8 on the Break is legendary. In particular, today it's a hub for music game fans, featuring arcade games scarcely available elsewhere on the continent. The selection is fantastic and rounds are cheap. There are also some well-loved racing games. The machines are well cared for, and you get to use your quarters instead of a plastic card. (It's just more fun that way.) Most cabs allow you to save your progress in one way or another. Of course, there are a good number of pinball tables. No matter what you're there for, do check out at least one of them. There's still nothing quite like a great game of pinball. No writeup of 8otB is complete without mention of the Break Steak. $5 for a cheesesteak, fries, and soda. You get a lot more than what you pay for. Seriously, where I live I have trouble finding an equivalent quality & amount of food for twice the price. If you're in the area, and you have even a passing interest in arcades, you owe it to yourself to check the Break out. Your dollar stretches pretty far. If you're interested in these types of games, well... I know of people who drive hours to get to this place. Bring cash. If the owner sees this... thanks for all the great moments, there really is no other place like the Break. read more

This is a hole in the wall arcade that has a number of rhythm games you wouldn't normally find as well as fighter games like tekken etc. There was an automatic hand sanitizer machine upon entering but it was empty, luckily I brought my own. Each machine they ask you spray/wipe down in between uses however they don't give you a disposable paper towel, it is the same rag used over and over again which didn't seem very sanitary to me. The DDR machine count slot was jammed so it was unplayable. Then the in the grooved machine, the left control pad matched the track on the right side and vice versa which was kind of inconvenient since me and my boyfriend play at different speeds/levels. The whole place just seemed kind of run down and not well taken care of. However, if you're specifically looking for rhythm games then this is the place for you. read more

Eight on the Break is one of the most iconic east coast arcades to go to - besides a well-staked set of arcade games from all over the world, there are pool tables and delicious food, making this a go-to local hangout spot. There's a lot of history with the place, hence the pictures on the wall. The staff are super nice and fun to talk to! Would definitely love to come anytime I swing by in the area. read more

I came here a few times with my friends in jersey & my best friend who was accompanying me at the time. We played a lot of games, and the setting was very peaceful. They offered a lot of good food in which i tried out a simple burger and shake, and it was delicious. The service or rather the games they had were amazing. Street Fighter 4, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, i can go on. My favorite memory of this place is when two of my friends faced each other in street fighter 4. One picked juri, the other picked rose. It was a close match but in the end, rose wins! In all seriousness, this place is great! read more

This is an old school arcade filled with games that I've never found at any other arcade I've been to. The place looks kinda grungy and is on the older side, so don't come here expecting super fancy stuff...but if you can get past that and also find free random street parking right outside, it's definitely a fun place to spend a couple hours! There are pinball tables, shooting, fighting, music + racing games here! I came here with a friend mainly because he wanted to play Initial D, but since I'm laughably pathetic at racing games, I found solace in the music games while he lived out his fantasy of racing on the other end of the room! (It's ~25 cents-$1 per game, depending on the game!) I'm of the belief that some of them are colorful/crazy enough to induce seizures in those with photosensitive epilepsy, but they were a lot of fun! I like that they take quarters vs. tokens, and it looked like you could save your progress on a number of the games if you got a card for it! I haven't tried any of the food here, but their prices looked pretty reasonable! read more

Been coming here as a kid and still visit for the Break Steak. Must try. Best cheesesteak in NJ. Good selection of music (dance, rhythm) racing (initial D) games and pinball. Old school fighters (mvc2, cvs2) and multi game cabinets. Friendly staff always fun coming by here read more

Eight On the Break - a sandwich and french fries - Pool Halls Near Me - Dunellen, New Jersey

