Fun place for DDR and video games. Ask them to bring you a switch and you can play vids right at the bar, super cool experience.

Mandy was the best ever. Never really go out but will definitely return because of her service and drinks were amazing. Good times, highly recommended read more

Joystiq - Bars Near Me - Merced, California

Came to Joystiq to walk off the dinner we had across the street. I was excited to see a bar with games in Downtown Merced. The inside is dimly lit with HUGE tv's along the walls, and Christmas lights strung about just in time for the holidays. The floors by the pinball machines were extra sticky for some reason. And some of the arcade games in the back were out of order. I will say they have some classic arcade cabinets though! Lots of variety and a whole row of pinball machines from Deadpool to Jaws. The bar is the central focus and there is a separate section off to the right where people can make food orders. We ordered the following drinks - regular rum and Coke double - One Piece cocktail: I really enjoyed the citrus notes, but never thought I'd like mixing beer with hard liquor. It ended up going really well together lol It was a good pour overall and I definitely felt the effects of the alcohol after even half of my drink. The person who took our drink was super nice, but left the POS in front of us. So we were able to view all the back-end of the orders she had on her tablet. Whoops lol Overall, with some better upkeep, I think Joystiq can be a go-to third place. read more

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Had the bacon wrapped dates and the French fired everything was freshly made and delicious. I recommend for a beer and playing the arcade games, they also have salsa lessons once a week. Lots of variety when it comes to entertainment. Very relaxed environment with no dress code. Good for families in the day time. Service is always great! read more

is an awesome spot for a night out -- packed full of energy, games, and good vibes. The venue itself is large, with a lively arcade-floor full of games, karaoke upstairs, and a bar that keeps things fun. The staff were friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. Food- and drink-wise: the menu covers both comfort items (wings, fries, burgers) and some Mediterranean-style dishes, which was a nice change. The wings and seasoned fries were standouts for us. The drink options were creative, and the bartender nailed our cocktails. While the entrees were okay (nothing gourmet), the portions were solid and the overall quality matched the atmosphere. If you're looking to hang out with friends, play some vintage arcade games, and enjoy a casual meal and drinks in one place, Joystiq hits the mark. I'll definitely be back. read more

Bad food and bad vibes. If you want a better experience try across the street at one of the italian restaurants. Better luck next time?

Came in for a Michilada after the mercado on main st. Their location is right downtown and there's plenty of TVs and seating area for your group. I really liked how they had plenty of games and entertainment. I ordered a few mixed drinks and the bartender made them just right. At the end of the night we ended up in the karaoke room. It was so much fun. Great spot to just hang out and have some good drinks. read more

Joystiq - Arcade - Bars Near Me - Merced, California

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the woman bartender was amazing but the older man bartender was rude af and we didn't like him at all.

I wanted to like this place so badly, but it was an incredible disappointment in so many ways. First, I want to say that the only reason I didn't give this place one star is because the staff members were all really nice and tried to be helpful. The bartenders were responsive and friendly. There are a ton of games and tv's and it seems like it can be entertaining, especially for groups. The ugly- it took nearly 2 HOURS to get our food and the last dish that was supposed to come out was cancelled because they ran out of shrimp, so one of my kids didn't eat. I don't know where the shortfalls lie behind the scenes, but they all lead to an epic failure in delivering to the customer. We should've walked out after we hadn't gotten our food within the first hour. It did not seem overly busy for a place of its size, but they warned us they were backed up so we gave them latitude. Lastly, after about an hour and a half, and not yet eating the food we ordered, we were told we needed to be out of our table by 9 because it was reserved for a drag queen show. We'd also need to exit the premises because we had kids under 18 with us. Anyway, this was a really disappointing experience and we likely wouldn't go here again. It seems like it could be fun, but not worth the risk. read more

Joystiq - Bar - Bars Near Me - Merced, California

Nastiest overpriced food ever! Will only go there for games and eat before we get there!

