I go to board game cafes all around the country and this is the best hands down. Great service, knowledgeable staff who can teach most games, and fabulous drinks. The food is pretty good. Cost of game play is affordable at $4 per hour and they have promos on certain days that allow you to play with other board game enthusiasts at a set price. Rory has a great business here - truly the best I've been to in the US. Noteworthy: their bathrooms are so clean and always smell nice! Also for the dude who complained about parking: don't be lazy. Walk a short distance from the neighborhood and park for free. It's literally a block. Even on a weekend night I've never had to walk farther than 3 blocks. read more

Good selection of games you can play at $4/person/hour. Also a modest selection of board games for sale. AND a cafe. Friendly staff. There were a few tables playing when I stopped on a sunny Saturday afternoon. I didn't eat this visit but I expect I'll be back at some point. I've heard they have community events but I saw no evidence of that in my visit. read more

I love the concept and the location is great. The pricing structure is high enough to make me think twice, though. Paying per person per hour for a table without a discount if we're buying food and drinks is hard for me to talk myself into. But if I was renting a game instead of just needing a table it probably would have felt different. read more

Super super fun board game café to go with friends. I popped in late on a Sunday with a group and the staff was very welcoming and knowledgeable about all the games we played. I wished we had spent more time in Albuquerque just so we could've gone back. read more

The worst part of this place is you get sucked in and hours go by. Then you look at the time and say, "I was here for 4 hours?!" lol This is a great spot for couples and large groups. They have a lot of 2 player games so you can come with just one other person. I have not tried to come alone so I don't know how easy it is to join another group's game. I remember when I lived in Santa Fe, jean cocteau cinema would have game night and it was very easy to join another group or learn a new game from other patrons. What I also reaaallllyyy love about this place is you can refuel your body, brain, and soul (lol okay I'm being silly there) with some sandwiches, desserts, drinks, snacks, you name it. They have food, both hot and cold, to keep you playing. The sandwiches are made fresh. I recommend the Three Little Pigs. I gobbled that sandwich up like no tomorrow. If you haven't been here then set some time aside to visit. At least 2 hours. OH! So the legst worst part of this place is the parking. You can find free parking further out, but nearby you will have to pay. Parking is free after 6, but expect this place to get a bit busy. read more

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This place is really cool. They have so many board games from simple and easy to use to the more deep dive long lasting board games that get you thinking. The employees have knowledge of most games so they can make recommendations and they can help you learn new games. This is definitely a place for groups or at least a date of two. They have a little cafe which serves brewed drinks they also have bottles drinks of your standard variety. They also serve a simple menu. This place cost $4 per person per hour to play games. I would recommend looking at their game list in advance and learn a little about the games before you go so you're not spending all your time learning a more involved game. You can also YouTube the games and get some instruction in advance. This place is a must try, it's different, it's fun, and you can spend hours here easily. read more

Empire Board Game Library - Star Wars Villainous board game - Cafes Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Very cool place! Been here only twice but the staff is always very kind and helpful, they've even taught us the board games! The interior also looks awesome and the community is cool. read more

So much fun! Lots of 2 player games & even made friends with other patrons & ended up playing a 4 player game. Will definitely be back.

This place is awesome!! Been here a few times with friends and I always enjoy myself. It's only $4 an hour and the games are unlimited. There's so many different types to play. You don't need a huge group either, there's plenty of 2 player games. The food is great too. Def a great place to try with friends. read more

Empire Board Game Library - Cake - Cafes Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

What a great day at the Empire Board Game Library!!! Don't be intimidated by the barrage of game offerings, there is a super warm and inviting staff that are knowledgable and ready to help you customize your gaming experience. Whether you have all day to blow, or a few hours...whether there is just two of you, or a squad of you...they are fully prepared to make recommendations that are sure to make for a wonderful and entertaining time. I was so pleased with the snack selection.... lovely menu with plenty of lil noshes and sandwiches, desserts and beverages to satisfy. I had the affogato which was just perfect. So looking forward to my next visit...this is a great destination for a meet up with friends, or a unique date night, or even a parent/child date :) read more

