Reviews of Pin Up Arcade Bar (Night Club)

Jerold Cudjoe

5 dollars and you have access to a variety of arcade games with both multiplayer and single player games. It all depends on the crowd you go with but as long as you're there for a good time, you're guaranteed to have a good time. There's live music on some days, not sure when but it definitely livens up the atmosphere.

Kathleen K

I thought $5 was a great price for unlimited games but all the machines need maintenance very badly, most of them are broken. I had one drink while here and then got kicked out for being “too drunk” but they were the ones who served me which if they actually followed smart serve they shouldn’t have done if they thought I was too intoxicated, also when I was kicked out I was just standing at a table with a friend, I wasn’t causing a ruckus, I was just quietly talking with her waiting to use one of the only working games. I wasn’t rude at all about it I just said “really? okay” and went on my way but I will not be returning, I’ve never ever been kicked out of a bar before and it blows my mind that they would kick me out after having one drink. But probably wouldn’t go back even if I hadn’t been kicked out, it’s pretty gross inside. If you like a sticky and dark atmosphere and paying for games that don’t even work, this is the place for you!

Melanie Foley

Had a member of the staff interact with me in a way that was extremely inappropriate and grab me in front of a group of people. Management did not respond to our concerns until we texted multiple times and seems to be taking minimal action. Super disappointed that they are okay with employees violating boundaries and perpetuating an unsafe environment.

Victor Viana

I went to pinup a few weeks ago with my friend. The games were amazing and they food was great!! i would definitely consider this a very very fun place to go to.

Zac VanVeen

Its an ok selection. Ski ball is broken which sucks. Half of the games are just different variations of pinball. Bartender wasn't bartending for 50% of the time. Was just running around talking and playing games while I was trying to buy a drink. Drinks are strong though.

Kira LeBlanc

$5 cover free to play games cant be beat! attractive and friendly staff! They even bring food down from Frat Burger I recommend going on a Monday or during the day when its less busy so get a chance to play every game and you can even bring kids during the day and early evenings!

Bryan Peters

So much nostalgia and fun. They have the original TMNT game. The fighting classics. Tons of vintage and new pinball machines. Skiball. Felt like going back in time as an 80's child like myself.

Alexis D

What a surprise to find this place! My husband and I took our children (5 and 8) here during March Break and it was fantastic. Took me right back to the hours I spent in arcades as a kid, and I got to enjoy seeing the kids play the games I loved back then. So nice to be able to be able to hang out as a family for an affordable price, and expose the kids to the tangible pleasures of playing a real pinball machine while listening to good music. Will absolutely be back!

Jeffrey

Pretty cool place. A very minimalist approach to an arcade/bar. It's a tad smaller than I expected it would be. Some of the games are classics which are fantastic... Others not so much. Definitely will be going again. If this place was bigger and some money was pumped into it, think it would be 5+ star and a must-go location.

Nev's Tech Bits

Yes. MORE! All types of games here. They don't all work perfect all the time but the price is great. unlimited rounds. I have never got to know a pin-ball game so well before, because 3 shots a buck was pretty crazy back in the day.

JS Danyluk

What a blast. Very basic, clean and friendly. Retro games from days of yore. Great value, $5, all you can play. Perhaps a little more during peak hours. Hard to find , parking could be tough, University area.

Paul Zemaitis

The place is great. Some of the games are broken. Like the long haul trucker game... But otherwise it's a cheap fun night out! I look forward to coming back

Amber Burns

It's hard to find initially, because it is on the strip mall sign but actually in the basement under it. You follow a sign that says "ARCADE" in lurid yellow, with a lightning bolt pointing down a suspicious set of stairs. Once you descend the stairs however, all suspicion fades at the wonderful sight before you. A room chalk full of old-fashioned arcade machines. Pinball machines line the wall to your left as you walk in, a bar is directly on your right. In front of you is a beautiful collection of pin-up girl pictures, all prettier than the last, lining the wall. In the far right corner are tables and chairs, a place to sit and share some drinks. There is air hockey, DDR, Street Fighter, PacMan, Donkey Kong, Smash Brothers, you name it and it's probably there. It does get quite warm down there if there's a full house and all the games are running, but the ladies washroom is a nice escape being clean and air conditioned.

TJ Durnan

Great place for adult and family fun. Lots of original video games and pinball machines. Plus you can grab a beer while you play. Hard to beat that.

Cameron Andrew

A great retro arcade experience with your favourite games from Mortal Combat and Q-bert to DDR and Skee-ball. The beer selection is good and cover is only $5 for every game.

Anton Markov

There was a good selection of games and beer. All the games are free to play (incl. in cover). There is a coat check, which is always a nice touch. However, it was a bit too noisy/crowded to just hang out, when we went on Saturday night. Not sure about other times.

Destini Greenland

The arcade was filled with games that look like they were put on the curb for pickup. The atmosphere is energetic so that’s why I’m giving two stars. The bartender was extremely busy and always on the go, seemed like they need more staff. There was also a limited selection of drinks at the bar.

Austin Boucinha

Overall, not a bad retro arcade bar for Waterloo’s first-of-its-kind. I found that the experience could have had a little more of something, but I have no idea what that could be. The pinball machines were probably the best part about the establishment. Everything else was mostly meh.

Alicia Thorpe

My daughter was invited to a birthday party here, and it was our first time going. We were amazed!!! Hours of entertainment for $5, and so many games that brought us right back to our childhood. Our youngest (6) loved it too! We will absolutely be returning.

Dmitry Skakovski

Most all gaming machines are retro, every fourth is not working. The staff could be more nice and friendly.

Marta Borowska

So many pinball machines! Some of them are newer too because they are Game of Thrones and Iron Man versions. Awesome that you get to try out so many games for just a $5 cover. Worth a visit... or more!

Julia Ciriello

This place is great! It's $5 entry and then free games for as long as you want. Reasonably priced drinks. Capacity is decent, I've never found myself waiting because absolutely every game is full. They get new game machines in every so often. Would recommend for sure!

Trevor Lennox

This is fun. Great idea. Beer plus unlimited arcade time. They seem to regularly get new stuff installed here too. I'm looking forward to going back.

