I came here when my company held a fun 3 hour employee social event. I found street parking just out front and I think others said that they found a nearby parking lot. Joystick Gamebar looks like it's been here a long time. There are two main areas: The bar is in the main area where people enter, and it has a many old school games that were commonly found in video game arcades from the 1970s through 1990s, and there is another big room with lots of chairs and couches, and a lot more quirky decorations scattered throughout the room. Outside food was catered, so I wasn't aware that Joystick Gamebar also sold food. The video games were fun. Although one of our directors brought lots of rolls of quarters, one of the managers made it so that all of our employees were able to play the games without inserting any quarters. This was probably a great thing for us, since I noticed most of my colleagues were really awful at playing video games. One of my favorite video games, Galaga, was available, so, after getting killed early in the game a few times, I ended up being on the high scores list! Had a fun time! read more

This place was so much fun but it got packed!! Bring your quarters to play some old school video games. The food was pretty good, I ordered wings. The service was great until the rest of the city showed up, then it slowed down considerably. But the staff were really nice, they did the best they could. Parking is near impossible depending on when you go so try to get there early, early. I will definitely be back because this place was a vibe! read more

Ok this place is cool. Mostly for the younger crowd but I couldn't find anyplace to have a drink. Some classic arcade games, some newer games, and pool tables. Service is great, very friendly. They say sometimes they have board games, dnd, magic cards, and even pool tournaments. Drink prices arent bad and the bar is well stocked. Very cool place to hang out read more

Fun gaming bar in Edgewood. They have lots of nostalgic options for playing. I don't love the signature drinks but the bartenders are great at giving alternative options. read more

This place was fun. Happy I got to come and check it out with a recommendation from a friend Staff is super friendly and nice. Drinks were great. Was happy to utilize a lot of the quarters I had in my pocket Place is a fun bar not to crazy! I enjoyed it read more

Joystick Gamebar - R2-D2 behind the bar - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

See all

Chill game bar. There's an ATM to get bills but has a $3.25(?) fee so maybe bring your own quarters. They have several retro arcade games, not a huge selection but a few fighting games, racing, and shooters. They had a couple pinball, foosball, jenga, board games, and even karaoke! A lot of jampacked in these 3 rooms. Service was kind of slow but they were really busy at times. Food took a while to come so it was nice to play some games first. They even had two couches with a projector. Would totally come again. read more

See all

A hidden gem! A small Barcade type dive-bar in Atlanta. The bartender was super sweet, didn't catch her name but she was funny and provided great service. The watermelon slush was SO good on a hot day, she said they make the watermelon syrup themselves. It's not too sweet or fake tasting, really refreshing, and quite strong. The food was super tasty, too. The burger hit the spot, wings were perfect, and the crab cheese wontons were to die for. Love the games, they're cheap $0.25 per game, had some fun with Crazy Taxi and others. Enjoyed this spot a lot. read more

Joystick Gamebar - Cheeseburger, lemon pepper wings, crab rangoons - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

It's about as dive bar as you can get. A fantastic mismatch collection of things, patrons, staff and retro games. It feels authentic and isn't expensive. Vibes are vibes. The drinks were strong and inexpensive. The food menu looked great but I was only there for about an hour. What's not great is the parking... I arrived when it was pouring rain. I couldn't see anything about parking. But lo and behold: a meter maid got me. Like be serious! It's raining lions and wolves outside and you're gonna give me a ticket this city. Anyways, check it out! It's cool read more

See all

I've spent about three months in Atlanta so far and I'm sad that I'm just now visiting this place! Staff is super friendly and will walk you through their wonderfully game themed cocktail menu. Try the Lv. 8 cocktail if you want a delicious mezcal based drink with a kick. Just got here so about to play some games and order some fries. Already in love read more

