F1 Arcade
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Unique spot in the Union Market area with tasty F1 themed cocktails, good food )the Wagyu burger was tasty), and a great chance to do something different with friends or as a team building exercise. Staff set me up quickly and the steps were easy. 1. Create an account 2. Select a time for individual, head to head, or team racing. 3. Settle into your arcade seat and go! There are plenty of arcade seats that provide great views as you race and that move to simulate contact in the arcade game. At $27 for off-peak, I was able to do 3 different races which took nearly 30 minutes. At the end of each race, you get stats and earn points which can be used towards merchandise. You also have the chance to select the level at the beginning based on your experience and comfort level. The bar is glitzy with several large screen la turned to F1 or sports. It's worth a visit for the novelty of it and could be a great team a team activity.
Had a great time with our friend group for a birthday! Devin helped us out with an issue we had. So major shoutout to him!
I attended a birthday party here and had a great time. At the entrance there's security, who checks your bag and then allows you to proceed to check-in. Given we had an area reserved for us, we had a dedicated waiter, who was great and accommodating given the size of our party. He always checked on us and made sure there was water on the table. We ordered a ton of food to share, which was tasty and priced right, and the ambiance was great. It seems like they only allow so many people in, so I never felt like the place was jam packed. I had never been to an F1 Arcade but we had a blast given we had teams competing against one another (plenty of customization for newbies like myself). This is a fun place for a group to have fun, eat, and be merry.
Stopped by F1 Arcade a little before midnight, so unfortunately we didn't get a chance to play any of the games, but we did grab seats at the bar and it was still a great experience. Our bartender was lovely, friendly, attentive, and clearly took pride in her craft. Drinks came out promptly but were made with care, and the truffle fries were a perfect late-night snack. Definitely plan to come back earlier next time to experience the full arcade vibe.
This location is near Union Market. The closest metro stop is Noma. There aren't close bus stops. The arcade has mostly racing. I couldn't figure out if the seat turns sideways to get up. I slid in and had a little trouble getting out of it. The racing was fun. There are different levels of racing. It was like driving downtown! The kid's room has a wall game. There are lower tables to accommodate children. The arcade has parties and accommodates groups. I attended a private event. There were give a ways with the company name printed on it. The food was okay without being extra ordinary. The pizza was decent. Our event had free soda and a cash bar. The car racing was fun but the music volume was unbearable. If I was bringing children for entertainment, I would have ear plugs. The painful music made it challenging to hear. The kids area was the quietest place to eat, but still loud.
The review is for food and drinks. This space is so beautifully lit. It's self seating inside unless you want to drive so we picked some seats close to the bar so we could watch SNF. Ordered: Old bay fries - 10/10 - I don't know what kind of fries they are but the crunch is always amazing. The old bay mayo was the star for sure. Caesar Salad - 10/10 - it was a salad, hard to ruin but they didn't so I'll give them that. Flatbread Pepperoni Pizza - 10/10 - I love a thin pizza. Nothing to write home about but I asked for a side of ranch and it sent it over. Service was quick from the moment we sat down. It was pretty empty for football Sunday which I didn't mind at all. Facilities were very clean also. Id def come back, but stop making them grown men wear them ugla$$ jackets.
Cute new arcade/bar near union market in DC! It's super cool that you can play f1 games and also grab some drinks and finger food. Service was fast and good. - Drinks were decent-- the welcome to Miami drink and aperol spritz drink were the right balance of sweet and refreshing. - Finger food was ok-- I liked the potato appetizer and the crab cake appetizer the most. Overall, a really cool concept place to have some fun with friends!
