Chris recently repaired my original Ms PacMan Cocktail table. Not only did he fix it, he made recommendations for how to make it better, then came back and installed the new parts when I had procured them. He also gave me a history lesson about and PacMan and how it came to be. Absolutely amazing service. Thanks Chris, you're the best!! read more

I ran into Chris at a local shop to me (in Sacramento) yesterday, and was overjoyed to see him again! It reminded me that this review is extremely overdue - he is an absolute gem in his industry! I used to work in video games in San Francisco, and we had a number of vintage arcade games in our lobby. From time to time we needed someone to help fix them (from our employees pounding the crud out of the controllers and such) and Chris was our go-to guy. His knowledge is unmatched. His memory is incredible. He's just the absolute best. If you're thinking of shopping around - don't bother. Call Chris. He's the answer to your (I'm assuming VERY SPECIFIC) problem! read more

These guys are amaze-balls! Not only did they fix my machine but gave it a tune up where it's next to new. They fixed it, cleaned it and gave me a history lesson on it. Highly recommended. read more

The staff here is very knowledgeable and friendly. Happy to answer a variety of questions. Whether you're thinking of purchasing a new machine or servicing your existing machines.This is the place to go. The level of expertise and knowledge is extensive. Pinball, pirate took great care of me after my purchase. The one year warranty they offer on their machines ended up saving me money. They came and fixed the problem for free. Excellence of service is refreshing especially in this day and age. read more

Shout out to Chris and especially Scott, who delivered my new James Bond 007 today. Scott arrived early, the machine was set up and ready to go, and he took the time to walk me through the basics. I had owned several pinballs in the past, but the new technology was a completely different experience. I was pleasantly suprised to see that they had already updated the firmware that Stern released only a couple of weeks ago. There was no way they could have known that Stern released a new update about an hour after Scott left. Fortunately, Scott had walked me through the maintenance features on the machine and the update should finish shortly. If I had more room in the house, I would buy another machine from Pinball Pirate. read more

Chris is amazing. I have a 1974 Gottlieb Sky Jump that needed some repair. Chris showed up to my house on time (a BIG plus in my book) and got to work right away. I asked if he just wanted to be left alone to do his thing, but he told me sometimes people like to stay and learn. I took that as an invitation to pick his brain while he worked on my machine. I learned so much from him in the short time he was at my home. He is easy to be around and so very knowledgeable. Chris will always be my repair guy. read more

If you're interested in pinball machines and or need help with ones you own be very silly not calling on Chris & staff. Very helpful and friendly Pleasure to business with Just wish I had more money to buy more games read more

I wanted a new pinball machine for my home game room and after looking online found Pinball Pirate and inquired about a few machines. Chris was eager to help and found me a great new Iron Maiden Premium pinball machine. Scott did a fantastic job on the delivery and setup as well as showing me the ins and outs of how it works. Definitely looking forward to getting more pinball from them in the future. read more

Pinball Pirate - new Iron Maiden Premium pinball - Arcades Near Me - Benicia, California

When my Pinbot needed repair, it was a no brainer on who to call. I sent Chris an email and he promptly responded and set up an appointment. TJ arrived at the designated date and time and worked on my machine for a little over two hours. When he left the machine was as good as new. TJ was super helpful and friendly. read more

Amazing home entertainment for home pinball machines. Many new and used options to enjoy at home. Full size games got your man cave. read more

A very happy customer of The Pinball Pirate. Chris is clearly the best of the best. My two all original machines were in desperate need of repair and maintenance. I sent Chris a detailed email of what I was experiencing and what I thought needed to be done, which allowed him to come completely prepared and ready to get them back to 100% (which ultimately saved me money from having to schedule revisits, etc.). A true professional light years beyond the rest. Thank you again, my 1982 Tron and 1980 Atari Centipede will be enjoyed for years to come. Worth every penny to have things done right from the beginning. read more