Just a really fun spot for drinks and activities on Edgewood. We stopped in for drinks on a weeknight, and delighted in their assortment of classic pinball machines and games. Video games have never really been my thing, but this spot makes them so irresistible, I couldn't help taking out some cash and playing a few. The Japanese inspired drink menu was also a nice surprise, with my gin cocktail being great and her bourbon coffee slushie being even better, all served with a smile by a friendly and bubbly bartender. I look forward to coming back again and again. read more

We went to Joystick for a comedy show. We got there a little early so we could play some games. They have a good rage of arcade games from shooter games, to street fighter, to driving games like Crazy Taxi. The drinks are delicious and very reasonably priced - I think all our drinks were $10. They were actual cocktails too not just liquor and juice. Most of the games are 25 cents and they have an ATM and change machine to make it super easy. They also have a wide range of board games so you could bring some friends and post up and play at one of the tables. The comedy show was super funny. It's a small space but tickets were only $10 and most of the comedians were actually funny. There is a lot to do in this area as well so you could bar hop. I definitely recommend! read more

Joystick Gamebar - Comedy in the back room - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Buckle up... this is my favorite bar in Atlanta and I have to tell you why. When I moved to Atlanta, I didn't know a single person. My favorite spots in the 8 places I've lived has always been video game bars. I had high expectations when I went to Joystick, and they deliver each and every time. Their games? A blast. Their service? Some of the nicest bartenders you'll find in Atlanta. Their food? Chef Dae Kwon is a literal genius. When I say this is the best hidden spot in Atlanta, I mean it. On Friday nights, my best friends come with me to play Mario Kart 8. Born from a need to show how awesome I am at something became an actual weekly event we look forward to. Charles has been SO welcoming and encourages everyone to play and have a great time. His presence brings people in who may not have ever played this version, but he is infectious. I honestly believe he is the reason we return so often. He made us feel like VIPs the very first time we came, and made it an excellent experience. He does this for everyone and I have to highlight his role in my view of this bar. We've branched out recently adding karaoke to our itinerary. We are BAD. Not good. You would never know that by the energy in the room. This bar brings together kind people who are welcoming. That's incredibly difficult to do! We always find ourselves talking to someone new or singing a song with someone we just met (Mallory our rendition of Breakaway will live forever in my heart!) Now, for a controversial take but is backed by science. Chef Dae Kwon's wings are the best wings you'll get in Atlanta. I've tried the top lists, I know there are some BOMB spots. If you stop into Joystick and get his Wet Ass Lemon Pepper wings... you will thank me. I have had dreams of his crab rangoon. He makes everything from scratch- there is actual passion and love in his food. I had crab for 3 meals in a row this week and then HAD to get the crab rangoon for my dessert. This sounds insane, and I swear on my life, but since starting to come to this bar I have lost 40 pounds in a year. If you have 24 hours in Atlanta, you will miss out if you don't spend an hour or two here on a weekend night. Thank y'all for being welcoming and so dang fun! read more

Joystick Gamebar - Our first time at Joystick. Mario Kart 8 tournament and a Bumble dating event. - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Can you say dive bar? This is it! This neighborhood has only been halfway gentrified so it was a motley cast of characters to say the least. We stopped here for a night cap and to see what games they had inside. To our surprise there was dancing, karaoke, a chess match and more going on. A few drinks. I took time to whoop my date into submission on Ms. Pac-Man. We had a few laughs watching the college kids antics and then the night was over. All in all a good time. They are open til 3am Enjoy read more

Always a great time! Drinks are well prepared and the vibez are always good! They offer free play sometimes and karaoke night on Thursdays is always a blast! Sometimes it can get a bit busy but the bar does a great job of keeping up with everyone. read more

Joystick Gamebar - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Very cool gamer bar. Old school arcade games all around. Made me feel young again. Plus beer and video games is the best combo ever. My friend and I opted to sit at the bar. We had a beer each. Bar seats were a bit awkward as they were all very close together. Both beers were good. Bartender was nice. He continued to check on us to see if we were okay and if we needed anything. Bathrooms were clean. Price for both beers totaled $9. That's more than reasonable. Definitely a cool atmosphere to hang with friends or to bring a gamer boy/chick for a date. I would not be mad if my boyfriend brought me here. read more

Joystick Gamebar - a can of beer on a table - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

See all

Such a cool location. Good vibes, good drinks. Definitely recommend. Very unique, great for a night out.

