I love board game cafes! So I was excited to try out this place after finding it listed on two different NYC blogs. First, if you're planning to come here on the weekend, RESERVE YOUR SPOT ONLINE AHEAD OF TIME!!! And I'll tell you why... My friends and I decided on Friday afternoon that we wanted to come here the next day (Saturday). Me, being the planning-type person that I am, immediately hopped onto their website. I found a tab for "reservations", so I checked it out as I had a feeling that they might be pretty busy on the weekend. Sure enough, for our group of 6, they only had availability between 11am and 4:45pm or at 9pm. That was it! We were hoping for an evening slot, but we all decided to settle on the 4:45pm slot and just go have dinner afterwards. Before continuing, it's important to note that each person pays $17 for unlimited use of the board games for a 3-hour duration. When booking online, you have to pay for the entire group's "game time pay" up front in order to get the reservation. So, since it was 6 of us, I went ahead and paid $102 to secure our spot. **They are clear that they do NOT do refunds so make sure you can actually make the time slot you are booking!! Upon arrival, we gave them my name and they showed us to our reserved table. They gave us some quick instructions on what to do with the games when we were done with them, then they left us to have fun! So why is a reservation important? Because I can't tell you how many people we watched get turned away because they showed up and the place was already at max capacity! Our table happened to be right in front of both the door and the counter, so we watched a constant flow of people walk in and then immediately walk back out. Another important thing to note is that they don't allow outside food or drinks, but they also don't serve food... They have coffee drinks available to order as well as a few smoothie options and bottled/canned beverages. Additionally, they had some bagged chips and a few pastries, but that was it. So if you book a slot during dinner or lunchtime, you might want to ensure you eat beforehand as you won't be eating a meal here. The setup inside was a little chaotic. Very crowded with little space between the tables. Also, the staff seemed to not really care to want to be there. They weren't really attentive to the patrons there nor to each other, for that matter. At one point, the trash can was overflowing and I watched one staff member struggle with it and yelling for help but no one came to assist her... Final verdict: If you love board games, definitely come check this place out!!! Reserve your spot ahead of time and bring at least 3-5 people with you for maximum enjoyment! read more

The Uncommons - Game night with friends! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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We met here in 2021 for our first date. Thought the concept of a board game café date was unique, interesting, and spent the evening getting to know each through each game. Had such a great time that it didn't even matter that the staff forgot the coffee I ordered. Walking distance from Washington Square Park where we took the most romantic stroll afterwards. One year later, celebrated our first anniversary at the same spot and the same table. It's 2025 and happy to report we're getting married in October! This will always be a special place to us. read more

The Uncommons - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

$15/person for 3 hours playing, snacks and bevs are not included. You can also not paying the "playing fee" and just order bevs, but if they need the table tou gotta give it up. Pretty cool place to go with friends, many games to choose. read more

This place is very popular so you must have a reservation or else you may have to wait 2-3 hours on a Saturday. There's a large selection of games with all their pieces intact and in good condition. This place has always been pretty small, but it adds to the cozy vibe. I didn't try their food or drinks. There is also a code to go to the single bathroom. When your reservation comes to an end and you don't leave on time, they would let you know so that they can prep for the next group. read more

Organized a game night for my coworkers. I made reservations online about a month in advance after reading reviews. Their website was easy to follow and it was $15 per person for 3 hours. Checked in on the day of (a Saturday) and I'm glad I had reservations because the place was full. Check in was at the counter. They explained that they could make some non alcoholic beverages which is up on the board, they also had a non alcoholic and alcohol fridge. You could grab any drink from the fridge and pay at the counter ($5-$10 per drink). We were a party of 8 and had plenty of space, while to was full, it didn't feel cramped. Time flew by very quickly, we were so invested. Played some taboo, uno, etc. their wall of games is EXTENSIVE. They have another section of the wall which are games for sale. Had a great time and it was our first time at a place like this. My coworkers are already planning future game nights. Highly recommend! read more

