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    Joystick Gamebar

    4.1 (361 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 2:30 am (Next day)

    Joystick Gamebar Photos

    Business Info

    JOYSTICK GAMEBAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Juke Box
    Hipster
    Divey

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    Reviews With Photos

    R2-D2 behind the bar
    Sean G.

    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 [[HIGHLIGHT]]Place is a fun bar not to crazy! I enjoyed it[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Korean fried chicken sando Bulgogi tacos (2)
    Maggie H.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Chill game bar.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] There's an ATM to get bills but has a $3.25(?) fee so maybe bring your own quarters. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have several retro arcade games, not a huge selection but a few fighting games, racing, and shooters.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They had a couple pinball, foosball, jenga, board games, and even karaoke![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]A lot of jampacked in these 3 rooms.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They even had two couches with a projector.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Would totally come again.

    Cheeseburger, lemon pepper wings, crab rangoons
    Liz J.

    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.

    Bartender made me her own special: The Uncle Jesse.
    Jessica S.

    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

    Our first time at Joystick. Mario Kart 8 tournament and a Bumble dating event.
    Nellie M.

    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!

    Comedy in the back room
    Nadia A.

    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!

    Kevin B.

    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.

    a can of beer on a table
    Meri L.

    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.

    Orange crush
    Sydney G.

    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.

    KoreanCorn Dog with hot Cheetos and mayo. (Half mozzarella half beef)
    Crystal C.

    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.

    Fun time's
    C T.

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

    Inside
    BitLeigh V.

    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

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    Review Insights

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    Business owner information

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    2 years ago

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

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

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

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    Page 1 of 10

    Ask the Community - Joystick Gamebar

    Is there a age limit?

    Only after 8pm when we become 21+ only. Before 8pm every day we are all ages. We open at 4pm Monday through Friday and at 12pm Saturday and Sunday.

    Does this place have a shuffleboard table?

    We do not. Our games include classic arcade cabinets, pinball, foosball, board games, and Spot the Tinder date. Certain nights we also have console gaming, Dungeons and Dragons, and karaoke. For shuffleboard, try Ormsby's off Howell Mill Rd or… 

    Are they open?

    We are indeed! We're vaxxed and ready to play.

    Does this place have ms pac man?

    Yeah it does

    Does anybody know what goes into their B**ch Faced Motherf**ker? It's delicious but I can't find the recipe for the cocktail online anywhere!

    They discontinued this drink🤷🏾‍♂️

    View All 10 Questions

    Review Highlights - Joystick Gamebar

    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.

    Mentioned in 66 reviews

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    The Local

    The Local

    4.0
    (460 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $

    Walked up around 20 min before opening on a Sunday and were the second people in line, but the line…read morequickly grew after that. Went straight to order while the husb nabbed a table. Ordered 10 wings: half buffalo-lemon pepper/half lemon pepper, 5 wings in Korean-buffalo with a side of chili cheese fries, and 2 Coors Banquets (cuz we're classy like that. Food came out probably 15 min after and I was ready to dig in. These wings were pretty hyped and with anything popular, I'm always worried I'm going to be disappointed. But OMG these wings are worthy of their hype. The flavor of their sauces is incredible and they hit that desired balance of crispy and juicy. The meat falls off the bone. Tell you what, I'll definitely be back. I've also heard great things about their karaoke nights so that's going on my list as well

    i don't understand how you post pictures of wings (which actually looked really good from the…read morepictures hence my disappointment) and then we show up and you say you have no wings and then proceed to have an attitude when we ask if there are wings. they quite literally have a *tiny* sign that says "we don't have wings, don't even ask." funny sure but also no. not at all. take the pictures down im begging you. we are now at strikeout wings where they actually have the wings they advertised AND they're good. so shoutout strikeout. boo the local

    Photos
    Dancing area
    Dancing area
    Korean-buffalo with chili cheese fries
    Korean-buffalo with chili cheese fries
    Creature Comfort Sun Glow

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    The Northside Tavern

    The Northside Tavern

    4.0
    (196 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $

    Sunday nights at Northside Tavern with Uncle Sugar is the place to be! This is a dive bar that does…read morelive music every night. It seems to be a spot that locals go with pool going in the background and people drinking and hanging out. There's a decent selection of drinks from beers to cocktails to non-beer alternatives. The music was incredible, the place was decently crowded but we were able to get seats still, and it was a fun time all around. I'll definitely be coming back to hear Uncle Sugar again. There's paid parking right outside the tavern for $10, although it gets full quickly. However, there's free street parking on Sundays in the surrounding areas.

    So if you want to die bar with some live music then it's going to be your spot. Coming here you'll…read morehave to park somewhere, they have a small parking lot but at the same time if you don't find that parking available, are you going to go ahead and get it? How you live. You'll go through security and come in and it's pretty much a dive bar with really good vibes. They have R&B, jazz, blues, lot of different myriads of music types. So it may not look like it, but it's actually a really good spot. I would say you could go and use this to kick it and take a date or a double date situation. There. You could get some drinks, listen to some music, play some pool, it's all good. Now they don't have food like that, but there's a food truck outside and the food truck is actually pretty decent. I'm not going to lie, those wings were actually pretty good. But don't expect this spot to have food on the inside. I've been going in and out here for years so I don't have anything bad to say necessarily. Pick the night you want to go, and go on that night because it's going to be a lot of fun if you pick the right vibe and music you're looking for.

