Restaurants with play areas.

Iguana Joe's on west lake Houston pkwy has a nice outdoor play area.

The Cedar has an outdoor playground.

@jerseygal : Thanks! Just had lunch there yesterday. The food is mediocre at best, but at least we were relaxed in eating it.

If eating out with a 3 year old is challenging, you're doing something wrong.
Lately when we go out to eat, if we hear screaming kids we ask to be seated as far away from them as we can get.
Eating out is a treat and should be enjoyed without disruptive behavior from anyone (once we had to ask a middle aged man to please lower his voice & the management both apologized and thanked us for addressing him).
Yes, a little baby is going to cry and that's understandable, but if it's continuous and loud, the parent should respect others dining and step outside/away until the infant calms down. A toddler should be taught and disciplined to behave appropriately in a restaurant or any public place.
You can't even grocery shop anymore without children running and screaming through the aisles or having a fit if they don't get what they want, while the parent seems oblivious.
On the other hand, thank you for asking about playgrounds in restaurants. Letting them play is much better than ruining other customers' outing.

@ChloeW : They can be taught but it starts in the beginning. We took our son all the time. I only remember one time we got our food to go because he was getting loud and it was a steak house where people were paying good money to eat. As a small child, he wanted to play at McDonalds but not eat there.

@Grika : food is ok but eating outside by the playground with a margarita has its advantages. Lol.

Great to have options

@ChloeW : Do you have children?

Haven't been to iguana joes since the health department thing years ago.

@eighteen : Yes. And they are well behaved, But if they weren't we would go outside.

@Grika : I've got twins, a boy and girl, 5 years old. It is a challenge. I think it unrealistic to think that a toddler would simply sit as an adult at a table. I discipline and teach them to respect others but a toddler can only be a toddler. With that said, Grika, where'd you end up going? How was it?

@ChloeW : Girls?

@eighteen : Girls???
The gender makes no difference. You teach your children the same no matter male or female.

@ChloeW : Makes a huge difference! Anyone who has raised boys, or has raised both boys and girls can tell you.This video cracks me up! S/O to all the Moms & Dads with challenging children.

@ eighteen: I have raised both boys and girls. Yes there is a difference in many ways, but not with discipline and teaching appropriate behavior. If parents dismiss little boys' unruly actions by saying, "Oh well, boys will be boys", that is wrong and teaches them there are no consequences for misbehaving.
Parents have to start when their children are young. Unfortunately some are too lazy or ignorant to actually raise a child to become a good and productive adult.
Just go to any store (especially Walmart) and you can hear them screaming and see them running up & down the aisles, which is why I don't patronize any Walmart.