Clean Shirt

A retro gamer's paradise. '80s and '90s music fills the room, the cover and drinks are reasonably priced (considering everything's on free play), and the vibe is very relaxed and friendly. Game selection is excellent - varied without being too obvious. Some big hits, some more "niche" titles. Both the video games and pinball tables cover a wide range of history, and there are even one or two mechanical skill games that predate everything! My friend and I spent over 3 hours here fiending Robotron, Donkey Kong and Q*Bert and the time just flew by, it was like being a kid again. If I had to give any constructive feedback, one or two of the cabs had some slight issues. Street Fighter II currently has a somewhat sticky 1P joystick, and the Outrun 2 cab is... weird. I think it may be a clone. But I'm nitpicking, most of the cabs are in great condition and as an experience I can't fault Pin Up. Barcades are awesome and it's something that's been missing from the region for too long. I'll definitely be back multiple times!

Shane Desloges

Very cool spot with all the arcade machines that sucked my parents change jars dry but at this place $5 bucks flat rate and the play is free! PLUS BEER! Highly reccomend off peak hours to enjoy all the games withoit the wait, unless youre one of those video gamer voyeurs in which case saturday could be your thing

Jon Krys

We took the kids to play the games. Very affordable. Lots of nostalgic games from the 1980s but they could use some better maintenance on joysticks and buttons. Very loud so we did not spend a long time there.

Matthew Pateman

Awesome little arcade / bar in a basement. $5 cover gets you unlimited games for the whole night. Staff and patrons are all super friendly and they have coat racks so you don't need to be unbearably hot in the winters.

Tom Klaasen

AMAZING time for $8 ... If your a silver ball fan , this is definitely the place in K/W.. fantastic selection of machines, as well lots of older retro video games of which 99% work. Staff very nice , friendly welcoming , especially a Young lady bar tender , who actually took the time to talk to me about what arcade was my favorite in my youth ( she was super nice young lady )come support this fine local business and have some fun ...

Frölfênüügen 4 Lyfe

Killer place for the whole family. They have an amazing selection of classic arcade games, pinball, skee ball, giant jenga and Nintendo games. They also have great burgers from the restaurant upstairs. Highly recommended to try with the kids or go after dinner with a group of friends, fun for everyone.

John Currie

Been twice now, looking forward to my third visit! It's the retro atmosphere you're probably looking for. Despite the fun I had, I wish their staff spent less time on their phones. I waited over an hour for a Poutine and it turned out that my food had been sitting for a long time and the server couldn't be bothered to get it. They didn't apologize and made no attempt to address the occurrence. Nobody likes a cold Poutine.

Thomas Charky

It is unfortunate that I have to write this, but: A worker at this place committed a very rude and unacceptable act while intoxicated. Upon follow up with management, nothing was done and even worse, they were dismissive and the best they could offer in return was a couple free passes. Why would anyone want to go back there and risk their safety? After you specifically said that the person that did, and has a history of doing, those things is still there and no action has been taken? Again, I do not want to write this, but all of the fun that we have had there is irrelevant if this most basic problem is not addressed.

Rich Fff

Jenn and Ross are excellent bartenders. The arcade machines don't require any money besides a cheap admission fee. 1/1 it had a good atmosphere though the music was a bit loud at times.

R FI

Tonnes of fun! Excellent selection of video arcades, pinballs, and Skeeball, huge jenga, etc. Microbrews in the can as well. Only complaint is the music is so loud you can't hear the arcade game sounds or music. Also a few machines needing repairs or adjustments, but that is par for the course of a place like this.

Ken Pugsley

For $5 to free play, it will be hard to beat. Tons of pinball machines. A decent selection of other games from 80s classics to about mid 2000s from what I saw. The place was decently clean. Saw staff wiping down machines periodically which was very much appreciated. I was expecting some pretty absurd pricing on drinks and food. but was surprised to see that it was no more than most other bars I've been to. My only complaint is that some games don't work well with nonfunctioning buttons, and bad joysticks. Some games are so bad they are completely unplayable. When I was there a cabinet didn't have free mode enabled and staff did not know how to get it working. I'd be willing to pay $15+ if everything was properly maintained. Will go again in the future to see if there will be improvements.

Mira

Great staff, great vibe. Paid $6 to get in and play is unlimited, so it's a really good deal for a night out with friends. Went on a very busy night so didn't get to play too much, but I found people pretty good at taking turns. Local DJ was spinning as well which was a nice touch.

Jay Roger

Pin Up is one of my absolute favourite places in Waterloo. The drinks are a little pricey, but that's where they make their money. The cover is super cheap though and you get free games all night!

Emily Bouchard

Great time! Pinball machines, arcade games, skii ball, and more. You pay $5.00 cover and you can play as long as you want! There is also a bar. Great for older kids and/or adults. Definitely try the Crazy Taxi game (personal fave).

SIR REXINGTON J. ATTACK

This is one of the best barcades in Ontario, let alone Canada. The owners are caring, enthusiast, and well-knowledgeable about the arcade/games/pinball within their business. The arcade/games/pinball even rotate, so often you can see or …

Kyla Swartz

This place is a bit small, but don't let that fool you! It's packed with tons of games from pin ball machines to large jenga blocks! Beer is reasonably priced and it's only FIVE BUCKS to get in! Love this place!

Eve Lamargot

Fun place to celebrate my bday (gamer for life even if kinda retired because I'm playing IRL now). You can order great burgers from next door and they bring them to you at the arcade. Cool, nice staff and games.

Kyle Kingsley

So I'd love to give this 5 stars, but I cant, I want to but I cant, allow me to explain why Firstly the nostalgia is amazing, the games, the beers, the noises. It's awesome and its small so you get to take in the atmosphere very fast. 5$ entry and unlimited play time, can't go wrong, right? But there is "something" missing. I can't quite out my finger in it but it's lacking a few things specifically that make it lose that elusive 5th star, a lot of the games were out of order which took away from the element, and there was definitely some games that made extremely more noise than others, some games had no sound at all, which takes away a little bit of the games immersion, secondly whilst small and located in a basement, I know there isn't a lot of space, but the layout could have been a tad bit better, there are some machines that just didn't make sense being where they were, which adds to the noise issue. Don't get me wrong I love the games they are still amazing and fun to play, but it would be nice to see some more multi-player games(like 3+ player). All in all a great place brings back nostalgia but remember this is a bar first and foremost, not an arcade, but still captures that essence of awesome 80-90-(and 00s) nostalgia. great little place to end a date, or start one! I'll definitely go back and maybe when I do I'll hopefully change the 4 stars to a 5!