I celebrated a friend's birthday here -- I've been eyeing it ever since it opened, but I have a confession and I'll just share it here. Once when I was a child and ate an arcade with my parents, I was on one of those racing games with the bike you had to balance on that would jolt if you crashed or whatever... I fell off one and it kind of kept me away from racing games (besides Mario Kart GP) for the rest of my life. But I was like why not, let's do F1! So we all met up inside, and they had to check any bags we had. There was a bit of a line to get to the register, but it moved decently... and we didn't have a reservation, which is something that I'd recommend, especially if you're going during the weekend. We had to wait about an hour and half, but in the meantime, we could settle at an open table and eat and drink. I was not hungry at all, but I was quite surprised at how elevated their drink menu was. For example, I got a refreshing drink called She's In The Lead... and that was actually spelled out on the foam top. How cool is that?? Gin, blueberry wine, lemon, and egg whites created this cocktail, and it was indeed a winner. The time finally came to race, and we got a tutorial from one of the staff, and it was a rather thorough explanation. What we didn't understand, though, is that after our tutorial, the screen was black anywhere from 5-10 minutes, so we were just sitting there confused. Meanwhile a party next to us had sat down and their screen lit up less than a minute after. That was... beyond weird. But the racing was FUN! It definitely had a learning curve but by the end of it I was placing in 1st (on Casual). Not sure what the occasion would be, but I'd go back!
Saw this place on Instagram but waited for the hype to die down. Booked what I though was Sunday night before Memorial Day but I actually booked Memorial Day for my Wife and I for a date night. Their online calendar shows Monday-Sunday so pay attention when booking. Our timeslot was 8:30 and we arrived around 8:10 to ensure we found parking. F1 has a garage directly below however there are limited spots, 30/45 max. DO NOT take a truck down there. I made the mistake of taking mine. Luckily I made it out alive. lol. We went to checkin and the hostess was nice enough to swap our reservations from Monday to Sunday since we were there. They personally walk you to your seating area to prepare for your race. It is dimly lit inside and totally gives date night vibes. There were plenty of open seats so I'm not sure how they stay open. Time for the race. This was fun. Full rocking/movable chair. You use both feet to control the gas and brake. The racing simulator is fun and challenging. Definitely a lot more than I expected. I booked the 30 min time limit and we were able to get in 3 races. By the third race I can in first place. We even worked up a sweat. After racing we went to the bar. Jerel was cool. Offered advice on the menu. I chose the Steak and a side of fries. The steak was rather dry and Jerel took a break while we were eating so finding Steak Sauce was difficult. The fries were piping hot. My wife ordered a lemon drop and it was delicious. Good blend of alcohol and lemon. The bar does get backed up when bartenders take a break so please be aware. Some waited 15/20 minutes. Overall I had a great night and would return. Great atmosphere, fun races, helpful staff and good value for the money.
We came here for my Fiancées 29th birthday and it was the BEST EXPERIENCE EVER!!!! BIG S/O to the Manager Deo, Isaiah who helped us set the walk-in reservation, and Seven our server. They all realllyyy helped with elevating our experience. We had a group of 7 persons. Deo the manager explained how everything worked. He recommended we do group play which was honestly better than if we made individual reservations. The process was actually reasonable. For team play it's around $43 I believe and you have around 1hr 30mins of play time. You can book online or in person but if it's busy you might be waiting for a little bit to get on the simulators if you do a walk in. They actually had decent food and the drinks were really good! The inside was nice dope looking and very formula 1 focused. We had such an incredible time I highly recommend this spot if you're celebrating something special. Also the chairs do move and you have levels you can select if you want to play in pro or more beginner friendly. Not only are you playing with your team members but youre also playing against other gamers. We had: Pretzels and mustard 8/10 Hummus and pita 7/10 Guacamole 8/10 Drinks: Slipstreamer 7/10 Welcome to Miami 9/10 Cider 8/10 Old Fashion 8.5/10
Really fun spot with great customer service and tasty food! The atmosphere is vibrant and full of energy. The bar has a stylish Great Gatsby vibe, and the whole place is perfect for racing fans. You can enjoy exciting race car games playing live while soaking in the lively, modern setting. Definitely a must-visit for a fun night out!
As someone who used to live in DC (Capitol Hill South) and still loves coming back, I was excited to check out the new F1 Arcade in NoMa--and overall, it delivered on the fun! The atmosphere is high-energy and exciting, especially on a Saturday night. Great music, cool lighting, and tons of F1 content playing on the big screens. It's a great spot for fans, and the racing simulators are seriously impressive. The guy who gave us our racing instructions was super helpful and really got our group hyped to race. That said, a few quirks with the service and setup. Food/drink ordering was all done online, and while that's convenient in theory, it gets tedious fast. Every time I wanted another drink, I had to place a new order--so I ended up with six different receipts, mostly for beverages. Not ideal. We also had to flag folks down a few times just to get silverware, napkins, and water refills. And speaking of water--when you order it, they bring a small carafe and that's it. Want more? You need to place -another- order through the app. What we tried of the food was good though - I got the She's in the Lead (beautiful and dangerously delicious gin cocktail), and we shared a bunch of starters - pretzels sticks, hummus, and fries. One bummer: we couldn't pick which F1 team to drive for, just Williams and Ferrari (and none of us is a Ferrari fan). The tracks you get to race on seemed to be tied to the difficulty level you selected. As newbies, we went with Rookie. Still, the energy was great, and the machines were a blast. If you're an F1 fan or just looking for something new in DC, this place is worth checking out--just maybe come with a little patience and a charged phone.