It blows my mind that no one has reviewed 8 on the Break yet! This legendary video arcade/billiards hall/fried food hole has been in continuous operation for over 35 years and has a legion of loyal customers. Open till Midnight Sunday-Thursday, 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. They close down their fryers/grill a little earlier, 10:30 or 11pm I think. They run a flat-top griddle and a fryer, dishing out "break steaks" (cheese steak but greasier) and fried favorites (fries, mozzarella sticks, etc) Their website gives a current listing of their active arcade cabinets. They've got some classics (Marvel vs Capcom 2!) and some new hotness (Time Crisis 4, Tekken 6) along with several Bemani (DDR/Beatmania/etc). Half a dozen pinball machines wait patiently for someone to pop in a quarter. Prices range from 25c up to $1 (in quarters of course). I've never played pool here but they do have several well maintained tables (and it's super cheap!). Overall a good place to hang out and blow all the quarters sitting in the cup holder of your car. One word of caution: while the area where 8otb is located is pretty safe (there's a dunkin donuts nearby that the local cops like to hang out at), the surrounding areas of North Plainfield are...rough to put it mildly. They're pretty ghetto if we're not being pc. They're ****ing scary if we're speaking frankly. Don't get lost here at night. Hell, don't get lost here during the day. read more

This place is pretty cool and I LOVE the cheesesteak and I ALWAYS get the special and I was introduced to this place three years ago from my friend and I like to say thank you to him for that and for ALWAYS showing me cool places! read more

Once again, I love playing games. But honestly, I'm more into social games like pool or shuffleboard than video games. The pool tables at Eight on the Break looked pretty beat up. I didn't get to use them because they were closing early tonight. The sole air hockey table also looks pretty beat up, but it does work well. They need a new puck, or maybe my shots are just too hard. Actually, the place in general is pretty beat up and could use a little bit of renovation. That's all just appearance. Everything I used worked just fine. They had a good selection of arcade machines, old and new according to my friends. I like that the machines still take quarters instead of those card swipes other places have. It reminds me of playing arcade games at the movies growing up. So I suck at the arcade games everyone loves, like Street Fighter and Initial D. But I LOVE rhythm based games. Eight on the Break had a bunch of dance arcade games, a drum game, DJ games, guitar hero, and some other game that was only in Japanese. I enjoyed the Japanese thing the most. Nine buttons, hit em as their notes come up. It was like musical whack a mole. read more

They usually have top notch arcade games and imports, fun for any game fan. The also have great cheese steak combos (fries and a soda) for under $5.. They loose a star for having the same rug for the past 20 years +.. It looks bad! Check out Monday nights for quarter Mondays.. They offer the place to rent for parties too, but at weird hours.. read more

Grungy and quite dark in the place. Was just looking for a place to play pool. It does quite the job at such a low price..really can't argue against that. Lots of arcade games to choose from and token are just quarters which is great and cheap. Food does look a little sketchy and staff does not look like they care. But if you don't care... Then it is a great place to just hang out for a cheap price. read more

I absolutely love coming to the Break, if not for their game selection then for the food. My boyfriend showed me this place a little more than 3 years ago and now I'm the one usually asking to go. I can't find anywhere else that has a good selection of rhythm games and this place has got some good variety. My go-to game right now is Jubeat and the only other places I've been to that has it are conventions (which are stupid expensive). Some other ones include Technika, Rerave, Pop'N and that darn dj game I never play cause its so hard. Thats excluding all the dance games they have. I'm also a fan of the ever rotating amount of pinball machines, Time Crisis 4 and Initidal D 7 AND 8. They used to have ID 3 until they upgraded and I suppose I was never meant to complete my card but its okay since now I have a NEW card :D What I found surprising when I first started going here was the food. It's amazing. No seriously, I couldn't stop thinking of Break Steaks when I first had one 3 years ago. Since then, they've expanded their menu to Break Shakes and cookies and different flavors of fries, all pretty affordable if you ask me. Oh and can't forget the wiffle icecream. I could hang out at the Break and get by only spending $10 on food and games. Totally worth it and still one of my favorite places to hang out. read more

Eight On the Break - I think I posted this before but BREAK STEAKSSSSS - Pool Halls Near Me - Dunellen, New Jersey

