This place is AMAZING!!! There are so many fun machines to choose from and the hangout space in the game room is epic. The bartenders were so sweet and helpful, and they told us about a lot of super fun promos the lounge runs for frequent players. I took my sister here for her 21st birthday, and she said she's super stoked to bring her friends back here the next time she's looking for a night out. read more

Bang Back Pinball Lounge - Arcades Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Cool space with well-maintained pinball machines! We stopped in here on the eve of the Five Points St. Patrick's day music festival. The place was packed with cool folks (mainly young) playing pinball. Most of their machines were a dollar per play. I tried the Iron Maden, the John Wick, the Game of Thrones and a couple others. All the games were in working order, from what I could tell. Even though it was a busy night, it wasn't difficult to get in on a machine. I also got the BBQ jackfruit bao buns. I was so stoked to find a tasty veg-friendly option! I ate my food so fast I didn't get a pic, but it was delish! The jackfruit was a bit saltier than average, which I liked. But just a heads up. Overall, the vibes here are great. There were TVs showing various things like Game of Thrones and Stranger Things. Definitely a welcome break from the sports bar scene! If you're a lil nerdy, like pinball, and like cool food- this is your spot! read more

Bang Back Pinball Lounge - Arcades Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Bang Back seems like a cool enough place, it's definitely a unique environment. I don't think Bang Back is as good of an establishment as Transmission on Main Street is, but it's not terrible either. I'm glad I stopped in once, and may stop by again if in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way for it. read more

See all

Incredible place to spend some spare time. Menu and cocktails/beer selection are off the hook, good prices too. But the reason you came was for the GAMES! All of the latest titles in excellent condition. Leagues and special nights too. "As good as it gets" and I have been to a LOT of places. Trust me. read more

Bang back is the place to be ! From the fun welcoming atmosphere. You will feel like you belong right away!! Fun themed nights , drink specials and events happening all the time! The food is the real hidden gem here. Talk about unique fun fresh and not comparable to anything in five points !! Go get your friends , get you a boa bun, and pinball round and a good time ( thank me later ) Also the owner is super awesome , fun welcoming and his menu kicks ass !!! read more

Went Sunday with 4 or 5 adults and 3 kids nice place food was not very good at all they can use some help in the kitchen immediately other than the food we all had a really good time read more

We took kids there the other night and they had a BLAST! Lots of pin-ball machines! I do not recommend kids there after 7:00 PM. (Just my opinion). Food wasn't great, but the drinks were and the kids had fun. That's why we went. We will go again! Thanks! read more

Bang Back Pinball Lounge - Arcades Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

See all

This place was fun! The drink prices weren't that bad. Atmosphere was chill since I went on Christmas.

Best place for my daughter's Sweet 16th birthday! Great fun for guests from 8yrs old to 80yrs old Food was delish! The owner made us feel right at home. The manager, Rachel, was above and beyond helpful with our party. Be back soon! read more

Bang Back Pinball Lounge - Great food! - Arcades Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

See all

I can't believe it took me this long to visit this place, but I finally did it yesterday. Let me tell you: it's fabulous and already one of my favorite places in Columbia. About 20 pinball machines, all well maintained; friendly, great bartenders; clean bathrooms; lots of places to safely put your drink down while you're playing; a diverse crowd where everyone is welcomed (even my 50+ year-old self); and a great menu (but we didn't try the food this time). We were very impressed with the range of machines and how well kept they are. I love it here! read more

See all

Immediately we were greeted by a warm and welcoming bartender. Ordering was effortless and there were tons of options - something for everyone, to include mocktails. My date and I got the $10 all-you-can-ball (pinball) pass and had a great time playing their amazing games while waiting for food. There were eight different games to choose from on the pass (no quarters needed). However, there are about 10-15 other machines which take quarters only. The food came quick, and honestly we didn't have high expectations being it's a bar, but they were absolutely delicious (best we've had in town), and learned they're baked and fried - to perfection. We also had the hush puppies filled with pimento cheese, which was worth the visit alone. It's so chill here - wish we had discovered this spot sooner! Wonderful place for groups of friends and lovers / dates. We'll definitely be back. 5 stars for a dive bar. read more