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Chris came out to my home in Modesto. He does charge a travel fee but this guy is amazing to watch. He found things wrong with my machine that explained why it worked so weird. He fixed everything quickly, and explained things I should watch for in the future. A wealth of information! The machine sounds and works better than it did before. He is not cheap but he is well worth what you pay! read more

Pinball Pirate - Captain Fantastic pinball machine - Arcades Near Me - Benicia, California

Note to the file: If you are really into pinball, the only review that matters is Michael S. on 9/23/2013. That's a mic drop. And it's all true. Fun to watch him work. Born to the job. read more

They had a great selection of new and used pins. Staff was very friendly. I played a bunch of games and there was no pressure to buy. I was looking for a specific title that they didn't have but thye said they'd call me if they came across one. read more

Chris is the best. I have a 1972 Williams OXO I could not get working and I called Chris we made an appointment on Dec 13. within a few hours he had the machine working perfect. on Dec 23 I was having problems and sent a email asking if he could direct me to correct the problem. On Dec.24 Chris called me ON CHRISTMAS EVE! He asked a few questions and gave me direction on what to do to correct the problem! My machine now again works perfect. A 50 year old machine needs to have the switches cleaned and adjusted and there are many on my machine. Chris told me which switches needed attention! I was very impressed that Chris would take time on Christmas Eve to help Me. Who does that! Chris is the best! read more

My dad bought a pinball machine from a bar going out of business in the 1980s. Growing up, we played with that machine regularly. Then, it stopped working, and sat there collecting dust for decades. Finally, I decided to try to get it fixed as a surprise for my dad for Father's Day. I contacted a few pinball machine guys, but none of them worked on the older electromechanical (EM) pinball machines. One of them referred me to Chris; and I'm glad he did. Chris is super passionate and knowledgeable about pinball machines! He came to my parents' house and worked on it while we had dinner. He was patient and not annoyed by my inquisitive 3-year-old, and engaged in friendly pinball related conversation with the adults when we came in to peek at his progress. In the end, he fixed it! Yay! The home repair wasn't cheap, but it was worth it. It stopped working again a few months after the repair. When I finally got around to calling Chris (a month or so after it stopped working), he was able to walk us through over the phone how to get it to work again! read more

I had a number of issues with my older Cyclone machine. Set up an in home appointment for repair. Chris showed up on time even though I had forgotten about the date. He went to work and corrected everything. I am amazed. New display board, repaired burned out connector, replaced all missing bulbs and a bunch of other stuff. I couldn't recommend pinball pirates enough. This guy truly knows pinball machines. If you need pinball machine repair, this is the only place to call. My machine now runs perfectly. read more

Christopher is everything you would want in a pinball service professional. He's highly intelligent, meticulous, and fairly priced. I only wish he worked on cars and guitars too! He serviced my Jurassic Park pinball machine and was able to quickly diagnose, solve, and improve that pin in both electrical and electro-mechanical ways. He also work on my Revenge from Mars so I got to see his expertise with a different kind of machine, this time including a CRT that needed several fine adjustments. While I don't look forward to my machines breaking down again, I feel confident that I know the guy who can fix them when they do. read more

Needed a couple pinball machines moved quickly and multiple machines tuned up at the destination. The guys were awesome, made quick but careful work of a tricky stair situation. They clearly know their stuff. Communication was awesome. Quote was reasonable and right on target. Really glad we found these guys and will definitely be calling them for repairs and while hopefully not necessary, any future moves! read more

Chris is a very bright and experienced pinball repairman. He takes care of all of your pinball issues as if the game is his. He cares about the machines and works hard to preserve them. Chris is kind and is always on time. I am glad I found Chris and know if I ever need a competent pinball guy, he will be my first call. read more

Huge thanks to Chris. Fast response and helped us get exactly what we needed. Had issues with our machine and Chris was able to get us the part and showed how us how to do it at home. Will be doing more service with Pinball Pirate in the future. read more

Thanks for the service! Made my Sopranos pinball machine play look and play like new.