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This place is great solely because it is one of the last of its kind. There are not too many old school arcades left. Many of what you find now are gaming centers were there are a bunch of consoles and monitors set up where a group of people can play first person shooters. You rarely find good old arcade cabinets anymore. This is truly one of the few arcades left in the area, especially after Chinatown Fair revamped itself in downtown Manhattan. We decided to take a drive there on an early Saturday afternoon. Parking can be a little tight in the area, especially since this is on a main road and on certain days like Saturdays, you find that many people are running their errands. Once we found a meter about 2 blocks away, we were delighted to see that the meters were $0.25 per hour with a 2-hour max. We loaded up for 2 hours and walked in. The front isn't the most appealing with letters missing from the signage, but this is what I liked about it...a tried and true business thats still around. We entered and it was pretty crowded for only having been open for an hour and a half. There were lots of dancing games such as DDR and even a tournament going on that day. There were a few fighting games such as Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and Ultra Street Fighter 4. There were a handful of the older games such as pacman. To the left there is a small area with a bunch of pinball machines. In the back there are three pool tables and finally there is a counter which serves various food items. Most games accepted quarters and varied by game. The older ones such as Pacman were only 1 quarter to play, the fighting games were 2 quarters and the bigger racing (sit down) games were 4 quarters. There was a change machine there which made things convenient. The pool tables were $5 per hour and increased based on the number of players. We had 4 people on a table and the rate was $8 per hour. You retrieve the pool balls at the food counter and surrender an ID (license) to hold it. The pool area was fairly empty with 2 out of the 3 tables being available during the entire time we were there. The food counter was great. The guy was very helpful and friendly. They had a few items to choose from and the prices were very reasonable (their famous Break Steak - $5, chicken finger/tenders - $4.50, french fries - $1.75.) They also also have a few drink items including slushies/icees. I do not think there were any alcoholic drinks available. This place is great and I do wish I lived closer. (We drove about an hour to get there) Keep in mind that this place does get very crowded. Lot of teenagers and younger people (though not many little kids) especially on a Saturday. I can only imagine the after school crowd during the week. I highly recommend this place to anyone that is into gaming. I would love to return especially if there are any fighting game tournaments. read more

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went back and was still an amazing experience. i want to do anything i can to support this place! friendly staff, nostalgic ambience, and to my surprise they had an arcade game i hadn't played since the first time i went to japan. my favorite read more

It's a shame... I have no choice but to give only 1 star to a place that would have so easily gotten a solid 4 (not to mention a lot of subsequent business from positive word of mouth) had the guy working behind the bar been an honest, decent human being. A week ago a friend and I sat at the bar and ordered a little of everything. The food was okay, dessert the highlight. it's not like I expected much and that wasn't really what I was coming in for anyway. I will say this: Do Not order a slushy and expect it to be at all the right temperature or consistency. I asked to have mine put in the freezer when I realized they had no intention of re-pouring it, tweaking the machines temperature or refunding me for the watery slushless "slushy". I paid for our food, dessert and even tipped despite the snarky holier then thou pseudo hipsters demeanor. If you enjoy your fries served up with a heavy dose of attitude then you'll be satisfied. If you enjoy being lied to and over charged for your pool table by about double and your drivers license held when you object to the bs then you may be okay here. Otherwise stay away and find a better option. read more

Eight On the Break - a neon lit building - Pool Halls Near Me - Dunellen, New Jersey

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I have been traveling to this arcade from Mt. Olive on and off for a few years now. They have a good selection of games and the prices are way better than anywhere else I've gone. The staff are very friendly. Recently met Marty and what a personable guy he is! He makes sure everyone is safe and having a good time. The guys behind the snack bar are personable as well and try to keep everything as clean as possible. Its a great experience every time I go. The food is fantastic! Their cheese steak special is affordable and I have to have it every time along with their wiffle! There's so many new milkshake flavors lately too which is fun. Anyway my main point is.. I could go to an arcade closer to me but they just dont compare. This will always be my go to arcade. read more

My older brother introduced the to the Break some 20+ years ago in my early teen years, when every mall still had an arcade and Sports Park was still in operation. It wasn't the biggest or the shiniest, but it was the most special. We're both avid pinball players and even though the Silver Ball pinball museum is way closer to me now I still gladly travel to the Break for pinball and a cheesesteak (or two). The games are always well-maintained (and should be, as they host tournament play) which is worth its weight in gold. Yestercade may have that "nostalgia vibe", but the Break is the real deal. That's why it's survived when everything else has long since faded away. read more