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This was our first experience in a board cafe. We had such a wonderfully relaxing time. The food was delicious--we both had the Rueben, which was a delightful blend of flavors. Free refills on drinks--what a deal. We can't wait to come back. read more

Good atmosphere and a good ambience. I just wish they didn't try to rip you off with the high food prices. For example, they don't have free glasses of water and make you buy bottled water for $1 even though you can get that same Arrowhead for ten cents at Sam's Club. They even have board games you can play to pass the time but they charge you per hour. Also, parking is terrible. That entire block only has 12 parking meters and 2 are reserved for electric vehicles, so good luck finding parking. read more

We found this place by accident but are so glad we did, it's definitely become a go to spot for family fun. The game selection is awesome. While you can find some traditional well known games there is literally hundreds we had not heard of, but have turned into favorites. The staff is always nice and very helpful and some great eats. I highly recommend checking it out. read more

Great fun, cool concept, bad parking. They had an array of board games, cakes, sandwiches, coffees, Italian sodas, and peanut butter gold bars (wow!). I mean, the people that work there must know how to play every single board game (confusing, for our noisy table of 19, we played the fascist/ Hitler game and powergrid). One suggestion I might make is to either offer french fries or personal sized pizzas- the sandwiches looked okay but seemed rather simple. Didn't even know this place had existed before, and for only 3 bucks an hour it was worth it. read more

Empire Board Game Library - PB gold bar! - Cafes Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

3 bucks an hour per person to play any of their boardgames! It's such a great deal and a great way to spend some time. I've been here twice. Once today and once 2 years ago. Both times on my cross country trip. I really recommend this place as a place to go to with friends. They also serve deserts and food! The staff is super friendly and will even help you with the games. They can help with explaining any of their board games. read more

If you don't know where to go for a date or night out that's different than the usual movies, dinner, or bar type night make sure to come here! First off the location is extremely convenient. If you want to continue the night there's plenty of restaurants around. You have a few selections for food as well. Mostly sandwiches, a few sweet drinks, and coffee. They have an amazing selection of board and card games. They have games for all ages to go in and play a few, get into a few heated disagreements.. usually our case when a game gets to intense and someone's about to lose. Also if you find a game you'd like to try out but don't know how to start, ask the staff! They're extremely knowledgeable about the games they have and explain them to the best of their abilities. They also make sure to ask if you've been there before and if not they'll show you around, and explain how it all works. You pay $3 per hour, as many games as you want. It's a definitely worth checking out! read more

My friend and I had a fun time on a quiet Tuesday night at Empire. It was our first time there, and the employees were helpful and friendly with offering their opinions on fun two-player games. There were so many games to choose from and it was $3 per person, per hour. Jest, an employee/game master, was an all-star with how he explained the directions of the two games that we played. He explained the rules by telling a story and has us visualize a scenario as if I was a character in the game; it was quite magical actually...Jest rocks! We ordered dessert, enjoyed the games we chose, and chatted it up with Jest. He gave us a free Rebel Donut at checkout because we didn't stay past closing time. If you want to play some games on a quieter night, I highly suggest going on a Tuesday! read more

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AWESOME, my first board game library! I was amazed by the selection they have, so many games I'd never heard of The worker was really helpful in suggesting a new game to us (Codenames is an awesome 4 player game), you can also purchase a select number of games They offer a limited selection of food, pastries, and coffee for you to enjoy while playing NOTE: it's $3 per hour per person which I think is very reasonable read more

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This is an awesome place to check out for a chill night out with friends. They have a ton of board games to choose from, so you can play a favorite or try out something new. It's a flat $3/person/hour, and they also charge by the half hour (after the first hour). The staff is really friendly and knowledgeable, and can give you recommendations as well as help you with instructions for the games. They sell basic food items here (sandwiches, desserts), along with drinks you'll find at cafes, and soda (no alcohol). We loved this concept, and will have to hunt one of these places down in the Bay Area. There is plenty of free street parking available in this area. read more

The store is NOT ADA compliant. A short, steep staircase leads from the tiny lobby to the store and restrooms. Cafe ls nice, but a bit spendy. The game library is huge and the game tables are nice, just not $4 per hour nice. Even if the rate were lower, the ADA issue is a deal breaker. read more

