Fun place to take my Wife for her birthday week, and there's a lot of arcade games to choose from. Definitely worth the money for your time if you decide to spend a couple hours. Will definitely come back. Only complaint is it's a little noisy with all the games on full blast. read more

Awesome concept in gaslamp right near petco park! This place has soo many games with a really cool retro set-up-- several different rooms, layouts, and a variety of old-school games. There's several games I've never seen before, always something different. $25 to get in and free play is a great idea. Their drinks were good and they have some classic American bar style food that is good too. Totally will return! read more

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This is a fun place. It's not cheap but it's a lot of fun and there are enough games here to keep you occupied for three or four hours, easily. There are two levels and plenty to explore on each level. There are nooks and crannies here and there with games you might miss if you don't turn this or that corner. At this time, it's $25 per person (before taxes) and you get unlimited games. There are plenty of video games and pinball machines, too. There is air hockey and skee-ball and many other types of games. Most of them were in working condition but a few were not. The games should obviously be in working condition before the place opens but hey, quality control isn't always what it should be. They offer snacky foods and booze, of course, but I didn't try anything. The decor is very cool. It is kind of psychedelic and fun. This is right by the ballpark and parking is tough to find. We parked a few blocks away on the street (metered parking). There really are very few places in San Diego to play video games and pinball so it's nice to have a place like this available. We spent about 3 plus hours here and the time just flew by. If we didn't have other plans, we would have stayed longer. Unfortunately, there are no in-and-out privileges, so keep that in mind. read more

Arcade Monsters - Huge place. The decor is awesome. - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

Such a fun spot if you're into old-school arcade vibes The whole place has that nostalgic feel, and all the games actually work really well, which made it even better. Drinks were super good too, and the unlimited games deal is totally worth it. You can just hang out, play whatever you want, and not worry about running out of credits. Definitely a place I'd come back to. read more

Arcade Monsters - Arcade games - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

I love this place!! It's in Gaslamp so parking might be hard. They have real all you can play for one fee. At the time it was $25. They increase the price if you want re-entry. I know sometime at night is for adults only. They do have a bar and food. Everything is free to play except the vending machines. They have all sorts of games from old to new with impressive decor. The wall art is really cool to check out. I highly recommend this place to go with kids or a night out with friends. You will have so much fun! read more

I am a huge fan of arcades, but something that I hate is spending money or credits every time that you want to play a game, that's why Monsters became a huge favorite of mine! You pay a flat rate of $25 and can play as long as you desire! The place is so vibey! They have huge murals and black lights which makes the place super fun!!! They have a huge lineup of games you can play, from the classics to a huge selection of modern games I've never even heard of! I wish they had more of the classic American ones like Dave and busters but this is just me being picky. All of the machines work pretty well, and they're not jammed or broken like most of the arcades in San Diego lol. They also have some food and drinks, I did not get to try them this time but I am very excited to go back and try everything! read more

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Such a cool place. It's 2 floors, i believe $25 per person for unlimited games. They have a bar, with non-alcoholic drinks. I did she 1 or 2 kids there which is funny because we were there around midnight but for sure more of an adult vibe. Great photo ops. Glad we stumbled across this place. Way better than just standing around at a bar read more

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Better than D&B i came for my birthday on may 4th with my gf and my family members. We all loved it. The food the music and the games. Definitely was the talk of the week. Definitely will be coming back again. Such a cool place to have fun. Nostalgic vibes. Stayed for hours. Amazing staff as well. 10/10 read more

The games are super fun and love that it's all you can play! It's also themed really well! read more

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Lots of different game variety for a pretty good price! Came here on a monday night for a friend's bday and it was pretty empty which meant we could play a lot of the games we wanted and didnt have to wait for lines. read more

Arcade Monsters - Interior - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

Check in was so easy. Show your ID to the gist. Plenty of games to play. Lots of alcohol selections!! Love this place!! read more

Arcade Monsters - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

What a fun place to ring in the New Year! $25/person for unlimited play at the 2 floor arcade space. We got there around 8:30pm and yea, we played 3 hours straight and finished around 11:30 and then rang in the new year at stroke of midnight. I played my favorite game, DDR. Check my video. lol! read more

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Great time excellent staff - bartender was amazing, she was super nice and helpful. Love the atmosphere, even have old school Nintendo so it feels like the 90's read more

Arcade Monsters - The arcade - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

Arcade Monsters: 9/10 Aesthetic & Ambiance: 9.5/10 Super cool - chic video game bar with a trippy blacklight fun aesthetic and an insane amount of games. We got there late so they weren't serving drinks/food anymore, but for $25 and unlimited play it was pretty worth it! Service: 8/10 Only service was the front desk to buy the play, who was nice; otherwise was just games :). They did say during earlier hours there are servers. Games: 10/10 - The selection of games was awesome from random games I've never seen around the country, to games I remember playing when I was a kid. Fun night out especially for $25 unlimited play! read more

