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Arcade and Cocktail Bar
Portland
"Pinball games and vintage 80's games what's not to love here"(42 Tips)
"new favorites available for a quarter"(16 Tips)
"... pinball machines and classic arcade games of the 70s 80s and 90s. Best part is that..."(5 Tips)
"All there hotdogs, good stiff drinks and great video games"(17 Tips)
178 Tips and reviewsFilter:
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- video games
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- killer queen
- free play night
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![Evan[Bu]](https://fastly.4sqi.net/img/user/32x32/1718914-0E4PXEUXZ2KFIAR4.jpg "Evan[Bu]")
Evan[Bu]October 22, 2012For those gamers out there, this is a place to see. Bring back those awesome memories as a child. From Donkey Kong to Mortal Kombat, this place has it all! Bring quarters, bring lots of quarters!
AD NysJanuary 18, 2015'94 World Cup pinball in upstairs in corner to the left as you head upstairs, opposite Paperboy. Ask for refunds downstairs when pinball eats your quarters.
- Josh ChanJuly 7, 2013Amazing arcade with tons of pinball machines and classic arcade games of the 70s 80s and 90s. Best part is that the games are still a quarter to play!
Heather SmithAugust 14, 2017We're not arcade people but this place was a blast! They had a tournament going on and the place was packed with fired up opponents yelling and cheering🎉 we tried lots of the arcade games and died ☠️
Luke MichaelsJuly 7, 2016Great arcade with many classic games (Burger Time!) and pinball machines. There is a full bar and many of the items on their food menu can be made vegan.
Brian LeeSeptember 9, 2013Heaven on earth for those of us that grew up playing these classic arcades in the 80s. (720, Star Wars, Bubble Bobble, Double Dragon 2). Most games are still a quarter like they were back in the day.
- Fodor's TravelSeptember 12, 2017Billed as the West Coast’s “premier classic arcade,” the bar preserves the “golden age” of video games with dozens of arcade games and pinball machines. Read more
Lucille ButlerSeptember 9, 2016Super Mario Kart, a bunch of 4+ player games, TONS of pinball machines and I think I peeped a DDR Extreme machine, all in good condition. Thursday happy hour makes the spot hot as hell temp. wise.
Raquel Del FiorentinoSeptember 5, 2017Classic games with classic prices. A quarter gets you a game of The Simpsons or Pac Man, and two quarters is a round of pinball. Plus a local brew for $4. RADDEST!!- Carlos De LeonSeptember 22, 2017Awesome venue with a Wargames movie theme that has old classics and new favorites available for a quarter to play.
Joe ZMay 15, 2013Fans of big multiplayer arcade games will find "TMNT: Turtles in Time", "The Simpsons" & "X-Men: Children of the Atom" a great blast from the past. Bring friends to play along for the best experience.
Roy BrittonDecember 2, 2016Decent. Small place though. Has a lot of classic arcade games and a nice pinball selection. If that's your thing, can drop 10 bucks and have a good time.
_January 19, 2015Great cheap arcade games for $0.25 or $0.50 a round. Grab a drink and some snacks. You're going to stay a while.
Charles SimmonsMarch 16, 2012Whenever you're in Portland, come here for your classic arcade game fix. Beer and Wine and the hard stuff soon to come. Light refreshments and great fun for everyone.
Fernando MelendezNovember 11, 2017Games. Classics, newbies,but mainly the classics. And all the pinball you can handle!
- Andre WyattFebruary 20, 2015This bar is home to one of the three copies of Killer Queen, the hottest arcade game since Asteroids. Bring a couple friends and experience it here first.
amy DubinOctober 27, 2011Super fun arcade that has a full bar, food, glowy tables and fun geeky events. I like to just choose from one of the 50 pinball games they have and lose gracefully to my boyfriend. Always fun!
Amazing classic cabinet collection and the custom brewed beer was great too!
Fun and cheap date place. Bring quarters to play the games and wear shoes you won't cry over when someone inevitably spills beer on them.
Jason ShellhammerAugust 9, 2019Awesome collection of arcade machines and pinball machines. Would return.
ChrisJuly 31, 2014This place is awesome! The arcade machines are outfitted with cup holders so you can drink alcohol while playing old-school arcade games.
Doug VannFebruary 13, 2022This place is awesome! For this visit, the price was $10 for a 300pt card. Most everything I played was 10 points per player.
Ben GJuly 12, 2013Great place for out of towners. Awesome staff, friendly vibes and cheap drinks. Definitely plan on ending your nights here.
