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Abril helped us with our drinks and managed to help us figure out what we wanted to mix. Great service honestly would recommend.
My husband and I decided to go on a date night, thinking they'd have to card us. We were stressed about it because I forgot my ID, but it turns out they don't card (because kids come here too!). We're excited to play DDR! Thank you Arcade Monsters for being so friendly, attentive, and hosting such a fun time for kids and adults alike! If you like games, loud noises, and a perfect no ID date night, this is the place to come downtown!
This place is genuinely awesome! We brought. huge group and it was a blast!!! Everyone is super welcoming
This place is awesome, it is such a vibe! The entry fee is $25 or $35 if you want a stamp for re-entry. Once you are inside, all the games are free play, and they have curated such a large collections of games. There is something for everyone here. The only downside was my feet started to hurt from standing in front of games for so long. This place also allows children. I assumed because this place served alcohol it would restrict the age but I attended on a Friday night, around 9 pm and there were still children around. I also loved how they decorated the place, all the neon and wall art. They really put a lot of effort and care into the art. They also had a bar for alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, as well as a food menu. Very fun place, definitely worth a visit!
This place is awesome! Only been here twice. They have arcade games, food, and drinks! The price is affordable and you can play all night. You pay when you get in and choose which deal fits well for you. I also love the fun atmosphere including the designs and how it's decorated. There's 2 floors and you can seriously just get lost here in your own world just playing all night or all day.
Arcade Monsters!! There are over 200 games & many can only be found in Japan. I had so much fun playing my vintage favorite games like street fighter and halo and I got to play some new to me games as well. $25 for all you can play arcade games! Super fun and interactive place. It can be very loud in here so just be prepared for a lot of audio & visual stimulation! There's also a few basketball and skeeball games that were super fun and addictive as well. So if you love arcade games, this is definitely a great spot for you to enjoy in downtown SD. They have food and drinks as well. We didn't try the food, but the mojito was tasty & I also had a white claw. Parking is a little tough in this area. Using a ride service or taking the trolley might be a good idea. Peace.
Amazing amazing !!! We popped in last night and I was brought back to the early 90's when you would goto arcades on the weekends and things were just different. For $25 you can play all the games you want. They also sell food like pizza, wings etc and had a full bar! They had some pretty cool games from my childhood, name it when it was there! We very much enjoyed this concept and wish there was one in Orange County, we think it would do very well! Would come back again!
Such a cool experience! Pumped to play arcade games, the energy was awesome, welcomed warmly at the door. Decor was literally stellar! And they had the ddr machine with the arrows that aren't diagonal!
We come here every time we come down to the city, it's such a great deal! You get unlimited play for $25. 3 floors of games, with the top floor all being music ones. It's like round 1 but 10 times better. Also, they have a full bar so you can keep a vibe the whole time too.
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.
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!
I really enjoyed myself at Arcade Monsters, there are so many games. It's worth the 25 dollar cover. Bartenders were nice, and drinks were good, though the bar moves a tad slow. The food was fair, and the pick up situation was a little meh, but it doesn't really matter tbh. You also get something free if you leave a review, I forgot to cash it in though, hopefully they let me redeem next time!
First time. Greet unlimited arcade spot for $25. Don't recommend for children under 5. Not much for them to do. Great family spot.
2 months ago
3 months ago
I stopped by Arcade Monster on a Sunday after the Padres game. I'm not typically a huge arcade person, but I had some extra time and ended up having a really good time. Admission is $25, which gives you access to the games inside. I believe some of the claw machines where you grab prizes may cost extra, but I wasn't completely sure. One nice perk was that if you showed your Padres ticket, you received a complimentary hot dog, chips, and a bottle of water. The food was ready in less than five minutes, which was a great bonus after the game. There are two floors with a lot of different game options including pool tables. I personally loved the air hockey tables (although one was out of order). The basketball games were fun, and the punching games were entertaining as well. I'm not really a big video game person, so I skipped over some of those. Another one of my favorite games they had was Skee-Ball. My biggest complaint was the number of machines that were not working. Pac-Man was broken, one of the air hockey tables was down, the claw machine for candy wasn't working, some of the Skee-Ball games were unavailable, and Tetris was also out of order. For a $25 admission fee, I would expect the machines to be better maintained. I also didn't see anyone actively working on repairs while I was there. The atmosphere was fun, with a mix of kids and adults enjoying the games. They also have a bar area where you can order drinks, including beer (although no beer on tap), frozen daiquiris, and mixed cocktails. Overall, Arcade Monster is a fun place to spend a couple of hours if you enjoy games and are looking for something different to do. I just hope they put more attention into maintaining the machines because that would really elevate the experience. read more
11 hours ago
Abril helped us with our drinks and managed to help us figure out what we wanted to mix. Great service honestly would recommend. read more
2 months ago