Stephanie Burgess

We like to go here on a somewhat regular basis. The staff is really friendly and the games are truly awesome. Heads up! They have league nights so ask if you’re interested. The staff keeps the place really clean and the atmosphere is perfect for pinball

Colby Parsons

Pin up arcade bar is a great place to spend an afternoon or evening. The whole place is filled with retro gaming from pinball to dance dance revolution to donkey kong. They allow you unlimited play time for $5 which is a great deal, especially if you spend a couple of hours there. It becomes 19+ after 9pm when it turns into a bar.

Octavian Ciubotariu

This is a great idea. Pay $5 and get unlimited play. They have a bar and a really good selection of craft beers. Lots of old school games and some pinball machine, including new ones like Game of The, Etc. They also have a coat check. Enjoy your time!

Philosopheering

Lots of fun retro arcade games. A good number of 2 player games, and a couple 4 player games. Not bad deal for $5. Does get repetitive quickly imo, but worth a try

Leanne Stratton

One of my favorite spots to visit in KW especially on a Helles Fire Friday!! I'm terrible at video games and this spot has games I can play! What a fun spot for a team building event or just to get a workout shooting basketballs! I can't say enough positive words about the staff and owners of this place.???????????? PinUp has something for everyone. Check it out!

Andrew Gibson

$5 unlimited play and a great selection of pinball machines from old to new. They kept wiping the machines down cleaning very nice touch.

Kevin Howey

This place is awesome, hands down. :) If you're like me, and grew up visiting Zappers and Flynn's arcade, you'll dig this spot. An amazing selection of old arcade games and pinball, plus modern pinball coupled with local beer makes for an entertaining few hours out. It's only $5 for an entry fee and you can play unlimited games without pumping quarters into the machines! Better yet, you can have drinks while you're playing the classics as well! They also host live music and DJ's but I'm not sure if there's a schedule for entertainment or not. Apparently you can also order food from Frat Burger upstairs but we didn't bother this time out. They also feature some table games such as foosball and shuffle board which are great. There's also some bizarre paddle hockey game which I'd never seen before but was a lot of fun. Come for the nostalgia and fun, stay for the great vibe and local beers served. I will definitely be back! Cheers!

Ryan Brohman

Cool spot in the basement of University Commons plaza. Entrance is the far left door on university. $5 entrance fee, fully stocked bar with craft cans at reasonable prices. A dozen or so pinball tables and maybe 40 old school arcade machines. Most are originals, though I think there are one or two emulators. It's all free to play once you are in the door. Food wise, you can order anything off the Frat Burger menu and they'll bring it down. We went as 3 couples in a Sunday afternoon and had plenty of fun. The nostalgia factor of many of the games does wear off quickly, but the overall variety makes it easy to kill 3 or 4 beers.

Tiana Bentley-Dittmar

It’s a nice place to go with friends, but most of the games get old super quick and a lot of the games are actually broken LOL! I also cut my hand on one of the coin inserts which I didn’t love. But they have good drinks and good food and enough seating and the giant Jenga is very fun haha! There is a cover fee just fyi

Sanket Patil

Paid $5 cover for unlimited games. Definitely worth the price. My only complain is the music was a bit too loud and we couldn't play the DDR game because we couldn't hear it. Hopefully they move it farther away from the sound system. But for $5 this place still gets 5 stars.

Jaqui Nicole

Was pretty cool. Will go again. Some negatives though.. a) only one ski ball machine worked b) they were fixing a lot of the games during opening hours c) there was a shorter man repairing a pin ball machine being passive aggressive to my bf about his “pin ball” skills and rolling his eyes and laughing at other guests playing games. Not cool. Overall though was pretty neat.

Mike R

I grew up as a teen in the early to mid 80's. These games are a true throwback. Ya the pixel resolutions and the rendering is terrible. But who cares. Enjoy the games for what they were and now are. The 10 or so pinball games include cool themes. AC/DC, Game of Thrones, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc... Wish they had a Play Boy Hue Hefner game. Also fun is the giant Jenga, magnetic Pong. Cover charge is only $5 bucks, play as long as you want. Tip: use the complementary hand sanitizer on your way out the door.

Fani H

Been here recently and had a great time! Good selection of games, play till you drop for $5!! Haven’t tried the drinks or food yet though!

Alexander Schlote (The Freeman)

Great price! Loved being able to go back to enjoy these retro games. Only gripe was that some of the machines have seen better days.

Brent Preuss

They have gotten a few more games and tweaked the layout since opening. Still 5 a head to get in. QC issues with a couple games having stuck buttons or joysticks. Sadly the aliens game is still broken or broken again as it was broken at beginning of summer. I'd imagine it would difficult to keep all games 100 working order but that's a bit of a stretch. Not too many people with any kind of food. Would be nice if they sold chips and chocolate bars or some sort of prepackaged foods.

Brittany Lemay

Super cool place to play arcade games and have a couple drinks, they even have a coat check which is nice too. Staff are great.

Sean A

Leaving a bit of a harsh review because I'd like to see this place get better. I enjoyed my time here and will return in the future however I have some serious issues with the place. Arcade gaming is my passion, so when I heard an arcade bar was opening I was very excited. Overall the game selection is very strong, with a wide variety of stuff. However a lot of the games have issues that make them troublesome to play. Time Pilot's joystick has gone almost unplayably stiff. Gunsmoke had issues with screen size that placed a lot of things physically offscreen (score, lives, and some enemies). Flash Gordon pinball was missing a paddle. Another pinball machine was not working but I forget the title. Probably the most annoying thing was Outrun. It seems to be running a PC version in the cabinet, however it ran at like 20 frames per second.Further the music was modded out which was very disappointing. As a bar the place is general disappointing, very poor beer selection. Would love to see some local stuff like Waterloo Dark. Lack of seating is also an issue, which leads to people gathering between the machines which makes moving around pretty tough. Overall the place is a great addition to Waterloo, and something that has been missing from the area for a while. Would love to see improvements to the place, as well as repairs to some of the machines.

Eduardo Peixe

Amazing selection of arcade. Pinballs as insane. How are they able to make any profit charging only $5 per person to play as much as one can? I'll definitely return frequently.

