While visiting Gainesville, I visited the Arcade Bar. Only a small area was open with the pinball machines, skee ball, and other games but it was still fun! Drinks are great prices, vibes are fun, staff is fun, and games are at a good price. I went on free skee ball night so that was also a perk to be able to play for free. Definitely a fun spot in downtown Gainesville! read more

Arcade Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

I love the concept of the place! A bar with arcade games! Overall we had a really great time. It was a free skee ball night when we were there on Sunday which definitely kept us entertained for a bit. I got the Mule which tasted very solid! There was a variety of arcade games ranging from pinball machines to shooting games and racing games. The games seemed reasonably priced and you can get a bag of coins at the bar for $5. The area was pretty small and it could get overwhelming if it was crowded. It seemed as though there was another area that was currently closed, so it might be bigger, but at the current state the arcade area was pretty small. read more

See all

This place is really fun for a night out and has different vibes in each area. You can just hang out and play games, or go upstairs and dance, or hang out outside. We mostly were in the dancing area and it was really fun. The drinks are a good price and the service is good. read more

Arcade Bar - Tequila sunrise (double) - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I love this place - barcade is a go-to place in downtown if you're out with friends and want a fun, chill place to drink and hangout. They have a ton of different arcade games to play as well as some vintage ones, and it's not overly expensive. The bartenders are all super sweet and quick with making drinks, and though the drinks are strong they're great. 100% recommend coming here with friends on a night out! read more

Arcade Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Fun atmosphere to play some games and have a drink, if that's your thing. My partner and I needed a place to go spend a few hours and decided to try Arcade Bar. We played pinball, my favorite, along with some other games. We had a great time. We'd definitely go back. read more

Has traditionally been a fun crowd that you will fight no AC for but recently we've been in the front of the line and had one person in front of us. They had 7 people join them and the bouncer shrugged read more

Awesome place to go with friends or Alone Had an entertained Saturday night date there. Arcade games in 3 levels Bar in levels 1 & 3 Easy to park around the corner A great finding in town Can't wait to go back at try more games. read more

See all

What a fun night at arcade bar in Gainesville! I've never been to a bar quite like this one and it made for a great night with friends. We ordered a few drinks but my favorite was the Moscow mule, I definitely recommend it. The games are also reasonably priced and I felt like I went back in time with all the games they had (mortal kombat, pin ball, some shooting games to name a few). If you're feeling nostalgic or just want to have a unique night out I suggest you visit Arcade Bar! read more

Arcade Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

We visited here on Halloween afternoon and the place was dead. We cashed in $5 at the bar for a bag of tokens. The bartender was really nice and helped us out when we had problems with the games eating our tokens. We will be back for sure. read more

They renovated the third floor!! It now has more seating and the decor is really cute. Yes it's mainly pinball machines and a few skee ball machines, but still a cool place to hang out. You can get drinks on the first and third floor. The second floor is all games. They have xbox and wii controllers on the second floor if you don't want to pay money for the arcade games. It's not the most spacious place overall, especially the second floor which is now packed with the arcade games. There's a bit more walking space on the third floor and you can sit at the bar or surrounding tables. I can't say anything about service or quality of drinks, since I've never ordered drinks here. I tend to go elsewhere before stopping in to Arcade Bar, but it's always nice to hop in. Worth checking out if you're downtown! read more

Arcade Bar - Third floor's new decor. Those umbrellas! :) - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

We came here one night after dinner and I just loved the concept of this bar. Three level of awesome fun and games. We played pinball, PAC Man, Galaga, just to Ane a few. The decor is so cool! I love the 70s and 80s throwback vibe. There was also a cool Outdoor disco with a DJ area that is really like to spend more time in. Hanging out here is on my checklist for my next visit. Just can't wait!! read more

Arcade Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This place has gotten really busy over the years. It is quite the Gainesville staple. They have 2 full-service bars, one on the ground floor and one on the third floor. The drinks are usually pretty good. They have old school games on all 3 floors and also music in the third floor. Some games include foosball, skeeball, paper boy, and pinball games-just to name a few. There's an outside area out front, that's usually where everyone goes to smoke. There is also an area in the back that connects to another bar, The Atlantic. They also have a dj in the area in the back. It's definitely a fun time! SN: they have token machines to exchange your money for tokens to play the games. read more

Overall, it was a great experience for the first time in downtown Gainesville. This bar had different areas you could hang in for whatever vibe you wanted: video games, dancing area inside and outside, talking areas. Drinks were extremely affordable. For sure, I will visit again! read more

Didn't have rumple or pink whitney but nice servers and fun environment. Would go back.

