This is one of my favorite bars in Columbus. I love the idea of free arcade games, craft beer, and hey, Dirty Frank's hot dogs are next door and can be brought inside! 16 Bit doesn't serve food, but there are three good restaurants on the same block (soon to be four!) so as long as you're willing to order and carry out, you're in good shape. Lots of good craft brews on tap, not the cheapest, but for the experience, I'm going to say it's worth it. So many arcade games that even on busy nights, I've been able to find something to play. Now I will say I've always gone on a weeknight (usually tends to be Thursday), never on a Friday or Saturday night. I'm not even a huge arcade game/video game fan, but I've had so much fun here. It's a great place for groups, the service has been good, and it's good clean fun! I can't wait to get back and this is the type of place I would want to take my out-of-town friends to show them what C-Bus is all about! read more

Very awesome place. I'm pretty excited that Columbus has a place like this. I've lived in a couple of other places (including Chicago and Dallas) and I don't think I've ever seen a bar with FREE arcade games. Very cool, Columbus. Very cool. For reference, this place is right next to Dirty Franks. Parking is actually pretty easy considering that it's street parking. We never have a problem finding a spot. We went on a Thursday evening and it was pretty empty at first but filled up pretty quickly and even had a bit of a line by the time we left. There was a "ladies night" bar special and the 80's cocktail drinks were $2.00 off (making them $6.00, I believe). The bartenders were all really awesome and, despite there being a huge crowd, the patrons were all pretty nice too. I can't tell you how many strangers I met while playing Off Road and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Most of the games were free and they're all the games you remember from your childhood... unless, of course, you're under 25.... then, yea... maybe not. This place is awesome. Hopefully they keep the games free forever and ever. And hopefully the machines stay in good shape. read more

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Don't take cash... what a joke. Not everyone has the means for a bank account or the luxury of credit cards. Low key felt terrible being turned down for having cash. read more

I arrived at 6:30pm to meet some people and expected to only stay an hour or so. I was there until almost 10:30pm. We didn't even get to the video games until 8:30pm. Some people went there straight after work (business suits and laptop cases with them) and others were dressed more casually. My group was more casually dressed and we fit in with the later crowd. The Happy Hour prices are $2 off. I don't drink much beer and the bartender recommended a hard cider that "tastes like apples". It was a good recommendation. During Happy Hour it was $4 and then was $6. Later I found the list of 80's named cocktails - Burt Reynolds, Emilio Estevez, Christina Applegate (looked good!), Belinda Carlisle - but I did not partake. I noticed menus for Dirty Frank's and Little Palace at the side of the bar. A few people brought in food containers. I imagine they used the menus to place orders on their cell phones, walked next door or down the street, and then brought the food back. The later it got, the louder it got. The music was 70's and 80's. I saw some air guitars played and a fair share of people were singing along to some of the songs. The games were a mix of classics such as Space Invaders, Centipede, Street Fighter (some of which were hard to get to play) and others were barely known/never heard of (Baby Pac-Man). read more

The person who thought this up has seriously struck nerdy gold!! Working near the city, at a creative agency, surrounded by geeks in the digital department, visiting this place was an absolute no-brainer. We arrived on a Wednesday night at around 8 with a small crew to grab a drink and check out the "barcade". Walking in, the place was crowded but it wasn't overly noisy, nor did it take long to grab a brew. Wednesdays feature an extended happy hour with $2 off craft drafts and some other good deals. We grabbed a few drinks and posted up at a little standing table. After a while and a few more drink we hit the games area. Now it was a Wednesday night so I'm sure others have had trouble getting on games but we really had no issue playing what we wanted. I hit up Frogger, Street Fighter II, Mario Bros., and one or two others. They have a truely awesome selection of legendary video games and even little shelves for your drinks to go on. Pretty cool. Their branding is also on point. From the menus to the signage, to the general attitude of the people working there, this place was very well thought out and executed. We will definitely be back! read more

