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If you’re searching for a bar with games in Williamsburg, you may have a specific idea in your head about what you want. “Games” could mean rolling skee-ball with a beer in your other hand, settling in at a pinball machine for a few hours, or wandering a bar full of classic arcade cabinets until your tokens run out. Full Circle Bar is the Skee-ball place. Jackbar is the pinball place. Barcade is the classic-arcade-and-craft-beer place. All three are good at what they do, which is why “the best bar with games in Williamsburg” isn’t quite the right question. It’s more about what you’re looking for.
So, Where’s the Best Bar With Games in Williamsburg?
There isn’t a single winner. Three options exist, depending on what you want to play.
For Skee-ball: Full Circle is the clearest choice. Its entire identity is built around Brewskee-Ball. They have four lanes; they run a league, and you can reserve lanes in advance. Full Circle’s website currently lists Brewskee-Ball as free.
For pinball: Jackbar is the more focused pick. Local recommendations consistently single it out for pinball specifically. If you’re looking for pinball, this could be a good option.
For classic arcade games: Barcade makes the most sense. The Williamsburg location is the original Barcade, opened in 2004, and the concept has always been classic arcade games alongside American craft beer.
Full Circle Bar: Go Here If You Actually Want Skee-Ball
Skee-ball is the whole point of Full Circle. Plenty of bars have a machine or two somewhere in the back; here, the lanes are the reason the place exists and everything else is built around them. Opening 17 years ago, it’s at 318 Grand Street, near the corner of Grand and Havemeyer. They’re the home of Brewskee-Ball, with four lanes and an organized league for people who want to take the game a little more seriously, but you don’t have to be in the league to show up and play.
Beyond Skee-ball, there’s Buoy, the bar’s own slug-tossing game (free). They also have beer, cocktails, and shots. The food is simple, including hand-cut fries and a hot knish. You don’t come here for the food; it’s just a bonus that they have something for you to snack on while you drink and play.
A practical advantage of this place is that reservations are accepted. Lanes can be booked through LaneRez, with options for unlimited rolling and open-bar packages for groups.
Jackbar: The Better Pick When You’re Looking Exclusively For Pinball
Jackbar is on Havemeyer Street, less than two blocks from Full Circle, which is part of why the two get mentioned together so often. Jackbar is really a pinball place first, and a bar second. This isn’t an arcade with a pinball corner; the machines are the reason people come in, and the bar is organized around them.
Ask around Williamsburg where to play pinball and Jackbar is likely the first answer you’ll get. If your idea of a good evening is working on one machine for an hour, moving to the next one, and coming back to the first because you want to try for a higher score, Jackbar may be the place for you. It’s more of a no-frills place; it has a dive-bar vibe, a good beer selection, and well-kept machines. The lineup rotates, and the bar is known for picking up new releases, so check in regularly. Jackbar has pinball tournaments, so check their social media pages for dates and times.
Barcade Williamsburg: Best for Classic Arcade Variety
Barcade’s Williamsburg location at 388 Union Avenue is the original, and it opened in 2004 in a former metal shop. Barcade calls itself “The Original Arcade Bar” and the originator of the arcade bar concept.
Barcade stands out from the other two because of its variety. Full Circle does Skee-Ball. Jackbar does pinball. Barcade has a building full of classic arcade cabinets and pinball machines. The games are well-kept, and are all over the place; it’s not just a few games here and there shoved in the corner. In fact, on their website, Barcade lists the arcade and pinball games currently playable. There are no reservations for games, so it’s first-come, first-served. However, if you’re looking to have a larger get together or party, Barcade accepts inquiries for group and private events.
The other half of Barcade’s concept is beer, and they take that just as seriously. Their founders’ whole idea was classic arcade games and American craft beer, and the Williamsburg tap list still reflects that. The specific beers change, but you’ll always find something interesting to try. There’s a full bar with cocktails too, and they also make mocktails if someone doesn’t drink alcohol. The bar maintains a current list on its website of its craft beers and what other beverages and food items they have.
Barcade Williamsburg is currently open and operating, but the long-term future of the original Union Avenue location is uncertain because its current lease’s future is in flux and an extension has not been secured. If you’re planning a visit, it’s worth checking the location’s current status first.
This is not the only location in New York. Williamsburg is the original. which opened in 2004, there are three others. They are in Chelsea, the Financial District, and on St. Mark’s Place in the East Village.
Can You Hit All Three in One Night?
Yes, and it’s easier than it sounds. Full Circle, Jackbar, and Barcade sit within about a ten-minute walk of each other, all a few blocks from the Lorimer Street L and Metropolitan Avenue G stops. Jackbar are close to each other, and Barcade is a short walk north on Union. Here’s the order that works best: Start at Full Circle, walk over to Jackbar, and finish at Barcade, which stays open late on weekends and has the most to do. Going during the day works, too.
Barcade opens at noon on Saturdays and Sundays, and Full Circle at 2pm, so you could do the reverse route on a Saturday afternoon. The only caveat is that three game bars in one night is a lot of games. Realistically, most people end up picking two at most.
What Each One Costs
None of the three charges a cover, so the cost for the night is drinks plus whatever the games run, which means you can decide how much to spend. At Full Circle, the games are the cheapest part, with both currently free. Their drink prices are available on their website. Reserving a lane costs more, but it comes with unlimited rolling and the option of an open-bar package, which can be the better deal for a group.
Jackbar’s machines take quarters or one-dollar bills, and most pinball machines cost $1. Jackbar does not have a price list available online for their drinks. Barcade runs on tokens at 25 cents each. Most games cost one token, although some require two or three. Barcade’s drink prices are available on their website. It’s easy to control how much you spend.
Food at Each Place
This is where the three vary a bit. Full Circle keeps it to hand-cut fries and a hot knish. It’s enough to keep you going, and it fits the boardwalk-bar atmosphere, but you certainly wouldn’t plan to have dinner here. This keeps the night cheaper, but means you have to find somewhere else to eat anyway. Jackbar has no kitchen. Guests have stated that the bar allows outside food in, but there the bar has not put out anything official. Barcade doesn’t have a full food menu at this location. They offer snacks that can keep you going for a few hours.
Age Considerations
These are primarily adult bars, but age policies can vary by venue and event. Barcade is normally 21 and over but holds designated Family Days when younger guests can attend. Check the individual bar’s current policy before bringing anyone under 21.
Which Option is Best For a Date?
Full Circle can be a good option for a date night because Skee-ball is easy to learn (most people already know how to play) and gives you something easy to talk about. Jackbar makes sense if both people really enjoy pinball, or you’re looking for something more low-key or are interested in the dive-bar feel. Barcade is probably the safest choice if you don’t know what your date likes; there are so many games to choose from, there are plenty of drink options, and snacks are available to hold you over throughout the night. Realistically, you’ll have a good time wherever you go.
Bar With Games in Williamsburg: Where To Go
Williamsburg doesn’t have one best bar with games. It has three solid options, and each one may be the best at different things. They’re all within a few blocks of each other, and you’ll have a good night wherever you decide to go. The best way to choose is to decide what you’re in the mood for and go from there. It’s also worth going more than once, since the pinball lineup at Jackbar and the games at Barcade rotate, so if someone in your group has already been to one of these places, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad one to choose.