If there’s one thing Chicagoans love (besides complaining about potholes), it’s drinking, especially when the drinking is combined with another fun activity. This makes arcade bars a great way to spend an evening in the Windy City. And there’s no shortage to choose from, with ones specializing in retro games, ones combined with bowling alleys and even one featuring an animatronic Misfits cover band. Read on for our top recommendations of where to find an arcade bar in Chicago, and start warming up those thumbs now.
Logan Arcade
A huge line-up of both classic and modern games? Check. A whole range of pinball machines? Check. An animatronic Misfits cover band made up of dog puppets called “The Biscuits”? Absolutely check. (Seriously.) Logan Arcade offers a massive beer menu, plus a refreshingly wide range of non-alcoholic drinks and craft beer sodas, with weekday happy hour deals and drink specials. If you really want to put those skills to the test, Logan Arcade has frequent events, leagues and competitions for a wide range of levels, like Mortal Kombat Mondays, Pinball Tuesdays, Killer Queen Community Nights and much more.
Headquarters Beercade
Headquarters, a retro-themed beercade, leans into the nostalgia-factor with vintage games and nods to the 1970s and 2000s throughout. With 14,000 square feet of more than 70 free games — no need to ration your quarters here — Headquarters is the ideal spot to bond with a date, spend a night out with friends or even take the whole crew from work. The bar’s retro vibe also extends to the bar, with cleverly named drinks like the Tropic Like It’s Hot (a dairy-free guava Colada), the Blue Kids on the Block (with blueberry-infused vodka, simple syrup, lemon, bitters and a Red Bull ice cube) and even a Peanut Butter and Jelly shot. There’s also a large food menu available.
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Including adding cicadas, cuttlefish and so much moreEnterrium
With a slew of arcade games, a full kitchen and eight bowling lanes, a visit to Enterrium — located at the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg — is worth dealing with the I-90 traffic. The massive 42,000 square-foot space offers both new arcade games and all the classics, so you can spend the whole evening playing both Connect 4 Hoops and Ms. Pac-Man. The space also has bowling, billiards, more than 30 pinball machines and much more. In addition to a large cocktail menu and 24+ beers on tap, Enterrium also serves a full dining menu of made-from-scratch food that’s way more delicious than what you’d expect from an arcade.
2 Woodfield Mall Unit A, Schaumburg
Emporium Arcade Bar
With three distinct locations across Chicago — in Fulton Market, Logan Square and Wicker Park — each Emporium has a few things in common: they all have a large drink menu, they all have a busy calendar of events and they all have a range of vintage arcade games and pinball machines to keep your thumbs busy for hours. The Logan Square location is the largest, with a huge amount of games and plenty of open space to get in your stretches before another round of Mortal Kombat 4. The Fulton Market location has a long whiskey list, arcade games, pool tables and a prime location near some of the hippest restaurants the city has to offer. (That two hour wait at Au Cheval just got a lot more fun.) And the Wicker Park location has a wide range of games, plus a full stage that’s home to frequent DJ sets. Emporium is also a great spot to host your event, with free table reservations for groups of 35 or less and a lax bring-your-own-outside-food policy, meaning you can finally host your dream arcade birthday party. Your 12-year-old self would be jealous.
2361 N Milwaukee Ave, 839 W Fulton Market, 1366 N Milwaukee Ave
Replay
You may already know Replay from the establishment’s fun, detailed, pop-culture pop-up bars, like the ones designed for Stranger Things, Bob’s Burgers and Spongebob Squarepants. But the bar is also behind some of the best arcades in the city, with three convenient locations. The giant Lincoln Park location has more than 65 games and is the largest space of the bunch. The Andersonville location has a full food menu alongside classic games, making it one of the most fun spots to grab brunch in the city. And the Lakeview location is conveniently located in the heart of Northalsted. Best of all, all Replays have free-to-play games, so clear your summer plans because you’ve got a Donkey Kong high score to snag.
2833 N Sheffield Ave, 5358 N Clark St, 3439 N Halsted St
Lucky Strike
Looking to play a few arcade games and grab a drink but got the kids in tow? Lucky Strike has you covered, as the bar is all ages before 9 p.m. on the weekends. Sure, Lucky Strike is probably known more for bowling (it’s right there in the name!), but there’s also a full arcade available at both locations, plus billiards, ping pong, darts, air hockey and more. If you go on a Wednesday, all arcade games are 50% off, with bowling deals happening on other weekdays. Lucky Strike has two Chicago locations, River North and a smaller Wrigleyville location. If you’re looking to bowl, book ahead when possible because the lanes tend to fill up.
322 E Illinois St / 1027 W Addison St
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