Christopher from Pinball Pirate came as a top recommendation. I called Pinball Pirate on a Tuesday, talked with Christopher about my new Ms. Pac Man arcade game purchase and the issues the machine was having. I dropped it off on a Thursday and picked it back up that Sunday. The game is in now in excellent shape. Christopher fully explained what the problem was, what he did to fix it, and provided other information about the system. Overall, great experience. Christopher and his crew are super passionate about their work. I would recommend Pinball Pirate to anyone. read more

Chris showed up promptly and quickly serviced my pinball machine. It was really amazing to see how quickly he scan through the schematic and knew where every part was located. He's a true Master Technician with pinball machines. It was also interesting learning about pinball machines from him. He got my machine up and running within an hour. Pinball technicians are hard to find and thanks to Yelp, I found a real gem. If you have a pinball machine, the best repair service is Pinball Pirate. read more

Every time I now play my Wizard machine I can't help but think of how Chris helped me to helped fix my own machine. Sure the Pirate is there to bail us out when our machine takes a nose dive, but he is also there to help us fix it ourselves. I'm new to home ownership and pinball maintenance . I can replace bulbs, rubbers, wax and do the easy stuff. Sometimes I might get over my head or a part is out of reach. This time a ball gate broke and the internet and eBay could not provide me with the part. Chris did. He did it with a smile and quick low cost purchase. Every time I play my game I think of this and know I'm fortunate to have his help right in my own back yard. I know if I get a machine from him in the future I'm covered. Not only from his warranty but from his love to help us keep pinball alive. read more

He showed up and got right to work. He knows the machines inside and out, how they were originally built, and what to do to fix the problems. He was happy to explain what he was doing, and what the options were. PIN*BOT is back up and running! read more

Chris is a great guy and extremely knowledgeable. He took the time to show us everything about a pinball machine, helped us decide on new or refurbished, and made everything happen smoothly. He even came out when we had an issue and fixed it right away. Thanks guys. read more

Chris came to Petaluma to fix our 1980 Gottlieb Totem machine. We are so satisfied with his service. Cant recommend him enough! He is very knowledgeable, courteous and genuinely loves his work. Our pinball hadn't worked in years and now our grandkids and us are having so much fun. Thanks Chris!! read more

Chris is well known to be the best and as Michael from the Pacific Pinball Museum has stated, it's true! I've slowly collected more and more pinball machines and finally had to actually hire Chris out. I knew he'd be able to fix my Flash Gordon and it's amazing how much he knows about all kinds of machines. He works fast and as others have said, he'll get your machine in top shape. Now I just wasted another hour playing instead of going home but hey it is so awesome to have your machine back to 100% :) read more

Pinball Pirate - Arcades Near Me - Benicia, California

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There couldn't be anybody better than Chris for repair and service on your pinball machine. I connected with Chris to help me with some repairs on a 1976 Gottlieb electro-mechanical pinball machine. Chris asked me great questions on the phone to diagnose what the problem might be before he arrived. When he arrived he brought an enormous tool chest (requiring a hand truck) to ensure that he would have every part needed. He even brought the schematic for the machine with him. Not only did he address the problems with the scoring mechanism but he also asked about any other issues with the machine to be sure to fix those. He then tested all of the functions and even identified things that weren't working that I wasn't aware of. He also repaired a few cracked lights and other minor issues. And in the end, his fee was very reasonable for all of the work he did. In short, Chris is spectacular. I almost want to have another issue with my machine so I can have him come again. read more

Sadly I paid 300 to have my Space Invaders PM looked at and fix a minor issue. A day later my machine is now unplayable. I called and was told it would cost me 300 more for him to come back out or I could bring it to him and pay to fix it. Wish I could find someone I could trust to fix this machine but I may have to study up. IF YOU WANT SOMETING DONE RIGHT DO IT YOURSELF! wish me luck..... read more

