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It’s Friday night, and the group chat is buzzing. One friend is craving a platter of wings, while another has been waiting to crack open a beer since 5 PM. But the one thing that everyone can agree on is that they don’t want to just sit around a table again — that’s only a hit in the sitcoms.
Luckily, NYC is packed with bars that serve fun on tap, giving you more engaging options than the typical bar scene. So whether you’re into shooting space invaders or shooting pool, this list has you covered.
What Makes a Great Gaming Bar?
When putting together this list, we looked for a few different things.
Group and solo activities: Sometimes you want to play with friends, other times you want to fly solo. Apart from Electric Shuffle, each destination offers both group and single-player activities, so you can wind down alone or invite some pals to join you.
Food options: Since people tend to spend a decent chunk of time at gaming spots, we wanted to make sure each location serves food in addition to their drinks. While some of these establishments keep their snacks on the lighter side, they’ll all keep you fed as you work your way up the leaderboard.
Walk-in friendly: None of these bars require a reservation. Every spot on this list welcomes walk-ins, and at Anytime and Space, the hourly table rate is something you pay when you arrive, not a booking you make in advance. Advance reservations only come into play for larger groups (7+ at Anytime, 8+ at Space, 10+ at Barcade) or at Electric Shuffle, where booking ahead is the only way to guarantee you’ll get to play.
Here’s where we landed.
| Best For | Vibe | Food | |
| Barcade | Genuine classic arcade games and pinball machines | Laidback, nostalgic, casual | Standard bar fare and entrées (Williamsburg has a mix of vegan and meaty bar snacks) |
| The Uncommons | Popular and indie board games, tabletop, and card games | Homey, charming, community-based | Light snacks and pastries |
| Anytime Bar & Billiards | Casual pool, darts, and boxing machines | Upbeat, low-key, relaxed | Korean BBQ cups and classic bar food with an Asian twist |
| Space Ping Pong | Vibey, neon-lit table tennis | Cool, chill, underground | Bar bites and loaded pizzas |
| Electric Shuffle | Modern shuffleboard with all the bells and whistles | Social, competitive, energetic | Shareable plates, sliders, salads, pizza |
Best for Classic Arcade & Pinball: Barcade
Barcade’s classic arcade games are on full display in the genuine cabinets and old-school pinball machines that fill each location. These aren’t modern emulators either — Barcade has lovingly restored and maintained original gaming machines from the ’80s and ’90s, so all the old classics available to play are the real deal, from Anteaters to X-Men. And if you get a high score, you’ll even be featured on their website.
The arcade and pinball machines are token-based, and each token costs only a quarter. Since the games cost only 1–3 tokens each, you get a decent amount of bang for your buck.
Barcade has four locations in NYC, including spots in the East Village, Financial District, Chelsea, and Williamsburg. Each location also has its own events; for example, the Brooklyn location hosts a Smash Bros tournament the second Wednesday of every month, while the Financial District location has Dollar Wing Saturdays. All locations boast a sizable rotating menu of craft beers, as well as wines, cocktails, zero-proof options, and hearty bar fare.
Groups of 10+ can make reservations, and you can book any location for your own party or event if you don’t want to share game time with strangers.
Locations & Hours
Williamsburg — 388 Union Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
- Mon–Thu: 4 PM – 2 AM
- Fri: 4 PM – 4 AM
- Sat: 12 PM – 4 AM
- Sun: 12 PM – 2 AM
Financial District — 10 Cortlandt St, Manhattan, NY 10007
- Mon–Thu: 12 PM – 12 AM
- Fri–Sat: 12 PM – 1 AM
- Sun: 12 PM – 11 PM
East Village — 6 St. Mark’s Place, Manhattan, NY 10003
- Daily: 2 PM – 2 AM
Chelsea — 148 West 24th St, Manhattan, NY 10011
- Mon–Thu: 2 PM – 2 AM
- Fri–Sat: 12 PM – 4 AM
- Sun: 12 PM – 2 AM
Pros
- Huge selection of affordable classic games and pinball machines
- No cover charge or table minimum — you can walk in and play for a few dollars without ordering anything
- Four locations means one is probably near you
- Wide variety of craft beer and mocktails available
Cons
- The East Village location doesn’t currently have pinball machines
- The music is loud enough that conversation can be a shouting match on busy nights
- Popular machines get queues on Friday and Saturday nights — weeknights are far more relaxed
Best for Board Games: The Uncommons
The Uncommons is a board game café nestled in the heart of Greenwich Village. Their entry fee of $15 per person ($10 for students on Mon–Thu) gets you a table and access to their full game collection, though you’ll be limited to three hours during peak times.