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Fun for teens and adults. $25 for unlimited games was a steal! Got some exercise in with a dance machine and played some nostalgic games arcade games. We came after lunch on a weekday, which was perfect for the kids. Not too crowded. :) The decor is quite interesting, neon, glow in the dark everywhere. Would be cool to see at night. :) I appreciated that there is a long bench upstairs to sit. They also had 2 pool tables, air hockey, old school mario!! So much fun! I would definitely recommend. read more

Arcade Monsters - Comic book decor in the elevator - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

Emma C. Was a great at being a hostess with the most us showing us around for our first time being here. I appreciate her time and effort inshowing us around. Her professionalism was above par.! read more

Arcade Monsters - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

ARCADE MONSTERS PARKING no street parking so plan extra find a nearby lot. We paid $20 in a nearby Ace lot and walked 2 blocks SERVICE We came here for a team event and it did not disappoint! We got a handful of drinks at different points throughout the night. They don't let you keep tabs open so we kept coming back to charge our card. I do wish they would implement a "tab open" policy for instances like our group where it's easier. VIBES This place is so unique that you feel like you're in Mr Tempo nightclub if every inch offhe interior is covered with neon colored paint. Such a dope vibe with all the neon grafitti and old school video games. They're more busy on weekends and weekdays after 5-6pm. The vibe during the day is more family friendly See attached gif their holiday specials read more

Arcade Monsters - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place is much better for groups than coin op in my opinion because it's much bigger. There is a full bar & plenty of games on 2 floors. Emma was our bartender and she was great! $25 for unlimited play & $35 for in and out privileges. Most of the games are in a different language but are pretty easy to figure out. Definitely adult & kid friendly. read more

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Impressive. Variety Good, Artwork Good, Price Good, Had fun will come back every visit to SD. read more

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Talk about nostalgia! Arcade Monsters made me feel like I jumped into a time capsule! A true arcade in the sense that they offered the traditional arcade machine experience. Arcade machines from other countries, foosball tables, pool tables, air hockey, and all other traditional arcade games. They have vending machines available for beverages or drinks , alcoholic beverages are available as well. The art is amazing and the blacklights set the vibe. Downsides are it can get hot in there since only some areas have A/C and a handful of machines were out of service. They dont take cash and add a surcharge if credit cards are used, but it's a one time fee for all you can play! Overall a good experience! read more

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Pros: - Lots of games (variety) - Unlimited play (cheaper than Dave n Busters) - Cool wall art Cons: - Very strong paint smell upstairs - Can be very busy on the weekends - Parking can be hard (typical for downtown) - Food and drink are not that great, typical prices for Downtown places too - Kids allowed read more

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This is a cool spot in the heart of downtown. It's massive. Lots of fun adult bevvies including Ube slushies, Cinnamon Toast slushies and your choice of liquor in either single, double, or TRIPLE! lol lots of canned beers also, but wish they had more hazy IPA's. It's a gamer's paradise with so many little rooms to explore. They've got pin ball machines, skee ball, basketball, football throwing games in addition to the video games! Def a cool way to spend a rainy day. read more

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Now this is my first time here. I came on Veterans Day. So it was not busy. I hear this place gets crazy busy, especially during comic con time. I came with my fam. The employees are nice and the games are great. You have a variety of games. From old school 80's , 90's to current. As well as consoles games. Like Game Cube, and Super NES. The wall art is outstanding. It places you back into a 80's black light arcade feel. They have a nice bar, so you can get craft beers or alcoholic slushy. Ask for Layla, she is very nice and on point. I will definitely come back for a follow up review. I want to see how this place is busy. read more

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Had an absolute blast here with a group of friends! The atmosphere is incredible--love the neon/blacklight retro vibes and the massive selection of games. There's genuinely something for everyone, whether you're into classic arcade cabinets, pinball, or rhythm games. We ended up staying for hours and losing track of time. It's the perfect spot for a fun, high-energy night out. We will definitely be making this a regular hangout spot read more

Cool concept. Instead of the typical dave n busters deal, you pay a flat fee to get inside and play any game you want across two floors. I'm came for my nephew's birthday and all the kids had a blast. Some caveats: - food and bar are simple. Pizza, fries, dogs, chicken tenders, wings. But it's good enough. There are lots of offerings nearby if you want something more sophisticated. - some of the games are a on the violent side. Nothing too crazy but be aware. - Not a ton of hangout spots. Some high tops smattered here and there. They do have rooms you can rent. read more

Arcade Monsters - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

$25 All you can play is a good deal for avid video game players. It can be a bit of an adjudtment inside with the neon and lights, but there are nostalgic games like N64, computer games, etc. There are also activities like skee ball, basketball, and pool. It's great for a fun night out and kid-friendly until evening read more