I love anywhere that has games and booze, so Joysticks is the perfect place to hang out! I wish they let you use a credit card to play the arcade games as I didn't have my debit card with me to use their atm. All the games take quarters so know that going in. In the back room they also have a number of classic and new-to-me board games which are free to play, so we ended up playing some trivia game while we enjoyed our cocktails. I got the orange crush, and while tasty, was decidedly not an orange crush (no crushed ice! But maybe I'm picky bc I'm from DC and Maryland is like the orange crush capital of the world). Either way it was definitely a fun spot to hang out. read more

Joystick Gamebar - Orange crush - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Joystick is always fun and friendly. This bar reminds me a lot of the bars in my hometown. Down to earth and chill. Last time I visited they had a Korean menu. I was both shocked and happy. I've always wanted to try a Korean corn dog. read more

Joystick Gamebar - KoreanCorn Dog with hot Cheetos and mayo. (Half mozzarella half beef) - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Fun place to go to. They stay open late like 2:30am most nights. Drinks are good and atmosphere is a chill vibe. read more

See all

Ugh love Joystick, but this was my first time being back for years! Coming on a weeknight, we were able to find paid street parking very easily for less than $5. Joystick has made a lot of changes over the years. There used to be a ton of machines crammed into the space and it was hard to get around (but so many games!!) Now there's less machines and more space. All machines take quarters only and there's an ATM and change machine as well. Drinks are great here and very reasonably priced for Atlanta especially nowadays. There is now no longer food here (RIP Tornado Potato). This place gets busy especially on the weekends and we could notice it getting pretty busy for a weeknight tbh read more

Joystick Gamebar - Inside - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

See all

I've been to Joystick many times without any issues, but last night my friend and I had a terrible experience. We were escorted out and physically grabbed by security and men at the bar for no reason at all. My friend and I are both young women, under 130 pounds, wearing casual pajamas. Despite our appearance, we were treated as a threat. The incident started when a man offered to buy us a drink. Security then refused to serve us at the bar and proceeded to physically grab us, escorting us out. When we asked why we were being kicked out, the security guard simply said, "I'm having a bad day," and refused to explain why we were being treated this way. He then counted down to 3 lol and grabbed me by both arms, physically dragging me out of the bar. What's honestly frightening is the idea that a man has the right to lay hands on a woman because he's "having a bad day." We called the police, and the security guard told them that we were "soliciting our bodies." We were wearing oversized, long Christmas pajamas and Birkenstocks--hardly the attire for solicitation. It's absurd to think that just because we're women, we're somehow guilty of solicitation simply by being in the bar and accepting a drink offer. To make matters worse, the security guard tried to have us arrested for trespassing, even though he had checked our IDs at the door and allowed us into the bar in the first place.I want to make it clear that being a woman in a bar and interacting with men doesn't give anyone the right to treat us this way. If you're a woman, I'd strongly recommend avoiding this place. The environment feels hostile, and the way we were treated shows a complete disregard for women's dignity. I have videos of the incident, and I plan to share them. Joystick needs to seriously reconsider the behavior of their staff and how they treat women. Wish I could give a zero rating:) read more

