Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

5 of the Best Arcade Bars in America

By

The video arcade isn’t quite what it used to be — or is it? More people are gaming at home these days, teaming up with folks from around the country and world via the power of the web. But there are still quite a few arcade bar, the entertaining mashup of nostalgic video game culture and hooch.

The beauty of the arcade bar is hands-on activity. The bar side of the coin encourages socializing and engagement. The arcade side spawns competitive bouts between your favorite pals or fellow gamers you just met. And the stakes can be quite high when you’re contemplating going with Sub-Zero or Johnny Cage for that next Mortal Kombat battle—the next round’s not going to buy itself.

Recommended Videos

Ground Kontrol

Ground Kontrol
Ashley Anderson

Portland, Oregon’s Ground Kontrol touts itself as the West Coast’s premier classic arcade. It’s tough to argue with the claim, given a lineup of games that includes everything from Asteroids and Bubble Bobble to Shinobi and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. There’s also plenty of pinball and often DJs spinning retro jams. Oh, and it’s Portland, so there’s an impressive cocktail list and some local draft beer to enjoy while trying to remember a cheat code.

Related

Button Mash

button mash
Button Mash/Facebook

Set on L.A.’s iconic Sunset Boulevard, Button Mash brings Double Dragon, NBA Jam, Frogger, Tron, and more to the Angelino Heights and Echo Park hoods of the city’s east side. The food is surprisingly good, with offerings like double-fried tamarind chicken wings and spicy Korean cold noodles. And with about a dozen brews on draft, a healthy can selection, and even a few wines, a quick game or two can easily turn into an entire quarter-dropping evening.

Up-Down

Up-Down
Up-Down

The Twin Cities is home to Up-Down, an expansive joint with fifty arcade games from the 80s and 90s, skee-ball, and colossal Jenga and Connect Four sets. As a nod to the thriving Midwest craft beer scene, the place boasts 60 draft beers and pizza for grub. A few of its best games include Battletoads, NFL Blitz ’99, and Punch Out. The small Up-Down chain includes sibling spots in St. Louis, Nashville, Milwaukee, Kansas City, and Des Moines.

Two-Bit’s Retro Arcade

Two-Bits Retro Arcade
Two-Bit’s Retro Arcade

The Barcade franchise in New York City is perfectly fine but the harder-to-find games are found at Two-Bit’s. This Lower East Side establishment has late-night tempters like Big Buck HD but also treasures like Spy Hunter and After Burner. Better still, plenty of booze (including some sake), simple but satisfying snacks, and daily specials. It’s perfectly dive-y and there’s a good chance an old Simpsons episode will be playing on the projector.

Pinballz

Pinballz
Pinballz Arcade/Facebook

Austin, Texas has a surprising number of arcade options. Pinballz is among the best, fit with a wonderfully casual BYOB policy at its original location. There are 80‘s themed nights, live bands, and weekly specials if the largest collection of new and classic pinball machines in the state isn’t quite enough for you. At their Buda location, there’s even a German-inspired beer garden. The three Texas locations are also some of the relatively few arcade bars that are family-friendly, with distractions like bumper cars and laser mazes keeping the kids busy while you work on besting your top scores. 

Editors' Recommendations

Mark Stock
Mark Stock
Contributor
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
The 5 best kegerators for the perfect pint at home in 2024
Fresh beer is better beer. Now, you can have cold draft beer at home or on the go with your own personal beer keg setup.
best kegerator on amazon

Canned and bottled beer is good, especially if you pour it into a glass, but if you want a more authentic, draft-like experience, kegerators are the way to go. Unlike your average beer fridge, a kegerator is explicitly designed to hold kegs of beer. The best kegerators for the perfect pint at home are about the size of a large mini-fridge and work perfectly in a man cave, finished basement bar, on an outdoor patio, or even in your garage. You load your keg by hooking it up to the tap, and off you go. You'll be pouring chilled drafts of your favorite beer in no time.
The best kegerators in 2024

Buy the for one of the best kegerators overall from a reliable brand.
Buy the if you want to save a few bucks.
Buy the if you want a countertop-friendly option.
Buy the tap system if you want a portable option for camping or your RV.
Buy the if you want to stick to cans and bottles with a nitro-style draft pour.

Read more
From Seattle to Miami, drink up at the very best bars in all of America
Where does one go in America for the very best bar experience? These 23 joints, turns out
Platform 18 Centrury Grand Phoenix

Sometimes, the job of a drinks writer is harder than others. Selecting the best bars in America, for example, is no small task. There are so, so many choices, and so many of them have a lot of positives going for them.

But the very best of the bunch are great because they provide a little bit of everything. The spaces are inviting, and they have the best cocktails, the best wine, and the best beer selection, and quite simply, you never want to leave. Our list is a nice collection of all kinds of watering holes, from newly devised spots with clever approaches to longstanding joints with a proven reputation.

Read more
5 easy drinks to order at a bar when it’s a really busy night
The drinks to order at a bar when it's really busy
Happy friends clinking glasses with fresh cocktails in bar

For some, New Year's Eve might be one of the only nights of the year you get to get dressed up and go out to cut loose. Aside from the obligatory safety precautions, we'd like to offer up a short list of fun and easy drinks to order at just about any bar that doesn't consider an ATM as an 'amenity.'

Forget the Long Island Iced Tea, or whatever canned cocktail nonsense your friend has been boasting about. These are five simple drinks that will make you look and feel like a cultured connoisseur and not tick off your bartender all at the same time. (And on any busy bar night, you want your bartender to be your friend.)

Read more