Never thought of myself as someone who enjoys board games, but had a lot of fun here. There is a game called Hedbanz that's the equivalent of Heads Up on the app store. It was pretty great to be playing with a physical game instad of on a cellphone or IPad. Couldn't set it down and almost went through all the cards! They make cafe drinks and get desserts supplied from the Swiss Alps bakery. I ordered a London Fog with almond milk and lavender syrup and it was heavenly! Also had the strawberry cheesecake and it was delicious as well. read more

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Just discovered this place and love it! Best chai latte I've had in Albuquerque, amazing selection of games to play and buy, service is authentically friendly and attracts a great diverse clientele. read more

Nice venue but the staff is borderline rude at times. I get it, they need to make money and have to have some rules, but lighten up a bit. I have hosted a meetup group a couple of times there and I feel like the host guy at Empire is always chastising me for something. So I try to get there a few minutes early and get a table for our normal 4-6 people. If everyone isn't there at the exact moment you sit down he will shoo you away to a corner. One of my members brought in an empty can of soda and he pounced on him saying no outside food or drink and took the can. We had a couple of extra games we wanted to try until we found one we liked. Nope, got in trouble again for stockpiling games. Instead of yelling at us, it would have been more helpful to maybe give us some suggestions on games we might like. This place is basically run by teenagers and neckbeards. I am thinking of just changing our venue to one of the many bars around here that have their own board games and less drama. We like the alcohol free environment, but don't like the Dolores Umbridge chastisement with a friendly smirk. read more

This place is amazing. The best selection of board games for hardcore game players or for a fun family outing. You pay per hour here so the price can add up with a big family or group, but I think it is worth it (I believe $3 an hour per person). They have a small cafe there and honestly their London Fog has been my favorite in town which I didn't expect! They sell some snacks and doughnuts from Rebel as well. Great place for families or friends. read more

So much fun! What a cool concept. Rent time at a table while you try out a whole library of board games with your friends. Staff helps you set up the game and walks you through the rules. Super reasonably priced with exceptional coffees. I can't speak to the food because we didn't have any, but we tried almost everything on the coffee & tea menu. Mocha Latte, London Fog, and Dirty Chai Latte were ON POINT. Weird side-note, I loved the mugs they served the lattes in. Take your friends or family here soon! read more

Empire Board Game Library - Mocha Latte and Dirty Chai Latte - Cafes Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

I like coming occasionally with my friends. It's not too pricey, they have pretty good foods, and of course a lot of games! I've tried most of their sandwiches and I can say they are all delicious. I also got an espresso from their and it came in a little cute cup. My friend got a drink with ice cream and coffee. I wish I knew the name so you guys can try it out but I'm sure if you look for the drink with ice cream you'll find it. I tried and it was pretty good and I kind of wish I got that instead of the espresso since I have more of a sweet tooth. During the night, it can get extremely crowded and hard to get a table to fit your group in especially if you have a larger group like 5 or more. I think going during the day is best but I get why people would rather go at night. Overall, this is a great place to hang out and have a lot of fun. It's also a great way to try out games before going out and buying it read more

Empire Board Game Library - Cafes Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Brought my son here on a mommy and son date. It was nice to get away from electronics and sit and play and ENGAGE. Perfect atmosphere to engage, in a world that is disengaged. Hospitable service. Nice selection of board games. We sat , played and shared a donut ( supplied by Rebel Donuts). Memories made! Perfect place to disconnect and reconnect to what matters... true social interaction. read more

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Board games are something I've always enjoyed. We even have many in our closet at home. When I heard that Albuquerque opened up a place like this, I was excited! And at a rate of $3 an hour per person, it is quite a steal! When my boyfriend and I entered we were immediately asked whether or not it was our first time. When we said no, they asked us how long we wanted to play for and started showing us a few recommendations. It is obvious that the staff here is very knowledgeable about each and every game. When we finally decided on a game, the worker, Nate helped set up the game and explained the rules to us until we understood how to play. I loved that he was there even while we were playing to answer any other questions, especially to help settle any disputes. While we played, we ordered 2 mochas that quite frankly blew my mind. They were some of the best tasting mochas I've ever had! Who knew?! A fun place with over 700 games to choose from and the most amazing coffee! Since then, I've gone once more and plan to keep coming! I'm glad New Mexico has a place like this as an alternative to going out on a Friday night and drinking! I just wish now that they were opened even past midnight! read more