We went to Joystick Gamebar for a friend's birthday, and the concept is great. This downtown Atlanta bar have classic arcade games, tabletop gaming, and a "full" bar. I loved the vintage/rustic decor. We came here on a Saturday night at it was BUSY! We even had to wait in line for about 20 min before we were able to come in, and once in it was too crowded to even walk around. The games go from 25¢ to 75¢, and here's some of the ones they have: Tekken Tag, Invasion II, Popeye, Centipede, Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat, Mrs. Pacman, TMNT - Turtles In Time, Out Run, Space Invaders, Twin Cobra, X-Men, Foosball, and more. Even though they have a large selection of alcohol, they didn't have a lot of what we asked for. They didn't have Hennessy, Jack Daniels, 1800 tequila, or Blue Curaçao for Blue Hawaiians. Really? for a downtown atlanta bar they should extend their selection. We didn't come here to eat, but they do have a small menu and they offer a lots of appetizers, and Asian dishes such as Potstickers, Crab Rangoons, Pork Belly Bowl, and Bulgogi Bowl. They also have a small selection of tacos. Monday - Saturday they stay open until 2:30 am, and Sunday until midnight. There's no parking at all. Either try to find street parking on the streets behind (Chamberlain and Fitzgerald), or any parking garages around it. ESPAÑOL Fuimos a Joystick Gamebar para el cumpleaños de un amigo, y el concepto es genial. Este bar del centro de Atlanta tiene juegos clásicos de arcade, juegos de mesa y un bar "completo". Me encantó la decoración vintage / rústica. Vinimos aquí un sábado por la noche en que estaba ocupado! Incluso tuvimos que esperar en la cola durante unos 20 minutos antes de que pudiéramos entrar, y una vez allí estaba demasiado lleno para caminar. Los juegos van de 25 ¢ a 75 ¢, y estos son algunos de los que tienen: Tekken Tag, Invasion II, Popeye, Centipede, Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat, Mrs. Pacman, TMNT - Turtles In Time, Out Run, Space Invaders, Twin Cobra, X-Men, Foosball y más. A pesar de que tienen una gran selección de alcohol, no tenían mucho de lo que pedimos. No tenían Hennessy, Jack Daniels, 1800 tequila o Blue Curaçao para Blue Hawaiians. De Verdad? Para un bar en el centro de Atlanta, deben ampliar su selección. No vinimos a comer aquí, pero tienen un pequeño menú y ofrecen muchos aperitivos y platos asiáticos como Potstickers, Crab Rangoons, Pork Belly Bowl y Bulgogi Bowl. También tienen una pequeña selección de tacos. De lunes a sábado, permanecen abiertos hasta las 2:30 a.m. y los domingos hasta la medianoche. No hay estacionamiento en absoluto. Intenta encontrar estacionamiento en las calles de atrás (Chamberlain y Fitzgerald), o en cualquier estacionamiento a su alrededor. read more

See all

I absolutely love this game house. I bring everyone here that live classic s games. They have a full bar. They have a coin machine for the games. I came on a Saturday and they have karaoke in the back! Parking sucks but It's all worth it! read more

Joystick Gamebar - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

See all

Divebar with a couple of pin ball machines and a couple electronic games. We stopped in on Saturday afternoon, played a few games, then left. As we'd just had a decent meal and were planning more driving, we opted to skip the bar and stick to the games. The games here are a quarter. Seriously, that's awesome. Five stars for recognizing that 25 cents is sufficient for three lives at Galaga or three balls on the Dolly Parton pinball machine. We had a great time and I'll be back next time when I'm thirsty. [Review 10561 overall, 328 of 2019.] read more

See all

This place is so fun! Love the retro game vibes here (especially the pinball machines) and that they only cost a quarter to play. Bye expensive arcade games, hello quarter arcade. I had a cucumber drink that was super refreshing. The games even have cup holders on the side for you drink. In addition to arcade games they have foosball, cards, and board games! They also have food here! Kind of hard to find parking so we parked at a nearby street and walked over. read more

Joystick Gamebar - cucumber cocktail (I forgot what it's called) - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Lots of cool Old School arcade cabinets to play. Foozball table in the back corner and a few tables to play cards, jenga and other table games. Drinks were cheap and tasty. There's an ATM machine that dispenses in singles which was awesome. The smallest denomination is $5 read more

