Ready to Level Up Your Drinking Experience? Get Your Game on at DC’s Best Arcade Bars

DMV establishments have ‘leveled up’ lately with a surge of arcade and game bars that have cropped up in the area. If you like drinking and games (that’s part of living the #FrayLife, right?), this list of modern hipster-y Dave & Buster’s is for you.  

From bowling to Pac-Man, Cards Against Humanity to checkers, mini golf to axe throwing, pool to shuffleboard, and Jenga to skeeball, there is literally a bar activity for every kind of game player inside and outside of the beltway. Take your adulting hat off for a minute and embrace your inner kid.

H Street Country Club

Photo Credit: H Street Country Club

Not your typical country club, this three-story bar has giant Jenga, shuffleboard, skee ball, and a delightfully cheeky District-themed mini-golf course ($9/person). With its nice rooftop and tasty tacos on the menu, this bar is definitely worth a visit.

Top Golf

You will need to travel a little outside the beltway for this one, but it’s worth the trip no matter your skill level (plus some locations have miniature golf courses). Practice your swing, have a beer, and definitely order the injectable donut holes.

The closest locations in the DMV are Alexandria, Loundon, Baltimore, National Harbor (coming soon), and Germantown.

Player’s Club

Photo Credit: Players Club DC

This space looks like an upscale version of a stereotypical 1970s basement. Can you see it? The orangey-brown, mustard-gold color palette, toned down wallpaper, ample wood paneling, and retro furniture? It’s like that, but they’ve made it cool by going all-out with the 70s theme. Player’s Club has foosball, pool tables, pinball, old-school arcade games, and more.  

#FrayLife Tip: They have an arrangement with Shake Shack upstairs where you can order burgers without having to leave the bar.

Pinstripes

Photo Credit: Washington.org

Reserve a bowling lane or bocce court at Pinstripes in Georgetown or Bethesda. There are a lot of cocktail, drink, and food choices (brunch, too!).

#FrayLife Tip: Keep in mind their locations are in Georgetown and Bethesda, so expect Georgetown and Bethesda prices.

Augment Arcade

Photo Credit: Vroom

The future of gaming is… in Shaw at Flash nightclub?  

No, that’s not a typo.  Or an episode of Black Mirror. Augment Arcade brings virtual reality to the bar where patrons can access this high-tech gaming trend for $20 a pop.  Employees are there to teach newbies how to use VR to shoot zombies or walk Google Earth–sky’s the (virtual) limit!

#FrayLife Tip: Double check their hours of operation.  Right now they are only open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Rocket Bar

This spot in Chinatown across the street from the Verizon Center has been around for a while. It’s an underground bar particularly popular on game days, so plan your visit accordingly. Take your pick of pool tables, darts, shuffleboard, and skeeball.

Penn Social

Photo Credit: Time Out

Whether you are watching games on their selection of giant screens or playing games yourself, Penn Social has a wide range of ways to play. They’ve got foosball, cornhole, skeeball, shuffleboard, board games, ping pong, Connect 4, and Pop-a-Shot to name a few, safe to say you won’t be bored for a moment!

#FrayLife Tip: Trivia nights can get very crowded.  Make sure you get there early when there are seats left to be claimed.

The Eleanor

The Eleanor is a self-described “bowling lounge” and is a new addition to the NoMa neighborhood. They have a lot of entertainment here including duckpin bowling, skee ball, and arcade games. Their food is locally sourced and the menu changes seasonally.

Board Room

Photo Credit: Eater DC

Armed with an arsenal of board games from wall-to-wall, Board Room is a great spot to interact with others over a friendly game of your choice.  There are heaps of beer, wine, and cocktail choices to sip on during play.

There are Board Room locations on both sides of the Potomac River in Dupont Circle and Clarendon.

The G.O.A.T.

This massive new bar in Clarendon was built for entertainment with two levels of seating, three bars, a champagne room, arcade games, jumbo screens, a photo booth, and televisions lining the walls.  Games include skeeball, World’s Largest Pac-Man, Frogger, and NFL Blitz 2000 among others.

Lyman’s Tavern

Photo Credit: Washington Post

Lyman’s is a hip casual bar in Petworth perfect for the pinball wizards out there.  Pinball machines line the wall adjacent to the bar where the beer and food are reasonably priced. For a dive bar, people really rave about the food and patio.  Dogs welcome!

Kraken Axes

Photo Credit: EXSPLORE

Ok so this isn’t your typical arcade but it’s equally as awesome. You don’t have to be a lumberjack to partake in the mountain man’s version of darts (really big, sharp, heavy darts). At Kraken Axes in DC, Axe Masters are there to supervise and teach you the art of axe throwing while you compete against your friends.  Flannel optional.

#FrayLife Tip: You are welcome to BYO food, but not drinks. Full beverage and bar options are available for purchase on-site.

We didn’t realize how many arcade bars there are in DC until we put this list together. Do you know of any we missed? Let us know by tagging us on social using  #DCFray and #FrayLife

Want other awesome bars in DC? Here are 5 where you can drink in secret.

View More Articles By Anna Jacoby