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Empire is such a cool place! Several hundred games (not all traditional board games, though they have those too) all in great shape and ready for play for a small fee. Plus they have food and drink for order. Right there, that's enough reason to go and have fun. The staff really kicks the experience up to the next level. Everyone there is super nice. And they are super knowledgable in all the games (that is quite a feat!). And they swing by your table and make sure you're enjoying the game, answer any questions, and get you more food and drink. And, if you don't know how to play a game, they'll show you how quickly and simply. And if you don't know what to play, but know you like futuristic space games that are good for 3 players and play in less than an hour (or any other desires/constraints) they will pick out a game that meets your needs, and that you will love it. Seriously, this place is addictive!! read more

What an incredible place! The staff was so friendly and helpful. The selection of games to play is amazing and the price is right. They have a nice assortment of drinks, food and snacks. They also have games for sale. This is such a fantastic alternative than going to a bar. read more

I have heard that board game cafes are increasing in popularity but before Empire I had only visited a couple that weren't that exciting, since they had only a small selection of "take that" kind of card games available to play. Not so with Empire. They have a very good selection of games of all types, including the really meaty strategy games that I love to play. I like the "by the hour" method of charging ($3 / hr per person), it's perfect for just going on your own to get a game or two in with friends, though not really ideal for how we did it, bringing the whole family which ended up being $12 an hour. But, if you just want to try a game for a little while to see if you want to buy it, it's probably still worth doing that. Just don't bring the whole family to play an 18xx game or you could buy the game 3 times over :D All I had to drink was a coke so I can't really comment on the food but they seemed to have a nice selection of sandwiches and desserts in addition to a full coffee bar. If I were a local, I'd enjoy meeting up with folks here to play games we don't already own or to meet new people. Actually I'm starting to wish I were a local... read more

My first experience of this place was great! However, my latest wasn't amazing. My group (total of 4) had one member who was delayed so the rest of us decided to kill time by indulging in nostalgia and playing: "Sorry." This is by no means a complex game, but it was effective in killing time. Knowing the final member to our party would be arriving shortly, we wrapped up the game and found a new one: "Viral," which is definitely a step up in complexity. It wasn't an overly busy night and in the hopes of saving some time, I asked if the game could be explained from the staff member. The staff member was extremely condescending about how "this was a much harder game than Sorry" and began asking what kind of games our group played. My friends and I politely told the staff member that we played a range of games and that we'd figure it out, which we did. In the end, it was pretty straight forward but lots of rules. He did check up on us later, but what was really disheartening was that his attitude changed when our final party member arrived who happens to be male. Of our group, all three women have degrees from prestigious colleges and two have advanced medical degrees. It was disheartening that simply by choosing to play an easy game to kill time suddenly equaled our levels of intelligence and how when the male member of party showed up we were suddenly saved damsels in distress. I will visit this establishment again because this place is a really cool concept and can be a grea Update: the owner contacted me about this review and said they have taken the incident into account when training the staff. They hope to make sure all future customers have a better experience than ours. read more

I'm so impressed that Albuquerque has such an awesome place as this! At a completely affordable $3/hour per person rate and hundreds of board games to choose from, you really can't go wrong. The staff know the games and are willing to offer suggestions depending on what kinds of games you enjoy playing. Latest obsession: Love Letter. There's also a counter with sandwiches and coffee and tea, so the whole atmosphere is really warm and welcoming. It's a nice step away from our electronics-filled world these days :) read more

Went there with some people i met online to play some board games. The game selection was very good. Food was ok. I had fun there. However, as another user pointed out this business has a MASSIVE ADA compliance issue. There are three steps on the inside with no ramp and no rear entrance. According to my dad who dropped me off there, their bathrooms were ok. Which are of course unusable due to the fact you STILL have to get up those steps which I couldn't. When my dad asked about it with the staff, their response was pretty much "Yeah, so?" Like WTF? We live in the 21st century, ADA compliance should be a big priority for businesses. Until Empire Board Game Library fixes this, if you are disabled dont go here. Which is dumb because board games are popular among the disabled for SOME reason. read more