    Photos
    Band is setting up
    Band is setting up
    Northside Tavern, Atlanta
    Northside Tavern, Atlanta
    Northside Tavern, Atlanta

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    Northside Tavern, Atlanta
    Righteous Room

    Righteous Room

    3.8
    (166 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $

    GREAT classic dive bar. Loads of vintage kitsch covering every inch of the walls, a chalkboard…read moremenu, and genuinely friendly, attentive bartenders. What more could you ask for? Drinks are affordable, the pours are generous, and the vibe is exactly what you want from a neighborhood dive -- relaxed, unpretentious, and full of character. It's the kind of place where you can pop in for a quick drink or settle in for a whole night without ever feeling rushed. Such a gem in the area!

    I went to this bar back in february with some friends while visiting and the first night was pretty…read moreok. The bartender named Jack was sweet and entertaining considering it was a slow night. He flirted a lot with my friend and it was a silly moment. We went back to enjoy a night out again before heading home the next day and Jack was there again. Because my friend had had such a good time chatting with him before she flirted back a little bit and was just enjoying the night. We ordered food and drinks and things were going well. Throughout the night Jack and my friend would sneak off and talk and make out while he was on the clock. None of this mattered to me because who cares, it's a bar, we're young and just having a bit of fun. However after we left the bar he texted my friend that it was "messed up" we only tipped 15% on our $193 bill claiming he "took care of so much" for us. I'm not even sure what that means because again - our bill for that night was almost $200. The food was amazing - I need the salsa recipe STAT - but overall the bartender ended up being kind of a jerk that seemed like he was just doing all this to get laid. Earlier this week (mind you it's July) I went back to give this place a second chance and the bartender mentioned before - JACK - was asked by one of my friends if we could get green tea shots and he felt it appropriate to confront me about this review. I apologized if my math was wrong because he claimed i only tipped 13% & not 15% was constantly saying "20% is standard" (not true but whatever) and then when i said he claimed to take care of so much HE claimed the bill should've been $250 and then said "but i understand your white entitlement lets you think you can do whatever" (idk i blacked out with rage after "white entitlement") MIND YOU you i'm half chinese not that it matters, jack - cause i know you're reading this - & i of course got heated because HES ALSO WHITE so clearly HIS white entitlement lets him think he can be hateful to patrons for reviews regardless of wether or not they try to take ownership of their faults. Needless to say the staff here is awful and I will NEVER come back to this bar so enjoy that win, Jack.

    Photos
    Bar area
    Bar area
    Veggie Chili Cheese Wedges & veggie nachos
    Veggie Chili Cheese Wedges & veggie nachos
    Inside

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    Inside
    The Porter

    The Porter

    4.3
    (1.2k reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    This spot fits SO well into the bustling eclectic neighborhood that is Little Five Points. Gotta…read morelove that it's another one of the few places in the city that boasts ample street parking (it's paid, but not pricey...unless you go on Sunday when it's free like I did!). My friends and I had a great time and loved our quirky and knowledgeable server. It's clear that the beer list is expertly crafted, and the cocktails are balanced without being too sweet. I had the grapefruit rosemary margarita while one of my friends tried the special open cask offering. Now, lets get into the food...specifically the FRIES. The apps and entrees we ordered were so good, yet nothing holds a candle to those super crispy fries and the Belgian aioli that comes alongside. Literally, everything was good (shoutout to the beef tartare, goat cheese fritters, tuna melt, smash burger, and crispy chicken sandwich) but I doubled back to get an extra order of fries to go. They are that good. Great experience!

    The 1st time I tried to eat there it didn't work out due to a kitchen fire. I was impressed by the…read moreplace, but after a couple of beers and an appetizer we were given instructions to evacuate the restaurant due to a kitchen fire. The next time in 2024 when I was in the area, they were closed for a remodel. Today was the day. The beer selection was fantastic and so was the food. I got the pork sandwich with greens on top. It was delicious, but it could've not had juices leaking so much? Maybe cheese below and above the meat to try to keep some of the juices off the bun or maybe more bun toasting? The fries were amazing and I should've gotten the aolie initially, but didn't get it until I saw another table with an order. It was delicious. The service was very good. The server had good knowledge of the beers, food, and was friendly. This is one of the best beer bars in the US. The Atlanta area is fortunate to have two killer beer bars, the other being the Brick Store Pub in Decatur.

    Photos
    Huge tap offerings
    Huge tap offerings
    Black Truffle Deviled Eggs
Perigord Black Truffles, Chive, Pepper
    Black Truffle Deviled Eggs Perigord Black Truffles, Chive, Pepper
    French onion soup

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    French onion soup

    Joystick Gamebar - arcades - Updated August 2026

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