Has anyone else noticed the number of bars and restaurants that are catering to families with kids? Once upon a time, Fish Tales was one of the few places where parents could venture out to enjoy dinner and drinks while the kids played to their hearts content on the on-site playground. While Fish Tales remains one of our go-to spots for a family night out, we are thrilled to see the likes of de Lazy Lizard, Dead Freddies, Ropewalk, and Bethany Boathouse joining the mix. Of course Dead Freddies has been catering to the little ones for several years now, but their recent overhaul is taking family fun up a notch with a new playground AND an impressive mix of water activities to enjoy before or after dinner. We caught up with the owners/partners of Dead Freddies this week to learn a little more about the recent developments at the 64th Street bayside dining spot.
“Feedback has been incredible. Parents love that they can relax and enjoy a great meal on their vacation while the kids play and have fun in an area where they can easily keep an eye on them. Best yet, both playgrounds are right on the water.”
The new addition this year includes an entirely new section of the restaurant, which features an 80-seat waterfront family beach dining area with a playground. To boot, that means there are now two playgrounds for kids to enjoy, one for the younger kids and one for the older kids.
“We have worked hard to earn a position within the town as a restaurant that truly does focus on being family-friendly. We have children. We like to enjoy dinner out with our children. We wanted parents to have a place that is not primarily a bar, where they can take their kids and not only feel comfortable, but know it was made for them to enjoy with the whole family.”
Which is precisely where the idea for the water activities came from. Water activities include aqua bikes, pedal boats, paddleboards, and kayaks for families to enjoy before or after a meal at Dead Freddies. “People seem to really love the pedal boats and the aqua bikes because they can take them out on the water and (most times) not even get wet. It allows them to spend some family time on the water while they are here at Dead Freddies, then stay for a great meal.”
So what’s next for the ever-expanding restaurant? “This year, the focus was on opening the new playground and waterfront family beach dining area, as well as opening our watersports offerings. For the remainder of the summer, we will be offering a new free valet parking service. We have expanded our parking and want to make it easy for families to access the restaurant without a need to drive around looking for a place to park during peak busy times. We hope that people will take advantage of that free service and choose to dine with us.”
If you’ve ever attempted to park far from a restaurant with your small army of hungry kids in tow, then you know how great on-site parking can be. Add in waterfront dining, fun activities, and two playgrounds and you’ve got yourself a one-stop-shop for family fun. Next stop for us? A ride on those aqua bikes!
