A super rad and nostalgic evening with Yelp Wisconsin at Up-Down Milwaukee!! I absolutely loved arcade games growing up and it was something I really enjoyed with my dad. Being at Up-Down brought back so many memories and brought out the kid in me again. I loved playing Pong, PinBall, Skee-Ball, and PAC-Man! The space at Up-Down is very cool. There was so much to see and something on every wall. I loved the posters, quotes, lights, and the nostalgic shows playing on the televisions. The two bar areas were nice and they offer quite the selection. I didn't get a chance to have any pizza but it looked like a good cheesy thin crust. I'll have to try it on my next visit! read more

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I have been multiple times to Up-Down and always had so much fun! Fun arcade vibe. ADULTS ONLY!! (you need your ID to get in, they still ID-ed my 60yo dad, so don't forget your wallet!) There are so many games to play, from physical games like skeeball to multiplayer arcade games. My personal favorites are: - Super Mario Bros - Burger time - Basketball - Any Pin Ball - Dance Dance Revolution - Alien shooter game Drinks are good, they have mixed drinks, beer, seltzers, etc. They also have a little window to order food from and the pizza is surprisingly very good, you can order by the slice or get a whole box. Service has always been good, even when you're drunk and a machine accidentally eats several of your coins- ALSO you get soooooo many coins to play games. I don't think I've ever finished a batch of coins in one night. read more

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Love this place! Great arcade, gaming, and pizza place. Fun place to catch up with friends or go on a date. Check it out! read more

Up-Down Milwaukee - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Great place! Pizza tasted great but did not sit well with me or my spouse but besides that loved it! (One gripe was the ski-ball was broken one time and the other time people were crowded around the table by it making the ski-ball inaccessible read more

A fun stop if you want to feel nostalgic and play games you haven't seen or thought about in years. Tokens are affordable and you can kill a whole night bouncing around their two stories of games. The decor is nostalgic as well, with comics, neon lights, and photographs from decades ago. They have a pizza window if you want a quick slice, and a bar on both levels for affordable drinks. read more

I would have given it a 5, but for 3 things. I really like their pinball machine selection and I'm appreciative of simply having a place like this in MKE to go to. The three detracting things: food selection is not good - just pizza? Come on. How bout some "bar food", like chicken wings, fries, etc. That's not asking too much. Parking is almost non-existing - have to find it on the street. Good luck. The last thing is the noise - just plain too noisy! Turn it down a bit, guys. Jeesh! read more

Twas my first time at Up-Down and it was a good time, definitely great for a night out with friends or even a date night. Lots of game options from pinball, skee ball, and a number of multiplayer games. The games require coins which I believe each coin equates to 25c. I got about $20 worth which was enough for me and 2 friends but I think maybe $15 would've sufficed as we still had some leftover but you can save them for your next visit. I will say it was pretty hot but there is some outdoor seating, but none really indoor and it was busy so some spaces were a bit cramped. Definitely recommend if you're bar hopping or pregaming, they even have pizza which I didn't try. read more

Up-Down Milwaukee - pinball machines + wrestling - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Stopped in here quickly with a friend and WOW! This place is fantastic. They do ID you at the door since this is as a 21+ facility. There's a full service bar on both levels, a two deck patio with shuffleboard, dozens of arcade machines, and more! The best part is the affordability. It's only 25 cents per play on a game! I wish we had more time to hang out because there's so many drinks and games I wanted to try. Definitely hoping to try out SNES Mario Kart on the second level next time! read more

Up-Down Milwaukee - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This place is a fun way to spend some time with friends or for a date night. Weekends are obviously busier but still enough space to play some games! They have a full bar and you can buy tokens there or at the machines. Food is limited to pizza but they have some happy hour specials and it's decent pizza! There are I think two patios you can hangout on with games (might be weather permitting) or if you want some air! The only issue I've ever had is with the skeeball machines not working but the staff came by right away to check it out and reimbursed us for the lost tokens. Parking can be tricky depending on the day of the week but we usually have found a spot within a block or so. It's a fun place to get into some old school and new games, check it out! read more

Best Arcade in the world, killer 2 dollar pizza on Fridays. Always the go to spot for my partner and I!