Pinball Alert ! ! ! 8OTB (a.k.a. Eight on the Break) is the home of the Jersey Pinball Association (see: http://www.thebreak.net/pinball/index.htm). They have lots o' pinball machines ! Three of which are on my Top Ten List of Pins: 1) Cirqus Voltaire * ( CV see: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4059 ) 2) Medieval Madness * ( MM see: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=4032 ) 3) Monster Bash * ( MB see: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id= 4441) 4) SpiderMan 5) Family Guy 6) Lord of the Rings 7) Ripley's Believe It or Not 8) Attack From Mars (not working) 9) NASCAR These machines are in fair to good condition. Other distractions? Initial D 3 Twin -- my son's favorite game... This is nice and close to my father-in-laws house. Glad to have such a great place to go to waste some time. Billiards available too!!! I learned about this place thru the New Jersey STAR Ledger, who wrote a great review about the League. SEE 8OTB's website @ www.thebreak.net pix laters... read more

I love eight on the break. Their food is dirt cheap, and the people that work there are real easy to talk to. The games are good as well. I go there at least once every other week. Now, I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the condition the place is in. Though I do like how the grungyness gives it a bit of a relaxed, at home feeling(weird but it totally does) a lot of the stuff is in poor condition. Please fix the vending machines, old gaimng machines in the corner you wont get rid of(or just get rid of it!), and refresh the place a bit. It really looks like the owner doesn't care anymore :( read more

Place is a dive pool tables old balls fall on the floor the cloths have never been changed the place is completely disgusting and dirty would never go there ever again. The carpets are soaking wet like there was a flood and never cleaned games are old as sin . The worst they should close !!! 2/24/15 read more

The place is so deliciously 90's. From the reasonably priced food (seriously fries, a great cheesesteak, and drink for $4.98!), to putting quarters in the arcade games, to getting change from this giant 1s,5s, 10s only machine, I walked around with my eyes filled with wonder. The only thing missing was my favorite Simpsons arcade game to really kick nostalgia into hyperdrive. (seriously, management if you're reading this, acquire this game and I will make it rain quarters upon you!) There is definitely more space for video games than billiards, despite the name. I thought there was a super smash brothers tournament going on, but apparently it was just a regular Tuesday night. Tweens and teens sat glued to their chairs cheering and jeering around several tv screens in a rectangle. There are shooting games, fighting games, racing games, pac man, tons of pinball machines, and an air hockey table that some kids hogged all night. There arn't a lot of games that two people can play, so I think we stayed about an hour or so including time spent eating. The billiard tables likely have been revamped since the last time reviewed because they were clean and looked new. All in all, I had a really good time. I took off a star because if you come for the arcade games with friends, you don't have as many options. read more

I was visiting the east coast with my friend, and we were spending the week in New York, traveling all the way from northern California. We happen to be fans of music games and arcades in general, so this was a must-see. I'd heard about the arcade and its owner as a test-bed for new machines on the market, and the starting point for my favorite game series, In the Groove. We took NJ Transit (about an hour long ride), met some new friends, and played DJ Max Technika and BeatMania IIDX (two games not offered in our area), and the familiar Pop'n 14. I stopped to try the cheese steak combo offered at the counter, and it was more delicious than I expected. The flashy advertising and humor was kind of ridiculous, but still quirky enough to make me smile. Not to mention the silly bathroom keys. It seems to be one of the only genuine quarter-arcades left. I have only seen token and card arcades, so this was a pleasant surprise. However, spending money directly also made it easier to see exactly how much money I was spending on these machines... a fair sum. Some of the clientele were not as classy as possible... one chap ordered a soda, and when the employee turned around, he mixed vodka into it. However, that's not a fault of the establishment. All in all, new friends were made, there was a decent selection of games (racing games like Maximum Tune, gratuitous selections of pinball, music games, BlazBlue and Tekken 6, and even pool tables) and it was well worth taking the trip out there. read more