2 months ago
Came in for the Hungarian Gran Prix watch party, and had a couple mimosas (good ones), watched the pre-race commentary on the multiple large screen TV's. They had a house DJ who was playing some good music. My teen and I jumped onto the F1 racing simulators and had a blast. That was definitely a worthwhile investment. The SIMS were great. A little hard to learn at first, but easy enough for first timers after two rounds. The breakfast burrito was "ok" but I could have done without it too. Service was great, which I appreciated. Gratuity was included at 18%, but I was ok with that given the services & the asks. Average noise levels, lots of room for 125+ diners... looks like 30+ Simulators too! read more
Unique spot in the Union Market area with tasty F1 themed cocktails, good food )the Wagyu burger was tasty), and a great chance to do something different with friends or as a team building exercise. Staff set me up quickly and the steps were easy. 1. Create an account 2. Select a time for individual, head to head, or team racing. 3. Settle into your arcade seat and go! There are plenty of arcade seats that provide great views as you race and that move to simulate contact in the arcade game. At $27 for off-peak, I was able to do 3 different races which took nearly 30 minutes. At the end of each race, you get stats and earn points which can be used towards merchandise. You also have the chance to select the level at the beginning based on your experience and comfort level. The bar is glitzy with several large screen la turned to F1 or sports. It's worth a visit for the novelty of it and could be a great team a team activity. read more
9 months ago
Had a great time with our friend group for a birthday! Devin helped us out with an issue we had. So major shoutout to him! read more
I attended a birthday party here and had a great time. At the entrance there's security, who checks your bag and then allows you to proceed to check-in. Given we had an area reserved for us, we had a dedicated waiter, who was great and accommodating given the size of our party. He always checked on us and made sure there was water on the table. We ordered a ton of food to share, which was tasty and priced right, and the ambiance was great. It seems like they only allow so many people in, so I never felt like the place was jam packed. I had never been to an F1 Arcade but we had a blast given we had teams competing against one another (plenty of customization for newbies like myself). This is a fun place for a group to have fun, eat, and be merry. read more
Stopped by F1 Arcade a little before midnight, so unfortunately we didn't get a chance to play any of the games, but we did grab seats at the bar and it was still a great experience. Our bartender was lovely, friendly, attentive, and clearly took pride in her craft. Drinks came out promptly but were made with care, and the truffle fries were a perfect late-night snack. Definitely plan to come back earlier next time to experience the full arcade vibe. read more
This location is near Union Market. The closest metro stop is Noma. There aren't close bus stops. The arcade has mostly racing. I couldn't figure out if the seat turns sideways to get up. I slid in and had a little trouble getting out of it. The racing was fun. There are different levels of racing. It was like driving downtown! The kid's room has a wall game. There are lower tables to accommodate children. The arcade has parties and accommodates groups. I attended a private event. There were give a ways with the company name printed on it. The food was okay without being extra ordinary. The pizza was decent. Our event had free soda and a cash bar. The car racing was fun but the music volume was unbearable. If I was bringing children for entertainment, I would have ear plugs. The painful music made it challenging to hear. The kids area was the quietest place to eat, but still loud. read more
1 year ago
The review is for food and drinks. This space is so beautifully lit. It's self seating inside unless you want to drive so we picked some seats close to the bar so we could watch SNF. Ordered: Old bay fries - 10/10 - I don't know what kind of fries they are but the crunch is always amazing. The old bay mayo was the star for sure. Caesar Salad - 10/10 - it was a salad, hard to ruin but they didn't so I'll give them that. Flatbread Pepperoni Pizza - 10/10 - I love a thin pizza. Nothing to write home about but I asked for a side of ranch and it sent it over. Service was quick from the moment we sat down. It was pretty empty for football Sunday which I didn't mind at all. Facilities were very clean also. Id def come back, but stop making them grown men wear them ugla$$ jackets. read more
21 days ago
We had 3 people at 730pm when they opened on a Sunday. Said they were too busy to fit 3 people in when there was no one there but could fit 2. It's ran by incompetent staff. We booked for only 2 people the entire time there was around 25 open seats and one open next to our two. read more