A dope spot to chill. Bartenders are rad, and there's plenty of games to play. I accidentally spent 4 hours here. And the fried zucchini is super crunchable. read more

Our new girls night hang out! Its like a small Dave and Busters but with a cooler vibe and much better food and drinks. SHOUT OUT TO MANDY! Best bartender ever! We had her surprise us with drinks and they were soooooo good! They also have nerdy games like giant uno! It's such a relaxing vibe...some people even brought their kids! Even though there were a lot of people the seating made us feel like we had our own private vip! Will definitely go again! read more

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This place is a must when in Merced! Great family place!! Kids will love it ! You can even have a drink well the kids play some games then after order some great food!! read more

Merced's very own mini-Dave n Busters: basically an adult playground! There are a ton of arcade and bar games available! I was very happy to see guitar hero, plus you can rent out consoles (ie Wii, GameCube, XBox, Playstations, etc) to play on one of the many TVs. There's also cornhole, darts (ask a server for some darts), shuffleboard, and more comfy seating upstairs. (But no food upstairs please!) There's also a karaoke room available for rent at $30 an hour, which is an excellent price and has been long overdue in Merced! I think in theory, this place should be a hit. Especially with all the thought they put into the inner decor of this place, which is fun and whimsical! But it just falls short on the execution. If you're looking for the vibes of an extra large bar, then this is for you. If you're looking for a decent dining experience, then go somewhere else and come back here for the drinks afterwards. When you get in, it's self-seating. They have plenty of long tables in the middle and booths along the wall. When you're ready to order, go place your order under the stairs and they'll give you a buzzer that'll let you know when your order is ready. If you want to order a soft drink or water, don't forget to let them know! I ordered the skewers plate with lamb and chicken and I thought everything lacked a bit of oomf and zest (aka it was all a little bland). I also got the mango habanero wings and thank goodness they were moist and tasty...but were drenched and leaning towards almost being soggy. There's kind of a lack of service here, which is where I think this place critically falls short of its potential. It doesn't feel as cozy as it could, and they play the music really loud here. I think I would be more ok with everything if I only came here, already a little drunk, to hangout with my friends and play darts. read more

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Tried this place for lunch on a Saturday with some coworkers. There's both street parking and a public lot. Our servers mentioned that it's a lot less crowded at lunchtime on weekends versus during the week. Needless to say, our service was good. There's a lot of old school video games and pinball machines in this place (plus other games). There's also a few TV monitors inside. There's an upstairs section that has some cornhole boards and a shuffleboard table. Fun times! I ordered a hamburger...it came with fries. When ordering, they give you a buzzer...and buzz you when your food is ready. My 1/3 lbs burger (came with cheese) was pretty good. The burger/fries order was $14.00 though! Pricey in my book...is this the new norm? Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere and my food. There was nothing to complain about nor anything to rave about. You can't go wrong stopping in here to eat or drink. read more

Joystiq - Bars Near Me - Merced, California

As someone who is a huge fan of barcades, Joystiq was pretty darn fun. Coming from the Bay Area, I'm always amazed at how much more affordable drinks are. We ordered a draft beer and a Paloma, and the bartender said $16...the Bay Area hasn't seen those type of prices in a decade, but I digress... This venue is huge and heard it gets really packed on weekends. We came before dinner across the street and it was nearly empty which was great because there was no wait for the basketball pop a shot or beer pong tables. The pop a shot is a $1 a game and it's an old school arcade that takes quarters at all the machines. They have a coin dispenser so remember to bring cash. I hadn't played beer pong in years, but safe to say, I still got it. They had two tables setup for use, with all the cups filled with water and ping pong balls to use. I really forgot how much fun I have playing BP, especially after some friendly competition with the gf. Overall, if you are looking for a fun place to play arcade games, drinking games, and affordable drinks, this is a great option in downtown Merced. Good for large groups or a competitive date night. read more

I absolutely love coming here, always a great time with a great atmosphere! super safe and the food is fire!!!!! The bar options are amazing really love the Princess Peach!!!! Our favorite bar tender is Serena. Service is professional and friendly. read more

Joystiq - Princess Peach and Bullet Old Fashioned - Bars Near Me - Merced, California

Burger was ok, but took over an hour. Yes, it was busy; however, no refill on soda even when meal takes quite awhile to be ready. Could have gotten better burger and service from fast food chain. read more

The vibe is nice. Service was good. Plenty of spaces to gather. Karaoke room was fun. Drinks were flowing. Best part free entry just show ID. read more