had my wallet stolen and the doorman would not let me back in without my physical ID even though I had a picture of it. very unprofessional staff. Don't go here if you want to be treated with common decency. read more

Beware!!International people are not welcome here! My husband's cousin is in town from another country. He is many years over the legal age, and we were showing him our "nightlife". We went to lots of places around town to show him our quaint little downtown. We got to Arcade bar and they denied him entry, even with a valid international ID. The bouncer said they only accept US IDs. Absolutely disgusting. In a city like Gainesville with a large international community that flock to University of Florida, this is absolutely appalling and discriminatory. We walked away and observed that the next people to walk in didn't even get carded. We're never spending another dime here. read more

When my sister came to visit for the first time to celebrate her birthday, I told her that the Arcade Bar was a must see. However, after entering the facility, I realized I was quickly mistaken. Don't get me wrong, the Arcade Bar is fun, but it's very difficult to get the bartender's attention and the crowdedness of the area can get overwhelming. Everyone there is cramped into tiny places and it is very difficult to move. Additionally, many of the games are so outdated that they no longer work properly and never take the time to fix them. I believe the concept of the Arcade Bar could've been far more successful than it currently is. read more

Arcade Bar - a group of people playing pinball - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This was a great place had lots of pinball machine and other old time games. Drinks are great I would go back when I am in town.

3 floors of pinball machines, old school arcade games, Mario kart, and skeeball. Arcadebar is a fun place to hang out with some friends while in downtown. Not your typical bar. This place can get packed and doesn't have much seating but with all the games around I don't see why you would be sitting. It's cool to come here on the weekdays so there is space to move. Tokens can be purchased at the bar or conveniently at machines placed on every floor. The games are priced just right. I don't drink but I can still come here and have fun. read more

We had so much fun here! From the outside, I was hesitant to enter given the younger/hipster crowd outside but once inside, I just didn't seem to care. Loved having old school games to play while we drank and talked. We need ended up on the third floor by taking the back stairs and discovered skee ball and foosball. Never made it to the second floor before, which is accessed via the front stairs. Docked a star because the bar is a little limited unless you are drinking basic beer and single liquor, not a lot of mixed drink options. read more

This is a fun little spot in downtown Gainesville that hits me right in the teens. It's kind of dank and dark, with a bar on their first and third floors, but everything else in between is wall to wall games and gaming consoles. It's a fun divey bar but not good for chatting. There's music going on the third floor, and to be honest, everyone is engrossed in their games! They have multiples of some of the tried and true favorites (Buck Hunter, skee ball, Pac Man), some standalone games and some multi-cades. They've got pinball machines, old school Nintendo, air hockey, you name it. Be advised that the later it is, the busier it is and you might not be able to breeze on up to your favorite Street Fighter game so plan accordingly. The games only take tokens from what I've seen, but you can buy $5 bags at the bars and add them to your bar tab easily. I've lost tokens to games and the staff has been right over to help. The one thing I'd like to see is some sort of a snack bar that could end before late-night kicks in. That would probably keep me there (even) longer. It's 21+ (thank the lord), and they do rotate games out from time to time so it's worth checking out! read more

I'm old enough to remember when arcades were somewhat commonplace. You'd almost be guaranteed to have one in your local mall, or perhaps in a seedy strip mall, and you'd see arcade machines everywhere- 7-11s, independent video rental stores, pizza parlors, etc. Arcades had the latest and best games before home gaming and online multi-player changed the game (no pun intended). Arcades were a welcome respite when your mother dragged you to go shopping and a place to meet friends. I was in Gainesville for work and was excited to finally visit Arcade Bar. Most of the games are retro games, so you should know what to expect. The staff was friendly and the beer selection was fair with average prices you'd expect to find at any bar. Their website advertises three floors of gaming but on my visit only the first two floors were open which was disappointing. Overall, I enjoyed my visit to Arcade Bar and would recommend it. Protip: their coin machine dispenses tokens, so don't put in more than you expect to play. read more