Cute new arcade/bar near union market in DC! It's super cool that you can play f1 games and also grab some drinks and finger food. Service was fast and good. - Drinks were decent-- the welcome to Miami drink and aperol spritz drink were the right balance of sweet and refreshing. - Finger food was ok-- I liked the potato appetizer and the crab cake appetizer the most. Overall, a really cool concept place to have some fun with friends! read more
I celebrated a friend's birthday here -- I've been eyeing it ever since it opened, but I have a confession and I'll just share it here. Once when I was a child and ate an arcade with my parents, I was on one of those racing games with the bike you had to balance on that would jolt if you crashed or whatever... I fell off one and it kind of kept me away from racing games (besides Mario Kart GP) for the rest of my life. But I was like why not, let's do F1! So we all met up inside, and they had to check any bags we had. There was a bit of a line to get to the register, but it moved decently... and we didn't have a reservation, which is something that I'd recommend, especially if you're going during the weekend. We had to wait about an hour and half, but in the meantime, we could settle at an open table and eat and drink. I was not hungry at all, but I was quite surprised at how elevated their drink menu was. For example, I got a refreshing drink called She's In The Lead... and that was actually spelled out on the foam top. How cool is that?? Gin, blueberry wine, lemon, and egg whites created this cocktail, and it was indeed a winner. The time finally came to race, and we got a tutorial from one of the staff, and it was a rather thorough explanation. What we didn't understand, though, is that after our tutorial, the screen was black anywhere from 5-10 minutes, so we were just sitting there confused. Meanwhile a party next to us had sat down and their screen lit up less than a minute after. That was... beyond weird. But the racing was FUN! It definitely had a learning curve but by the end of it I was placing in 1st (on Casual). Not sure what the occasion would be, but I'd go back! read more
Saw this place on Instagram but waited for the hype to die down. Booked what I though was Sunday night before Memorial Day but I actually booked Memorial Day for my Wife and I for a date night. Their online calendar shows Monday-Sunday so pay attention when booking. Our timeslot was 8:30 and we arrived around 8:10 to ensure we found parking. F1 has a garage directly below however there are limited spots, 30/45 max. DO NOT take a truck down there. I made the mistake of taking mine. Luckily I made it out alive. lol. We went to checkin and the hostess was nice enough to swap our reservations from Monday to Sunday since we were there. They personally walk you to your seating area to prepare for your race. It is dimly lit inside and totally gives date night vibes. There were plenty of open seats so I'm not sure how they stay open. Time for the race. This was fun. Full rocking/movable chair. You use both feet to control the gas and brake. The racing simulator is fun and challenging. Definitely a lot more than I expected. I booked the 30 min time limit and we were able to get in 3 races. By the third race I can in first place. We even worked up a sweat. After racing we went to the bar. Jerel was cool. Offered advice on the menu. I chose the Steak and a side of fries. The steak was rather dry and Jerel took a break while we were eating so finding Steak Sauce was difficult. The fries were piping hot. My wife ordered a lemon drop and it was delicious. Good blend of alcohol and lemon. The bar does get backed up when bartenders take a break so please be aware. Some waited 15/20 minutes. Overall I had a great night and would return. Great atmosphere, fun races, helpful staff and good value for the money. read more
We came here for my Fiancées 29th birthday and it was the BEST EXPERIENCE EVER!!!! BIG S/O to the Manager Deo, Isaiah who helped us set the walk-in reservation, and Seven our server. They all realllyyy helped with elevating our experience. We had a group of 7 persons. Deo the manager explained how everything worked. He recommended we do group play which was honestly better than if we made individual reservations. The process was actually reasonable. For team play it's around $43 I believe and you have around 1hr 30mins of play time. You can book online or in person but if it's busy you might be waiting for a little bit to get on the simulators if you do a walk in. They actually had decent food and the drinks were really good! The inside was nice dope looking and very formula 1 focused. We had such an incredible time I highly recommend this spot if you're celebrating something special. Also the chairs do move and you have levels you can select if you want to play in pro or more beginner friendly. Not only are you playing with your team members but youre also playing against other gamers. We had: Pretzels and mustard 8/10 Hummus and pita 7/10 Guacamole 8/10 Drinks: Slipstreamer 7/10 Welcome to Miami 9/10 Cider 8/10 Old Fashion 8.5/10 read more
1 year ago
11 months ago