They have all the big-name games you’d expect, but they also go out of their way to find games from up-and-coming independent designers. They host events like indie designer demos, showcases, and launch parties, so you can be among the first to learn about new games. They also host Commander nights every Thursday at 6 PM for MTG fans.
Their beer menu is pretty impressive for a board game café, spanning 30+ rotating bottles of IPAs, ales, lagers, porters, stouts, ciders, and more. If your group includes wine people, they offer house red, rosé, and white wine by the glass, with a $10 corkage fee if you prefer to bring your own bottle. Espresso-based drinks, teas, and smoothies are also available, along with light snacks for munching between rounds.
Location & Hours
230 Thompson St, Manhattan, NY 10012
- Sun–Thu: 10 AM – 11 PM
- Fri–Sat: 10 AM – 12 AM
Pros
- One of the largest game libraries on the East Coast
- Opens at 10 AM, making it a rare daytime option on this list
- Free wi-fi and a private room available for parties
- Games are also for sale, so you can take home whatever you fell in love with
Cons
- Limited to three hours of play during busy periods
- Food menu is a bit limited
- The $15 door charge is the only cover on this list, and it’s on top of whatever you order
- Tables are on the small side — sprawling games can be a tight squeeze
Best for Pool: Anytime Bar & Billiards
While there are options like Society if your group is serious about pool and interested in joining a league, Anytime Bar & Billiards is the better pick if you just want to throw back a few beers and mess around on a pool table.
Table fees range from $25/hour for two people to $53/hour for six, with rates dropping as low as $19/hour during happy hour. In addition to their pool tables, Anytime also has boxing machines and darts ($10/30 minutes), along with a classic photo booth and a claw machine.
Anytime feels more like a well-appointed friend’s basement than a Midtown bar. The layout is spacious, with cozy booths and high-tops ringing the tables, big screens showing sports, and music that keeps the energy up without drowning out conversation.
The menu is packed with Korean street food, salads, burgers, and popular pub classics reimagined with an Asian twist. We definitely recommend the Chicken Mayo Cupbop, corn ribs, and nacho cheddar popcorn. Drink-wise, the curated cocktail menu includes a delicious Creamy Matcha Martini and a New York Sour with vegan foam. Stella Artois, Michelob Ultra, and Goose IPA are on tap. There are more choices for bottles, but Anytime doesn’t venture far into the realm of craft beer, unfortunately. House wines include red, white, rosé, and sparkling, and Chamisul Soju is available to complement the Korean fusion menu.
Location & Hours
112 W 30th St, 1st Floor, Manhattan, NY 10001
- Sun–Thu: 11 AM – 1 AM
- Fri–Sat: 11 AM – 2 AM
Pros
- Awesome food and cocktail menus that extend beyond traditional bar fare
- Happy hour runs 4–7 PM with reduced table rates and drink specials
- Plenty to do beyond pool: darts, beer pong, foosball, photo booth, claw machine
- Opens at 11 AM, so it works for an afternoon session
Cons
- Some dishes are a little on the expensive side
- Only three beers on draft
- Table fees stack on top of your food and drink tab
- The photo booth costs $8 for two copies
Best for Table Tennis: Space Ping Pong
With its dimly lit space illuminated by the glow of its many neon signs and ceiling (along with plentiful blacklight art), Space kind of feels more like a cool underground club and less like a traditional bar.
Table tennis is the main event at Space: Tables run $39/hour during off-peak periods and $49 during peak, with a one-hour minimum and every additional half hour at half price. You can also grab a membership for $365 per year, if you’re the kind of person who shows up with your own custom paddle. In addition to its ping pong tables, Space also features some arcade games and racing cabinets.