See all

List of matches made in heaven: peanut butter + jelly, wine + cheese, and now alcohol + arcade games. Having never been exposed to the chain arcade bars, I can't compare Arcade Bar outright to these places. What I CAN comment on are other bars I've been to, other arcades I've been to, and the fact that this spot does a fantastic job on both fronts. The Venue A few doors down west of the intersection at Main St. and University Ave., Arcade Bar is easily flagged now by a custom sign placed against the side of its 3rd story. The other surrounding business might suggest this spot is also quaint, at least until you discover that all 3 floors of the building are dedicated to video games, pinball machines, bars, and spots to chill. Two sets of stairs exist: interior steps through all 3 areas and external stairs that go directly from ground to 3rd floor. 1st Floor - Here's where you'll find the majority of their popular games and pinball machines. A full bar sits right near the entrance, and the token machine for this floor is towards the back of the room. This is where you can get draft beers also: the selection is small but solid and pours are served in plastic cups. 2nd Floor - More lounge-like, with a solid bit of seating and slightly less noise. This floor partly overlooks the ground floor, a neat-o aesthetic, and more games of course. They once had a projector with a retro console that was free to play but that was off on my last visit 3rd Floor - Bar #2 lives here, and it's a lot bigger of a space in general. Plenty of stools for grabbing your drink, and booths lined against the back for chatting there also. Skee Ball and some other arcade games exist here to entertain. The Vibe Not sure why I ever thought it, but I expected to see this place slower on the weekends. Wrong. They were packed on all 3 floors Friday night with a nice blend of patrons. Between the better games being on the first floor and the bar also, expect to feel a little cramped if you go during peak times. Plenty of TVs are placed throughout the floors to accommodate for sports fans which I was happy about, and they also have an integrated virtual jukebox you can queue up music from your phone with (it's a paid service, but downloading the app is free). Final Thoughts My favorite perks: + Cup holders are all over the place, including near games + Great selection of games, and they are rotated pretty frequently thanks to a partnership with a JAX arcade distributor My constructive criticism list is short: - Too many of the machines were broken/unplugged, which means waiting in line to play - Drink prices are not clearly advertised or accessible - Tokens are needed for games, so be careful to not overspend Overall this is a knockout because it accommodates a large crowd and the barrier to entry is low: send as much as you feel like on games, enjoy drinks regardless. Prices for drinks SEEM on par and the energy of the place is great! read more

Arcade Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

My favorite bar in Gainesville for sure! They have fun ski ball tournaments that my friends are apart of and I come to watch! It's also a great atmosphere! Go to the first floor if you're trying to grab a drink and hang, go to the second floor to play some games! Go to the third floor for great music and ski ball!!! Or go outside and listen to music and get some fresh air! Love this place read more

Arcade Bar - Enjoying some shooting games! - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I was in Gainesville this past week for a job thing and a friend told me about this place. I went in on a Wednesday night and it was pretty empty. I caught a beer and the guy gave me two complementary game tokens! They have a ton of pinball machines and they are a lot of fun. I played the South Park Machine, Indiana Jones, and a few others as well. This place is three floors but this night only the first two floors were open with games. I wanted to go to the third floor for ski ball but it was closed. This is the only reason not to give it 5 stars. This is not a place for super tall people though. I am 6'6" and I could barely walk on the second floor and was about to hit the ceiling. The beer selection is great and they have a full bar! It's like a kids paradise for adults!!! I highly recommend this place for a great fun night!!! read more

Arcade Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Super fun! If you have never been, I highly recommend checking it out! This bar is tucked away next to Pop a Top. It is three stories and each one has different arcade games. They have ski ball, pinball, KO, foosball, and many many more! The games are fairly priced and there is a token machine there, just need cash! The drinks have always been nice and strong! It can get a little crowded, but it is worth it! Go check it out! read more

See all

Amazing, I love this place. You will be hard pressed to find anyplace that still has pinball machines. Not to mention Mortal Kombat 3 arcade machine. I can spend all night here. But it's a great place to grab a drink and have some fun after dinner. It is very conveniently located in the middle of downtown within walking distance of all the restaurants. They also have skee ball, you can't go wrong with that. read more

A fun place to be on a weekend! They have a ton of games and the genre of music they have playing can be so different from the ground/ second floor (rock) to the third floor (usually hip hop/90s), and the Alley (house). I always have fun floating around and exploring all the entertainment they have available. Drinks are cheap, $4 wells, $6 for a double ($5 minimum on the card) read more

Had a wonderful time at this little spot while in town visiting my friends. This weekend was extremely busy at this spot but I didn't mind that much. DJ on the third floor was fantastic and the games are pretty cheap to play. Was on the dance floor almost the whole night! Bartenders were great too! read more

See all

Had a bartender call me a "fucker", not my language, just for ordering a drink and tokens and had no idea why as my group had literally just entered the bar. After the bartender poured the drink threw two unwashed bags of tokens in my drink trying to give me COVID and I have an autoimmune disease which makes me extremely at risk. He then threw another bag at my face when I asked why. read more

RUDE staff. Guy at front bar didn't accept my boyfriend's International ID for his 21st birthday. And then he raised his voice and then told us to get out. If i could give no stars I would. In a town with so many international students, you would've expected better. read more