Anastasia XJuly 20, 2013This place rocks! I could play video games all night. So much fun on the classics, Galaga and Star Wars. Also serves food and drinks. Loads of fun.
Mark BrennemanDecember 25, 2014Killer queen is a great game. Play with at least 6 people. Ask others to join in the fun. They will thank you for teaching them
natattack_77October 21, 2013I'm sad to be leaving Portland because I fell in love with this place. My childhood was thankful for the visit. Best hour of my life and $3 I ever spent!
Peter SchneiderSeptember 16, 2016Fun environment for old school arcade video games, with a nice addition of good food and drink.
MazdaOctober 26, 2010In 2003, five lifelong pinball and video game fans joined up and purchased the arcade, moving it to bigger and better digs in Portland’s historic Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood the following year.
Joshua ConleyDecember 21, 2015Arcade games, pinball, and booze! Hell yeah! Gamer grub and quarter slots for the win!
Pinball, video games and beer. Sometimes crowded and loud, but still fun.
Karl HobartAugust 9, 2015Amazing arcade with cheap drinks, classic consoles and cutting edge pinball.
Alex BrehmAugust 8, 2014Come on man! Quit hogging Space Invaders! Play a variety of games while you're here (that's the whole point).
Micah SpielerJanuary 11, 2015Time crisis is in the back corner, and pin ball is upstairs. Bar doesn't open until 5pm, btw.
Rachel MercerOctober 7, 2011Owners are super friendly and will give out free-plays on the spot. Also: 4 player Pac-man is the great equalizer - beloved by bros and nerds alike.
check out free play every second Thursday and last Wednesday! (but please don't so I don't have to wait in line)
The food is awesome! Nachos, hot dogs, even the potato salad. Everything is cheap and fresh. They have booze now too!
Ros HodgekissApril 17, 2013If you're a retro game enthusiast, this is your Nirvana. Drinks are reasonable, however the food is kiddy party fare - c'mon, who really ate well in the 80's?
Brandi WilliamsFebruary 5, 2012Arcade games for every taste, freindly bartenders and staff, great vibe. Be prepared to lose your nerd boyfriend to this place!
Coming on a Friday or Saturday? Get here before 8:30 to avoid the line and always check the table for drunk noob credits.
J TJanuary 7, 2014Get there early so you can get the full food menu. Nothing goes better with video games than vegan corn dogs.
- If you're from out of the country, bring your passport. Australian and Canadian IDs are technically (and actually - if it's busy) insufficient.
The Mac StoreJune 24, 2011We have to agree with the below statement from Amanda P. PBR and Pinball. We would recommend getting there early on the weekends. It can get crowded.
Lori BiletnikoffNovember 2, 2014A great place to play all the old games. Adults only...which is nice
Topher JamesApril 25, 2018Beer and video games. Or video games, then beer. Whatever makes you happy.
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Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade
511 NW Couch St (btwn NW 5th & NW 6th Ave)
Portland, OR 97209
United States
Portland, OR 97209
United States
Ground Kontrol offers over 100 classic video games & pinball machines from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and beyond, with a full bar and food menu after 5pm every night!
Open until 2:30 AM (Show more)
- Mon–Sun
- Noon–2:30 AM
(503) 796-9364
Features
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. Discover & MasterCard)
Wi-Fi
No
Outdoor Seating
No
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Music
Jukebox
Parking
Street
Restroom
Yes
Food & Drink
Menus
Dinner, Dessert
Drinks
Beer, Wine, Full Bar, Cocktails
See More
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- 8.2
"Went for a birthday, lots of fun. Decent tap choices, the fizzy wine was delish. Their pizza slices are huge!"
Olivia Black - 8.1
"Best deal in PDX for pinball games per dollar ($12 for unlimited games!? Omg!), but also a friendly vibe, solid food, and great staff. A real joy!"
Brian L - 6.3
"So cheap! The arcade games run on nickels!"
Dan Stein
Places people like to go after Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade
- 8.1
"My personal favorite is the McMinnville Cream (love the maple frosting and the cream filling - less cakey than the rest). The voodoo doll is a must-try, their jam filling is awesome."
Rachel Mercer - 9.5
"Expansive book metropolis! The gifts and stationery are as good as the books. Nice coffee shop too."
Natalia Baker - 9.0
"Excellent beer and service. Make sure you take a peek in the back to see where it's all made!"
Jen B
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