The Full Moon Hotel is a bayside pub with a playground in Sandgate, just across the road from the ocean.

Looking for more venues like this? Check out my full guide to Brisbane Pubs with Playgrounds – I’ll be adding more as I visit them.

Here’s my full review of The Full Moon Hotel.

The Full Moon Hotel

Just outside Sandgate town centre and fairly unassuming from the outside, The Full Moon Hotel is a wonderful surprise once you walk in. The interiors are light, fresh and modern, with an eye-catching round bar at the centre of the pub. It’s reminiscent of an upmarket gastropub in London – and it might just be my favourite Brisbane pub with a playground so far.

With glimpses of ocean views through the trees, you’ll be tempted to sit on the large outside deck. But the interior is really the highlight here. As well as tables and chairs, there are cosy nooks with sofas and armchairs – perfect for enjoying coffee and cake.

A number of bar areas, an indoor play area, bottle shop and function facilities complete the venue.

Outside on the street is a small dog-friendly area with a few tables – perfect for bringing your pup after a run on Sandgate beach.

Looking for more places to take your dog? Try Straddie!

Parking, unfortunately, is a shocker. There’s a small car park onsite with nowhere near enough spaces for a venue this size. Street parking is available around the pub but it fills quickly at busy times.

The Food

The menu is interesting and well-executed. Seafood is a specialty here – how tempting is a cold beer and a bucket of prawns overlooking the ocean on a hot day? Pub favourites sit alongside more interesting options like Sri Lankan curry and chicken with chestnuts. The kids meals are huge and could easily be shared.

There’s a separate café-style counter with an array of temping cakes on display.

Speaking of cakes – have you been to Jocelyn’s Provisions? Read more about that here.

The Playground

Tucked away in a surreptitious corner inside the pub is the kids play area – a unique setup, as most pub playgrounds are outdoors. This indoor setting is great news for parents, especially when it comes to sun safety and rainy days.

The playground has a “treehouse” theme, with a model tree (which, unfortunately, can’t be climbed), a swinging bench, cubby kitchen, some floor games like giant Connect 4 and Jenga, and a few arcade video games where you can play classics like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man. The games machines are free, but there are only a few, so the kids might have to wait for a turn.

The play area is small and doesn’t offer as much as some of the other pubs with playgrounds we’ve visited, but it should be enough to keep the kids entertained while you enjoy your meal.

One downside is that, because the play area is hidden in a corner, there aren’t many tables near it. This is a large, busy pub, so if you’re not sitting right beside the playground, you won’t be able to see it – which makes keeping an eye on the kids difficult.

The Full Moon Hotel – Final Thoughts

The Full Moon Hotel is a beautiful, modern pub complex with interesting food, a lovely ambience and great setting – it might be my favourite so far.

The play area is small and hidden, so it’s not ideal for families who want easy visibility – but it’s a solid option for a bayside outing.

Plan Your Visit

The Full Moon Hotel is located in Sandgate, a 25 minute drive from central Brisbane.

Parking is limited.

Bookings are recommended, especially if you’d like a table near the playground.

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