tl:dr - video game nerds gather for fun, food and drinks. Places are always trying to come up with a good "Chuck E Cheese" concept for adults and most fall flat. Up-Down gives you exactly what you want to bring out your inner child while enjoying some tasty cocktails. This two-story building is jammed packed with everything from skee-ball to huge quantities of pinball machines, arcade games and counsel based systems. People are using a giant "Connect 4" board in one corner, while there is a 4-person TMNT game being played and two others are having a Mario Kart race on a giant projector screen. The inside is decorated and styled with neon signs and bright pops of color to bring the fun out in the décor. Retro games that you've maybe never even heard of are there, the classics you remember playing as a kid are there and while you're enjoy those, you're drinking some tasty beers or cocktails. The bartenders and staff are always super friendly. You end up accidentally buying way too many tokens which guarantees you'll be back and there is options for pizza there (I've not tried as of yet!) If you plan on getting a group together, keep an eye out for the specials this place has on different days of the week and make sure you aim for a time when it won't be too crowded (because it can get pretty packed.) A couple of the games might have an "out of order" sign on them, but I take that with a great understanding of how old and how complex many of these games are to fix and provide maintenance for. There's always plenty of other things to enjoy that it takes the sting out of a small handful experiencing trouble. read more

Up-Down Milwaukee - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Grabbed a drink- and since it was half price games- got 2 cups of tokens! So many oldy-but-goodies here. I'm still not great at pinball, but Centipede is a special skill of mine. Fun vibe, friendly service. A great way to spend an evening out. read more

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I always love going to up-down, great selection of local brews, friendly staff and tons of great games to choose from.

Just an average pepperoni pizza slice. Not great, not bad, just greasy & kind of cold. I drizzled a little bit of buffalo sauce to add more flavor. Good for when you get drunk. The service was nice & the ambiance was cool. Lots of old arcade games & fun vibes. read more

Up-Down Milwaukee - Pizza slice - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Just had my bday outing at this place. If your a gamer of all games this is the perfect bday spot! We played skee ball, pin ball, arcades, and so much more. I beat my husband in basketball as I summoned my shooting skills. Then I learned a new game called killer Queen and awesome strategically competitive game with up to 10 players. For the hungry gamer no need to fear there is pizza near. The place offers pizza and a array of beers with a few cocktails as well. They also gave me 40 tokens for my bday. I mean it doesn't get any better than that!! read more

Up-Down Milwaukee - a shot of a purple cocktail - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We stopped in here because of a recommendation. we had a great time. Prices were extremely reasonable and the atmosphere was great. The owner was so personable and kind! Highly recommend. read more

This is my 2nd time coming here and it's sooo much fun! I came on my actual birthday and was gifted 2 cups of free tokens that lasted the entire time we were there- thank you so much! I try to hit Arcades wherever I travel and this one has much more variety than the others. I'm so glad you exist-such great times here. read more

Up-Down Milwaukee - Free birthday tokens! - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Fun visit here for a birthday. You have to get your ID scanned to enter- didn't love that. But, the birthday boy got some free tokens after showing his ID. The beer tap choices are exquisite. The prices are reasonable, too. And we got served pretty quickly by a friendly bartender. Didn't try the pizza but that looked pretty good. Can order by the slice or a whole pie. Plenty of game choices, including N64 super smash on the big screen (for free!). Saturday was 2 for 1 tokens so even better deal. Will definitely go back! read more

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Yes please let me play Dig Dug and Ms PacMan until carpel tunnel takes over my arm. I love the vintage machines here plus Skee Ball. All we need are some choctchy tickets for items that cost a million tickets and we are set. There was a deal for double the tokens if you purchased them from the bar so I bought $20 which goes quite a long way - in fact I ended up with a ton that I took home. The only bad is because they are so cheap when the machine eats them you don't flinch. There were a few times that the game didn't play but it didn't upset me. We got some cocktails which were reasonably priced. They have bars on both levels so you are supposed to libate and play video games which is a great combination. Now to get back there to use my extra tokens! This would be a great place for a Yelp event - wink wink :) read more