See all

Visiting for a few days and decided to check out the vibe here and it was such a great time for a Wednesday night. A large part of that was to the game master and host Supa. His energy was fun and contagious and convinced us to stay longer than we were planning to! read more

Joystick Gamebar - Quiplash Wednesdays! - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Good cocktail bar whose spirits may steal the show from the pedestrian lounge and insufficient arcade. Like, seriously, the drinks are amazing! The cranberry sage slushie was out of this world in terms of both flavor and consistency. It is literally the best boozie slush I have had in my life. The cocktail menu was legitimate as well. I tried the "Arson Daly"--pecan and chicory liquors with black tea, smoked black tea, and red pepper. The smoke was just a bit too strong, but this was spicy and bitter and kinda dry. I loved it. Oh yeah, the beer list is alright as well. Let's talk about that arcade though--there are just a handful of games. Like, it can't accommodate more than 15 or so people playing at once. The 32-bit Jurassic Park shooting game (I forget the exact title), as well as Satan's Hollow were rare legitimate choices, and everything else (like Tekken) is what you'll find in every arcade ever, so it's not like the selection went wrong. It's just too small to dedicate so much space to seating. And I like the idea of a dedicated rock band room, but if you're short on space do you really wanna dedicate that to something only 2-3 people can play at a time? This and the restroom were the only spots with real atmosphere. So overall I give Joystick a 5 on their drinks, but just a 2 as an arcade, which should be the focus. I feel bad dropping a 3 considering how much I loved getting tipsy here, but it's honestly the least fun barcade I've ever been to. The three I've been to in my own metropolitan area always had someone extra perks--like a dance floor and a DJ, or huge trivia nights, or console gaming or tournaments. I looked around and found nothing of the sort here, really. They can do more. OK, OK, I'm done riling up the locals, so I'll reiterate that I don't hate it. It's just that I'd return for the booze, but not to play games! read more

Joystick Gamebar - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Excellent spot to hang out and enjoy some games! Ambiance is great for an old school arcade head!

I love that arcades are back. And I love that you can drink while playing (when my brother and I used to frequent classic arcades as kids, I don't remember there being bars in the arcades!). I've been to a few of these gamebars - mostly in Texas and in Birmingham. And a lot of them are all-you-can-play for an entry fee and then drinks on top of that (or BYOB). Joystick is a bit different. There's no entry fee, and there's no all-you-can-play. It's old school. You go to the quarter machine, put in a dollar or five or ten and hear that crashing sound as the quarters hit metal. Then the arcade games are 25 cents a piece to play. They don't have a ton of games, but they had some seating in a back room with some board games as well (and remember it's not all-you-can-play for a fee). I stopped by in the afternoon (around 3:30) on a Saturday - there was a festival going on nearby so parking was a nightmare (the worst aspect of Joystick is its location/lack of parking). But it was pretty quiet inside. I walked right up to the bar and order one of their housemade sodas (I got chai), because I wasn't going to be able to stay too long and wanted something non-alcoholic. It was a delicious. Then I plopped myself and my soda in front of Galaga and proceeded to get embarrassing Galaga-wrist. If I lived in Atlanta, I'd learn the secrets of when to come and where to park, and I'd be here all the time. Meet up with some friends for board games, arcade games, and drinks? Sounds amazing. read more

Joystick Gamebar - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

This is an awesome experience! I highly recommend this place for a social experience.

Went here on a date & had a great time kicking his butt! Cocktails were really good too!