16-Bit Bar+Arcade - Wednesday night crowd, nice! - Arcades Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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For the overall experience, this is a fun place to go with a friend or date. The drinks aren't the best, but they do come with fun names from various tv shows or movies. In my opinion, a lot of them are a tad too sweet for me, but I feel like they probably would please a lot of people. All the arcade games inside are free so it makes for a fun hour or two. It's right next door to little palace, dirty franks, hadleys, and mikeys so plenty of spots to get food before or after. read more

The concept for 16-Bit is great, unfortunately it kind misses on the execution. The circular path layout, lined with games on both sides, causes traffic jams and awkward waits for games. A lot of time you wait for a game that no one is actually playing... they're just standing in front of it waiting for another. Usually pretty crowded on the weekends, but it is a cool place to pop in and check out, if you are in the area. If you get there at a non-peak time, it is awesome. If not, enjoy a drink or three while you wait for your favorite game. Luckily, all the together the 4th St strip is a good time! read more

This is a cool / unique bar in downtown Columbus. I'm glad we randomly ended up walking by and stopping in. Took me back to the good-ole-days of playing the old-school arcade games from the 80's. Pac Man Rampage Star Wars Street Fighter Defender Just to name a few. The other cool thing is the games are all free as long as you're consuming drinks from the bar. Also, the drink special of $4 craft drafts was awesome. Hard to beat that deal. Thanks for bringing back old memories 16 Bit! read more

Drinks are too expensive for how small they are, and people can hog up the video games all night, they need to have some type of time limit!

Had a mini birthday celebration here and had a fantastic time. Super easy to get drinks which is a huge plus for a downtown bar, and the gaming is a blast for any skill or interest level. And there is a certain late night food spot which I will not name here to comply with yelp, which is nearby. A match made in heaven. Check this place out if you like either; drinking or playing video games read more

The best place for Arcade Games and the most fun on fourth street! Shelby let us know that the games were free (except pinball) as long as you're drinking! What a deal! read more

I really like 16 bit. It's always a fun time. I don't stay long because it's usually on my list of bars for the night but I always have fun when I'm there. Know the games are free. I made that $3 mistake my first night. The drinks are pretty fun and colorful. If you go in the summer get one with a popsicle. I suggest going with friends though as people tend to stay in their clusters. And rememebr the games change over time so check in frequently to see what's new. read more

16-Bit Bar+Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Great place to have a drink everyone is friendly -extremely diverse crowd. Great drink prices along with prompt service read more

16-Bit Bar+Arcade - Great place to have a drink friendly environment very diverse crowd. Everyone is nice & polite definitely coming back for another drink. - Arcades Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This place is the bomb! LOL! Seriously, this place is rocking and one of the most fun bars I have ever been to. Went to this place with a friend, we got drinks, which were SO GOOD. I had the Winnie Cooper, oh my gosh, that drink was amazing! Major props to the bartender! My friend and I went to play the games (all FREE except for the pinball machines, which is cool). They had the Capcom vs Marvel, Space Invaders, Pac Man, Ms Pac Man, Ninja Turtles, some car games, etc, it was just lovely. What a wonderful place! It was very open, and just a really good time! Highly, highly recommend! read more

Hubby, some friends, and I went here for New Years Eve and had an awesome time! Absolutely love the bar, the theme night, the games, and the fun drinks. My absolute favorite drink was the hulk hogan with the popsicle. I also tried a bunch of others but this is the one I went back to. They had drinks with bacon, Swedish fish, slim jims, shots in test tubes that change color, and just a bunch of great names for their drinks too. Bar tenders were really nice and quick with grabbing your orders even though it was pretty packed in there. I would highly recommend this place for a fun night out!! read more

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So. Much. Awesome. Sundays are definitely great for me at $1 off can craft beers! Amazing old games and love the table rentals. One minus? Someone always has Super Mario 3. Grrrr read more

16-Bit Bar+Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The best! What a great idea and such a great stress reliever at the end of a long day! There should be way more of these! Kathryn is the absolute best!!! read more

16-Bit Bar+Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I loved this place, although the bartenders could be a little more attentive. But they were great for info and knew their bar/patrons well! I would definitely stop in again. As a matter of fact, you should stop in there right now! read more

