Best Board Game Bars and Cafés (from Coast to Coast)

These days, we tend to spend much of our time interacting with our friends and loved ones through screens rather than in person. It’s no wonder, then, that more and more businesses have been rising up across the country to address this issue.

Board game bars and cafes give you a place to get together for an evening of food and games without all those digital distractions. 

This isn’t just some niche interest anymore, either. If you live in or near a city chances are pretty good you can find one of these board game bars near you.

If a night out having some drinks, eating good food, and playing board games with your friends sounds like a good time – this will be right up your alley.

Below you’ll find our definitive list of board game bars and cafes from all over the United States. This list includes locations in every corner of the country, from New York to Florida to California to Washington State and everywhere in between.

Read on, find one of these cafés near you, and gear up for an excellent evening of brews and board games.

Board Game Bars and Cafes

Mox Boarding House (Café Mox) – Seattle, WA

We’ll be starting our country-wide tour of board game cafes in the Northwest.

Established in 2011, Mox Boarding House in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle is a fantastic choice to kick off this list. It features a huge attached board game store (Card Kingdom) filled with hundreds of games and gaming accessories, tables for you to bring games into the store to play, and an active calendar of events.

The Café itself has a good selection of local brews along with some sandwiches and salads. You can rent from the game library inside the attached store and bring the game into the café with you to try out.

There are also private rooms available for rent for events, which you can book through this link.

Check it out:

Mox Boarding House
5105 Leary Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107|
Phone: 206-523-9605

Website: https://www.moxboardinghouse.com/

Game Knight Lounge – Portland, OR

Heading down the West Coast to Portland next, we find our next board game café in Portland.

The Game Knight Lounge follows the board game theme fully through into the names of the menu items. You can order yourself a Catanwich, or grab a plate of Hungry Hungry Chippos for the table. This menu is, naturally, accompanied by a healthy selection of craft beers.

For a small cover charge you gain access to their vast library of over 800 games to try out at your table. They have a comprehensive list on their website (here) so you can pre-plan what you want to play and maybe try to brush up on the rules before your outing.

Suggested game to play: 7 Wonders Duel

You can make reservations 24 hours in advance Monday through Thursday, but due to high traffic it’s first come first served on the weekend nights (Friday through Sunday).

Check it out:

Game Knight Lounge
3037 N. Williams Ave.
Portland, OR 97227
Phone: 503-236-3377

Website: http://pdxgameknight.com/

Victory Point Café – Berkeley, CA

Next stop along the West Coast is in Berkeley, just outside San Francisco.

The Victory Point Café, like most the board game bars on this list, requires a small cover fee to gain access to their library of games while you are there. They also have “game gurus” on staff to help guide new players through choosing and learning games.

Suggested game to play: Ticket to Ride

Even for the non-gamer, this café has good accommodations to set up for working or studying – and you’ll appreciate the wide selection of drinks ranging from coffee to draft beer. You’ll notice a good selection of sandwiches, pizzas, and snacks to keep you fueled up.

Victory Point places no limit on how long you can hold on to a table. They encourage you to stay and enjoy their amenities as long as you like once you’ve paid the cover.

Enjoy your visit? Victory Point also offers memberships, which are a great deal if you plan to frequent the establishment.

Check it out:

Victory Point Café
1797-A Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94709
Phone: 510-980-6325

Website: https://www.victorypointcafe.com/

Gamehaus Café – Glendale, CA

Another California location, this café can be found further down the coast in the greater Los Angeles area. The Gamehaus Café focuses more on a coffee-shop vibe than many other entries on this list.

The menu features good finger-food items to accompany your evening of gaming – including pizza, sandwiches, soups, and snacks. The drink menu includes a good range of coffee and tea, as well as the expected alcoholic option of beer, cider, and wine.

A small cover charges gets you access to their absolutely gigantic library of games (over 1,400) for the evening, with no cap on the amount of time you spend there once you buy in for the day.

Suggested game to play: Dixit

Check it out:

1800 South Brand Blvd., #107
Glendale, CA 91204
Phone: 818-937-9061

Website: https://gamehauscafe.com/

The Uncommons – New York, NY

Jumping to the other side of the country, let’s head to NYC with Manhattan’s first board game café (as touted proudly on their website), the Uncommons.

The Uncommons claims one of the largest game libraries on the East Coast. Alongside the great game selection for your evening out, they have a long list of craft beers, wines, and ciders to enjoy alongside some classic finger-food style grub like wraps and personal pizzas. There is also a good selection of teas, coffee, and smoothies – so there’s a little something for everyone here!

The website does warn that the café often reaches capacity on holidays, weekends, and even some weeknights – so you would probably do well to try to snag a reservation. They allow a limited number of such reservations, which have to be made up to 24 hours in advance. Make sure you call early!