The expansive cocktail menu offers modern twists on classic recipes — for example, the $17 Space Mojito comes in lime, lychee, pomegranate, or yuzu. There are also themed cocktails like the Rally Refresher, which is made with bourbon, pistachio, and fresh mint. Beer, wine, champagne, and Korean liquor are also available.
Food-wise, Space offers typical bar bites like fries, cheese sticks, buffalo wings, and chicken tenders, but they also serve things like dumplings, spicy noodles, and homemade hummus. If you’re looking for something a little more filling, they also serve some loaded pizzas.
Location & Hours
22 W 32nd St, 8th Floor, Manhattan, NY 10001
- Mon–Thu: 5 PM – 3 AM
- Fri: 4 PM – 3 AM
- Sat–Sun: 2:30 PM – 3 AM
Pros
- Cool atmosphere and Instagram-friendly photo ops
- Open until 3 AM every night — the latest closing time on this list
- Right by Herald Square and the Empire State Building, with several subway lines close by
Cons
- Arcade options are limited and a little pricey
- Some Yelp reviewers have reported poor service (though Space’s management is proactive in responding to concerns)
- Peak-hour table rates hit $49/hour, the priciest per-hour play on this list
- Doesn’t open until 5 PM on weekdays
Best for Shuffleboard: Electric Shuffle
The shuffleboard revival may have come out of nowhere, but many bars have raced to capitalize on this unexpected trend. Among them is Electric Shuffle, a Koreatown bar-restaurant that ups the immersion of the typical lo-fi, old-school shuffleboard experience with interactive leaderboards guided by automatic digital scoring and slo-mo action replays. They have multiple shuffleboard games available, with the rules and objectives clearly laid out on-screen for beginners.
The drink menu includes over 25 beers and seltzers, including some craft options. Shareable drink buckets range from $35 (domestic beer bucket) to $75 (Topo Chico, tequila, limes, and Tajín). The cocktails menu is a little limited but covers the basics. The Poppi-based mocktail menu is even more limited, but includes a delicious Orange Creamsicle drink that tastes exactly like it sounds. Playing shuffleboard can make you work up an appetite, but Electric Shuffle has you covered with small plates, sharing platters, sliders, salads, and pizza.
This is the one spot on the list where booking ahead really matters: Walk-ins are welcome at the bar for food and drinks, but reserving is the only way to guarantee table time. Reservations come with some fun bonuses, too — after your session, you’ll receive some group photos and highlight videos of your most epic moments. You can book hour-long or 90-minute sessions for between 2 and 20 people, and special packages are often available for holidays and long weekends.
Location & Hours
44 W 30th St, Manhattan, NY 10001
- Mon–Thu: 3 PM – 11 PM
- Fri: 3 PM – 2 AM
- Sat: 12 PM – 2 AM
- Sun: 12 PM – 11 PM
Pros
- Live DJs on weekends
- Digital scoring and on-screen rules make it genuinely beginner-friendly
- Happy hour from 3–5 PM covers beer, wine, and pizza at reasonable prices
- Bottomless brunch packages available on weekends
Cons
- Food and drinks are a little pricey outside of happy hour
- Limited to 90-minute playing sessions
- Closes at 11 PM Sunday through Thursday — the earliest last call on this list
- Shuffleboard is the only game, and it’s a group activity, so solo visitors are out of luck
How to Plan Your Night Out
When the group chat is torn over where to go, get them to answer a few questions:
- Are they willing to pay table rates to play? If not, head to Barcade with a roll of quarters — that’ll keep your group buzzing for hours.
- Are they looking for a cerebral activity, or something more active? If they want to work their brains, The Uncommons has a ton of board and card game options. If they want to raise their heart rate, Space or Electric Shuffle are fantastic choices.
- Is an inventive food or drink menu a must? Anytime Bar & Billiards is sure to please with their Korean BBQ cups and yummy cocktails.
- Is anyone bringing a big group? Electric Shuffle handles up to 20 in a single booking, Barcade takes reservations at 10+, and Space can do full buyouts.
In a city as big and bustling as NYC, it’s impossible to list every single outstanding gaming bar. If the destinations on this list are too far a trek for you, look around your own area — you may just have the next big contender in your own neighborhood!