16-Bit Bar+Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

16-Bit Bar and Arcade was my first true video game bar love. Just as this particular "theme" was starting to take off across the country, we had the luxury of getting their subjectively on the ground floor comparative to other cities of scale. I worked nearby at the time, and I walked by nearly every day watching the progression of the construction with baited breath and excitement. When it opened, I was there, and frequented the place with a night-religious regularity. The promise of unlimited exposure to electronic nostalgia for the price of a *very* well-mixed drink was a prospect too powerful to ignore for long. The drink based on Schwarzenegger (or maybe Swayze?) a sort of modified Moscow Mule I believe, was my go-to libation of choice. The service was decent. The booze was good. The games were great, chosen with a curatorial zeal of someone that appreciates what he or she is doing. But then, it happened. Yes, I'm going to go there. On Yelp. I'm going to bite the hand that feeds me and complain about things getting popular to the point where people go there for the people watching or the sheer provenance than the value of the offering itself. Some call it a hipster rush. I think that's a bit too on the nose and unkind. But no matter what you call it, it's more than just "it got successful/popular" and that "you should just accept it/relax." No, my friends, when something I hold dear to me due to investment of money and time is flooded with people who could, ostensibly, be happy *anywhere*, I take personal issue and affront with it. It's crowded as hell. Always. The only good times to go are the witching hours of early weekend afternoons, and even then it's iffy. The prices weren't awful, but they were never great, and I don't like paying for expensive drinks at the prospects of consuming it amid a sea of humanity ambivalent to the prospect of unlimited booze-driven gaming. The service began, in my humble opinion, to suffer. The drinks, once lavished upon with detail and a bit of flair, now seem slung out to serve to as many people as possible. The crowded space does not enable comfortable gaming, let alone seating, to enjoy the ambiance and moment with friends. I haven't been back in quite a while. Maybe one day I will. Much akin to a cheap romance novel where the hot passionate beginnings erode into the acceptance that maybe the two weren't a match for the long term, I bid thee fair-well to 16 bit for now. There are other, less crowded offerings that yield the same experience with less heartache. read more

I had a really pleasant spontaneous Sunday afternoon here! There wasn't a huge crowd and the prices were about what you would expect at a bar. The vibe is super casual and fun, as was our bartender! I loved that the games were all free as long as you had a drink with you! I'll definitely be back--especially someday on a date. read more

16-bit is a lot of fun! This is a great little bar with a cool (albeit a bit expensive) cocktail menu and a good beer selection. They have a lot of free & awesome old school arcade games. You do have to pay for pinball like everywhere else. It's also right next to a few good food places for when you get hungry. Try Little Palace and Dirty Franks, both are good options. read more

Great bar with a wide selection of drafts, cans, and cocktails! I really love that there is both indoor and outdoor space because you know its good nowadays be be outdoors and "active." Anywho, the big catch of this bar is the fact that you can play its selection of video games for free as long as you are drinking--which definitely makes those games seem even more fun and exciting. Another cool fact is that you are allowed to bring food into the bar--so do yourself a favor and go get a chicago dog from dirty franks next door! Biggest thing though--for all you parents...is that you can't bring your kiddos unfortunately (probably because they aren't drinking, which they shouldn't, to emphasize). read more

Fun place to relax and play old video games or just enjoy the company of friends. Had a great time playing Dig Dug.

The drinks are amazing! The games were a bit before my time, and never really my thing. But it's a cool way to spend the evening. It would be a great date night. And they're open to kids/families on Sunday's! read more

If you grew up in the 80s or 90s and love arcade games this is the place for you. It's an open atmosphere. The drinks are good and the names ate funny. As long as you drink you play for free can't beat that. They have all of the old system N64 playstation all of the games you can think of are on them. Take a visit drink a beer. read more

16-Bit Bar+Arcade - Arcades Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

So much fun and love all the free arcades! It's pretty cool today (not sure about all sundays) but you could bring any ages from 12-5. The place was crowded with lots of kids having fun! The drinks are a bit pricey (ish) but worth it for all the free games! read more