Always love going when I visit family ! Great vibes. I love all the writing & pictures in the bathroom, just a great place for all ages! read more

Bang Back Pinball Lounge - Forgot the name but it was delicious - Arcades Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

See all

First time here and loved it. Will be back for a tournament sometime. Really nice machines matched up with a nice bar and atmosphere. read more

See all

Cool place! Pinball games are typically $1 per play, but I would imagine they have to pay a pretty penny to keep the games working and in good condition. The business is clean and appears to be well kept. Drinks are good, and probably averaged priced for Columbia. They also have a decent selection of bottled/canned beer. My only gripe, and the reason I am only giving 4 stars was on an early Friday afternoon we stood at the bar waiting on a couple of beers, while there were a couple of people that were so trashed, they should have been cut off drinks before we came in. The two ladies were a nuisance to everyone around them. One lady in particular had been so over served, but appeared to have a friendly relationship with the bartender. She was openly hitting on another customer's husband, and talking poorly about his wife to her friends. She was sloppy drunk and talking very loudly, so everyone could hear everything she said. It was so uncomfortable. The couple being harassed cashed out and left shortly after. The bartender never attempted to gain control. My husband I played some pinball, and I sat on the stadium seats watching him. The second lady and her dude walked past me headed to the restroom. They went into the men's restroom and came out about 5 minutes later. As she walked to the bar, she announced to the other patrons that they had just had sex. We left shortly after. It was an odd trip to the arcade, for sure. So my advice to Bang Back is you have a great space and business concept...just be aware that when you tolerate one customer's bad behavior, you are likely chasing off other customers. read more

Let me start off this review with mentioning my own prejudices: I'm from Los Angeles. Now on to the review. *Check/Trust the lounge's hours on their website. Not on Yelp or Google* Visiting family in Columbia, SC my partner and I wanted to see what kind of fun activities Columbia had. I'll be honest- i assumed Columbia wouldn't have anything to offer. I know i was wrong and those are my own assumptions ( I'm working on it cut me some slack), but Columbia has a bunch of cool options with this spot being one of them! Surrounded by other trendy spots is this dope pinball lounge. When you first enter this establishment your eyes immediately dart around like a child in a candy store looking at all the pinball machines. What's more trendy then a place that sells alcohol and offers games? When you do come here make sure you bring ones, but note they do have an ATM. The spot does have that typical bar smell near the entrance when you first walk in but you forget about it once you're face first with one of the machines. The drinks were good. I forgot what cocktail i got, but i know it had Peach in the ingredients. So order that one. I'm not sure if it was a bug of a feature, but a few of the machines worked without quarters! So if that was a mistake hopefully the bar can fix it, but if it wasn't it then that's pretty cool! A lot of the licensed machines cost money so bring your quarters for those. A few of the machines cost 4 quarters. Overall can't recommend this spot enough for a cool date night/ night out with friends/ or a solo outing. It does give off that college vibe, though. I will most definitely check this spot out again if I'm in town. read more

Bang Back Pinball Lounge - A Deadpool pinball machine that cost 4 quarters. I recommend the Stranger Things machine! Didn't get a photo of that one. - Arcades Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Great food. Kind staff. The pinball machines are well maintained! Unsupervised kid was not appreciated but not the fault of the place.

This place is great. I have not been out to eat or to any bar during COVID with one exception--Bang Back. Friendly owner and bartenders, about 15 beers on tap ranging from basic domestics to local brew favorites. I have only tried the Bao Buns and they were good; next time I may go for the Pimiento Cheese hushpuppies. The star of the show, of course, is pinball--16 machines all arranged to keep players socially distant. Great games, all well-maintained, and many of them are only $.50 a throw. Some of the $1 games are 3 games for $2. Afternoons are a great time to visit--very few people most weekdays. I can go in here, sip a beer, play plenty of pinball for an hour, tip well, and still have $5 left from a $20 bill. Best entertainment value in all of Columbia! read more