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so you like to play games, eh? The Uncommons is where you need to be to play numerous amount of tabletop, rpg, board, card, etc. games for $10 per person gets you 3 hours of playtime. floor to ceiling neat stacks of games, tables placed throughout for gaming, and there is a small bar to order coffee, beer, wine and small eats. had relatives in town with kids in tow and they had a blast. the coffee i ordered was solidly good and the staff was informative and friendly. good place to be in the moment with friends and family without the infinite scroll addiction getting in the way--play good games, win good times! read more

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$12 per person after tip to play board games. Kind of pricey but the space is cute. Could barely fit catan on the table though was one of the major downsides. I did win catan though. So I will be coming back. They have a ton of board games that you can choose from. Got a drink from them it was $7-$10 range I would say. It's not cheap but not expensive. Worth it if wanting a third place to play games and hang out. read more

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I literally could not recommend a better place to have coffee, drinks, board games, and LORCANA LEAGUE! Everyone is nice, kind, takes their time with you, and the vibes of the place are all entirely immaculate. Could endlessly spend hours here! read more

The Uncommons - Booster one packs 3 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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I only went in to buy some magic cards, but it was nice and smooth! Staff super friendly and the atmosphere felt super great

I was looking for a fun place to take my adult teen child and had an amazing time here. For $10 you get a able for 3 hours to play whatever boardgames they have available, and they have A LOT! So many I had not heard of. You can also get beer, coffee, smoothies or tea while you play. After you are done with a game put it in a bin for the used games and pick something else. Some games naturally are missing pieces, but most were ok. Definitely coming back. The later you go, you may have to wait for a table. We went in around 3 pm and only a handful of tables were available. read more

The Uncommons - Ubongo 3-D! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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This place is so charming. The ambiance is fun and laid back, and it's worth visiting just to see their collection of board games. The iced coffee was good, the service was great, and the ambiance was the highlight. read more

The Uncommons - Interior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Amazing customer service ! Had great card selections for us. We stopped to get Pokemon cards

In my time, I've been to a few board game cafes, both in nyc and other cities. And time and time again, I keep on returning to the Uncommons. This place just has its own addictive charm. First of all, it is quite well situated and within walking distance of many of the manhattan attractions, which makes it easy for me to recommend to friends who are visiting the city. The inside is not large but this helps it feel intimate, warm, and homey. And even on weekends I haven't had too much of an issue getting a table, even though there is sometimes a wait. The collection of games may not be the most massive, but they have everything that you probably want to play, and the staff are so knowledgeable and friendly and are always ready with recommendations. I had two games suggested here, Boop and Cryptid, that were super enjoyable. They also have classics like Pandemic, Catan, chess, etc. some of the games are clearly well played and a little beat up, but that has its own charm too lol. The staff deserve their own special praise, everyone I've interacted with who works here is super sweet and friendly! One time, they were busy and forgot my americano, after which they were kind to give me a free cookie to compensate. As someone who has worked as a barista, I understand them! It wasn't necessary but I did really appreciate the gesture. $10/pp for admission and table time, which honestly is a really good deal for how much board games can cost nowadays. read more

The Uncommons - Boop! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Place: This place is a walkable distance and it is kinda at the corner of the city. We did not have to wait too long and got seats real fast. The ambience is so nice and you feel like a kid again. This is a gaming cafe where you place board games. Service: The service was top notch everyone was super friendly and tried to help as much as they can. Food/price: The coffee is not my favorite drink so next time I will prob try something else. The audience is great for: Family [X] Friends [X] Couples [X] I am not sure if they serve drinks too. Recommend/tips? I recommend coming during non peak hours which is early morning after dinner time pretty much. haha read more

The Uncommons - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Fun spot for a chill night, rainy afternoon, etc. Love coming here with friends and family! Friendly staff and so many game options. Definitely reserve or put your name down early though as it can get busy Follow me on TikTok @rynelly for more NYC recs! read more

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Really fun place to play games! They have a large variety of games and the staff is super friendly!