Suggested game to play: Betrayal at House on the Hill

There is a private room that can be booked for special events, with rates depending on the day you book for (you can expect to pay much more for peak days).

Check it out:

The Uncommons
230 Thompson St.
New York, NY 10012
Phone: 646-543-9215

Website: http://uncommonsnyc.com/

Tavern of Tales – Boston, MA

Moving northeast from there, we find ourselves in Boston at the Tavern of Tales.

This board game bar features a menu with an impressive selection of different kinds of tater tots, as well as a few of the more expected finger food offerings. Of course, you can also count on a good selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.

Unlike other establishments on this list, the Tavern of Tales offers up a more limited selection of board games with an eye to making the experience more involved. The price tag is higher, but you gain the benefit of an immersive sound-enhanced experience when you order one of these games for your table!

Suggested game to play: Mysterium

Check it out:

Tavern of Tales
1478 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02120
Phone: 617-708-0294

Website: https://www.tavernoftales.com/

Good Game Grill – Providence, RI

This next board game café, in Rhode Island, serves up diner-style food from a large menu and, of course, offers the option to rent from their game library during your visit.

Suggested game to play: Qwirkle

This café is more family friendly (no alcohol is served on the menu), with a focus on bringing people together for some face-to-face fun and greasy food. The available fare includes burgers, sandwiches, and baskets of fried food – perfect for munching while you play!

They also maintain a very active calendar of events, including Dungeons and Dragons adventures, a weekly board game night each Thursday, and a family day every Sunday where kids can enjoy the game library for free!

Check it out:

Good Game Grill
53 Weybosset St.
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-537-7174

Website: https://www.goodgamegrill.com/

Board Room DC – Washington, D.C.

Boasting a wide selection of draft beers and cocktails, the Board Room DC is a great destination for board gamers living in the nation’s capital. The long list of draft beers changes weekly and seasonally.

They don’t have a kitchen and don’t offer any food, but you are welcome to bring your own into the space without issue.

The game library isn’t as extensive as other board game bars on this list, but the cover fee for renting from that library is very reasonable at only 2$ and it includes many of the classics you’re likely to be looking for anyway! If you don’t see any games that catch your interest, keep an eye out – they rotate their game library regularly, so the selection stays fresh.

Suggested game to play: Backgammon

Check it out:

The Board Room DC
1737 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Phone: 202-518-7666

Website: https://boardroomdc.com/

Jokers are Wild Game Café – Lehighton, PA

Here’s an option with a robust menu! At Jokers are Wild, you will find both a great selection of games in their library and a great selection of sandwiches and light fare on their menu. You can peruse the available games in their library right here that you can play when you visit.

Suggested game to play: Blokus

They’ll serve you from a list of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, paninis, hoagies, and salads (take-out is available). You can also find many options on the menu for snacks to munch while you play.

What you won’t find here are alcoholic options, though they do offer plenty of options for other drinks.

Check it out:

Jokers are Wild Game Café
125 N. First St.
Lehighton, PA 18235
Phone: 610-714-4869

Website: https://www.jokersgamecafe.com/

Well Played Board Game Café – Asheville, NC

Keeping in line with other entries on this list, the Well Played Board Game Café offers a range of craft beers, wines, and finger foods to accompany your evening of gaming. The menu includes the usual sandwiches and wraps we’ve come to expect, along with a good selection of desserts as a bonus.

Aside from the alcoholic options, you can find plenty of choices including coffee and tea (both hot and cold).

You gain access to their game library of over 650 games by paying a small cover fee, with an affordable monthly membership if you see yourself becoming a regular. The cover fee is a little higher on Saturday due to increased demand.

Suggested game to play: Mancala

Check it out:

Well Played Board Game Café
58 Wall St.
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: 828-232-7375

Website: https://wellplayedasheville.com/

The Rook and Pawn – Athens, GA

Not far from the University of Georgia in Athens you’ll find the next board game bar on our list. The Rook and Pawn carries an excellent selection of board games in their library ranging from classics to new favorites, with staff on hand to help you pick out the best game for your group.

Suggested game to play: Nice selection of Trivia Board Games

Local brews are regularly rotated through their 8 taps of draft beer, complemented by a selection of wine and spirits. They offer the typical pub-style fare to eat while you play, as well as an excellent assortment of coffee and tea.

Monthly, annual, and lifetime memberships are all available if you plan to be a frequent customer.

Check it out:

The Rook and Pawn

294 W. Washington St., Suite 300
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: 706-543-5040

Website: http://www.therookandpawn.com/

Mac and Chess – Miami, FL

For a unique take on this formula, we’re heading to Florida for our next board game café.