John Hall

Had a blast and I'm not even good at pinball! Great staff, knew the games. If you and your friends like to compete, one up and trash talk each other it's the place for you! Before we knew it we'd spent 5 hours there. Definitely no place like it around.

Darian

Best place to go if you love arcade games! Went with some friends and had a blast the entire time. Drinks are reasonably priced and the staff is friendly and professional. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the KW area as myself and others have been pleasantly surprised by this not often talked about joint.

Alex Cobalt

Awesome place, I love it! The entire place is well taken care of and any broken machines get fixed quickly. Everything is very clean. The staff are very down to earth and lots of fun! They go the distance, to make it a personal experience and do the little things that make a difference. The customers help make it a fun place to go where you can let down your guard and just have a good time. I've never had anything like a watering hole, but this place changes that! I don't even live nearby, but Pinup Arcade feels... like home!

Mike Neufeglise

$5 for unlimited games all day? This is the best place to play with groups of all ages. The staff are friendly, and work very hard to keep their games in working condition. I would recommend this place to anyone.

Steve Partridge

This was the perfect place for our party! Super fun atmosphere, friendly, accommodating staff, and amazing games. I will be back soon to set a few more high scores!

Angie Gunn

Wow nostalgia! True hole in the wall type bar. Great games for the experienced and inexperienced. Kids can come in from 4pm-9pm, then the bigger kids (19+) can stick around til 2am. They have their own signature drinks, regular bar fare, and a basic menu of food. Clean place, friendly staff. $5 play all you like.

Kara Nagel

My absolute favourite place in KW. $5 cover for unlimited games! Locally owned! There is a great pinball league as well.

Aaron Cotter

This place is awesome. They have a friendly staff, great selection of games, and relatively inexpensive drinks. The flat $5 cover to play unlimited games is unbeatable. Whether you're looking for a fun night out or just some weekend afternoon fun this place is great.

Michael “Rawbertson” Robertson

Have been coming here every week for about a year now. Fair prices, great burgers and poutine, and giant selection of beers. Great mix of old and new school games, and machines are well taken care of.

Heather Huston

What a great place to hang out after work! Or with your teenage son. Games are such a kick! And great music! The Frat burger poutinge is excellent too. Will definitely be back.

Dave Hounslow

What a fantastic arcade, really made me feel like a kid again. $5 each to get in and play all you want. Went with 2 kids and myself and had drinks and snax all or under $40,

Amie Shepherdson

This is a super fun and cheap place to have a date night for a couple of nerds who appreciate the old school arcade games. The pinball variety is awesome and there's a large selection of beers.

Ali I

Cool spot and drinks are cheap... However most of the games have issues with joysticks or issues with buttons. The condition of the majority of games/machines were disappointing.

Matt MacPherson

Very unique bar! I really like how you pay cover once and get to play as many games as you’d like. retro arcades like this usually make you buy a bunch of tokens which just ruins the experience in my opinion. My only suggestion would be for them to start serving their own food. Currently they have a partnership with Frat Burger (located above them) so you can order from that menu. It would be nice if they eventually move to serving their own grub though. Great place!

IO 。

$5 for the night and a bunch of games. Can't complain. Music is loud which makes DDR quite difficult to play as you do need to hear it to play it more effectively. Drinks are affordable.

David Harper

This place is a retro gamer's paradise. Even on a Wed night the place has solid attendance. And it's family friendly as well. They even have skee-ball.

kapd KapdBe

Hidden downstairs in a strip mall. Lots of old school games, lots of pinball. Great place to just hangout and relive the good ole days. $5 for unlimited games... Can't beat that #thortrips

Peter M

Takes you back to your childhood memories of the old arcade games. If you're not that old then discover what your parents used to play and then post a higher score. The pinball games here are really what makes this place shine in my opinion.

Jenn

I was really looking forward to going here, but oh man was I disappointed. I love retro videogames and arcade games but the night I went here was just a disaster. The music was very loud, so everyone in the place had to yell at each other which made it deafening. My friends and I couldn't hear each other talk and left early because it was just frustrating. So many of the arcade machines were broken, we ended up maybe playing 4 games in total because the rest weren't turned on or had major issues. The Terminator game was the only one we played that didn't have any issues. Everything is crowded as well. At one point, two of us decided to play something but had to constantly move during the game because people were trying to get by (note that we are two skinny people lol). We had to put our drinks on the floor beside the machines because there wasn't anywhere else to put them safely. I'm hoping that they were just having a rough night and this isn't a common occurrence.

Vincent Magas

Very fair prices, great way to spend a few hours. Live bands / DJs are fantastic. Some of the machines could use more love and care maintenance-wise. Otherwise, no complaints after being a repeat customer!

Pinball Shenanigans

I dig this rig! Hip hip hooray for Che today and every other day. Yay!

Xyrz Mxyzptlk

The first time we went it was super busy but they allowed us to hang around to check things out for free. Went back again on a Sunday AM at opening and it was a FANTASTIC experience. All the pinball (& video games) we could handle...with NO waiting, all for a paltry $5.00! The M/C’s were in great condition for the most part with only a few minor issues. I’ve been assured they maintain the equipment on a regular basis, which I believe to be true. Thanks to Che & his associates for bringing the arcade experience back to Kitchener/Waterloo. We salute you and wish you great success.

Guido Ciardullo

I was blown away when they said the cost was $5 for unlimited play. They have lots of the newer Stern video pinball tables including Star Wars, Deadpool and Munster. They also have lots of classic arcades including lots of my favourites. Having such an old inventory I was quite surprised how very little wear out of order.

Bob Steiss

Enjoyed the step back in time to play games from the 80's and 90's. I can appreciate it must be difficult to keep the games operating so the fact a couple machines weren't working is not a big deal for me. The upfront one time fee to play all you want was awesome.

Kristopher Snyder

Great selection of beer, constantly changing up some of the pinball machines and arcade games and who doesn't want to play shuffle board with your mates while having a few pints? I could do without the high percentage of bands and DJs that seem to perform there but I guess it saves me from abusing the high tech jukebox they have there. Just remember guys, you make money with that thing not pay it out to kids in trucker hats that know only 3 chords of distortion.