I have found my way back to the Break for nearly every single college break, and now, work vacations. Within those walls lies the best meal deal you'll find in central New Jersey, $4 for a cheesesteak, fries, and a soda (and for those of you who like RC cola, it's one of the few places where you'll find a fountain of it). The "haven't changed the price in a quarter century" might seem like a gimmick, but it isn't. This is legitimately one fine sandwich, where the veg, cheese, beef, and bbq sauce are all grilled and melted together... I think they could sell the sandwich itself for $5-6 dollars or so, and people wouldn't complain (too much), but it seems that management wants people to spend the left over dollar bill on the video games on the floor. Oh yeah, they also have video games. I'm fairly certain that that only game genres that are up to date are fighters and the dance games, but that's pretty much the arcade scene these days anyways. read more

8 on the Break has countless arcade games old and new. Those that are sought out for in Japan. The break steak combo is a great bang for your buck from the good quality and portions. I visited during the day and the employee behind the counter did a good job on the food. I honestly had a great time there. It's homely and it will continue to add in more japanese-import arcade games that are very rare in New Jersey. read more

Love this place it's the only old school place left, food is actually good and really inexpensive

Cool place, even better lunch buy cheesesteak fries & drink (under $5) damn tasty too. Don't let the exterior fool you

Alot of Gaming & Good People since I discovered the place and met some of me best friends over the course of my mid teens to mid 20's best break steak combo deal mon & tuesday recommended only ask jay or mat to get it poppin .. The owner chris is prolly one of the most hardworkin and keepin it real type that makes it feel like my 2nd home jus like cheers where everyone knows your name or made up one , it is the landmark that keeps dunellen prospering on mAin street since the 40'-50's i beleieve .. some history 8otb read more

Absolutely disgusting. A few of the machines are completely broken, the place is filthy dirty, and the workers are nasty. The food I ordered was gross and barely cooked. I don't expect a 5 star meal, but I expect it to be cooked thru. And don't plan on asking any workers for help because they will either shrug their shoulders and walk away, or ignore you entirely. They're much better arcades not far away. read more

I like a good arcade atmosphere. However when I recently visited Eight on the break I was a bit disappointed with the quality of the place it's clearly ancient, and needs to be slightly refreshed, new floors, light fixtures, paint job, window displays, you name it! I do admire the pictures of the past gamers that used eight on the break as their old stomping grounds, and I like the selection of games. I just hope the owner wake up and brighten the place up! ^^ read more

Went to the Break for the first time a couple of years ago and was not disappointed. Good selection of pins and video games, can't vouch for the food as I didn't have any, but does the food really matter?? This is all about the games and the preservation of a culture. For many many years we've seen the decline and disappearance of what few arcades remain, so it's always great to see a place like the Break stick through it all and provide what they do. You can tell they are genuinely enthusiastic as they run specials and contests often and seem to keep the machines in good working condition. Recommended without a doubt. read more

Please don't be critical of this place not being swanky. They run a nice business and I doubt they make much money. One side of House of the Dead is broken, as well as one side of another gun game. Current Games: Tekken 5, Tekken 6, Addams Family pinball, X-Men pinball, Street Fighter 3, Ms. Pac-Man, various dancing games, Return to Mars pinball, 2 multi-cabinets, and at least 10 0thers. read more

What a fantastic spot. I used to go frequently back in high school a few years back and if I were still in state I'd be coming more. What a great place to go and hang out with good friends and great food. Not talking about fine dining or fancy cuisine from any part of the world, but some good old fashioned Americana. Where else can you go and get a cheese steak (best with the bbq sauce and all the fixin's) fries and a drink for 3.98? While you play a whole world of new and old arcade games? And they have pool tables and other great selections. Its just an all around good time. I used to be an avid Initial D player myself. But I know they have all the modern dancing games and top arcade fighters. Its a great spot and if your looking to have a great night, or to drop off your high school teens, this is definitely a great spot. Considering also that many of the arcades in this country have disappeared and that truly is a sad sight. Eight on the break keeps the culture alive so definately go and visit read more