Game On at Bars
The hottest trend at bars these days isn’t a type of liquor, a method of mixology, or a tiki motif. The hottest trend at bars in Chicago is gaming. From skeeball to air hockey, bars are raising the bar on booze-friendly activities, and we’re all winners for it. Here’s where to get your game on in Chicago bars.
Emporium Arcade Bar has been a Wicker Park favorite since its inception. A hotbed for craft beer and nostalgic arcade games, Emporium affords the unique opportunity to imbibe Midwestern brews whilst ninja-kicking your way to victory with the Ninja Turtles or dominating one of many pinball machines. The formula was so successful that Emporium just opened its second location in Logan Square, albeit geared more towards table games than video games. Here, the space contains pool tables, air hockey, shuffleboard, foosball, and more. Beers are primarily canned or bottled, so you can concentrate less on not spilling and more on sinking that eight ball.
On the same block as Emporium Logan Square is Slippery Slope, a modern dive bar with bottled cocktails, a dance floor, photo booth, and skeeball. A trifecta of skeeball machines greets guests as they enter, beckoning them with their siren-like glow and the allure of victory.
For something legit dive-y, but still with good beers, head to Marble in Logan Square. Here you can sip on quenching Radlers while hurling darts against a dart board. The best part: the darts are free to play.
River North newcomer Henry’s Swing Club has a lot of things going on, from erotic wall art to crafty bottled cocktails, killer sliders, and even a gratis “spin the bottle” option. But Henry’s knows how to have wholesome fun as well. Case in point, the bar offers decks of cards and Uno as items to order off the menu for the table. They also have a pool table, which is always a pleasant addition to any bar.
While nursing cocktails, it’s best to find activities that entail sitting down. Like chess or checkers. In that regard, Sportsman’s Club is a veritable checkmate. The Ukrainian Village establishment features tabletops emblazoned with chess/checkers boards, stocked and ready for an evening of criss-crossing mind games.
Emporium Arcade Bar
1366 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago
2363 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago
(773) 697-7922
Website
Slippery Slope
2357 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago
(773) 799-8504
Website
Marble
3281 W. Armitage Avenue, Chicago
(773) 252-9652
Website
Henry’s Swing Club
18 W. Hubbard Street, Chicago
(312) 955-8018
Website
Sportsman’s Club
948 N. Western Avenue, Chicago
(872) 206-8054
Website