Mike Davies

Oh my god, what a blast. Such an awesome setup and they are constantly rotating in games. Mix in the bar and food orders from FratBurger upstairs, and this makes a great way to kill an evening with your friends. Owner is super friendly and very knowledgeable on the arcade classics and new machines. I believe he runs leagues as well! Highly recommend!

Ethan Bent

Great value! $5 for all you can play! Games in good condition, great variety. Excellent pinball machines!! Food from Frat Burger is yummy.

Madeleine Cloutier

Very nice place! You don't need to drink to play... 5$ for unlimited arcade games is a pretty good deal! Beer is good though! We had a nice time!

S. Copeland

Love this place. If controls were a bit better maintained it would be perfect. Good food from frat burger and a great selection of beer. Staff are friendly and helpful.

Belmir

All you can play arcade for the admission price of only $5, literally all the games are free. You can't go wrong, and their selection of pinball machines is absolutely amazing!

wigliff

A fun place with a blast from the past. Arcade and pinball machines from the past and present, free to use, with drinks and food supplies by Phrat Boys Burgers (they'll help you place the order.). Pretty loud, so be aware that there will be no quiet conversations allowed! Interior need some work as chairs and tables are a little rough. Staff are helpful and attendant. Would look more professional I'd the interior looked better, and the non functional equipment were removed. Oh and please turn down the volume on the Dance Dance Revolution machine. It was the only thing I could hear while it was being used, even from the other side of the place!

Anthony Ong

An amazing gem in Waterloo. At $5 a person and unlimited access to their games you can't complain. I love the concept of having both retro and newer games at a bar. Great location as it's easy to get to for students that want to de-stress by playing a couple games and getting a few drinks

Ben Blanchard

For such an inexpensive buy in to unlimited play on retro arcade games the place has a great atmosphere and a good variety of games to play. Makes for a great night out with friends!

Bailey Hanna

This is the best hidden gem in Waterloo. $5 for unlimited play is the best deal I've ever seen. So many fun games, a great variety of drinks and food, and just such a great chill atmosphere. I can't believe it took me this long to go. Will be coming back at every opportunity!

Mohammed Alfawagreh

Best service and best arcade bar in the city!!

Nagamma Koppad

Recently learned that an employee has been really rude and inappropriate while drunk. This issue was brought up to management but nothing was done about it. The employee still works at the bar, and it seems that there is no action taken against them. It does not seem like a safe place for people to enjoy their time when issues like this are pretty much disregarded. Will not be recommending this bar...

Gavyn McLeod

This place is just awesome. The way an Arcade should: retro classics, diverse and modern pinball options. $5 for unlimited play. Drinks are affordable and a good selection of local and domestic brews. Went during the week and there were no lines for games, but I hear it gets busy on the weekends. Go with a friend and play some of the bar games like shuffle board and foosball, go head to head in Mortal Combat annihilation, street fighter or racing. Only downside is that some racing pods and a few other machines were out of order when I was there.

Nicolaus Plauszta

The owner was very friendly, accommodating, and extremely helpful with the games. There are plenty of different games that everyone should find something to enjoy. The drinks are pretty reasonable as well. Overall I would recommend this place for a fun night out!

mahshid ostovar

I love this place ✨???? The level of a Satisfaction is consistent. 5/5⭐ - entry fee is a great price - makes me actually want to go :D 5/5⭐ - I love that it is open late 5/5⭐ - great customer service 5/5⭐ - games & atmosphere are great for the size of the space - games are fun

Justin Kulp

Great fun for a great price. It is an old style arcade, ex. games like Q*bert and Pinball machines, not more modern stuff. Everyone should go at least once, I will certainly be going back!

Rachel Uridge

Great selection of old and new games, play as much as you want for $5 which is such great value! Also a large selection of beers and spirits and you can order really good burgers that they get from Frat Burger the restaurant above them. Staff were friendly, we will be back soon for sure!!

Matthew Gardner

Amazing place! Best new bar in town for sure. The owner, Che is super nice and helped me plan an event for our team at work and everyone had a blast. The jukebox is super cool, the games are all fun, and people started pouring in at 4:00! Awesome.

Shawn Ashe

Such a great little spot!! Great drink selection, and variety of games with space to just lounge as well! Price point is bang on and affordable! Also great that if you want to eat, you can order off the Frat Burger menu! Some games could use a little TLC.

Siobhan Macfarlane

I love the idea behind this place, they have a great assortment of arcade and pin ball games. My only complaint was that it was extremely busy the night, they had so many people crammed inside that it made it difficult to move around from machine to machine.

Will Patterson

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!!! Only $5 for as much time at different games as you want?!? Count me in!! After a while with the screens my head hurts, but they still have a whole section with a few small board games so you can relax a bit more without all the lights an sound!

Trisztan Beret

Only $5 for unlimited play? It's almost too good to be true... But thank goodness it is! Great food, old-school arcade games... It stinks that there aren't more in the area!

Marissa Posmituk

Have had a great night every time we’ve been to pinup. Owners are super chill. Games are free play. Drinks are cheap. They did a great job with the Reno and signage. Really a fun atmosphere to go on a date, with friends or coworkers. Whatever occasion. Looking forward to another visit soon.

Dustin Cowan

This place is awesome! Classic pinball machines, vintage arcade games, skeeball, and more for just a small cover charge... Unlimited Free Play!!! Also, decent beer selection and good food. $20 goes pretty far here. The guys and I have found ourselves a new go-to spot. See you there soon!

Alex Zvorygin

Lots of the machines were broken, e.g. the outrun driving game was extremely laggy and impossible to control. Lots of pinball machines, some of which are unplayable. Only one out of three skeet machines was functional. Music was uncomfortably loud. Most of the machines were good for a hit of nostalgia or too, then you just want to leave.

M K

Mostly doesn't work. Paying $5 for unlimited play is great, and having a bar is perfectly fit. However, most of the games are broken somehow. Pinball machines won't start. Some screens are dark and cannot really see anything. Fighting games have problems with movement, or just buttons working in general. Some only allow one player to join and no one else. Some controllers are severely broken. Where is the maintenance? This place is all about getting drunk and not caring about it being broken. I can't see this place staying long if they don't so anything about this. It's really just a bar, and there are better choices.

Manuela Rios Muñoz

This place is Great! Spend time here with your friends playing of having drinks it’s really fun!

Eric Gaudet

A unique experience for a very reasonable price. And it's not just pinball machines and traditional arcade video games. There's Foosball, shuffleboard and others.