Really fun spot with great customer service and tasty food! The atmosphere is vibrant and full of energy. The bar has a stylish Great Gatsby vibe, and the whole place is perfect for racing fans. You can enjoy exciting race car games playing live while soaking in the lively, modern setting. Definitely a must-visit for a fun night out! read more
As someone who used to live in DC (Capitol Hill South) and still loves coming back, I was excited to check out the new F1 Arcade in NoMa--and overall, it delivered on the fun! The atmosphere is high-energy and exciting, especially on a Saturday night. Great music, cool lighting, and tons of F1 content playing on the big screens. It's a great spot for fans, and the racing simulators are seriously impressive. The guy who gave us our racing instructions was super helpful and really got our group hyped to race. That said, a few quirks with the service and setup. Food/drink ordering was all done online, and while that's convenient in theory, it gets tedious fast. Every time I wanted another drink, I had to place a new order--so I ended up with six different receipts, mostly for beverages. Not ideal. We also had to flag folks down a few times just to get silverware, napkins, and water refills. And speaking of water--when you order it, they bring a small carafe and that's it. Want more? You need to place -another- order through the app. What we tried of the food was good though - I got the She's in the Lead (beautiful and dangerously delicious gin cocktail), and we shared a bunch of starters - pretzels sticks, hummus, and fries. One bummer: we couldn't pick which F1 team to drive for, just Williams and Ferrari (and none of us is a Ferrari fan). The tracks you get to race on seemed to be tied to the difficulty level you selected. As newbies, we went with Rookie. Still, the energy was great, and the machines were a blast. If you're an F1 fan or just looking for something new in DC, this place is worth checking out--just maybe come with a little patience and a charged phone. read more
2 months ago
If you're looking for a fun outing that isn't too expensive this is a good option, the ambiance is modern and very fitting for F1 fans. As far as the actual racing I don't have any complaints, the controls are very simple and the vibration really adds to the experience. They have a bar and food which I'll probably check out next time I go. I went on a Sunday around noon and paid 33$ per person for 45 minutes I believe. read more
Pretty neat place. The big screen TVs only play F1 ads i guess. They weren't playing any sports or anything. Great ambiance. Fun driving game. The food was actually really really good. We only had beer so not sure about the drinks read more
Stopped in F1 Arcade to check it out! Friday night and it was happening with loud music and lots of energy. Plenty of food (including gluten-free and vegetarian) and drink options with plenty of seating. Really nice bar as well! Two people in our group got to race and said it was a blast! read more
4 months ago
This place was so much fun!! Alana was the best!! She's MVP! I came with my friends and we had a party of 4. While team racing sounds fun, we all were looking to race on individual sims. We told Alana this and we were so happy that she made it happen! We all had the best time thanks to her! read more
A new fun spot for F1 and racing fans. The simulator racing games are a ton of fun, easy to learn and play so good for all levels. The racing is fun and very interactive. For the F1 fan you'll have a good time and enjoy the details. Has a solid bar for drinks options and food options. Good bar food but not a place you come for the food, it's more for the experience. The staff here are excellent, so friendly and welcoming they do a great job explaining everything to make your racing experience memorable. Will definitely be back! read more
We came here on a Friday around 7:45pm. We made a reservation the day before for the arcade section for 8:30pm and they request that you arrive 30 minutes prior. You will need to show your ID before you enter. Then we just found a seat at a table as we waited for our time to play. The server did a great job with our orders and they even found us once we moved tables to be closer to where we played our game. I ordered Dirty Shirley's while we were there and was happy with them. The only food we ordered was the truffle fries and they were enjoyable. When it came to racing, I definitely felt like I got to race a lot during our time period. Overall, this is a great concept with the mixture of restaurant/bar/arcade. The prices are definitely on the higher end which is not shocking since you are in DC. I would come back again. read more
2 months ago