Archade Bar is a fun place to be! They have everything from traditional pinball machines, video games, Super Nintendo is hooked up to their TVs, and skee ball. This bar has multiple floors with plenty of options so there really is something for everyone. Their drinks are cheap and the dj on the third floor sometimes spins some really great beats. There are a variety of people who visit so it's a pretty chill place to hang out! Everyone who works there has been super nice and I've been given a few tokens here or there for free. I like going to Arcade Bar even if just to dance and have some cheap beers. It's worth a visit if you're in Gainesville and wanting a fun spot to hang out and get to be a kid again! read more

Arcade Bar - Pinball machines taking it back to the good old days! - Dive Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Loved this place. I would say the crowd is very diverse but the bar accommodates a variety of music preferences. Went on a Saturday night and my favourite floor (3rd) played old school hip hop and R&B the majority of the night. The drinks are strong and worth it. I will go back. read more

The guy at the door was incredibly rude and yelled at my face once I was inside. If I could speak to a general manager I was discriminated and treated incredibly poorly. I wouldn't recommend this place to ANYONE. They will treat you like shit, i used to come all the time. Will never come again if the man who was working the door is still there. Would love to speak to a manager as soon as possible. I will have the people I can't with post the same response. read more

In town visiting and my cousin recommended this place. We started at Dave and busters and I'm glad we did because this place was a little more limited than I had anticipated, but if you're looking for pin ball it is the place for you. The bar was solid, drinks were reasonably priced, and unlimited free skee ball on Wednesdays was an absolute win ! read more

Amazing, simply amazing, bar tenders are fast and fun to watch, they have every game, old or new, if you are thinking about going don't, JUST DO IT. read more

TLDR: Favorite new bar in Gainesville, the Top is doing great things for downtown, pinball roolz The Top Empire does it again. Barcade is awesome, Im totally addicted to pinball now, and I am stoked to see so much life on this corner of downtown. Barcade is 3 stories, with arcade games on each floor. There's a bar on the bottom floor and the 3rd floor. 3rd floor is more open and loungey. Second floor has some really cute and intimate booths and nooks. Bottom floor has the most arcade games and gets really packed. As with all Top businesses, there is a well designed aesthetic that brings character and life to the space. It's a simple, clean, arcade hall vibe.The demographic here hasn't settled out yet, maybe it'll always be a mix. On the weekends you get a wide range with college kids in khakis and dockers, older folks checking out the arcade games, 20 something gamers, downtown regulars, punks, hipsters, normies, nerds, whatever. Do I hope that one day the punks scare the frat bros back to dave and busters so I can play the Simpson's pinball game without hearing terrible things being said? Maybe. But until then, Ill gladly keep coming back here. It's worth saying for the uninitiated, The Top owns a decent chunk of the heart of Gainesville's downtown, smack dab at University and Main. With The Top proper, their prep kitchen on the university face of the block, the Wooly, the Atlantic across the street, Pop-a-Top, Small Bar, and now Barcade, the top is bringing a lot of life to an area of town that just a couple of years ago was dead. It's not just good news for the Top and Gainesville's young and hip, their businesses bring foot traffic to the area which is vital for the survival of independent businesses in the area. Downtowns thrive on foot traffic. Arrow's Aim records has always benefitted from The Top patrons perusing their vinyl while waiting for a table to become available. Now with Arrows Aim occupying what used to be FLA Gallery, the symbiotic relationship with the top is stronger than ever. Not to mention Video Rodeo nestled between Death or Glory and Barcade. This block is the perfect place to meet a date at the top for dinner, get to know each other's music choice at Arrow's Aim, let him win foosball at Barcade, get cute over a fancy cocktail at Small Bar, grab a movie to "watch" from Video Rodeo, and ice cream and snacks from Pop a Top to round out the night. Then you can get each other's names tattooed at Death or Glory the day after. All that gross, hipster romcom-ability within one block. I love it. Take that, Brooklyn! read more

See all

Good place to hangout with my nerd friends. Staff are friendly. The place is so chill on Wednesday that I went for my friend's birthday it's a perfect place to chill out after dinner and cake. Lots of games and variety of drinks. read more

Such a fun innovative place. I absolutely love coming here after dinner with friends. It's a great place filled with nostalgics games that are a blast to play. If you're looking for something different this is the place to be! read more

Barcade is a really cool place in downtown Gainesville. It has bars, a place to dance, and a bunch of arcade games that are so much fun. Cover is free but you do have to pay for tokens to play the games. If you don't use all of your tokens, you can save them for another time. This place is pretty warm so dress accordingly. It is also 21+. I had so much fun here, but I do have an unpopular opinion: I wish they had more games. I feel like there are too many pinball machines that could be replaced with better games and while the pinball machines are really aesthetically pleasing, they're not that fun, at least for me. But overall, I'll definitely be back! read more