Came here on a Sunday afternoon. It's downtown so you'll have to find street parking. It's $25 for unlimited play and $35 for unlimited play with reentry. There are two floors of endless games. Old school fighting games, Japanese rhythm games, pinball machines, a pool table, super smash brothers on GameCube, and so much more. There were a few games that were out in order but overall most games worked and seemed clean. It wasn't very crowded the time we went so we never had to wait for any game. There was a long line forming as we left so I can see it being more crowded towards the night with more adults. The drinks were pretty cheap, with a triple shot being only $20. Don't expect much from the food though. I'd recommend eating somewhere else but if you had to, the chicken tenders and fries weren't terrible. I wouldn't recommend the pizza though. There is seating upstairs to eat but they're in little random corners that you'll have to find. Overall, I had a fun time here. I could've stayed all day just exploring all the games. The neon theme is fun, though the building is a bit of a maze at first. It can be a little warm in some areas of the building but it wasn't a big deal. Service was nice and our food cane out in a timely manner. I'd definitely recommend a visit here and would love to come back. read more

Arcade Monsters - Chicken tenders with assortment of sauces - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

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Ready for all you can play games? This is the place to go. The fun interior adds to the ambiance. The walls are covered with memorabilia, including the elevator and bathrooms. This is perfect for all ages. We took my 17 year old sons and my friend's 9 year old daughter. The two story venue had something for everyone. read more

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I waited excitedly for Arcade Monsters to open when it was first announced. I have been a few times and still love the unlimited gameplay, theming, and fun vending machines. Unfortunately, this location is always extremely hot to where it's uncomfortable. Many games are in bad condition. There is very limited seating. Even when I booked a party room once, the set up was awkward and uncomfortable due to there being games set up on the eating surface. I can't comment on the food because I can't eat gluten and they don't have gf. I do like their slushies. I want to see them succeed in San Diego. But I don't want to suffer in heat standing up. read more

I really like the variety of games they have, and every time I play there it's always a fun experience.

Awesome deal $25 unlimited play. Super un American though they don't take cash. Had a great time might come back. read more

Arcade Monsters - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

All-you-can-play arcade is a cool concept, and I wanted to like it, but the overall experience was mediocre. Positives: Nice staff, cool theming with neon graffiti murals covering every inch of wall, good variety of physical games, retro games, and rhythm games. Stronger focus on retro games though, as they comprise the majority. Negatives: Hot, broken, and sticky. Hot - Went during a summer evening and it is OPPRESSIVELY hot in there, especially in some of the smaller rooms upstairs lacking a fan. As a consequence, everyone is sweaty and it is literally humid indoors despite being in dry, dry San Diego. It is difficult to stay long and take advantage of the all-you-can-play when you are uncomfortable the whole time. Broken - A third of the games are out of order or broken enough to severely impact gameplay. They are in poor shape due to being treated roughly and insufficient maintenance. Sticky - Everything, and I truly mean everything, is covered in a layer of stickiness. The machines are not cleaned sufficiently regularly, and there is spilled drink and trash filled cupholders everywhere. Aside: Not a demerit to the arcade, but parking is also difficult since it's right by Petco Park. However if you are patient and a little lucky, you can street park for free nearby after 6PM all days of the week. Unless you plan to spam a niche Japanese rhythm game for 6 hours, take your $25 and put it toward a card at Round 1, perhaps their free play option if you want a similar all-you-can-play experience. I would not come back. read more

Arcade Monsters - View of upstairs play area - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is awesome! Could have spent hours in there. Bathrooms were clean and kept up. Hand sanitizers everywhere! Didn't get a chance to try the food but I love the nostalgic menu. read more

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Good Games even from 80s games and Atmosphere is nice with the black lights definitely would come back again with more friend and family read more

Arcade Monsters - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

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The decor was insanely cool here! It was exciting just walking around and seeing everything. There was plenty of fun games, but also many were out of order. I really would've liked more of a variety with the types of games they offered. I wasn't a fan of the drinks. They were weak, pricey, and kinda hard to drink. The boba concept of having it lided is a nice safety precaution as well. Although I would've liked a normal straw. Workers were very nice as well. read more

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Always come here for Initial D! Sweet spot to grab some drinks with friends and get some games in for the weekend! Highly recommend! Emma G helped us out & she was the best!!!!! read more

Arcade Monsters - As - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

First off loved how many games this place provided! So many great options, which made our experience so pleasant and exciting. Loved that you don't have to worry about inserting coins and can just continuing playing as long as you want. It was $25 a person which is a reasonable price. The drinks weren't that great so I would recommend not getting any. All of the games worked great and had no issues! Loved the interior! I will definitely be coming back!! Highly recommend everyone checks it out. read more

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This is my first time here!! Love that it is a one time fee then you just get to go play, and they serve adult beverages?! YES PLEASE! Great place to hang with the kids and friends! Definitely will be back! read more

Arcade Monsters - Air hockey - Arcades Near Me - San Diego, California

For $25 you can play all of the game you want for as long as you want. We brought the kids and they had a blast. I am so happy we came. read more

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I love that this place is only $25 for unlimited games, it's a great place to come with your friends and have a good time.