We made a reservation online for four people at 8:40 PM. We arrived at 8:45, just five minutes late. That was our fault, but the parking garage next to F1 is really small and hard to find a spot in. The place was packed, and it seems like it has become a new hotspot in the DC area. We waited in line to check in, which took about 20 minutes. Since we didn't officially check in until 9:05, we were marked as late and only got four of our eight races. That was a frustrating start, and the front desk didn't offer much help or make any effort to accommodate us. After we finished our four races, we decided to get some food. This part of the night definitely made up for the earlier issues. The food was absolutely delicious and came out quickly, in about 10 minutes. The drinks took much longer, close to 30 minutes, but the Birria Tacos and Wagyu Sliders were amazing and highly recommended. Since we still wanted the full racing experience, we booked another session at 11 PM. That time we were able to do all eight races, and it ended up being a really fun experience for the group. Overall, the visit had its ups and downs. It is a cool place and I would recommend trying it out, but just be aware that even if you arrive on time, the check-in process can cause delays and affect your reservation. read more
I came to F1 during the first few weeks it opened. We had a drink and enjoyed a racing game. I was underwhelmed. I came back months later and they now have a happy hour which is a plus. The drinks were delicious and the food was too! It exceeded my expectation. The flatbread and the shrimp skewers whew S/O To the chef! It was tasty! The bar staff could be a little friendlier, I borderline felt like we were bothering the guy ordering. I always take into account how the staff treats me because it plays a huge role on if I will actually return. The game attendants in the shiny jackets were very friendly and overall the ambiance is fun and welcoming. read more
This was a lot of fun. We went and saw the movie and then came straight here. I think buying the 5 count is the best value bc it takes 2-3 races to really get a feel for it. We didn't get any food or drinks so I can't speak to that but the bar area is absolutely gorgeous. I also love all the little design details. They incorporated like the tire tracks on the ceiling in the women's bathroom. The one thing I will say is that it gets really warm in there so be prepared to sweat. read more
had a great time for a company outing! first time there && it was a good time. we did open bar && prefixed menu for food but everything tasted good && fresh. i plan to bring friends back to try it out. inky suggestion is the music playing outside && in the bathrooms should be played in the entire place because it w so soo much better. folks wont mind either as you can hear only the races when sitting in the chairs playing! read more
2 years ago
I was excited to try F1 Arcade after watching a few reels on social media, but my experience fell a bit flat. We had a 9:45 reservation for a 45 minute race. When we arrived, we were promptly escorted to our bikes. It's imperative that everyone in your party arrives on time because you are racing against each other. The 45 minutes went by super fast! There were about 4 - 5 races alloted in the 45 minute timeframe. I lost every single race -- perhaps that is why I am rating F1 as just ok. I can admit, I am a very sore loser; unfortunately, at my grown age, the sore loser trait hasn't left me with time. LOL. Once your reserved time is up, you can partake in bites and libations. We didn't eat nor drink at F1 arcade, so I can't offer my opinion. Lastly, there's music playing...cool vibe for the most part. Not sure if I'd go again...at least not for racing! read more
This is a tricky place to review. It is singularly focused on F1 simulator racing (there are literally no other activities) along with generic, overpriced food and drink. If you are into F1, you'll probably like it; you can't get this experience elsewhere. If you don't care about F1 or motorsports (like me), then it's okay to visit once but you probably won't go back. I also don't see it being successful for corporate events without more activity variety. The place is enormous. It is far larger than I expected with lots of areas with racing simulators, a large bar, a small outdoor patio, and a private event space with its own sims, tables, and bar. It was a little busy, with a few different small groups or couples racing. Maybe 15% full. Plenty of room to host more people. The staff was very friendly. Like, some of the friendliest staff I've ever seen at a restaurant or venue. They also had lots of staff compared to the number of guests. Service was good. I visited with a friend on a Friday at 5:30 PM. We did three races ($31 per person) and then had dinner and some drinks. We arrived around 5:10 PM because they tell you to arrive 15 minutes early which is necessary to get settled. It was quick to check in, they showed us to our racing spots, and gave us a brief intro to the sim and controls. The sim itself gives you some tutorial info while it's loading, but I could have used more; I'm someone who is comfortable with videogames but has never done a racing sim before. A free practice lap would have been nice, since my whole first race felt like a practice -- I came in last, but then I got the hang of it and came in 1st and then 4th. You can pick your difficulty level (there are five options; we did the two easiest ones) but you can't pick your track. We were automatically assigned different tracks for each race and some were easier than others. Each race is about 5 minutes with a few minutes