(From September 2021) Hmmm, arcades, bar, TVs, pizza.... It's like my college days all over again! Featured on Thrillist, I'm glad I rolled here after my fun time at Lakefront Brewery. Seeing the arcade coin-op games along with the skeeball and pinball machines brought me nearly to tears. The classics such as street fighter, TMNT, the Simpsons, Donkey Kong, Area 51, and Mortal Kombat in one area would be enough for anyone who grew up in the 90's. Unfortunately for me, I didn't play any games as I was fixated on the tv to watch the Thursday night opener between the Buccaneers and Cowboys. Fantasy football implications were in play and seeing the cowboys lose is always too good to pass up. Fortunately the game didn't disappoint as it ended on the last play with the Cowboys on the losing end. The bartender made sure I always had my tall can of miller for my viewing pleasure so props to him. They also serve pizza here which was tasty as I went with pepperoni and the Mac and cheese pizza. Pizza goes with beer like Jay-Z goes with Beyoncé, you can't picture one without the other. I did have a weird exchange with the pizza lady as she told me pizza would be ready in 10 minutes when I first walked up. No worries, drank a beer, then came back after noticing the next person in line got their slice with no issues. After asking for my slices, she told me again, it would be 10 minutes. So I was confused. I said the guy behind me got his slice and she claimed she thought I was asking for a pizza they didn't have(???). They only have cheese, pepperoni, and Mac and cheese. Maybe I confused her? Anyways, got my slices and ate them and that was that. read more

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Love their $2 slices on Fridays! Huge slices! I usually get the Mac and cheese! It's a cute place for a date or to hang with friends! Wish they had more variety of arcade games. read more

ABSOLUTELY NOT SAFE! car got broken into while grabbing a drink and having a good time, great night turned into a horror show, establishment does nothing to prevent nor do they care for their customers. "it's a liability to call the authorities and not our fault" - owners words money hungry individuals and security is worthless read more

We came here for a friend's birthday party and were quite impressed at both the variety of games to play and the fantastic pizza! The night that we were there was their $2 pizza slice night and we definitely took advantage of it. I tried a couple different varieties and enjoyed them both, I would definitely come back in the future just for a couple slices. The game variety isn't as good as say, Garcade in the Falls, but it is a decent variety of classic titles, 90s classics in the making, and some newer fare. We eyed up the pinball wall as well, but there were a couple hipsters laying claim to the one that I wanted, so we ended up finding some other games to play. I appreciated the cooler of water for those like myself that do not partake in adult beverages, and the relaxed atmosphere of the place though I did wish all of the games were just one token, or if they would switch to a flat fee and set everything to free play so you're not walking around with a plastic cup of tokens all night. read more

Despite Up Down being a chain, I always have a lot of fun here. People are cool, drinks are great, the games are fun and only 1 token (25¢) to play. The pizza is good when you've had a bit to drink and trivia night is fun too. read more

I have been coming here for a few years now, couldn't ask for a better arcade bar! They even have great pizza slices there too! Games are mainly all 1 token each too! Will be coming back! read more

3 bartenders on a slow weeknight and no one would even look at us.... Really? We waited 10 minutes before walking out.

Your money goes a long way! Used $20 for tokens, spent about 2.5 hours playing games and still have 35 tokens leftover to use next time. Every game is only one token (which equals one quarter). The bar was a cool touch if you want some drinks, games were super fun and worked well. Make it a point to get a slice of pizza, trust me. Overall, well worth going for a fun night out! read more

Definitely a bar to check out while visiting Milwaukee. It is very lively on the weekends and during festivities. I like that it has two stories full of arcade games and other sources of entertainment. They also have great outdoor patio seating on both levels. A really cool spot to hang out night or day. read more

Super fun and chill place to have fun drinks are reasonably priced and good arcade games

This is a change of pace/throwback kind of place. A bar with an arcade. It definitely brought back memories for me as arcades were a huge thing when I was in high school and college. Have your ID ready as they will card you at the door (even this old fart got carded). Friday nights the first 100 people get 20 tokens free. There are many different games to play: multiple pinball machines, skeeball, basketball, rampage, arkenoid, joust, galaga, Q-Bert, Area 51 and quite a few more on two levels. The pizza is $2.00 a slice until 8 PM on Fridays and the slices are quite large. I have to say I was a bit surprised to see how busy it got. They have a large number of beers on tap as well as cocktails. I went with several friends from work and it was a very laid back, cool way to spend a Friday night! read more