At this location, the menu chooses to take a different focus than others on the list. You can still find a decent share of finger food options here, but as you might expect from the name their main selling point is the Mac and Cheese.

You can also get some nice, cold beer on tap to sip while you try out games from their library for a small cover charge.  Their website includes a break-down of their game library in a helpful table that also lists the approximate playing time of each option, which you can find here.

Suggested game to play: Boss Monster

Check it out:

Mac and Chess
12486 SW 8 St.
Miami, FL 33184
Phone: 305-551-3475

Website: http://www.macandchessmiami.com/

D4 Tabletop Gaming Café – New Orleans, LA

Moving back along the southern coast of the country, next up we’re stopping off in New Orleans at the d4 Tabletop Gaming Café. This café has a small menu of sandwiches, soups, and snack foods to keep you fueled up.

The tables are first come first served, so make sure you grab your table early if you want to spend an evening here! There is an option to reserve a table on the website, but it takes an up-front fee to do so.

Once there, you can choose from their library of over 200 games to rent during your stay. The café just asks that if you want to take up a table, you buy some food or accessories from the shop – they’re intended for customers.

It’s also worth noting that this is a no alcohol establishment. They don’t carry it, and they don’t allow you to bring it in.

Check it out:

D4 Tabletop Gaming Café
8228 Oak St.
New Orleans, LA 70118
Phone: 504-218-7466

Website: https://d4cafe.biz/

The Wayward Kraken – Biloxi, MS

This location has the distinction of having my personal favorite menu item names of all the cafés on this list (they can go ahead and frame this quote on their wall, it’s a serious endorsement). When you sit down for a night of gaming here, you can order pub grub such as Uruk Fries, Ocarina of Lime street tacos, or some Gorram Eggrolls. It’s clear just from the menu that this is a café by nerds, for nerds.

Suggested game to play: Exploding Kittens

In their Great Hall, you can rent from the store’s game library while you eat. There is also a wide selection of craft beers available to enjoy, which the website brags includes selections from every brewery in Mississippi.

Check it out:

The Wayward Kraken
871 Howard Ave.
Biloxi, MS 39530
Phone: 228-365-1931

Website: http://www.waywardkraken.com/the-great-hall/

Meeple’s – Richmond, KY

Next up on the list is Meeple’s, a wonderful restaurant in Richmond, Kentucky named for the little person-shaped tokens found in many board games. Aside from being a great place to game with friends, with access to a sizeable board game library available for guests, Meeple’s is an excellent burger joint.

Their menu is impressive, with dozens of options to snack on while you play. They are well-known in the area for their burgers and fries, and have plenty to love even for non-gamers – a good destination if you have friends that are more on the fence about board games!

Check it out:

Meeple’s
200 W. Main St.
Richmond, KY 40475
Phone:  859-353-5206

Website: http://www.cafemeeples.com/

Tabletop Board Game Café – Cleveland, OH

Back up the middle of country to Ohio, we’ll find this next board game café in Cleveland. As with other entries on the list, they offer access to their board game library for a small fee and have memberships for more dedicated patrons.

Suggested game to play: Flick ‘em Up

The menu features a healthy selection of gourmet sandwiches, paninis, flatbreads, and finger food snacks such as chips or cheese boards. They have 5 beers on draft which they rotate through, as well as bottled beers and wine options. You can also expect a good gamut of coffee, tea, and soft drinks.

The café runs a brunch special every Saturday and Sunday, with a different menu featuring more breakfast appropriate items such as bagel sandwiches and waffles.

Check it out:

Tabletop Board Game Café
1810 W. 25^th St.
Cleveland, OH 44113
Phone: 216-512-3053

Website: https://www.tabletopcleve.com/

Pawn and Pint – Kansas City, MO

Here’s a cool curiosity: a board game café that was launched on Kickstarter! After a successful campaign that proved how much people wanted a board game café in their city, they opened in 2016 and have already moved to a bigger space since then.

With an excellent range of cocktails, a rotating tap of six beers, and a coffee bar you will have plenty of options to accompany your evening of gaming. The game library boasts over 1,000 games, which you gain access to by paying the small cover fee. They offer individual and family plans for longer term membership as well.

Suggested game to play: King of Tokyo

This location doesn’t have a kitchen, but on their website they endorse the café next door to fill that need for their guests. When the café is closed, you can also call and get pizza delivered right to your table from a local pizzeria.

Check it out:

Pawn and Pint
613 Walnut St.
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: 816-701-9227

Website: https://www.pawnsandpints.com/

Pieces – St. Louis, MO

This casual dining venue features an impressive library of over 950 games, with staff on hand to help you choose from among them and set up the games. The usual small fee applies here to gain access to that library, but with the bonus of knocking dollars off the cost for every item you buy from the kitchen and bar.