in between -- not enough to eat or drink or place an order. To eat, we had a few beers ($7-$10), the Classic Burger ($19), the Wagyu Burger ($28), and the brownie dessert ($9). The burgers came with fries. The rest of the menu is basic appetizers, tacos, flatbreads, and a few sandwiches -- typical group event fare. The beer selection is mostly generic with a few locals. The food is generic Sysco stuff. The burgers were perfectly round pucks so clearly premade and not made in-house. There was no real difference between the meat in the two burgers, only the toppings, so don't bother paying for the Wagyu Burger. The brownie was good but also generic. Cocktails range from $15-$23. Everything is generic and overpriced, which is fine if you're there for a company event, but I would never pay those prices again personally. There are no other activities besides eating, drinking, and driving. They have one "React" game to test your reflexes and that's it. This really limits the appeal if you aren't into F1. Given all the space they have, I think they will really struggle to fill it if they don't run some happy hour promotions and add some other entertainment like darts, pool, or other arcade games. read more
Checked out F1 Arcade during their pre-season and I definitely plan to go back. Booking on the website is strongly recommended but you can always walk-in. There is street parking and parking garages nearby that offer 3 hours of free parking. The onboarding process was a bit chaotic. You check in and then everyone has to create a driving profile. There was no one really guiding us the front lobby got a bit crowded before a team member came over and asked only 1-2 people from each party to wait in the waiting area and then other party members should find a table to wait. There is opportunity to make that more seamless and guest friendly. When it was our time to ride, they took our group of six over to two simulators. We weren't very fond of where we were because the sun was setting and there was a horrible glare on the screens. But we made due because they said there were no other open machines. We did receive a quick briefing that explained the seats and steering wheel. The seats are nice, a bit snug for those with hips or more in the trunk. We were under the impression that we would all be able to race together but we were randomly placed on 2 teams between our party of 6. Between our two teams, we had 14 races. On one team, 2 people were assigned 5 races and the other person assigned 4 races. The seats move based on what is happening on the screen. A few in my group said that the motion made them a bit dizzy, I wanted them to move a little more. The races are back to back and last about 4-5 minutes. I'm not an avid game racer so there was definitely a learning curve. Each racer accumulates points after each race based on their performance and that is added to their team pot. I'm assuming that the team with the most points wins. I don't know because we didn't make it to the last race. It got old after awhile We ordered some food and everything was good/decent but somewhat overpriced. The fries were delicious. Perfectly crispy and well seasoned. There are plenty of spots in We didn't try the cocktails. Overall, this is a perfect space for a date and I plan to come back. read more
This place is GORGEOUS! It's brand new so it's very clean! The service is hit or miss honesty! There's times I've been and they're been rude but there's also times where they've been the BEST! The food is overpriced but still decadent! Nothing is out of this world tasty but most items are good enough. The drinks are cool! Also over priced but still creative and tasty! My girl Nicki is the one though! ANYTHING she makes is worth it because TRUST is going to delicious read more
2 years ago
An F1 Arcade to show me that I made the right choice not pursuing a racing career? Sign me up! Located a couple of minutes from Union Market, this place is a great start to any night of shenanigans. The gameplay was great! Groups are randomly put into teams using a QR Code on the screen. Like most group events, setting up your profile (if you want one) before you get there saves a bit of time. If you don't want a profile, there's an option for that, too. If you go often, it'll be beneficial... kinda like Top Golf. Once you get through signup, racing begins. Since we had 10 people, 4 machines were allocated to us. Each race is timed, so once you're done with your race (about 3 minutes), your next race will be in 10-12 minutes (group size dependent). Our courses were randomized each round, so that added a bit of flare to the experience. This is a huge benefit for people that may feel like they paid for something and didn't get a chance to participate fully. If it's your first time, don't be ashamed to go "casual" or "rookie" until you get a feel for it. The bucket seat may feel tight, but you definitely have the leg room to get comfortable (6'2"). While some people go for the competitiveness, others may go for the food and drink. Their food and drink menu seemed pretty on par with the view of the venue. I got tacos because I