By Bretton Love
The days of heading to a simple bar or café with friends are over, with people now expecting more than just flat beer and stale conversation to pass the night away. Luckily for New Yorkers, there are a whole host of joints that specialize in making sure their patrons are entertained, combining a multitude of gaming options as well as providing refreshments of all varieties should they so need it.
Here is a list of some of the best that we’ve tried and think you and your buddies should too.
The array of games some of these bars and cafes have is mind-blowing, with many games sourced from all four corners of the globe
Hex & Co
This gaming café is a veritable Mecca for lovers of games, but especially board games, boasting what could be the best selection in the city. It is very reasonable too, with $10 down meaning you can play an unlimited amount of any game for as long as you wish.
As with many dedicated gaming venues they also now have a strong online presence through which the community stays in touch and organizes. So, if you fancy asking some questions of staff or fans of Hex & Co you can head to their Discord channel or just join straight up to a game of online Dungeons and Dragons.
Why not try your hand at a game you’re never experienced before?
Bob’s Your Uncle
If Hex & Co is a touch too nerdy for your liking, then perhaps the wonderfully named Bob’s Your Uncle games bar is a better fit. This place even has its very own beer on tap and at just $4 a pint you’d be excused for your judgment wavering after a few hours and multiple trips from bar to board.
The bar’s motto is “we treat you like family” and it has to be said they’ve managed to create that cozy feel, with revelers able to stay until 3 am on weekends when they spill out onto Columbus Ave.
Honors Bridge Club
This club is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, bridge clubs in the US and is the perfect place to head if you’re an experienced player or a newbie looking to learn. They hold beginners’ classes on a daily basis, meaning that in no time you can be challenging the club’s old timers.
Certain other card games are prohibited from being played in the state of New York, although there are some private games which are tolerated by the authorities. However, if you prefer not to be patted down and eyeballed by a surly doorman who looks like his hands have scary stories to tell, then you’re probably better off heading online to where there are plenty of games to keep you entertained as well as free online tutorials, because you have to start somewhere with all the rules and tactics involved.
The Uncommons
Dubbed as Manhattan’s first board game café, The Uncommons is still going strong with room for 65 players at any one time and even a private function room for those who want no distractions while they are planning their next move.
Located directly on the NYU campus you’re sure to come up against some sharp young minds if go there on your lonesome and join in with others, although such activity is strongly encouraged by the friendly staff. Their menu is also reasonable, providing snack food and drinks to stop stomachs from grumbling and tongues going dry.
Fat Cat
If Jazz is your preferred jive then look no further than Fat Cat, which combines a fine selection of alcoholic beverages with a games collection to match, all capped off with live jazz performances. Damn, we almost want to get down there ourselves right now!
On top of all that they’ve even got more active games to sample, such as ping pong, foosball and pool. The Fat Cat will make sure you have so much fun that it is hard to leave.
Photo credit: Cafe Du Soleil Wikipedia.
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