An awesome 3rd place. It is always super lively, so make sure to come early to put your name down on the waitlist. Sometimes it can get a bit loud, but there is a wide range of games to play and purchase. read more

So here's the deal-- I LOVE this place and I honestly wish there were more like it. To my knowledge, it is the only board game bar in the city of its nature. Now there are other bars that do have board games but this particular spot is specifically catering to exclusively board games only (so no ping pong, darts, pool, none of that). It's a sit down and play kind of vibe. They do sell drinks but it's more just ciders and beers. They have 1 restroom and the best part? THE WALL OF GAMES TO CHOOSE FROM. You can also buy games as well. Cons -Small and Cramped space -Can't bring outside food Pros -Student Discount on weekdays -Reasonable Prices -Sells light snacks Tip -You may wanna call ahead before coming just to make sure that no one rented out the whole space. That happened to me and I was Hella disappointed because I walked 20 minutes to get there. read more

What a perfect spot! For ten dollars a person you get three hours of board game time. They have every single type of board game ever invented and the staff is super accommodating and thoughtful. I love the wall of recommendations too. Coffee and cookies were fantastic as well! read more

The Uncommons - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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A fantastic spot to come with friends or a partner! It's about $8-10 per person for 2+ hours of access to their giant library of board games, and they're open late on weekends. My friends and I have had countless great times in this space, which is small yet comfortable, and the staff is always very helpful and kind! Since moving out of NYC we definitely miss coming here, and we will be sure to come back any time we're in town. read more

I came in and got a chai latte. It took a while, but not too long, I can't comment on the games or the space too much, although when I came in on a Saturday around 4 PM, it was fairly easy to find a seat. They definitely have a very large selection of board games and card games that you can play with. I'm not sure if you need to pay in order to do that and they also sell games there if you really like some thing I want to take it home. read more

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A true New York City favorite. Spending hours browsing the shelves of games and playing old favorites is a great way to spend an afternoon! Ideal for small groups of friends or hosting your nieces and nephews from out of town. Make reservations in advance if you can as it fills up quickly! read more

They promote themselves as a LCS for the community yet they over price their items and say HEY WE GOT STOCK INSTORE BUT BECAUSE OF THE RELEASE / POPULARITY OF ITEMS, we dont put on MSRP; just the market price of the item in question. NO prize support for some TCG they have in house and then over price items too! I understand fees for tables/space and their food/drinks but at least give out support and pricing! read more

Amazing amazing amazing amazing. If you're near Washington Sq Park, PLEASE check this place out. It was extremely busy on Saturday afternoon, but we (3 people) managed to grab an outdoor table and start playing some games (Bohnanza, Pandemic, Wingspan), but it started raining after 30 minutes ): luckily!! The people were super nice and allowed us to pause our time and put our name down for the indoor waitlist and come back later. Free water and nice A/C on inside!! How it works: you pt $10/pp for 3 hours of game time where you can choose and play as many games as you want. You can also buy drinks and food (but there's also free cold water). On Mon-Thur I saw a sign saying students get to pay $5/pp instead. Reservations must be made by emailing the owner and made 24 hours ahead of time. Tldr come try lots of new games, come early and leave your name or make res if you want indoor seating read more

The best board game cafe in the city with the largest collection and open late with wifi. It's pretty overwhelming to come here and decide on a game when you've never even seen 95% of them, but the staff here are super knowledgeable and can give you recommendations. Likewise, the customers that tend to come here are also nice and wouldn't mind giving you a few of their favorite suggestions. When we were trying to locate a specific game, the staff were able to point us to the right direction. Prices are very affordable. You can stay for just an hour or choose to buy a "day pass" which was only $10 (I am not sure if this price is only for weekdays because it seems too good to be true!). For students, it is $5. There is no pressure to buy drinks or food, you just have to pay for the table. It can get very crowded here and making a reservation is recommended, especially if you are coming here at night during the weekends. It is not an ideal place for studying as it can get rowdy. read more

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Had a date here.. well I thought it was a date, but he called it a meet and greet. Sure. Let me tell you, dating in Manhattan is exhausting! However we do what we must. This place is a pretty interesting in a sense you reserve and pay for an x amount of time and play board games that you pick off the shelf. They have coffee, canned wine and beer, and some food, but seems this place is a place for people to play their dungeons and dragons or whatever fantasy board game things people play (not poking fun. I just do not know that side of the world so apologies if my tone comes off a bit snarky). Board games are not really my thing so I most likely will not be going back in the near future, but it was something interesting to experience at least once. However, if you like board games and want to just hang with friends in a casual setting, I recommend this place. No frills, nothing fancy, just your standard place to hang with friends and play something. read more