I've been to 16-bit a few times in the past. Went early on a Saturday this time and it's definitely the best time to go. Not crowded at all. Gives you a lot more opportunity to play all the games. They have a big list of fun cocktails as well. As long as you're drinking you can play for free....except pinball. Wish it was free as well cause it's my favorite. If you like to drink and play games this would definitely be your jam. read more

Shout out to an excellent family experience on a Sunday afternoon. Family and friends, pizza, games and beverages. Shay was amazing in the hospitality department. Friendly, attentive and and worked hard to make sure all our needs were met. Thank you! read more

Love this place! They have tons of arcade games you can play if you buy drinks! Great combo for me & my nerdy friends lol. Most of the games are free but some you have to pay like 50 cents... For example: the pinball machines... But we thought it was worth it! If you want to play Mario kart or other similar games you need to be seated at a table & I'm not really sure how to secure one... Maybe make a reservation?? Pretty sure we were too late for that tho cuz it was kinda crowded when we went. The one negative thing is they only have 2 bathrooms, 1 for guys & 1 for gals, so bathroom lines were kinda long. We got parking quickly right in front so that was no issue at all. Drinks & the staff were great, & we had such a fun time here! read more

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Don't run me out of town, Columbus! I swear I'm not hatin' on the beloved 16-Bit -- this is purely about personal preference. There are so many pluses: +16-Bit really is the heart of 4th Street, one of my favorite parts of town. +They started the whole barcade scene here in Cbus, and I give them mad props. +Their branding and events are ON. POINT. +You can take the kiddos on the 3rd Sunday of every month. (But check before you go.) +You can bring in outside food, and with so many awesome 4th St options -- this is a big win. But in the end, it's just not for me. Here's why: -It's always crowded. Even in the off-peak hours, it was still a lot of people. I know it's a bit douchey for me to knock 16-Bit on this, but it really does impact my experience. -The staff wasn't very nice. I have zero tolerance for snarky service, and that's exactly how everyone treated me. It's hard for me to put my finger on it, but the vibe here is just kinda off. Not my style. -I thought the drinks on the board were really confusing. Everything seemed to be jumbled together, and things I wanted weren't available -- but still on the board. I finally settled on a Patrick Swayze, which was, indeed, a tasty cocktail. Albeit an expensive cocktail. -I didn't actually like the games. I know this is also a personal preference, so take my taste with a grain of salt. So in the end, there's no hate from me on 16-Bit. I 100% understand why so many people love it, and let's be honest -- they don't really need me to love it. There's such a loyal following for the original Cbus barcade, and I'm really proud of their success! Just not my thing. read more

Well, didn't review this place right off the bat so there is probably not much for me to add at this point. It's a bar full of friggin arcade games. And they're free to play. Concept kinda sells itself, eh? I will add this bit since I know so many people in Columbus: there are some really awesome bartenders here. Namely my friends Kyle (you may recognize his voice from some weekend shows on CD102.5) and Lisa (one of my favorite bartenders in Columbus, formerly of Circus!). I would go here just to see them even if there weren't any arcade games. Other great bartenders from Surly Girl and beyond left their old jobs to come work for this hustlin and bustlin joint. So basically, the drink slingers here are top notch. It's a great meet up spot, but is usually super busy. The Melt crowd hangs out here pretty regularly, as do a lot of Columbus tattoo industry folks. The cocktails are all cleverly named and the ones I've sampled are pretty delicious. Prices aren't outrageous either. There aren't a ton of taps and they regularly run dry, which can be a problem. They run some neat specials, like reverse happy hour on Sundays, which I mentioned in a tip. That's happy hour from 11pm to 2am. While they serve no food, there are lots of options within very short walking distance, most notably Dirty Frank's right next door. It may be worth mentioning that the owner used to own some kind of marketing business and basically laid off all of his employees with very little notice and no severance package of any kind when he opened this place. That sent some ripples through the community and not everyone views this place favorably as a result. Also, he had plans to open several more before the cbus location even opened its doors. To my understanding, Cincinnati is next. read more

