Discover 10 bars with arcades, board games, video games and even archery in SP

Teenagers in the 1980s and 1990s can kill the homesickness for games from that time and travel back in time in bars and restaurants in São Paulo that have arcades, video games and old board games.

Spaces like the recently opened Bario, in Pinheiros, dedicated to arcades and arcades, bet on decoration full of references to the pop culture of past decades to generate a feeling of nostalgia in the public.

Venues like the Fan Hour and Good Games e-Sport Bar, which specialize in video games, offer a range of older consoles, such as Super Nintendo and Mega Drive, for customers to relive Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and other childhood and teenage games . For the more in tune, there are also online game options.

As adults, players can combine the games with cold beers, classic cocktails and signature drinks that are served at these addresses. To restock between one match and another, the bet is on snacks to share and hamburgers, an almost unanimous presence on the menus.

The itinerary also includes places with other games, such as pool, table tennis, bowling and even archery.

The use of a mask is still mandatory in these establishments, after all, the pandemic is not over yet. Some places recommend booking in advance to ensure fun.

Bario

New in Pinheiros, opened at the end of September, the bar takes a trip back in time and recreates the atmosphere of arcade houses from the 1980s and 1990s, complete with neon signs and decor inspired by the pop culture of that time. Spread over two floors are two bars, a restaurant and around 50 arcade machines, from retro to modern. Iron Maiden themed pinballs, Street Fighter arcades, an aero hockey table and other types of games should ensure the adults’ fun. Each chip, which entitles you to one move, costs R$5, and three cost R$10. Classic cocktails, signature drinks and craft beer from the breweries Tarantino and Startup Brewing come from the counter on the ground floor. In the gastronomic wing, there are sandwiches, burgers, portions and individual pizzas.
R. Coropé, 41, Pinheiros, west region, tel. (11) 3817-4433. Instagram @bariobar

Cat bed

In the middle of the drinking, a ping-pong table installed at the back of the bar usually gathers people around to risk a few shots. Use is free. The house, equipped with collective tables in a long corridor with almost no decoration, has a simple menu and friendly prices. Among the drinks, which cost up to R$ 32, there are classic recipes, such as negroni and moscow mule, and copyrights. Of the latter, a curious suggestion is the Louro Citrico (R$ 25), which includes cachaça, laurel syrup, Tahiti lemon juice, saline solution and gold leaf. To ensure the energy for table tennis matches, there are sandwiches and skewers.
​R. Amaral Gurgel, 453, Vila Buarque, central region, tel. (11) 3129-9581. Instagram @camadegat0

Fan Hour

The hamburger shop in Pinheiros has tables equipped with television and old consoles —among the options are Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Mega Drive, Playstation and Nintendo Switch—, board games and a karaoke room for the public. For R$ 10 per person, you can play freely for two hours. Karaoke costs R$ 120 an hour for groups of up to 15 people. The house, which should please geeks, has a drinks and food menu with references to games — the burgers, for example, can come in colorful breads stamped with the faces of the characters Pikachu and Mario, from the classic game.
R. Artur de Azevedo, 898, Pinheiros, western region, tel. (11) 3063-2070. Instagram @fanhourbr. Delivery via iFood, Rappi and Uber Eats

​Good Game e-Sport Bar

Longing for old video games like Super Nintendo, Playstation and Mega Drive can have fun in this bar dedicated to the gamer universe, which offers more than a hundred game options. The consoles are arranged on nine tables equipped with TV, where it is also possible to eat and drink. You pay a fee of R$20 to enter, which becomes consummation at the bar. From the menu, the tip is the portions to share, such as chicken baits (R$ 33.90) and mini pastries (R$ 29.90). The upper floor of the house is dedicated to electronic sports, including League of Legends, Counter Strike and Free Fire, with ten computers with gamer accessories.
R. Mourato Coelho, 992, Vila Madalena, west region, tel. (11) 99933-2828. Instagram @ggesportsbar

Ipo Bar

Classic cocktails & a pool table are the attractions of this bar in Lapa, with a bohemian atmosphere and trendy decor. In the middle room, which looks like a living room, with sofas scattered around, is the pool table. There, you play in order of arrival and there is no need to pay. During the eating break, there are options for sandwiches and appetizers. On weekends, there is a barbecue-like lunch.
R. Mota Pais, 32, Lapa, western region, tel. (11) 3853-6178. Instagram @ipobar. Delivery via iFood

Game Luderia

One of the most traditional addresses in the city when it comes to board games, opened in 2007, the bar at Bexiga has a collection of 1,200 options, ranging from classic Banco Imobiliário, War and Detetive, to more complex and modern titles. Monitors are available to explain the games on the menu and an individual entry fee of R$28 is charged to play with no time limit. The food and drink menu is named after board games. The portion of fries, called Jenga Gigante, comes in versions of up to 1 kg (costs R$ 62) and is one of the suggestions for snacking during the games.
R. Treze de Maio, 972, Bela Vista, central region, tel. (11) 99241-2211. Instagram @ludusluderiaoficial

Pinball Mania

Inside a store that sells and renovates arcade machines, the house has a space for the public to have fun with pinball and other arcades on Fridays and Saturdays, lulled by a rock soundtrack. You pay a fixed amount of R$50 per person —in the promotion, the couple pays R$50— to play freely on the approximately 15 machines, which change frequently, and may have themes such as Star Wars, Batman and Space Jam. When your fingers are tired, you can sit at the tables and order beers, snacks, hamburgers and, on the more oriental side of the menu, hot-rolls, temakis and pokes.
R. Pernambuco, 403, São Caetano do Sul, tel. (11) 98282-4004 (WhatsApp). Instagram @pinball_mania

Medieval tavern

With decor inspired by medieval times and its alchemists, potions, wizards and jesters, the themed burger joint offers a type of game that matches this historical period: archery. In the basement, there is a space to practice the game with the help of an instructor —R$ 15 gives the right to nine arrows —, in addition to RPG games. On the menu, portions and burgers have names reminiscent of movies and series like “Game of Thrones” and “The Lord of the Rings”, and the drinks, made in an alchemy laboratory bar, are served in mugs and cups that resemble test tubes.
R. Gandavo, 456, Vila Clementino, southern region, tel. (11) 4114-2816. Instagram @taverna_medieval. Delivery via iFood, Gurmit, Rappi and Uber Eats

Willi Willie

Open since 1978, the medieval bar and archery in Moema combines beers, appetizers, rock concerts and archery. There, under the help of instructors, visitors can test their sights in a three-lane shooting stand with a distance of six meters. The activity costs R$10 for ten archery and, on Thursdays, a promotion goes for R$5 a series of arrows. A bar on the ground floor serves long-neck beers, handcrafted labels, spirits & classic cocktails.
Al. dos Pamaris, 30, Indianópolis, southern region, tel. (11) 5533-0020 and (11) 97242-3648 (WhatsApp). Instagram @williwilliebar