A bunch of funky gamers sitting on nasty furniture playing games and hyping each other up. The first and only game I tried to play took my money and that was that. I had a drink, scoped out the scene and left. I THOUGHT the atmosphere was thing to be much different than what I saw. I went, I had a drink and I'm good. I won't be back. read more

MAN I love Joystick. My favorite spot for a weekday date! We can walk here from home, which might also affect the bar's allure for me. Of course it's a blast. There are allll types of arcade games, new and old. I could play pinball for hours... in fact, I have. I much prefer to come here on weekdays, because weekend nights get pretty poppin in here. There's no cover and the drinks are REALLY good and pretty reasonably priced. I have visited at least 5 times before I could ever try the drink that I wanted. It was either by demand or coincidence, but they have almost always been out of the boozy coffee slushie. I finally got to try it, and now I know why it's always out. It's absolutely PERFECT. I could drink it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. read more

Joystick Gamebar - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

See all

PARLOR GAMES This arcade in downtown Atlanta was looking rather worse for wear, though it's inexpensive, and that counts for something. During my short vacation in Georgia's capital city, I stopped in here for a quick beer and game session. The barkeep was very friendly and spent some time chatting me up, which I appreciated. He explained that Joystick had issued with "electricity" so not all games were operational. Weird. There were several beers on tap, although they were out of the 1st one I requested (bummer). A pint of IPA was $4 and all games were a quarter. Most of their selection were standup retro cabinets like Q-Bert and Dig Dug, but they had a trio of pinball machines in the adjacent room. I was instantly dismayed to see that their 'Terminator 2' pin was out of service, which echoed a sentiment the bartender told me that "it gets beat up a lot". Why on earth are people beating up on Ahh-nold's pinball table?? There was also a Dolly Parton pin which had the old school eletro mechanical reels from the late 70's. The only interesting pin they had was 'Star Wars Ep1'; it was modded up the wazoo with LED's and better still, only cost 25¢!! With a *very* generous score-based replay, I spent roughly 20 minutes on that table alone for less than a dollar. Incredible value, looked great, loads of fun to play. Maybe it's my fault for assuming that Atlanta's go-to arcade would have more than 1 functioning modern pinball. Living in Chicago, I've likely been spoiled by places like Emporium, HeadQuarters, and Logan Arcade with their plethora of pins, so my expectation level is pretty high. I saw some girls playing board games on their sofas (how many dozens of people have boinked on those communal cushions?) Joystick is the kind of place you'd hang out with your buddies and play a few rounds of Cards Against Humanity, not the type that'd host a local pinball tournament. They had a kitchen but I decided on going elsewhere for a burger & fries. From what I understand, the food here is pretty good, but I'd leave that assessment up to you. What you see is what you get - Joystick is nothing fancy or special.....it's cheap and one can enjoy themselves for not much money. read more

Joystick Gamebar - 'Star Wars Episode 1' pinball with some nice LEDs! Plays great and only 25¢!! - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Had a great time. Loved they had the core games. Cant beat fun for a quarter. I didnt get any drinks but their menu looked really fun read more

Joystick Gamebar - Arcades Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

I come here often on Monday nights with a local group that does Dungeons and Dragons. It's a bit of a dive bar, with lots of old school cabinet video games, and a lot of weird and cool art. There are also plenty of board games and couches in the back with pinball machines. Honestly the mural in the bathroom is my favorite, such a video game and pop culture mash up. The staff is always chill. It's a full bar with a decent cocktail list and liquor selection, along with some tap and can beers. Definitely more for the gaming distraction rather than alcohol itself. I'll keep coming back. read more

Nice cool hangout spot, definitely good for a first date. They have some of the old school games which is a plus, you gone feel like a kid for a slight second until your first sip of the strong drinks lol. Didn't try any food but they do have a kitchen. Service was great bartender was friendly all and all 10/10 on the nostalgia read more

I visited this bar for the first time a few weeks ago, and it was such a pleasant surprise. An arcade bar located in the heart of Edgewood in downtown Atlanta definitely stands out from the other bars surrounding it. Joystick Gamebar hosts game tournaments, has excellent drink specials, and is overall a very chill downtown bar. 10/10 will go again. read more

See all

Nostalgic gem nestled in the heart of Atlanta's most prominent area. Classic games from your childhood, gives you the just lounging around with the friends feeling. Good drinks and service, perfect for a mid day date getaway from the norm of Atlanta ... read more