Sometimes clean, most times not. If only they would fix their karaoke room, it's always broken or out of order. Not sure what is hard about setting up youtube on the screen when videos are blasted on every wall. Mostly just a let down read more

I had a grand time, my first visit to Joystiq! The ambiance is rad--I was worried the vibes were gonna be cheesy but it really is more barcade than D&B, a fact for which I am incredibly thankful. Staff was friendly and helpful in navigating the whole ordering process for food. I wish the craft beer selection was a bit varied/local; ended up ordering basic cocktails instead. The whole night would've been a five-star experience except for the following: a handful of the games my partner and I wanted to play were non-operational, ranging from completely turned off to coin-stealers, and the food. Grabbed a salad and while the ingredients were fresh, the greens were left in whole pieces so the bites were clumsy; for the price, they could run a knife through it. But it was the lamb burger that was truly disappointing. When I was scoping out the menu before my visit, I was PUMPED for the lamb burger. I LOVE a good lamb burger. I've had some really stellar ones. Not at Joystiq, unfortunately. The patty was small and so the patty-to-bun ratio was off but y'all--that damn burger was hella dry and cooked to the death. Downright disrespectful to the lamb who died for it. To add insult to injury, the fries had those parm slivers that just don't melt. No one likes that. Down with unmelting cheese on fries! But like I said, the entire visit overall was a grand time! My partner and I had a lot of fun and it was nice to escape and play for a few hours! I'd definitely come back, will just try something else on the menu. read more

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Joystiq is a nice little arcade tucked in Merced. I can't speak to how the games were, but they offered Karaoke. I visited for a late night snack, and I have to admit the food was barely passable. The staff were friendly, but very insistent that we RSVP the karaoke that night if we wanted it... a little too forward, but understandable since it was a popular attraction. Outside of the games and food, I liked the photo opportunities on their walls and reliving nostalgic memories of watching people compete in super smash bros melee and other games. read more

Amazing place but so loud it was painful. The food was good enough. The pinball selection is outstanding. But the acoustics are worse than a heavy metal concert. Couldn't stand being in there for more than 45 minutes. read more

Fun games! Excellent food!! Good times!! Good drinks! Full bar! This is a fun place to visit! There are tons of pinball machines and video games. The hot wings and seasoned fries are very good! read more

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Amazing addition to Merced. Real big. Super fun. Located in downtown Merced on Main St. Joystiq serves food and drinks. Has an upstairs and downstairs. Nice club like tables to relax with a group. Arcade games to play. Its really cool honestly. I cant wait to go back. read more

Stumble upon this place looking for some lunch in the Merced area. Walking in we were pleasantly surprised by the decor and how big the place was. There were old school arcade games all over the place with an open space in the middle and a nice 360 bar. It was pretty cool that the machines still took quarters. Their food was pretty good. You have to go to the counter and order and they give you a pager. We got the lamb burger, Korean BBQ wings, and mozzarella sticks. The burger was eh, not my cup of tea, just seemed like it was lacking something. The onion rings were good, nice and crispy. Was a little disappointed with the mozzarella sticks because some had no cheese really in them, which is the whole point. I will say the Wings were very good, I really enjoyed them, great taste and meaty! The highlight of the place is you can really come with friends and family and enjoy yourselves! Will be back to give food another shot! read more

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SUPER cute aesthetic and atmosphere, like really cool! Good is typical bar food but taste was on point! Why 3 stars? Whoever was working the food area was sooooooo rude. Zero customer service, I almost felt bad for even ordering cause I thought we were bothering her. Food and atmosphere is really important but if the people are rude or not friendly it really kills it. read more

Had the best time here! Was in town visiting family and was happy to see that there was a new bar in town! Great drinks, great food, and all the service was friendly! Lots of games to choose from too! read more