My husband and I decided to go on a date night, thinking they'd have to card us. We were stressed about it because I forgot my ID, but it turns out they don't card (because kids come here too!). We're excited to play DDR! Thank you Arcade Monsters for being so friendly, attentive, and hosting such a fun time for kids and adults alike! If you like games, loud noises, and a perfect no ID date night, this is the place to come downtown! read more
11 hours ago
This place is genuinely awesome! We brought. huge group and it was a blast!!! Everyone is super welcoming read more
3 months ago
This place is awesome, it is such a vibe! The entry fee is $25 or $35 if you want a stamp for re-entry. Once you are inside, all the games are free play, and they have curated such a large collections of games. There is something for everyone here. The only downside was my feet started to hurt from standing in front of games for so long. This place also allows children. I assumed because this place served alcohol it would restrict the age but I attended on a Friday night, around 9 pm and there were still children around. I also loved how they decorated the place, all the neon and wall art. They really put a lot of effort and care into the art. They also had a bar for alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, as well as a food menu. Very fun place, definitely worth a visit! read more
This place is awesome! Only been here twice. They have arcade games, food, and drinks! The price is affordable and you can play all night. You pay when you get in and choose which deal fits well for you. I also love the fun atmosphere including the designs and how it's decorated. There's 2 floors and you can seriously just get lost here in your own world just playing all night or all day. read more
Arcade Monsters!! There are over 200 games & many can only be found in Japan. I had so much fun playing my vintage favorite games like street fighter and halo and I got to play some new to me games as well. $25 for all you can play arcade games! Super fun and interactive place. It can be very loud in here so just be prepared for a lot of audio & visual stimulation! There's also a few basketball and skeeball games that were super fun and addictive as well. So if you love arcade games, this is definitely a great spot for you to enjoy in downtown SD. They have food and drinks as well. We didn't try the food, but the mojito was tasty & I also had a white claw. Parking is a little tough in this area. Using a ride service or taking the trolley might be a good idea. Peace. read more
Amazing amazing !!! We popped in last night and I was brought back to the early 90's when you would goto arcades on the weekends and things were just different. For $25 you can play all the games you want. They also sell food like pizza, wings etc and had a full bar! They had some pretty cool games from my childhood, name it when it was there! We very much enjoyed this concept and wish there was one in Orange County, we think it would do very well! Would come back again! read more
2 months ago
Such a cool experience! Pumped to play arcade games, the energy was awesome, welcomed warmly at the door. Decor was literally stellar! And they had the ddr machine with the arrows that aren't diagonal! read more
2 months ago
We come here every time we come down to the city, it's such a great deal! You get unlimited play for $25. 3 floors of games, with the top floor all being music ones. It's like round 1 but 10 times better. Also, they have a full bar so you can keep a vibe the whole time too. read more
21 hours ago
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
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
I really enjoyed myself at Arcade Monsters, there are so many games. It's worth the 25 dollar cover. Bartenders were nice, and drinks were good, though the bar moves a tad slow. The food was fair, and the pick up situation was a little meh, but it doesn't really matter tbh. You also get something free if you leave a review, I forgot to cash it in though, hopefully they let me redeem next time! read more
3 months ago
First time. Greet unlimited arcade spot for $25. Don't recommend for children under 5. Not much for them to do. Great family spot. 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
6 days ago
23 days ago
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
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
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
10 months ago
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
11 months ago
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
10 months ago
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
21 hours ago
2 months ago
first time here and I already love the all you can play! shout out to vivian for checking my hubby and I in!! best way to kick off the first night at comic con read more
11 months ago
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
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
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
1 year ago
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
1 year ago
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
Business owner information
Adrian R.
Thank you for taking the time to share such thoughtful feedback.…
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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More info about Arcade Monsters
704 J St
San Diego, CA 92101
East Village
Directions
(888) 652-5055
Call Now
Visit Website
https://www.arcademonsters.com
Hours
Indoor Amenities
Other Amenities
Ask the Community - Arcade Monsters
Are they dog friendly?
No. It is all indoors and very tight quarters. It is also very loud which could hurt a dog's sensitive ears.
How's the line on Thursday nights?
Fridays and Saturdays are obviously the worst. On weeknights though, I’ve at times been able to park directly in front of the door and just walk in. Thursdays will most likely be a middle ground between the two.
Where can you park? Is it hard to find parking?
Limited street parking, pay parking lots, parking structures, and hotel valet service are around downtown San Diego's Gaslamp District and East Village areas.
Review Highlights - Arcade Monsters
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