They host a busy weekly trivia night every Wednesday starting at 7:00pm, warning that tables and seats fill up fast – make sure to lock your table down early if you plan to be there for it.

Suggested game to play: Bananagrams

They do not take reservations, working only on a first come first served basis. If you want to book a private party room, that option is available. Otherwise you may be in for a wait depending on the night, but they welcome you to enjoy the amenities of their bar while waiting for a table to free up.

You are encouraged to stay as long as you like here once you buy in, so stake out a table and enjoy an evening of food, drink, and board gaming!

Check it out:

1535 8^th St.
St. Louis, MO 63104
Phone: 314-230-5184

Website: http://www.stlpieces.com/

Emerald Tavern Games and Café – Austin, TX

Next stop on our cross-country board game café tour, we’re going to be heading down to Austin, Texas to check out Emerald Tavern Games and Café. This trendy location was opened to provide a comfortable space to play games with friends while having some good food and drinks. That’s a concept I can get behind!

The tables and the game library are offered up for free to paying customers of the café, and you are also welcome to bring in your own games (but not your own food or drink!). The menu features a selection of the typical pub fare alongside cocktails and draft beers, which include rotating seasonal taps.

Suggested game to play: Risk

Check it out:

Emerald Tavern Games and Café
9012 Research Blvd., Suite C1
Austin, TX 78758
Phone: 512-994-4649

Website:  https://www.emeraldtaverngames.com/

Empire Board Game Library – Albuquerque, NM

Next up? Take the right turn in Albuquerque, New Mexico and you’ll find yourself in this fantastic board game café. Their game library has hundreds of options, which you can rent access to for an hourly rate during your visit.

Featured Game: Fluxx

Aside from a number of excellent looking gourmet sandwich options and desserts, the café also has an entire page of drink options. You won’t find any alcohol here but the healthy selection of coffee, tea, and soft drinks should be more than enough to make up for that.

The focus is more family-oriented, as evidenced by the lack of hard drink options, and invites guests to enjoy some face to face interaction with your loved ones.

Check it out:

Empire Board Game Library
3503 Central Ave. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Phone: 505-232-4263

Website: http://www.empiregamelibrary.com/

Meepleville – Las Vegas, NV

Nearing the end of our list, we come next to Meepleville in Las Vegas.

This location maintains a game library of over 2,000 games to play in store for a small cover charge. Aside from offering up a range of snack foods, sandwiches, and drinks they are also a board game store with a sizeable inventory. There is staff on hand to help you through the basic rules and set-up.

Suggested game to play: Concept

The café offers the fare we’ve come to expect from these places, with plenty of finger food that won’t get in your way while you play and a selection of beer and wine.

They offer membership deals, which you can inquire about at the counter in store.

Check it out:

Meepleville Board Game Café
4704 W. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV
Phone: 702-444-4540

Website: https://www.meepleville.com/games

Spielbound – Omaha, NE

To finish out our list, I wanted to include this unique board game café in Omaha. Unlike other entries on this list, Spielbound offers their extensive game library free to the public.

This is because of their mission: they are a non-profit organization, practicing community outreach and education through board gaming. They hope to provide a fun, safe space for people of all ages to come enjoy games, connect with other people, and learn valuable skills.

Suggested game to play: Beyond Baker Street (and many other murder mystery board games)

Attached to this free-to-access game library is a for-profit café, which features a humble but more than adequate variety of food options. They also carry a great selection of coffee, tea, soft drinks, and hard drinks like beer on tap or boozy coffee.

Check it out:

Spielbound
3229 Harney St.
Omaha, NE 68131
Phone: 402-763-8444

Website:  http://spielbound.com/

Friend and Foe – Plano, TX

Friend and Foe Board Game Cafe in Plano, TX is a new board game bar with nearly 700 games in their library, gourmet sandwiches, salads, lots of snacks, a large selection of craft beers, wine, coffee drinks, and sodas. 

Check them out here:

2929 Custer Road
Suite 312
Plano, TX 75075

Website: https://www.friendandfoebgc.com/

Board Game Republic – Denver, CO

Over 750 board games available for just a $5 table fee. Board Game Republic offers a full menu, cocktails, craft brews, and a nice range of games for 2 – 12 players. This place gets busy, so even if you’re not going to enjoy their vast selection of tabletop games, reservations are definitely recommended on peak nights. Sit down, unplug, and connect – that’s their motto, and it’s in keeping with the spirit of all the best board game bars and cafes on this list. If you’re in the Denver metro area, or just passing through, definitely stop in to check this place out:

If you know of a good board game bar or cafe that’s not on this list, please send it to us for consideration. 

Thanks for stopping by!