Lisa Partridge

Love this place! So much fun and can't wait to go back! :)

Vvv Ccc

This is a fun arcade to go to, I've been twice now. The first time I went there was a pinball tournament going on so the place was packed. It was hard to find a free game but my group still had a really fun time. The second time I went it wasn't nearly as crowded so I got to play a lot more games and try some of the new machines they had brought in since my first visit. I'm excited to go again

Brian Fong

90% of the arcade machines were working. For a $5 cover charge per person to play as many games as you want with no quarters it is a steal. Sadly 25% of the games are pinball.

Rachelle Wheatley

So so fun. A bit overwhelming after 1 hr though. It could use some sound insulation.

Karen Campos

I just relived my youth and it only cost $5! I hope this place is successful and can grow. We went in just to check things out and it was great! $5 to get in the door and then drinks. Played and beat Ninja Turtles with my husband, some Street Fighter 2, pinball and played table top shuffle board for the first time. We will be returning to have a few drinks and play some skee ball, Mortal Kombat, Ms Pacman and Missile Command. Great music too, really cool digital jukebox.

Saleem Alfawagreh

Lots of fun! Great and kind staff! Just genuinely a great experience overall! The owner Alexis was very welcoming, and caring to his customers. Thank you Alexis and the team! :D

Gillian Lapointe

Great niche bar! Some of the skee ball machines weren't working when we went but its a great nostalgia trip with a good beer selection. Definitely reminiscent of arcades of the 90s

David Tamachi

We always have a great time here. It does get really crowded on the weekend. So I wish they could limit the amount of people they let in. Not a big deal though. Giant Jenga is a blast.

maia tchoumak

Never overly busy, very. Reasonably priced drinks and entrance fee ($5). All games are free after that. Dj on weekends. Friday dj delfine who's amazing.

Kelly Garcia

Pretty fun little place. The $5 entry gets you unlimited plays. There's a good variety of games including pinball, skee-ball, DDR, racing games, Mortal Kombat, and Qbert. It's a relaxed environment that's fun for both novices and arcade enthusiasts. Staff are helpful in teaching you how to use any machines you're unfamiliar with. Overall, a really fun place.

Mason Stephenson

Great customer service and drink selection. Lots to do and play, over all a great time. I will definitely going back with as many people as possible

Eric Schroeder

Cool place with heaps of potential. Was disappointed that most of the games are broken in some way. Had a pretty decent time for the $5 admission! The staff were friendly.

Sheida M

Good variety of arcade games for only $5 (we went there on a Wednesday) for unlimited times of play. The food was provided by the Frat Burger which was great as well. Will definitely go back!

Mike Cernick

This place was out of the park awesome!!! There was so much to do here and was so reasonably priced! It costs $5 to get in or $7 if there is live music the night you go but that is totally worth it!!! Once you pay to get in, all the amazing classic arcade games are totally free to play however much and however long you want to play them! Them have Donkey Kong, Mario, Dance Dance Revolution, Hockey, Shuffleboard, atleast over 25 retro pinball machines from the 60's/70's to present day super modern machines! Way too cool! No other place like it in the entire province that I have come across atleast! Very enjoyable and happy night out! Cheers guys!

Rebekah Hookings (RebekahsReviews)

a barcade, genius! this place is awesome! Only $5 cover for unlimited play on tons of retro and classic machines! the drink and food menu is affordable, you gotta check this place out

Bailey

I loved this arcade. I'm in the generation where arcade machines could only be played at Chuck-E-Cheese, or your cool rich friends basement. I never had the opportunity to go somewhere and try and get the high score with my friends and this place gave me the nostalgia I never knew I had. There's lots of games to chose from. The only downside is, because of the high traffic not all of the games work properly. Some of the buttons are broken, or the machine just doesn't work. It would be nice to have a constant fix, but I understand how expensive and difficult that can be. Overall, I had a great time with friends and I will definitely come back.

Family Account

My husband and I always have fun when we go, admission is a good price and the drinks aren't bad either. We've gone during peak hours and on down times to enjoy the quite, good fun either way :)

Laura Curtis

This place is awesome!! $5 for all you can play arcade. Food and beer too. The staff are super welcoming, I highly recommend you try it out ????

Nathan Honsberger

Pretty cool place! Cheap to play the games, drinks are well priced too. Not the most amazing games but a few gems. I enjoyed it and will go again. Staff was really nice too!

Nathan Duma

Very enjoyable place. Flamin Finger was too addicting.

Jillian Botting

Having drunk employees that harass patrons and keeping that person employed after the issue was brought to your attention seems like a poor way to do business. Shame on you. I will never recommend this bar to anyone.

Alex

Pin Up Arcade and Bar is exsctlynad the name implies - it is a bar and an arcade all in one. Located near Laurier, this bar has become a popular hangout for students and families alike, with the appeal of retro arcade cabinets. The cabinets themselves consist of many popular old titles, such as Donkey Kong, Burger Time, Ms. Pac Man, Q-Bert, and more. Along with the cabinets they have a few racing games, skiball, foosball, a couple of shooters, a couple novelty games, and around a dozen pinball cabinets, including several newer ones. Food and drinks are available on site, with the food coming from the Frat Burger next door. Children are allowed in till a certain time, unsure when, but families are free to bring their kids to experience some of the classic games in their original glory. There is a five dollar cover at the door, plus two dollars if you want to check your coat, but for unlimited play, as the machined are all set to free play, this is well worth it. Downsides, with the popularity of the machines, the place is often crowded and busy, so if you are looking to play a particular machine you may have to wait a bit. As well, with people waiting to use machines, it can sometimes feel crowded. Lastly, if I can nitpick, some of the games are not in the best shape. A loose joystick here, stuck button, or non working button....to be fair, they are older and take some upkeep. Overall, a fun location that brings a little bit nostalgia to your life. Definitely worth a drop in and a look around. If in the area, it would be worth your time to drop in. I apologize for lack of pictures, but I found myself caught up in the games. The only one I have is of the bar area. Then I discovered they had Time Pilot and lost myself in relearning the game.

Adam Mitchell-Li

Great spot for a drink and some super fun vintage games. Pinball machines, DDR, pac man and Mortal Kombat to name a few. $5 all you can play.

