Booked the kids area at Coogee Pavilion, five adults, three kids. From the street it looks like any other beachside pub, nothing gives away what’s actually inside.
The play area
Walk further in and there’s a proper indoor play space, artificial turf, a little green cubby house with a serving hatch built into the front, wooden blocks and soft play shapes scattered everywhere for building. Sign near the entrance lays out the rules, everyone’s welcome, say please and thank you, play nice, take turns. Reads like something a parent wrote after one too many playground disputes elsewhere.
Lego table and the screening room
Past that there’s a proper Lego table with a full-sized Lego soldier figure mounted on the wall above it, drum and all. Further along again is a small theatrette, cushioned bench seating either side, a TV playing something nature-documentary-ish on the wall. Kids were flat on their stomachs watching it when we walked past, completely checked out from everything else going on.
Ping pong table downstairs too, worn orange top, definitely seen some use.
The food
Ordered the 1kg T-bone, worth the 45 minute wait, medium rare, good char on the outside, properly tender through the middle. Prosciutto pizza was solid too, thin base out of what looks like a proper wood oven, prosciutto piled on generously. The cuttlefish starter on sourdough was the standout of the table honestly, soft, well seasoned, gone before anyone thought to take a photo of it.
There’s a kids menu too, so nobody’s stuck ordering off the adult board for a fussy eater.
Upstairs
Three levels total. Didn’t make it up top ourselves, but the top floor is meant to have a rooftop bar with sea views if you want a drink without the kids in tow. Word going round locally is a fairly famous Taiwanese pop star has eaten here before, unverified, but the food’s good enough that it’s not hard to believe.
Worth booking
Genuinely solved the usual problem of adults wanting to sit and eat while kids want to run around. Book the kids area in advance if you can, it fills up. Address is 169 Dolphin Street, Coogee.
More indoor and rainy-day options in our Melbourne playground and indoor play reviews if you’re after something similar closer to home.