Are you looking to level up your nightlife? Maybe it's one of those rainy Pittsburgh summer days and you need to find a way to get the kids out of the house.
Re-live some of your favorite childhood memories and fire up some pinball, Pac-Man or Mario Kart at some of the coolest barcades, arcades and gaming hangouts around Pittsburgh to play some retro arcade games.
Shorty's Pins x Pints
One of the top new spots in the North Shore, Shorty's Pins x Pints brings "retro-tainment" to the Burgh with old school bowling hall vibes combined with a modern Latin street food menu and curated list of craft brews and cocktails.
Shorty's offers eight lanes of duckpin bowling, 10 pinball machines, foosball, shuffleboard, vintage arcade machines and even a free photo booth! It's the perfect stop before or after a Pirates or Steelers game, but be sure to reserve your lane early to get in a few frames.
Barcadia
Combining two of my favorite words in the English language, Barcadia does retro gaming and tasty beverages right. This fun, retro-themed space overlooks Market Square with 35+ arcade games and delicious cocktails themed after popular games. It's even attached to a speakeasy (check their website for the current password) if you want to enjoy a pre-gaming 1920s vibe instead.
Barcadia has some amazing cabinets, too, like the rare Sunset Riders and tons of fun games to play with a group like the classic Simpsons and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-op games.
Pins Mechanical Co. & 16-Bit Bar+Arcade
Beer + old school entertainment + cocktails = Pins Mechanical Co., just opened in Pittsburgh's Southside neighborhood. It's easy to make Pins a one-stop night as this concept features everything from bocce courts to ping pong, foosball, duckpin bowling and pinball. Their killer cocktail menu adds some retro flair to some adventurous combinations, such as the Hulk Hogan that comes with an original Bomb Pop to the Carrie Fisher that comes with rock candy. Yum!
As far as pinball goes, their full list includes 24 cabinets from classics like Creatures from the Black Lagoon and Addams Family to the newest games like Stern's new Rush pinball game, just released in 2022.
Coop de Ville
A mouth-watering menu is enough to make you visit Coop de Ville in the Strip District, but this dining hotspot can easily become an all-night stop with duck pin bowling, vintage arcade games, billiards and a full bar with TVs to watch the game.
Coop de Ville's arcade cabinet selection reads like a list of the best games of all time, and includes everything from the classic Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac Man and Outrun to multiplayer favorites like a bubble hockey table, Gauntlet Legends and Rampage.
Kickback Pinball Café
Housed right along Butler Street in the chic neighborhood of Lawrenceville, Kickback Pinball Café is the place to go for enthusiasts of this popular, retro game.
Offering exclusively pinball, Kickback hosts around 20 machines onsite at any given time and rotates the machines periodically. Play new, classic and hard to find cabinets you won't find anywhere else such as the new RUSH from Stern, Spooky's Halloween with incredible custom artwork and the vintage 1994 World Cup Soccer cabinet from Bally. Just in case you work up an appetite while playing, the café has made-to-order paninis, sandwiches, salads and coffee from La Prima Espresso.
Pinball Perfection
Situated about 15 minutes north of downtown in Westview, you'll find Pittsburgh’s Museum of Pinball since 1991, Pinball Perfection. With more than 300 machines and counting, it carries some games that date all the way back to the 1930s. Plus, check out exciting themed displays like the Star Wars area where you can play an assortment of pinball machiens from the rare Empire Strikes Back to the new Mandalorian cabinet.
If you decide that you want to take a break from pinball and play some other kinds of games, there are also various arcade-style games, air hockey, pool, ski ball and ping pong. Pinball Perfection is open Tuesday-Saturday year-round.
Victory Pointe Arcade
Victory Pointe Arcade has the variety to appeal to all types of gamers, even if you haven't been in an arcade for years. Battle your friends at a fighting game, blast the bad guys with old school light guns, dodge the banana peels in Mario Kart or become the Tetris GrandMaster. Insider Tip: The fast-paced disc throwing game Windjammers is some of the most fun you'll ever have playing someone head-to-head in an arcade.
Found in Pittsburgh's Southside, Victory Pointe Arcade is open Thursday-Sunday and a perfect nightcap after a long day exploring the city. Their entire venue can also be rented out for private events, which makes it a top location for gamers to celebrate birthdays, bachelor parties and more!
Bonus Stop - Pittsburgh Knights
Did you know that Pittsburgh has its own premier esports organization? When they're not crushing the competition in Valorant or other top games, you can find the Pittsburgh Knights setting up gaming zones in the city and inviting the community to their unique events.
Check their events page for exciting competitions that invite you to be part of the action, like the Gaming Knight at PNC Park featuring a Pirates game followed by a Rocket League tournament. A truly Only in Pittsburgh event!