Martin Schiller

Fun idea. Great price for unlimited games..... But..... There were several people huddled around certain pinball games that would not leave. Would not let anybody on. I asked staff for FRAT Burger menu 3 times. Nobody knew anything. What? The frat burger people should be pissed. Lots of games broken. All in all we had a great time but room for improvement.

Amanda Meaney

This place is great! For a very reasonable price of $5 you get to play all the arcade/pinball games you want with no time limit. We went with a group of 6 on a Friday evening around 9pm and though it was busy it was still possible to find games to play. We had a lot of fun!

Kate McAuliffe

The drinks are great, the staff is wonderful! And the pin ball is spectacular!! 10/10 recommend!

Catherine Smith

Used to love this bar but after finding out how irresponsibly and frankly disgustingly they handled a situation of SA I cannot safely dine here or drink with the thought of how my safety is not a priority at this establishment. Truly disappointed

Paul Brady

Pin Up Arcade Bar is a great spot in Kitchener Waterloo. As soon as you walk in your inner kid comes out. They also allow you to book the entire place for private events. Definitely a good spot for all ages!

Greg Brow

Great place w lots of COLD Craft Beer. Always friendly service! Glad to see a place like this in Waterloo. Many new & vintage Pinball machines to choose from! CHEERS

Leo Tao

Cover charge of $5 and then its free play! Check out especially the Creature From The Black Lagoon and Centaur II machines (the owner recommends the Metallica machine), and the DDR Supernova 2 machine!

Mark Greenen

Great place to step back into the 80's and play your favorite arcade and pinball classics. $5 cover for unlimited free plays Great selection of craft beer and food.

Alexis Arrowsmith

What a deal - don't have to fuss with tokens or quarters, drink prices are super reasonable, and the food portions are huge! Staff is really friendly and attentive as well - best bar in KW!

Doug de'Rozario

Pretty cool little venue. A lot of vintage arcade games from donkey kong to streetfighter and qbert to pinball machines and ball toss. The place is relitively new so im looking forward to check it out as thier game collection grows, but great date spot especially if you feel nostalgic about the early days of gaming. Drinks are a bit expensive but 5 bucks entry to play all the games you want as long as you want is a pretty decent deal :)

Summer Rashed

$5 to play vintage video games is unreal. Great for a night out with friends when you don't want to do the usual clubbing atmosphere! Bartenders are friendly and drinks are reasonably priced! Definite go-to for a birthday celebration or fun night out

Jeff Durnin

Can't beat the price for unlimited games, great drink selection!

Alexa FV

The idea itself is fun and I like that the cover means you get to play all the machines for free. Unfortunately, the setup of the music is just speakers on the side of the sitting area so it’s painfully loud and not enjoyable. The place itself would benefit from being organized a little more nicely. But definitely worth visiting for a few drinks and a good time!

Dan Coulthard

Nice place. Much fun to be had. Balls were a little deflated but the beer was cold and the jenga was stable....until it wasn't. All in all a friendly staff and great atmosphere

mike morrison

Best bar in town!!! Cold beer, video games with a mix of nostalgia. Staff was very accommodating.

Patrick MacPherson

Amazing selection of games, awesome drinks and a great atmosphere.

Unbox, Unbag, Unwrap! Santos

All you can play for just 5 bucks. You get ID"d at the door at later times of the day which keeps kids out when your trying to get your drink on. And, the food you order there comes from the restaurant next door which is awesome!

Aktunc Mehmet

I love coming to Pin Up, for only $8 I can play nostalgic video games that I grew up with and have a ball doing it. The staff are always inviting and know what I like to drink so there is minimal wait times. It almost has a hanging out at your friends feel to it. Just brings me back to when my friends and I would play video games for hours. If you want to grab some friends and have a great time I’d suggest coming here. Ps try the creature drink it’s my favourite so far.

Lauren Homann

Went here on a Saturday night and payed $5 cover. This is such a hidden gem. All the games are free with cover and they have all the classics like pac man, donkey kong, so many pinball machines, skeet ball, etc. Staff was very friendly as well! It’s great for a chill night out or a date night! The drinks are a little on the pricy side ($7 for a tall boy).

Heather Taylor

Great place, so much fun to be had. The retro games are not something you see let alone get to play these days. Was kind of hard to find, but once we did you can really miss it. (Corner of plaza, beside Frat Burger)

Michael O'Malley

Witnessed people standing in front of several video games looking dumbfounded as to what they were doing wrong as the games wouldn't work. Apparently the aforementioned games needed to be manually opened and reset once they were out of credits. I had to track down a staff member to do this on several occasions. When it came time to give Donkey Kong a try I once again went on the hunt for a staff member and was instructed to wait a minute. I waited several minutes while said staff member ignorantly undertook several other ventures leaving me standing with access to unlimited nothing. When I was finally able to address the staff member again, now acting as the bartender, he told me to JUST RELAX!! I relaxed by choosing not to deal with this stupidity any longer and my family and I subsequently left the establishment never to return. Way to go Pin Up Arcade Bar!!

Kim

Stumbled upon this little gem while in Waterloo recently. Definitely a great time and the $5 fee to play as many rounds of Mortal Kombat as you want...... WINNING!! Great atmosphere, will definitely return!!

Michael S

This place has an AMAZING selection of modern/classic pinball and arcade machines which are all on free play for a $5 entry fee! For pinball I noticed Metallica, AC/DC, Star Trek, Deadpool, The Munsters, Game of Thrones, Super Mario Bros. & for arcade machines they have classics like Burger Time, NBA Jam, Ice Cold Beer, Rampage, Pac-Man, etc.They also have shuffleboard, 3-player Skee-ball (you get the idea, they really filled this place with a lot of variety!). I also noticed that Pin-Up had something that competitors don't which is a digital jukebox so you can pick the music for the evening. The bar has a lot of variety of canned beers and they share a menu with the burger place upstairs if you're hungry. Pin-Up would be 5-stars but it looks quite drab in the basement and the whole place could use a deep clean and/or a reorganization of the interior (maybe remove dance floor space out the games?). Also, several machines required maintenance but I'm guessing the University crowd isn't gentle on them. I will definitely be back and it's a welcome addition to the retro barcade community!