I've been here three times now, and every visit has had one consistent flaw: incomplete games. Missing important pieces, boards broken in half, gross sticky cards, old player's notes left in boxes, etc. If you're a board game bar/shop, wouldn't you want to take care of the board games? We picked up 7 different games and had to put them all in the used bin as they were unplayable. This took away valuable time from our strictly timed table reservation, and was extremely frustrating for the cost of $10 a person. I understand this is a public place and people use them a lot, but if games are missing so many pieces that they can't even be played... retire them?? Pleasant atmosphere and service, just sad that they don't take care of their product. read more

Great cafe to play board games with friends while getting a drink. My only complaint is that some of the games are use worn and beat, and should be replaced more frequently. read more

Why am I obsessed with this place...unique concept, executed seemingly effortlessly Great atmosphere. Lively and well-decorated with a vast selection of games, for all types of people Came here for a friend's birthday get-together in December. We had so much fun trying to master a new game (werewolf by night btw). Great place to try out new games without buying the whole thing. With a third-party host to boot and a limited (but I feel appropriate) timeframe, no one is left cleaning up the mess at their apt. Great staff. Subpar (mid) coffee, especially compared to other shops in the area. Wish they had some multiple of the more board games read more

My friends and I were looking for a place to hang out on a Saturday night, but we didn't want to go to your average bar nor did we want to wait in long lines to get into places that have pool tables and shuffleboards. A Yelp search brought us to a BOARD GAME CAFE. Whaaaaat? Even though they serve beer, this place is NOT a bar by any definition. They could do a better job of creating a more nightlifey atmosphere with the lighting and music, especially for the late-night crowd, but that might not be the audience they're targeting. They serve coffee drinks, smoothies, beers, and cafe snacks like muffins and pastries. Seating is mostly communal, though there are a few smaller 2-person tables. The walls are stacked floor to ceiling with just about every board game you can think of. They even have certain games for sale (new ones, of course). When we came on a Saturday night around 9:45pm, the price was $5 per person per hour ($20 per hour for my 3 friends and me), or $40 to play until closing time at midnight. The price is definitely reasonable, but I felt there should be a discount for larger groups because individual play time is shortened if there are more players. read more

The Uncommons - Board games galore - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

This is the first board game cafe that I've ever been to and I really enjoyed my experience! You get to play the games for 3 hours for $10 each. They had a great variety to select from! I would suggest reserving a table ahead of time, since my friend and I had to wait over an hour to get a table, but if you are on the waitlist they can text you when a table opens up, and you have 15 minutes to return to the store to claim your table. read more

If you and your friends are bored and have nowhere to go in the city, uncommoms is a great place to visit. I am pretty sure they have almost every game you played before. All the walls of this store is filled with games. There's a good amount of space for you to play in. They also have tables and chairs outside to play but of course during windy or rainy days, it's best if you stay in. They also provide drinks and the prices to play an hour are super affordable. It is about $5 an hour and you can make reservations online which is great if you have a big group. If you want to learn how to play a game, the workers will explain the game to you! read more

The Uncommons - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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Great board game cafe with a huge selection of games to choose from. Games are stacked up on the walls all the way up to the ceilings, and even more by the counter! Good for all ages, and they also have drinks and some food as well if you get hungry or thirsty while playing. Gets crowded really easily, especially on weekends, so arrive early or make a reservation if you are coming with a sizable group. Otherwise, you will be stuck having to wait for hours on the waitlist. Some of the games are pretty tattered and may be missing some pieces here and there, but still manageable. The tables are really close together, so it may feel cramped, but with the amount of customers they get, it's understandable why they really needed to optimize the space and squeeze in as many tables as they could. Price: $10 per person for 3 hours, or $5 per hour. read more