was simple that day, but they were delicious! No matter what we ordered from the QR Codes on the table (each end) or on the screen, items will arrived quickly. WAY faster than their closest competitor. That brings me to my markdown. There seemed to be a bit of disagreement between the QR Code and our server. By that I mean the server got visibly upset when we ordered from the QR Code instead of ordering from him. This kinda ruined the experience for us. We obliged when ordering another round of drinks. When the check came, he did everything in his power not to split the check as we requested. I can't imagine this is the customer service management wants to be shown. Maybe they are trying to figure out staffing needs during peak hours. I would recommend letting servers know QR Codes are there to enhance the customer experience, not take away from the server's ability to be there for their customer's needs. Overall, it was a good experience! Whether you're there to live your F1 dreams or just have a good time with friends, the F1 Arcade should be near the top of your "Must Try" list' read more
5 months ago
Everything was amazing, will come back again. Emeka and Michelle were fantastic and helped along the way read more
2 years ago
Booked reservation on 10/10/24 for 11/9/24 at 7:30. We definitely were on time because we wanted to eat before playing. So basically, ate and went up front to check-in 15-minutes ahead of reservation as email stated us to do but manager just kept telling us to chill out and come get him in 20-minutes. After I asked how's it was possible I booked reservation a month in advance and they not on time of course he handed us a little free play card for next visit. After still waiting we finally get ready to race only for my husband's machine to completely stop, again we received another free play card for next visit...smh So pretty all vibes were lost after having to chase down waiter, reservation not on time and a machine breaking down. Maybe we'll try again, our visit was within the first month of opening so clearly a work in progress. read more
F1 arcade was a fantastic experience all around. The staff was awesome, and were super helpful, especially for a first timer. The ambiance was incredible, and the venue was huge, there is plenty of room for groups of any size. The drinks were great, but were a bit spendy. This is to be expected though I suppose. The food menu wasn't huge, but there was still enough for everybody to find something they would like. The oysters were a big plus to include. The location was a bit out of the way from the downtown area, but was just a quick Uber ride away. Parking didn't look to be plentiful, but I think would be fine. As for the most important part - the racing. It was awesome and super fun. I would say that I was expecting it to be more "simmy", but the name is the "F1 Arcade". It makes sense so that it's more open and accessible for everyone. It was still incredibly hard at first! The reason I am taking away a start is that I went during a time that FP1 for the Las Vegas GP was going, and every single TV have Thursday Night Football on. I couldn't believe that a place based on Formula 1 didn't have it on. I watched on my phone while I was eating. I did ask about it, and they said they only do watch parties for the races. This was the only thing I was disappointed in. The rest, flawless! read more
I gifted my partner the F1 experience for Christmas and we had a great time. First and foremost, the staff on Saturday morning 12/28 was beyond amazing. Employees were everywhere, ready to help, and with a smile. Jay, Adam, and Brandon in particular went above and beyond to ensure we had a positive experience, and we absolutely did. The food was also delicious- we had the wagyu burger, dynamite chicken, and the pretzels. We'd order any of those again in a heartbeat. Next time, I'd like to try the drinks- they all look so good- but we weren't feeling alcohol at noon on a Saturday. The racing experience was very fun for a rookie like me. I did the race on the easiest level, and by our third race I got the hang of it. My partner is a bit more into racing and wished there were a few more choices you could make- what team to be on, what kind of car, selection of tracks. But he had a good time, and says next time the perspective he'll take when racing is more like Mario Kart than true to life racing. The staff truly made the experience though. Thanks to everyone for a lovely afternoon! read more
The tenders are really good junk food while you wait to play. The Margherita pizza was also pretty good and quite large--enough to split in half. Unfortunately, you have to be prepared and make a reservation and in my opinion, they kind of close early in the night so it is hard to reserve a spot, especially during rush hour. I didn't get to play, but it was fun to watch others play. It's loud and dark, and there is a bar as well. read more
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420 Penn St NE
Washington, DC 20002
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(202) 900-3131
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