This Review is solely based on the food my friend & I ordered. Came here on a Wednesday around 4pm, sat at the bar, they had plenty of booths along the perimeter, large table top seating areas in the middle, and a bar located in the middle, however, didn't thoroughly check but, I didn't see any tables that were ADA compliant, but you could possibly sit at one of the booths. The service needs some improvement, I probably wouldn't want to come here during the busy hours... I ordered the chicken & beef kabob with fries, white rice, & a little green leafy salad and the best thing on the plate was the salad. I was so caught up in catching up with my friend that I didn't take any photos, but so really wish I did, the protein really needs improvement, the chicken was burnt all on one side and dry, and the beef had some pink spots on the outside as well as significantly pink in the inside, the rice was quite dry and I needed to mix the tzatziki sauce with it. My friend ordered the chicken doner fries which were okay. The food/drink set-up goes with the atmosphere. You order the food in the back area where the games are, it's more of a food hall vibe where you receive a busser and go pick up your food and utensils yourself. I must say some couple ordered the chicken wings which looked pretty good and I maybe would mind trying those out. Overall, really spacious place and nice vibe! read more

1. The machines were broken. They ate our money to whole night. None of the games worked. 2. Bad food. The food didn't taste good. 3. The music is too loud. I have an Apple Watch and my watch kept going off that the music was at 90 decibels! 4. They have bad management. I called to reserve the karaoke machine and I was informed to come in person to pay for my spot. When I went in person to pay for karaoke, the manager told me they don't do "that"despite the fact they told me to come in. I told him I had to cash to pay and they wouldn't take my money. They said I had to call the day of. I call the day of the rooms are already full. read more

This place has lots of seating and is a great new place for Merced. There are plenty of games for everyone, food, and a full bar. I like how you can order your food and the waiters will bring it to your table. This is definitely one of the best new hangout spots and the inside makes you feel like you're in a bigger city. read more

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We waited one hour to get 2 of our 5 burgers out our food was cold . We were told that they are busy but they are not even busy. Staff said there is nothing they can do. So basically I got 2 burgers that were wrong . All me and my family wanted was plain burgers with nothing on them and we couldn't even get that. Manager never came waitress at front said nothing we can do. read more

Joystiq - It's has honey mustard that asked not to be on it also the cheese. - Bars Near Me - Merced, California

Limited( healthy): menu. Cold French fries. Could use more communication engagements for the new customer read more

Joystiq - Bars Near Me - Merced, California

We loved it here! We definitely needed a place like this in the Merced area. It's a large space with plenty of seating to eat and drink at. There's a lot to see and do, with arcade games, activities, TVs playing different things on every wall, and fun music. We were checked on multiple times. The food was really good, especially the garlic Parmesan wings! The games were a little pricy (for example, $1 for 3 balls of pinball) but we still had fun. Some activities were free, such as giant Connect Four, giant Jenga, and cornhole. The bathrooms were nice. The music was a bit loud, but nothing we couldn't handle. Can't wait to go back again! read more

Joystiq - Doner Fries - Bars Near Me - Merced, California

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Ordered at 12:38. It is 1:46pm as i type this. No food. We ordered one burger, one salad, 12 piece wing and large fries..nothing intricate. My kids are asleep waiting.. it is not busy read more

Joystiq - Empty booths - Bars Near Me - Merced, California

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Food is delicious. I highly recommend you order the brussels sprouts and add chicken. I love going there for drinks. Bartenders are amazing. I love the ambience. Such a great place to hang out with friends and have some good food and great drinks. read more

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Love love love the vibes and the bartenders are all very nice!!! Onne in particular Mandy she makes the best drinks and always has good recommendations!!!! read more

This place is much needed in Merced. Great environment and games. Actually had salsa dance lessons going on which was fun to see. Sports bar is cool ane were showing the games. I didnt have any food. However the service was bad. I sat at the bar and nobody offered me a drink and walked by me 8 times. The bartenders while working hard completely ignored 75% of the bar. Then once a bartender came up, I had to stop her and ask for a drink. She replied with "huh?" ‍...not the best place if you expect good service read more

Lots of the games are broken. It appears maintenance is an issue with everything in this place. Service slow two bartenders working that were overwhelmed. It was kind of annoying you could tell the bartenders had one side of the bar and the other had the other side. The other bartender wouldn't help even though there was no one needing assistance. Just an overall lackadaisical attitude by all employees. read more

Food is meh. Pricy but not very good. Servers are mostly forgetful. Go here for the drinks and maybe a side. Upstairs is cool.