If any of the following apply: you grew up with arcades, you are a gamer, you are a hipster, maybe a little nerdy (it's cool. Nerds are hot!); you like the 4th street scene; you realize video games are improved with beer; think D&B is too commercial and suburban.... THEN you will like 16-Bit. I'm not a gamer but I got super into Pacman and Frogger. I played some shooting games without a clue what to shoot. On a Monday night there was a good crowd, but you could still play a game. Some sort of tourney was going on complete with a hand drawn bracket. Then said bracket got beer spilled on it by a mystery party-foul gamer. I may or may not have observed the identity of the guilty person. Dude: laminate that bracket next time, beer + arcades= wild & crazy times! On a side note they need more of the little drink stools, I wasn't going to play a game if my beer wasn't at my side. read more

This places is very cool lots of fun with the older games hotdog place next door is killer too!

Okay, it's official. This is one of my favorite places to go in Columbus. I wasn't huge into the arcade scene growing up, but this place is just spectacular. Great for groups or just a couple friends. All games are FREE. How awesome is that? (Only pinball costs money, but that represents only about 2 of the probably 40+ machines! I believe the "official" rule is you must be drinking to play for free, but can't say I've ever seen anyone called on it. I've gone there and had 1 beer and played for 3 hours and never got so much as a side look from any of the staff. I wish they could improve their beer on tap selection, it is largely cans and bottles, but I will give them credit for representing a fair amount of local brews (even if via cans). There is no food, but hey there is Dirty Franks right next door, so who's complaining? It's reputation as a "hipster" bar is hard to argue, but there are so many awesome games I never pay much attention. My favorite games are: Track + Field (GREAT for groups) PacMan Asteroids Marble Madness and some game where you shoot aliens next to the bar. P.S. - Guys, this is not the greatest place to find single ladies, but maybe that is an obvious statement. read more

Awesome! Great! Excellent! Rad! Sweet! and all those other words that mean FANTASTICAL! I can already see I will be spending too much time and money here! OVERVIEW: 16-Bit Barcade is a great place for both the old school gamer and the newbie novice. A combination of vintage games and alcohol for 21+ crowd brings a great new personality to the bar world. THE GAMES: Firstly, the place is packed with all sorts of nostalgic video games (obviously) and they are mostly all FREE. Games include: Galaga/Ms Pac-Man Mario Bros Defender 2 Street Fighter games Time Crisis (guns and all) Outrun (with steering wheel) Burgertime TMNT 3 pinball games including Twilight Zone* - These are the only games that cost money -- $.50/ea Rampage 2 Double Dragon games Mortal Kombat NFL Blitz NBA Jam The Simpsons Arcade game and many more!! THE PEOPLE & STAFF: There are all sorts of people you will see here. So, don't be surprised with the variety of people you might strike a conversation with. The staff is brilliant and super nice! Jeni was a sweetheart and was always quick to sling a drink for me. DRINKS: Prices are relatively cheap, especially considering the variety and the free games. Your regular beers (Bud, Miller, etc...) are $3/bottle, more fanciful beers are $5 (typically), and the cleverly named mixed drinks/cocktails are $8. Those drinks come in a Long Island Iced Tea sort of glass and rage from a myriad of celebrity personalities (ex: Tom Selleck, Brooke Shields, etc...). Happy hour runs until 8 and I think it applies to most everything, even draughts. LOCATION & PARKING: The location is perfect in my opinion. No, it's not close for bar hopping to other bars, but that's a bonus to me! You have a nice array things down the strip (including Dirty Franks next door), and you don't necessarily feel like your caught in the bar scene. Parking is not bad. There is street parking all down 4th and Rich, and I do believe, at certain times, the parking lot across the way is free too! (meters typically are only enforced until 6pm M-Sat) MUSIC & SEATING: Seating is definitely limited, but that just means they packed as many games in as possible. There are a few tables and a decently sized bar. Music is pretty classic as well. You'll hear Michael Jackson, Queen, MC Hammer, and many more of that genre. CONCLUSION: Definitely visit this bar! Play a few games, drink a cool cocktail, and chat up with gamers & newbs alike. I can imagine parking, seating, and wait times for games can be stressful during the weekends, but I still think it's worth it! GO GET YOUR GAME ON! ...and if you're good enough, set a high score! read more