I was referred to Chris by another pinball repair company. Chris does the old electro-mechanical systems. I needed a rollover button for my 1975 Little Chief machine. Chris asked for my address and just sent it to me in the mail. I tried to pay him but he never took my credit card information. This type of customer service is just unheard of anymore. I certainly didn't expect him to do that, talk about above and beyond. read more

Awesome place with super friendly and knowledgeable owner. Purchased a machine that was delivered in a timely and professional manner by TJ who went above and beyond to navigate our stairs and set up everything for us and was great to chat with about pinball. Highly recommend. These guys know their stuff and couldn't be nicer to work with! read more

I've looked for someone like Chris for over 3 years. Finally found Chris through a local arcade to help fix my 1990's X-Men 6player arcade machine. Through text, he scheduled an appointment for me and arrived promptly for the appointment. He was extremely knowledgeable and was able to fix everything up within a couple of hours. He also helped teach me how I could fix little things here and there. I will definitely be calling him for my future machine fixes. Highly recommended. read more

Disclaimer: I've known Chris for over 20 years - we both worked at a video arcade in the 80s and have been close friends ever since. I sometimes do work for his business, usually website related. That said, I recently bought a pinball from Pinball Pirate, so I'm leaving a review. Besides, I can tell you from my first-hand experience that all of the other rave reviews on here about Chris' stem from the fact that 1) he's a genius, and 2) he has been fixing pinball machines for over 20 years. It shows in his work. When it came time for me to buy a pinball machine, Chris was very helpful with assessing my wants and what games met my needs without breaking my wallet. He has games of all price ranges for sale. Due to my intermediate technical skills he set me up with a game I can repair and replace parts as I have the money. He gave me so many pointers that I needed to take notes as he worked, and I now have a perfect list of what I need to do to get my game fixed up, from repair to ongoing maintenance. This is because Chris loves pinball, and always has. Sometimes I tell Chris he works too hard and too many hours, but when I'm working sometimes I think about him out there and I'm jealous. He is doing what he loves every day and I totally understand his passion. If you need a game fixed or are ready to purchase, Pinball Pirate is the best. Thanks Chris!! read more

All reviews here for Chris are five star, and I'm sure they always will be. Chris fixed a problem on a 40 year old Bally commercial pinball machine in our house by methodically and quickly diagnosing the problem, while simultaneously discovering and repairing a problem I had not noticed before. He knows his stuff, charges a fair price, and makes it possible to own vintage pinball machines. Look no further for someone to repair your machine, and if he is busy and can't get there for a while, then I suggest it is well worth waiting for him. read more

I think Yelp should add a rating with 10 stars because that's what Chris deserve. 5 stars is far too low... First thing i want to say is, when Chris says he's coming at 10:00AM, it's 10:00AM not a minute more... It's good to mention it. I have 4 pinballs from the late 60s (EMs) to the early 90s (Superpin) and there's nothing Chris doesn't know. From the size of the original screw, the color of the wire that goes here to there and the Designer's grandma first name who made the pinball (kidding). I thought I had great pinballs... I didn't ;-( After Chris worked on them I have now the best pinballs in the country (by far!). If you have pinballs and you are in the bay area, you need Chris... No... You WANT Chris... If you have pinballs and you're not leaving in the bay, it's time for you to move in! Thank you Chris for all your great work, it's a pleasure to see you working, a pleasure to play pinballs after you've left. GOOD JOB! read more

Great service! Thank you so much for sending us a new key for our Golden Tee!

My experience with Chris at Pinball Pirate was fantastic. The man knows his stuff and goes beyond to leave your pinball machine working like new. He fixed my Roadshow from top to bottom and even fixed things I didn't even know were wrong with it. He also took the time to solder some stuff on my SWE1 board! Highly recommend Chris for all your pinball repair needs. Now I know we're to go. read more

Christopher knows pinball!! He works efficiently and accurately, and when he is done, your machine will hum as perhaps it hasn't since it was built. He is not cheap, but he's fair and professional and very good at what he does. If your pinball machine isn't what it once was, you will be glad you hired Pinball Pirate to give it a thorough tune-up! read more