Eric Gooley

Awesome! Went last night with a few friends and we had a great time, there are lots of games of all variety and all are in good condition and very fun! Staff was incredibly friendly and willing to show you how to work any machine and drinks were cheap ($5.75 tall boys of Wellington) with a good selection of craft beer and a full bar. Pay extra for the jukebox and play any song you want. Highly recommend!

Tyrone Goldberg

For $5 it's a good night of fun to play a bunch of arcades. I do like that they have added different games as well over time. Having said this, some of the machines are beat up and could be fixed or replaced. I wish the foosball table, and basketball game were in better shape to be specific.

Roan Morgan

Had an awesome time here, the games were well kept and the staff were nothing short of great. Definitely gonna be coming back ????

Craig Mattis (Vhex)

Visited this new "Barcade" tonight, what a fantastic place! It's located at the end of the plaza as a single door entrance downstairs. If you ever enjoyed going to the arcade as a child then this place will bring all that nostalgia rushing back! But catering more towards the adult crowd, with a nice selection of beer and booze. And food choices were available through the frat burger located above. They have about 10 pinball machines, and a huge selection of retro arcades, some highlights to me were Street fighter 2, tmnt, NBA jam, terminator judgment day. And they even had shuffle board, skiball, and foosball tables. All of this entertainment for a small cover fee of 5 bucks, and everything is set to freeplay! That's some serious value. I will definitely be visiting Pin Up! Arcade bar on the regular.

Paulan van Nes

For 5 dollar you can play all kinds of games, some of which I remember from childhood. Nice to experience, but won't likely go again (I'm not the type to go out often anyway)

Ian And Laura

We came for March Break. The server, Jen, was amazing. She checked us in, got our drinks, ordered our food... She did it all in a friendly way. She was even kind when my one sons spilt his drink on the floor. Washrooms were clean. Games were a lot of fun.

Carissa Griffiths

Great idea! Did not have to wait to use any of the games. Very friendly staff and At the end of the night I believe it was one of the owners saw me looking at the Firehouse (?) game and came over to explain how it is played, unfortunately it seemed to have been broken, the pinballs did not come out but thank you anyway!

Jessica Gordon

We came from out of town specifically to come to Pin Up, worth the trip. Was recommding the place to friends inbetween turns at the games. What a fun time!!

Chantal Grundy

We had an amazing time with our son...but to be honest I would go there just with my husband. The $8 cover is totally worth it as you can stay as long as you want. Classic games like Donkey Kong, Terri's, Qubert, PacMan and loads of pinball machines.

Dave Caputo

Pin Up Arcade + bar is a local gem. $5 cover gives you unlimited plays on retro arcade and pinball machines. Had a great time with my grown up kids competing on pinball, having a beer and eating a Frat burger. Will definitely return.

Hash Bola

This is my favorite hangout in the city. Great games, great prices, and the staff is always really friendly.

N S

Excellent venue for an excellent price. I paid 5$ for cover. There were 10-15 retro arcade machines including Missile Command, Centipede/Millipede, Time Pilot, DK & DK JR. 10-15 newer games, like shooters, fighting games, and racing games. Other physical games like skeeball, foosball, a weird air hockey-type thing, and shuffleboard. Around 10 pinball machines as well, some as old as the 70s and some very modern ones. My beer was 6.50 and a mixed drink was 4.50. Great value venue, and loads of fun. The owner told me it was all ages before 9 PM. The only thing that would make it better would be earlier hours on weekdays - currently it opens at 4, but I can't be upset since it only just opened. Highly recommend a visit. There's nowhere else like it in KW.

Clay Nagy

Lots of Arcades to choose from, Friendly staff, really fair priced. Lots of fun for Adults and Kids!

Jon Gingrich

Awesome, u can bring your kids, have a beer and everyone is entertained for hours! Lots of cool retro games and a few new ones.

Chris Harry

As far as arcade bars are concerned, this one is rather nice. They have a large variety of pinball machines from many different eras as well as carnival games, like skee-ball. An added plus is the flat rate to get in; you don't need to show up with a couple of pounds of change to play. One down side of this is that some people hog the machines. The shape and size of the room as well as the quality of PA equipment in there makes for a grating experience whenever bands are performing. The room itself has absolutely no sound dampening of any kind and the floors are tiled so the high end frequencies wreak havoc on your ears, and due to the open layout, are sometimes impossible to avoid depending on what is being played. If you're sensitive to loud noises, I suggest staying home on band nights, which as far as I'm aware are primarily on Sundays. Were I the owner, I would invest in an industrial box of earplugs and have them available to patrons on those occasions. Although the majority of people are there for music, not everyone is. If you are a musician performing there, specifically a drummer, get ready for a struggle because the bands play in a somewhat cramped corner. This means that the amps and monitors are almost always situated a couple of feet ahead of you and pointed in the direction of the audience. Very difficult to hear what your bandmates are doing.

Aidan McInnis

This place brings you back to your child hood. The bar girls are so nice and quick with drinks. The staff are fair and games are unlimited. Its a perfect date option, or hangout with friends! I couldn't recommend it enough!

Randy Whiteford

Whether you're into video games or pinball, do yourself a favor and check this place out. Pay one price and play as long as you want.

Dunn Kruger

Bummed that the machines aren't always functioning properly, but totally get they are a little older, and probably a little more worn. Fundamentally, a great place!

Isaac Teschke

I bought 2 beers and it was $19, I was amazed by this. They so charge and admission fee ( nothing wrong with that.) Aswell the staff is super intense and hostile making you feel uncomfortable. The bar tender came up to us every 5 minutes to let us know that we were 5 min closer to last call. Half of the machines do not work.

Leah McCulloch

Great place. Lots of nostalgia. Awesome games that will take you down memory lane. Very reasonable admission price. For all that you can play.

Steve Lee

Fun place to play some games that I remember as a kid, and they even have some really cool new pinball machines. Only down side was a definite funky smell when you first come in.

Joe

Very cool and unique place! For $5 a head you get unlimited play of original arcade games from your childhood. It has a throw back feel, playing music from the 1980s and is fully licensed. You can also order from Fat Burger upstairs and eat it in the arcade. They have a wide selection of likely 50 different arcade, pinball, and carnival games (like basketball toss) as well as table shuffle board. Everyone should give this place a try at least once.

Mike S

Good fun for kids and grown ups !! Lots of retro games and you can spend hours there for $5 per person. Plus a licenced bar.