My son took me here for my birthday on Wednesday (get free tokens on YOUR birthday!) and we had an amazing time! Nice place, clean bathrooms, fun arcade games and everyone there was having an awesome time! Bartenders, Marvelle and Frankie were very nice and super attentive to refilling my Guinness glass. LOL I think everyone should see what this place is about because if you're like me, you will be laughing, screaming, giggling! We had a BLAST. Definitely will go back when I am in town again. read more

Would love for one of the owners to contact me. I've been an advocate of this bar. I come here by myself just to play video games. I convince friends to come here. The guys that worked last night literally bullied me. They said I could not finish the drink I just paid for. They said "I'll remember you next time" meaning they won't let me back in (or something?). Why would a person who absolutely loves a business endeavor be treated and bullied like a total garbage I will never understand. You know how they did last call? They cut the power off all the machines. I had a full beer I just paid for which was like $7-$8 plus tip. I feel I should have at least 10-15 minutes to finish what we paid for. There was no warning at all, just a power cut then immediately being followed, stalked, and then bullied by the worker. Not to mention it was daylight saving so actually was 1:30 at 2:30. But whatever. The main point is there is no reason not to give ample warning and to treat people like you want to be treated. Just common human decency. There is always a way to close a bar for the night without being incredibly improper and rude to the customers that have paid to be there and keep a business profitable. And you know, if you want to kick someone out when they have a full drink, the least that you could do is refund their money. why should I pay for something I can't enjoy? The guys at the front door would probably card my 90 year old grandma. And they never ever remember a face. I've come here nights in a row, and never a pleasantry like "welcome back" or " good to see you again" or "wows you really like it here". Just stone cold face and personality. The bald white guy must not have been hugged or loved as a child. And not all of us were. Doesn't mean don't have to pass on meanness to others. He basically should not have a job interacting with people at all. I'll never come here again. And deleting photos. Your staff is the absolute, absolute worst. And to regulars!! Who does that??? I'm so disgusted about how I have been treated by staff that I threw my remaining tokens in the garbage can. read more

An arcade bar finally hit Milwaukee! Size of the space is great, and truly a good variety of arcade games to play. Skeeball is my favorite, so it's nice they have 4 lanes! 2 floors, with bars on both. Outdoor patio situation was cool, but in the dead of wibter, couldn't really check that out. Lots of beer tap options, but I was surprised to see they didn't have a cocktail menu with some fun arcade themed drinks?! Seems like a missed opportunity to me! While we didn't eat here, there is a walk up window where you can order pizza, and it can be purchased by the slice or a whole pie. Prices seemed on par with something like Ian's, but can't comment on if it was worth it!! A few things lacking- coat situation is a little weak, most people don't want to store their coats on a communal rack, the sign made you aware of the trust factor! While this may not pertain to everyone, I would've really appreciated more hand sanitizer stations. Been to a few other arcade bars where they have then every few feet, and it makes a difference! One of the pinball games I went to play had something sticky on the button, and it was super gross. Friday nights the first 100 people in get free tokens, otherwise you're on your own. Token machines take cash or credit, so that is convenient. Would likely come back with a group, but don't know that this will be my new personal hang out by any means. read more

