Themed Restaurants on Long Island for Family-Friendly Dining

Family-friendly restaurants on Long Island are a great place to make unforgettable memories with kids, and many have fun themes or interactive experiences the whole family can enjoy together. From haunted hamburger houses to shipwreck diners to cotton candy desserts, we’ve rounded up the best themes and unique restaurant fun Long Island has to offer.

Check out our Family-Friendly Long Island Restaurant Guide for more kid-friendly spots to dine, including where kids eat free and more.

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Family-Friendly Themed Restaurants in Nassau County

1. Haunted House of Hamburgers – Farmingdale

This year-round Halloween-themed restaurant serves up a spooky time for the whole family. Grab a photo on your way in with the Frankenstein statue eating a burger on the bench. Kids can dine off the little haunters menu while parents can enjoy burgers, appetizers, and vampire bite cocktails in this spot’s ghostly, glowing atmosphere!

2. The Clubhouse – Bellmore

This tropical-themed restaurant offers the feel of an island daycation for the family. The kids can enjoy the lit-up palm trees and play games in the sand along the south shore canal after eating. Parents can relax with food and a drink with sunset views and live music to add to the festive atmosphere at this cash-only destination.

3. Buckram Stables Cafe – Locust Valley

Equestrian-obsessed kids will enjoy a visit to this charming restaurant in Locust Valley. Sit in one of the booths designed to look like horse stalls to enjoy the upscale pub-style food. Admire the artwork of famous racehorses and other stable-themed memorabilia that line the walls.

4. Hilbrandt’s – Williston Park

A visit to this nostalgic ice cream parlor and eatery that dates back to the roaring 1920s will transport kids to another time. The charming neighborhood soda shop with old-fashioned stools serves homemade ice cream treats and an expansive menu of diner fare the whole family will love.

5. The Witches Brew – West Hempstead

Take the kids to this cafe for a “spell” of spooky fun. The restaurant has been a cozy neighborhood favorite with a vegan and non-vegan menu for years. The eclectic, goth vibe and decor will especially be a hit with the teens.

6. Uncle Bacala’s – Garden City Park

This popular, family-friendly neighborhood restaurant serves traditional Italian and seafood dishes like your family. They offer a children's menu for those 12 and younger. Kids and adults alike delight in the restaurant’s carnival theme ending to the meal, which involves free cotton candy for everyone!

7. The Milleridge Inn – Jericho

Historical Milleridge Inn is one of the oldest restaurants in operation in the U.S. With a past dating back to colonial times, the destination will wow history-buff kids and entertain the whole family with an adjoining, adorable village with shops, a bakery, and an ice cream parlor. The Milleridge Inn celebrates big with holiday decor, festivals, and special events.

8. Benihana – Westbury, Manhasset

Benihana offers the family a unique dining experience as a hibachi restaurant. Kids 12 and younger can choose a meal from the children’s menu while donning a Benihana kids hat. The whole family will love watching the food expertly cooked in front of them at the fun restaurant setup.

9. Chuck E. Cheese – Various Locations

Kid-centric restaurant chain Chuck E. Cheese delights little ones with games and rides while parents can appreciate the budget-friendly menu. Pizza-loving kids can choose toppings for the family. The mouse-themed arcade cards get the kids unlimited play for a certain amount of time.

Family-Friendly Themed Restaurants in Suffolk County

10. Maureen’s Kitchen – Smithtown

Maureen’s Kitchen is a family-run, adorably cow-themed restaurant so popular that folks line up to eat. The cash-only spot offers generous portions and an expansive menu with kid-friendly breakfast and lunch options that will have the whole family “udderly” satisfied and coming back for more.

11. Northport Shipwreck Diner – Northport

This historical 100-year-old diner is a former dining car from an old trolley that rolled into Northport in 1924. Kids and adults will love checking out the nautical memorabilia that line the walls of this small but mighty restaurant. The family-friendly diner menu has something for everyone, with patio seating perfect for nice weather. 

12. JBBQ & Shabu Shabu – Various locations

This interactive Japanese dining spot lets the family become the chefs. The self-grilling, hot pot restaurant offers all-you-can-eat meat and vegetable options to cook over a griddle or in broth. The unique meal experience is best for older kids and teens.

13. 8-Bit Bites – Centereach

Calling all parents of gamers - this fast food restaurant chain newly opened on Long Island brings 80s and 90s video game nostalgia to new heights. Grab a smash burger, chicken wings, and one of the signature shakes while teaching your kid the finer skills of classic arcade games in this gaming oasis.

14. Kerber’s Farm – Huntington

A visit to Kerber’s Farm is an experience the whole family will love. Order your meals from the counter inside at this kid-friendly venue and find a spot outside on the property to enjoy your food and the fantastic farm setting. The kids will love the farm’s adorable residents, which include chicks, chickens, ducks, sheep, and pigs.

15. Cowfish – Hampton Bays

This kid-friendly East End seafood restaurant offers a great children’s menu and patio seating with beautiful canal views. Parents can relax outside with food and drinks while the kids enjoy the seaside fun theme with a wooden pirate ship play area.

16. Bridgehampton Candy Kitchen – Bridgehampton

If you are on the East End with the family, Bridgehampton Candy Kitchen is a sweet spot to take the kids for a meal. This family-owned, cash-only enchanting ice cream parlor and eatery has been a staple on Main Street since 1925. Enter an old-fashioned soda shop experience to enjoy breakfast or lunch and stay for a scoop or two of their homemade ice cream.