The best gaming bars in Melbourne offer video games, board games, arcade bars or barcades, esports and table top games...plus beer!
The best gaming bars in Melbourne are ready for you to play all types of games, including board games, console games, dart boards, and plenty more. The phrase gaming bar could mean a bevy of different things, but today we’re talking about it in the context of video, board and party games.
Games at bars and pubs have been around since bars and pubs were ever a thing, pool tables and dart boards have been staples of watering holes for decades. This list looks at Melbourne’s best gaming bars, from video game homes to vintage arcade bars, to board game boutiques, dart board spots, and everything in between.
Even if you’re not a gamer, with so many bars across our nightlife, it’s always fun to expand our horizons and check out bars that are doing something a little bit distinct and different. So check out the following bars for an experience unlike anything else out there, and maybe even find out a new hobby.
If gaming bars aren’t your cup of tea, also check out the best dog friendly bars and pubs here, Abbotsford here, South Yarra here, and Richmond here. If you’re keen to journey somewhere a little bit more secret and ‘underground’ instead, check out our list of the best hidden bars.
You can also check out Melbourne’s most comprehensive guides to the best bars and pubs in each suburb and street here.
Bartronica
- Address: Basement/335 Flinders Ln, Melbourne
- Vibe: Vintage
- Game type: Old school arcade games
- Dedicated Menu: Beer
Even when you put gaming aside, Bartronica is arguably one of Melbourne’s most popular bars, there’s something for everyone here. You can book in a booth at Bartronica for you and a few mates, and it includes access to classic arcade games for an easy gold coin. All the games at Bartronica first came into the world back in the 70’s – 90’s, so prepare to see games like Street Fighter, Racing, Tetris, and more. There’re all your favourite drinks available here too, so you can make sure you choose the perfect bev to pair with your game.
The Keys
Address: 1/188 Plenty Rd, Preston
Vibe: Modern / fun
Game type: Bowling
Dedicated Menu: Drinks and pizzas
Now for one for all the suburbanites out there, The Keys is one of Preston’s most popular watering holes. They excel in their bowling offerings, you’ll get something here you really can’t find anywhere else. But if you’re not a bowler, there are many other games here, like pool, arcade machines and even a dance floor. If you’re peckish, The Keys sling up ‘gutter snacks’, things like ribs, poppers and fries, or bigger items like parmas, schnitzels, Mozzarella pizzas, and lots more. To top it off, there are a whopping 13 beers on tap, from local brewers who do fun and interesting things.
Roc’s Social Bar
Address: Level 1/2107-2125 Dandenong Rd, Clayton and 425 Burwood Hwy, Wantirna South
Vibe: Laid back
Game type: Arcade and bowling
Dedicated Menu: Pub grub, pizzas and drinks
Not it’s time for another spot for all those who live in the outskirts, Roc’s Social is a spot for all types of entertainment lovers. There’s bowling, arcade games, and lots more, check out what else is happening at Roc’s Social here. They are part of the Village Entertainment family, so there are often deals for members, and lots of specials happening, so if you’re looking for a pre-movie or post-movie party, look no further than one of the most popular gaming bars, Roc’s Social.
The Funderdome
Address: 120-200 Rosamond Rd, Maribyrnong
Vibe: Modern and fun
Game type: Party games
Dedicated Menu: Drinks, pizzas and sides
If you want to make a day out of a visit to one of these spots, The Funderdome should be your bar of choice. Bring your whole family for mini golf, karaoke, arcade games, and killer tunes. There’s a stacked menu, with pizzas for under $20, corn dogs, cheese balls, squid chips, and plenty more, including a kids’ menu, if you plan on bringing the whole family. There’s a huge drinks list too, with drinks from wineries from all around the world on offer, places like Italy, France and Argentina. Or tap beer from classic providers like Pirate Live and Somersby Cider, or lesser-known brewers like Fundersuds and Balter, among much more, check out their full menu here.
Oche Bar
Address: 263-269 Elizabeth St, Melbourne
Vibe: Modern Melbourne
Game type: Darts
Dedicated Menu: Homemade gourmet pizzas and share plates
Oche Bar is one of the classiest locations on this list, perfect for an after-work catch-up or a party. They focus on all things darts, so make sure you do your hand stretches. In terms of food, they have one of the nicest offerings for a games bar, there are pizzas like pepperoni, ‘nduja, Tuscan kale and mushroom. The Oche Bar also has mouth-watering original cocktails like the Appletini Resurrection, Italian Greyhound, the Thin Red Line and classics like the mojito, old fashioned and negroni.
GG EZ Bar
Address: Basement 93/95 Queen St, Melbourne
Vibe: Modern
Game type: Esports
Dedicated Menu: Drinks, drinks, drinks
You may think gaming bars are niche, but there are so many subsets within the field, many bars offering different types of games. The GG EZ Bar is dedicated to esports, and they hold regular events, so you can show your skills to all. If you consider yourself a bit of an expert in the gaming world too, GG EZ has a Trivia Night every Wednesday. In terms of drinks, there are killer original cocktails available at GG EZ Bar, called things like Butter Beer, Tommy Silverhand, Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, Uncle Owen’s Blue Milk and the Toxic Cup.