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COIN-OP CHAOS The newest place to join Milwaukee's barcade scene is fun but still a work in progress. Looking for something to do after enjoying tacos & tequila at Blue Bat, I suggested this place to my girl as the evening's entertainment. When we showed up around 9pm on the Sunday before Labor Day, the place was p-a-c-k-e-d. A bouncer at the door had trouble keeping track of people coming in and out, repeatedly shouting at one girl who failed to show her wrist stamp as we stood there awkwardly. The inside has 2 floors with a pair of bars on each level and it's tremendously loud. Bartenders were kept plenty busy; the one who gave us drinks was super distracted and unwittingly plopped the receipt down in a giant water spill. Niceeee. Prices for booze were fair in comparison to the rest of the area. I was happy to see that all games took only a single token (25¢ per play), but EVERY token dispensing machine was broken, so we had to wait for a bartender to help us out. When your arcade runs solely off of special coinage, make sure your token ATMs work properly! Game selection was fantastic and their pinball collection was super impressive. Most of them had custom mods (fancy color LED screens, etc) and the few I played had terrific flow. I even set an ***all-time*** record on their Spiderman pinball, pretty proud of that. #grandchampion Unfortunately we weren't the only ones who thought stopping by a barcade would be a good idea. I've never had to stand in line like we did here on 9/2/18; a queue for the Skee-Ball games stretched 10 people deep and every single pinball had a wait time of 5-10 minutes. Dang. They had 80's movies playing on the various TV's (Gremlins 2, Die Hard, and European Vacation were showing at the time) and American Gladiator reruns. A handful of driving simulators, light gun shooters, and button-mashing multiplayer fighting games rounded out their variety. * TL;DR * Being popular isn't their fault, though signs saying "please limit play time during peak hours" wouldn't hurt. The kitchen -- which to my recollection only serves greasy pizza -- is located next to the 1st floor pinballs and is a traffic nightmare. Interestingly enough, I'd visited the Up-Down in downtown Des Moines several months back and found the experience similar, but way better executed. This location wasn't as finely tuned and might still be dealing with growing pains. If you don't mind crowds & noise, you might love this place. read more

Up-Down Milwaukee - Yours truly set an ALL-TIME high score on their modded 'Spiderman' pinball table. I actually broke a sweat hitting 202M points!! - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We went here during the Mooby's pop up for the first time. It's got a decent beer selection and the arcade games are on point. But there's something lacking about the place. It seems really low energy and the bartenders aren't super attentive. You can go a long time without a refill. The Mooby's pop up was cool but I thought that maybe they could have done more with the decor inside. They did show all the movies on the various screens, but it's like they didn't want you to forget you were at the Up-Down and not immerse you in the experience the way I thought they would based on videos I saw of other Mooby's pop ups. read more

I can definitely see why this place is so popular. It's definitely a fun place to hang out. The only problem is that people can play any game for as long as they want (or have tokens for). I wanted to play skee ball, but it was wildly popular. I am gluten free so I didn't try the pizza. But there are plenty of cider options for GF people. All of the bartenders were so friendly. The place was definitely staffed. The bouncers were also friendly. I came here on a date and they totally hooked a girl up!! ;) Best time to go is 6:30. You have access to pretty much anything you want to play. As soon as 9pm rolled around (and this was on a weeknight), it started to get packed and louder. This did not hinder the experience for me. Can't say what this place is like on the weekends, but I bet it gets crazy. I think I'll stick to weeknights until the hype dies down. read more

Up-Down Milwaukee - Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Up-Down brought back all the nostalgic feels for me! Up-Down is an arcade bar (21+) in Milwaukee's Brady St. neighborhood. They have arcade games, pinball, skee-ball, craft beers on tap and pizza by the slice available. This place was definitely fun and a great place to come with friends! They have street parking available. They have a parking lot right next door BUT it's not for Up-Down customers and your car will be towed. Friendly tip: Find a park on the street! All games cost just $25 cents which is equivalent to 1 token Friday - 20 free tokens are given to the first 100 people read more

I love this place, my partner go here from time to time to play games or to chill at the bar and eat pizza. I'd definitely go with a group or buddies to get drinks and pizza for sure. read more

One of the best date nights I've ever been too! I wish I could come back in the summer time. This place has great drinks and affordable fun that brings out the kid in you. There's pinball, arcade games and even super smash too! It's everything I dream about at a bar! I definitely want to come back and take advantage of their outdoor area too for those summer nights. Parking can be a pain too but it's worth checking out read more

Cool place with decent Za... a good choice of games that can be played relatively cheap. The variety of brews is awesome. I know you can take out a whole pizza but not sure they take phone orders(would be cool if the did cuz like I said it's decent za). Wife and I have been a few times and each time didn't really have to wait to play any games or get a drink or a seat at the bar. read more