Yard House - Cincinnati (The Banks)
Rating
Family of 4
Roughly $75-$120 for two adult entrees and two kids meals with drinks, plus $10-$20 for garage parking at The Banks.
Duration
1-2 hours
Best Ages
5-17
About
Yard House sits on Freedom Way in the heart of The Banks, wedged between Great American Ball Park and Paycor Stadium, which tells you most of what you need to know about the vibe. It is big, it is loud, and on a game day it is packed. That combination is actually a plus with kids.
Nobody is going to notice your four year old narrating his chicken tenders, and the wall of televisions means there is always something to look at when the food takes a few extra minutes.
The menu is broad American gastropub food, which is a practical advantage when you are feeding a group that wants four different things. There is a dedicated kids menu, and the adult entree portions are large enough that a family with younger kids can reasonably split. Check the current menu on the Yard House site before you go, since offerings and pricing change.
Logistically, this is one of the easier downtown Cincinnati restaurants to do with a stroller. The Banks is new construction, so the sidewalks are wide and flat, the entrance is at street level, and the dining room has room to maneuver between tables outside of peak hours. Changing table availability is not something we can confirm, so bring your own changing pad if you have a baby along.
There is patio seating out front when the weather cooperates, which is the better choice with a toddler because you get more air and less noise.
The real reason to put this on your list is location. Smale Riverfront Park is a two minute walk south, and the PNC Grow Up Great Adventure Playground there is among the free play spaces in the city, with the tree house structures, the rope net, the piano steps, and the carousel. Dinner here followed by an hour at the park is a clean, low stress evening in downtown Cincinnati, and you only park once.
Timing matters more here than at most restaurants. If the Reds or the Bengals are playing, the entire block changes character about two hours before first pitch or kickoff, and both the wait and the parking rates jump. A weekday late lunch or an early weekend dinner around 4:30 is the sweet spot.
Put your name in through the app before you walk over, ask for a booth in the dining room rather than a high-top near the bar, and you will get an easy meal in a part of town that is otherwise hard to eat in with kids.
Age Suitability
Parent Logistics
Stroller-Friendly
Yes
Nursing / Changing
Unknown
Kid Meals
Available
Setting
Indoor & Outdoor
Rainy Day
Great option!
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
Late lunch on a weekday, or 4:30-5:30 PM on weekends before the dinner rush and before any Reds or Bengals crowd arrives
Wait Times
45-90 min on game days and weekend evenings, usually under 15 min on weekday afternoons
Nearby Food
You are in the middle of The Banks, so the block is dense with options. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar is the closest alternative and skews lighter and brighter for breakfast or lunch. There are ice cream and quick-serve counters along Freedom Way, and Smale Riverfront Park is a short walk if you want to grab something portable and eat outside while the kids run.
Why Kids Love It
The dining room is wrapped in giant TV screens showing whatever game is on, so kids who would normally get restless have something to watch the whole meal. The soaring ceiling and the wall of taps behind the bar make it feel like an event rather than a regular dinner. Best of all, it sits a two minute walk from Smale Riverfront Park, so the promise of the playground and the swings right after dinner keeps everyone reasonably patient.
Pro Tips from Parents
- Put your name in through the Yard House app or call ahead before you leave the hotel. On game nights the wait list gets long fast and you can burn the wait time at the riverfront park instead of standing in the lobby.
- Ask for a booth along the perimeter rather than a high-top. Booths corral toddlers and the perimeter is noticeably quieter than the center of the room.
- The bar area is the loudest part of the restaurant and adult-oriented. Ask to be seated in the dining room, and confirm the current policy on minors near the bar when you check in.
- Time your visit around Smale Riverfront Park. Dinner here plus the PNC Grow Up Great Adventure Playground and the carousel makes a complete evening without moving the car.
- Portions on the adult entrees run large. Two adult plates split four ways works for families with younger kids who do not need a full kids meal.
What to Bring
- A stroller you do not mind parking beside the table, since the dining room is roomy but tables fill in tightly at peak
- Headphones or a quiet activity for noise-sensitive kids, since this is a loud room by design
- A light layer for the walk down to the riverfront after dinner
- Your own changing pad, since changing table availability is not confirmed
- A card for parking, as most Banks garages are card or app based
Cost Info
Estimated Cost (Family of 4)
Roughly $75-$120 for two adult entrees and two kids meals with drinks, plus $10-$20 for garage parking at The Banks.
Check the menu and garage rates for current pricing.
Tips to Save
- Eat before or after a Reds or Bengals game rather than during the pre-game window, when both the wait and the parking rates spike.
- Kids meals come with a side and a drink, so skip the separate appetizer round.
- Street or garage parking a few blocks north on Second or Third Street is usually cheaper than the lots closest to the stadiums, and the walk is flat and short.