The moment you walk in, as you are literally stuck in the door frame, an IPAD greets you and you are demanded to order a drink. 16 bit may have been the first in Columbus to offer free arcade games, but it is not only now. You go to Ethyl and Tank and play a few games for free. I am sure other places will pick up on the trend too. When that happens, I can't imagine this bar would have much more going for it...EXCEPT that it is next to dirty franks. $8 for cocktails is too much. Especially when there is a good chance that it is going to be knocked out of your hand or the table since the place is SO packed. I found that people were hitting me, possibly on purpose. Perhaps it was a Neanderthal way of flirting, doesn't matter, no one wants to be assaulted when they are trying to play video games. Only the lame games were open, which I guess I should have expected. Not saying they weren't fun...ok some were not fun. After about an hour of the pushing, hogging, bumping, smelly (yes someone was SERIOUSLY smelly) and stuffiness of this bar, I signaled to my friends that we should tab out. Even with an open spot at the bar, it took us 20 minute to tab out. The bartenders girls REFUSED to look at us (keep in mind we are girls too) and when one of us finally tabbed out, they went to help other people, rather than serve all of us. It was so lame. The only way I would go back here again is I knew it was off-peak hours. Lady tips: Be prepared to be stared at, laughed at, and bumped into on purpose Wear a light coat, it is very hot in there Wear a strappy purse with good closure. When you are playing games your purse is all open and exposed to the aisle. Bring a guy, because it is very hard to get the lady bartenders to serve you. :/ read more

Woo hoooooo! For hubby's 30th birthday party he decided he wanted to live like a kid again and go and play video games and eat hot dogs. So what better way than to spend an afternoon at 16-bit and then grab some takeout from Dirty Frank's next door. There are plenty of games to play and places to hang. Our group claimed a table up front, had a server bring us drinks and I was surprised that we managed to be entertained for over four hours. Having takeout available from all the places nearby (El Camino, Dirty Frank's, Little Palace) was perfect since 16-bit doesn't have a kitchen. And for the non-drinkers in our group they had fun mocktails like a "Lisa Simpson" and "Optimus Prime." I know others enjoyed their beers in bottles, on tap and house cocktails. Very cool place and cool concept. read more

We stopped in after dinner and man the cocktails and atmosphere are awesome! Ask for TJ because he is the best. Even on a busy night he took time to explain the menu of drinks! Will be back read more

Stopped in here today for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. I like that you can go in, buy a drink, and play games. What a great concept! The service was good - I got the beer I ordered in a good amount of time which is all I can really ask for. I do wish they had more tvs for N64, but oh well. I'm sure this place gets really packed on the weekends, but I will surely be back. read more

What happens when you mix childhood with alcohol? You get an amazing night. Hmmm, well, that sounds worse than I expected. But seriously... I came here with a couple of my friends last night on opening night and we had a great time playing a bunch of FREE old-skool arcade games. But it was PACKED. So packed that the air-conditioner couldn't keep up with all the heat in the joint. Despite the fact that it was packed, though, we actually got some decent playing time on a number of different games. You'll definitely have to wait in line for the more popular ones (NBA Jam, Rampage, Street Fighter), but you can bide your time with playing some of the other games. Demographic: Who played video games in the 80s & 90s? There's your demographic: 30-year-old males. If you're a single lady, by all means you should come here. A single guy looking for a lady... probably not. Parking: Just as a heads up, parking could be problematic. There's a parking lot across the way, but I'm pretty sure it cost $5. I was lucky enough to get (as my friend called it) "pornstar parking" right on the south end of the bar. It's free any time after 6pm, I believe. Location: It's simultaneously too bad and very good that 16-Bit is all the way downtown. It's too bad that you have to travel outside the normal areas to get there, but if it were in the Short North, you would probably never be able to get in. My recommendation: If you can, get here right when they open on a weekday (4pm). I'm sure you'll have the full run of the joint and can play any game you want. Remember back to Halloween when you ate all the candy that night and got sick? Same thing. Have at it. read more