B Lucky and Sons Melbourne
Address: Level 3/211 La Trobe St, Melbourne
Vibe: Classic bar
Game type: Arcade games
Dedicated Menu: Sandwiches and Burgers
B Lucky and Sons is yet another fun bar found in Melbourne’s CBD, complete with a selection of the best arcade games that all of us grew up with. Much like the arcade games found across many of our shopping centres, you’ll have to grab a game card to play. Highlighted games include Mario Kart, NBA Hoops, Space Invaders, and Dance games, among much more. If all your playing makes you a little peckish, there’s food on offer here too, like Pizza, sandwiches, and burgers, among much more. You can check out their full menu here.
Gaming bars for tabletop games: Ballers Clubhouse
Address: 2 Coverlid Pl, Melbourne
Vibe: Laid back
Game type: Party games
Dedicated Menu: Burgers and drinks
Ballers Clubhouse is definitely one of the best of the best gaming bars in Melbourne. They have a bit of everything, there are darts, ping pong, shuffleboard, and much much more. It’s a huge location, according to their website, they’re on a huge 2500 square metre spot, featuring games, beers, and party rooms. With all the gaming needed to be done during a visit here, there’ll hardly be any time to dive into food, but Ballers has tasty snack foods, like calamari, arancini, buffalo cauliflower, dips, and plenty more that you can check out here.
Gaming bars for bowling: Strike Bowling
Address: Melbourne Central, Shop 305, Level 3/211 La Trobe St, Melbourne
Vibe: Laid back and fun
Game type: Bowling
Dedicated Menu: Drinks, sandwiches and burgers
There’s no question you’ve come across Strike Bowling before, they’re arguably one of the most well-known gaming bars in Melbourne, with many locations spread out across Melbourne’s outer suburbs. Within each Strike Bowling location, there are a few different things to do, including bowling, laser tag, karaoke machines, and even escape rooms. There’s of course tasty food on offer too, including toasted sandwiches, burgers, and snacks.
Gaming bars for consoles: Fortress Melbourne
Address: Shop 25/23 Caledonian Ln, Melbourne
Vibe: Cool
Game type: Arcade
Dedicated Menu: Drinks and Pub grub
Finally a gaming bar in Melbourne dedicated to consoles! If you love games but don’t love having to share them with other people, look no further than Fortress Melbourne. There are a few VIP private rooms where you can enjoy distraction-free gaming with a bunch of friends and family. In these rooms, you can chuck on a console and play the latest new releases taking the world by storm. Best of all, prices for one of these rooms start from an easy $10. Like all good spots on this list, the experience is topped off with
Mache Board Game Café
Address: 63 A’Beckett St, Melbourne
Vibe: Fun and Modern
Game type: Board Games
Dedicated Menu: Taiwanese St Food and Bubble Tea
As the name suggests, the Mache Board Game Café is a gaming bar in Melbourne focused on all things board games. If you’re always bugging your housemates or family to play board games, bring them here, and once there’s a bevy of food and drink in the mix, who can say no? Or if you consider yourself a bit of a board game connoisseur, a visit to Mache Board Game café will unearth games you’ve probably never heard of before. To accompany the games, Mache has Taiwanese food, like bao, platters, noodles, and plenty more.
Pixel Bar
Address: 1279 North Rd, Huntingdale
Vibe: Laid back
Game type: Board games and computer games
Dedicated Menu: Drinks and coffee
Found in Huntingdale, the Pixel Bar is a chill spot perfect for an arvo catch-up with mates. There are a bunch of different games to play, and events about them all, you can keep an eye on their socials here to make sure you’re across any announcements. You can even bring your own food to the Pixel Bar, making it easy to make a visit here your own. Pixel Bar has local beers on offer, including breweries like Moon Dog, Deeds Brewing, Exit Brewing, Bad Shepherd, and more, give Pixel a visit to check out their full range.
Gaming bars for board games: Boardies Bar
Address: 189 Smith St, Fitzroy
Vibe: Niche
Game type: Board Games and Console Games
Dedicated Menu: Beers and Burgers
If you’re after gaming bars in Melbourne dedicated to board games, then The Boardies Bar is a spot for you. They have a whopping 100 board games ready for you to dive into over a beer or two. There’s any type of game you can think of here, and also, there are classic console games too! If you’re looking to meet like-minded people too, the Boardies Bar holds regular events, like Niche Trivia, Ultimate Werewolf night, and plenty of Video game comps. The Boardies Bar stocks awesome beer too, Boardies stocking Valhalla Brewing, which is a local brewery that can be found in Geelong.
Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq
Address: Shop CW-G19 The District Docklands, 440 Docklands Dr, Docklands
Vibe: Fun
Game type: Arcade
Dedicated Menu: Drinks and Sandwiches
Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq is a one-stop shop, one of the most comprehensive gaming bars in Melbourne. Race on Rainbow Road with the classic Mario Kart, showcase your new moves with Dance Dance Revolution and even get your fortune read with a Zoltar Speaks machine. On top of all that, there’s no latency virtual reality, bowling, and laser tag. You can chow into items like cheesesteaks, pizzas, corn ribs, onion rings, sliders, coleslaw, and plenty more. So it’s time to get mates together, to kill a few hours and spend the night here.
Gaming bars for darts: I Darts HIVE
Address: 243 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Vibe: Modern and futuristic
Game type: Darts
Dedicated Menu: Drinks
Of all the gaming bars in Melbourne, this one’s dedicated to all things darts. The location is decked out with the DARTSLIVE2 machines, an electronic dartboard. It also allows you to grab a card that stores your scores over a period of time, so you’re able to see how much you improve over your visits to the spot. If you’re a darts lover, this bar can also be booked out for a function, so remember I Darts HIVE when it comes to a location for your party.
More info on I Darts HIVE can be found here.