Empire board game library was such a fun time. They had so many options for games that it was almost overwhelming. I went with a meet-up group so we had a special of $5 for the entire day. I was a little surprised that they didn't have any water to offer customers who there for a long time, you had to purchase a bottle of water or bring in a bottle like I did and ask for them to fill it. I ordered the caprese sandwich which I was looking forward to, however I was quite disappointed. the cheese with a Buffalo flavored cheese with a sun-dried tomato pesto. There wasn't very much at all the cheese and prosciutto overwhelmed the rest of the sandwich there was no basil no real tomato flavor and it just kind of was met of a sandwich. I ordered the fire and ice coffee which was wonderful and I enjoyed it very much. I would not wear the same sandwich again and maybe would opt to order something different the brownie that was shared by our table was great. We tried a few different creams and definitely got stuck on different ones and ended up picking new games. Overall it was a really fun time and we had a wonderful afternoon. read more

Empire Board Game Library - A fun game! - Cafes Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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More and more I feel like Albuquerque is catching on to the idea that chains don't have to rule the world and fun local concepts can actually survive when executed correctly. Empire is certainly one of those concepts. The selection of games available to play is absolutely insane! They have traditional mainstays, board games, card games, and a ton of stuff I'd never heard of. Everyone seemed very knowledgeable and if you're playing a new-to-you game they'll help you figure it out so you're not stuck reading instructions. You pay by the hour (only 3 bucks, too!) and can play an unlimited number of games while you're there. There's also a little cafe with snacks, coffee, and soda. My partner and I went in for a lazy Sunday afternoon date and had the best time! We were greeted by a super friendly staff member who gave us the rundown and actually helped us pick a game based on our interests. Service was attentive but not annoying and if we needed help with games during our time there they were happy to help. We stayed for about two hours and ended up playing three different games and even discovered a new one that we really enjoyed. Empire was a ton of fun and we will definitely be returning! read more

This place is awesome. Great customer service. Employees came by to offer instructions on the game , etc. Menu of food looked good. Reasonable prices. We played some really fun , random games for a few hours. This place was packed .I am happy to see they seem to be doing well . Have to check it out! read more

We found a gem in Albuquerque! This place has over 700 board games to play. The games were in great shape and were well organized. They also had the friendliest staff. If you aren't sure how to play the game and the instructions don't make sense, an employee will literally walk you step by step through even the most complicated rules! Had a great little espresso as the hubby and I geeked it up playing word games. My only complaint... not the delicious dessert I was hoping for. read more

Empire Board Game Library - Cafes Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

This place is awesome. If you are looking for something different on a weekend or just a date spot empire is the place to go. Located right in the heart of Nob Hill. Pretty good amount of tables for small or big groups. They literally have all kinds of board games from beginners to experts. The staff is very knowledgeable on every game they have. I'm not really to big on board games but it definitely brought back some memories of my younger days. You pay by the hour and if you get hungry they have sweets and some sandwiches and if you need the energy burst they have coffee and sodas. We went early on a Saturday which wasn't to packed, but I've heard and seen on the evenings on a weekend it gets packed. read more

I admit, I am not a board gamer. The last board game I played before coming here was monopoly and it ended with tears, a floor full of game pieces and a keen understanding of who was a ruthless capitalist in our family. Aside from that, I went to this place on a suggestion from some friends. Never really been to a place with this concept and it sounded interesting. I had NO FREAKING IDEA there were so many board games in existence! To add, some of these games are very intricate and strategic and some are just quick but probably most are actually fun if you give them a chance. Anyway, the guys at this shop were extremely knowledgable about the games. Like insanely knowledgable. You could point to a game and they would surely be able to ramble about the intricacies within seconds. That's amazing and very helpful because I'm sure most people that go in there are not so well versed. If you're on a schedule and only have so much time, they will find a game that fits that time frame. Five stars for great service and the coffee bar was excellent. Baristas and game experts?! read more