I had never been to a board game cafe before but it was a nice experience. I would recommend making a reservation. We came at maybe around 3pm and put down our names since the place was full. The employee at the desk explained that the latest we might be called was 5pm--it's $10 per person for 3 hours of play--but that a lot of people leave before the 3 hours are up. We had a dinner reservation at 5pm, and right after we left there was actually a sudden squall and it started snowing as we were hanging out in a cafe across the street! Fortunately, we were called about 20 minutes later and were able to finish a game of Carcassonne before dinner. We also got some beer and I had a spiked cider (which tasted good but I could not tell there was alcohol in it lol). I have to say some of the more popular games were kind of gross (especially ones with cards) and we decided against playing them because we didn't want to touch the cards. This is probably inevitable in such an establishment but it was not pleasant. In terms of game selections, they had soo many games! The walls were covered in shelves with games I had never heard of. If you have friends who are board game connoisseurs you should bring them here. They would probably wet their pants from excitement. read more

This is a great way to have a fun time in NYC. Sometimes we get so focused on trying to get wild while in Manhattan, and this was the perfect place to take a breath and slow down. It's $10 per person, and you get up to three hours of game play. There is also a cafe inside, so you can snack while you play. There were SO MANY games that I had never even heard about. The workers are willing to help your party find a fun game to fill your time. I wish I spent more time there, but I will definitely be going back! read more

The Uncommons - game time! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Great idea for a place! Useful small-but-meticulous cafe has everything you may want to snack on or drink while playing the gazillion games on the wall. No qualms about the prices (after what everyone was going on about, I expected them to be exorbitant!)- they seem 'regular' to me, as this isn't a restaurant! Think college/convenience snack cafe. With a surprisingly hugely complicated beer list, another huge selection of refrigerator drinks or barista drinks, and chips/snacks galore. Really impressed w the thorough organization & explanation of everything, especially the host/reservation manager! Really tight quarters (we are not huge people)- if you know your expected table, I'd observe whether the guy next to you is yelling the entire time or not. The really really close quarters PLUS know-it-all yeller next to you makes it difficult to try to process reading the complicated game rules. I had my ear plugs in the entire time, and could barely focus on anything but the obnoxious yeller next to me. Seriously, he was shouting at the top of his lungs the entire time we were there. (Just him, the rest of the place was pretty politely not crazily loud.) So, I'd try this place again, off-peak. Maybe then it'll be better! On the weekend, it's $5/hr or something else for 3 hrs. Once your hr is ending, they give you the option to extend. They'll call when your place is ready (they even give you a specific time estimate, which I LOVE), so if you answer the call, they'll reserve it for 15m, otherwise will go down the wait list. read more

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Such a fun Sunday evening activity! For only $10 you can play for a total of three hours. We played taboo, uno, and cards. They also have so many games for sale and have an assortment of beverages available! read more

The Uncommons - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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Oh my god, I loved this place! It's a great place to grab a small bite to eat, grab a nice coffee or beer, and meet up friends to play games. It's this cute, cozy shop that's perfect for a little "family game night" type event. I played this cooperative survival game called Ravine. It's a game where you're stranded on an island and need to work together to stay alive until being rescued. I wouldn't have discovered it without the help of one of the employees. They were very kind and I'd recommend this place to anybody. It's such a wholesome place! read more

The Uncommons - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

Loved coming to this place on a Friday night (yes, nerdy). You get 3 hours at a table for $10 per person - playing whatever games you like. I recommend making a reservation if you can because the place was full even at 10:30pm. Amazing game selection. I wish they cycled out some of the actual games/boxes more frequently as the game pieces/cards/etc. have a lot of wear and tear, understandably - that didn't change our ability to play the games. Good beer and drink selection, including fun non alcoholic bevs. The real standout here is the staff. They are extremely helpful, friendly and knowledgeable about the games. They were super patient with us as we figured out what we wanted to do and drink and had amazing recommendations - walking us through several games. Made my night. read more

We were visiting Washington Square Park and did a quick search for coffee. I ordered the caramel oatmilk latte and it was the best coffee I've ever had. It's a little shop you can play board games in. Service was fast too. We just went for the coffee and would definitely be back for more when I'm in the neighborhood. read more