Amazing day or night spot for food, frosty beer, and flippers. About 18 gorgeous pinball machines and gourmet finger foods. I've tried about half the menu, and everything is wonderful. Pimento cheese hushpuppies are unique and delicious. Great selection of local brews. Several varieties of sliders, tacos, wings, samosas. All fresh and dispatched through the indoor 'Funky Fresh Food Truck" portal. Friendly staff, fast service. Indoor and outdoor seating with tables and nooks where you can congregate with your group. Cutting edge pinball machine titles like Stranger Things, Willy Wonka, Batman 66, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, and a dozen others. These machines are in mint condition (mainly because they were built only a few months ago). There's nothing like engaging in a game of real pinball -- software simulators just don't cut it. This is one of the best executions of the 'barcade' category I've seen. Great balance of booze, food, and games. read more

There's a pinball machine here for everyone. My favorite was the Led Zeppelin one. You get to hear some of the music from the band while you play. A fun inexpensive thing to do on a hot day or even on a rainy day when you want to get away from being outside. I like that there's a pinball machine for the Stranger Things series. That's a fairly newer TV show. The machines aren't just all of these super old TV shows or characters. read more

Okay, this place is awesome. I played in their winter women's pinball leauge and I had SO much fun that I ended up joining their spring co-ed leauge, too! The food is really good and definitely worth trying. I highly recommend the bao buns, they really hit the spot! Bartenders here are personable, fun, and they all make a mean drink (they pour a damn good cold Bud Light, too!). There is a quarter machine and an ATM inside the bar towards the back, so you dont need to "plan ahead" to swing in. The games are $1 or under. This is a place that is totally FAMILY FRIENDLY, too!! I mean, maybe dont bring your 7 year old on a Friday night because they'll probably learn a few new words, if you catch my drift, but during the daytime hours it's perfect family fun. I've had my 9 year old here multiple times and I have always felt comfortable with him popping around playing different games on my league nights and I've always felt like he was safe even if he wasn't right next to me. Happy hour is from 4 to 7, they have weeknight specials (Monday is Service Industry Night, Wednesdays are trivia, Thursday is ladies night) and they have a great Date Night special! Friendly, fun, and casual environment that isn't overrun by USC students...it's a lot of fun for those of us that still want to be home and in bed by 10pm! Check it out. You won't regret it! read more

Come. Here. Columbia was in need of this Barcade. To start, this place is everything you need for a fun night with friends or family. The aesthetic is just a good combination of modern bar and classic arcade. Big booths for groups or small table tops for dates. There are SO many different themed pinball machines to play from Batman to Monster Bash. The owner, Fred, stopped by multiples times to ask for our feedback and to check on us. Everyone was incredibly friendly, even the chef came to get our feedback. We stumbled in during the soft opening but this will be a must go when they open officially. Lastly, and most importantly to me, the food was GREAT. It ranges from homemade potato chips to samosas! Try it all. It's worth it. read more

Bang Back Pinball Lounge - Pinball area - Arcades Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

See all

Owner, staff, atmosphere, drinks, food, peers- all A+ ! Spoke to the owner, he's really passionate and needs our local support, keep this alive ya'll!! This place is a total gem!! read more

Bang Back Pinball Lounge - Entrance - Arcades Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Really great experience ! The drinks were good and the games are fun. Sometimes the quarter machine is out of service but they gave me my change in quarters when I was shorted. Great service read more

Great food and drinks, but Pinball gives you something to do while you are enjoying the food and drinks. What a great spot to hang in Columbia, SC. It is my new favorite. read more

Bang Back Pinball Lounge - Arcades Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

The food is amazing!! Great food selection and a great place to just sit down and have a good meal with a beer. They also have a mini arcade with "PINBALL"!!!! How cool is that. The games are all really nice and I love the different eras of pins available. It's a really great spot to hang out and chill with great food. Try the dumplings they are insanely good. New favorite spot for sure read more

I only come for Rachel! She is the absolute best and sweetest human ever! I'm not a big fan of playing pin ball, but I love a bartender that treats me right read more