, CO
Why Steamboat / How We Chose Lodging
Our Daily Itinerary
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