Arcade Bar

I’m not usually one to make bad reviews on Unilocal but I had such an awful experience that I felt compelled to say something. My friends and I (a group of 6) were initially turned away because the bouncer said he could not accommodate all of us. The place was pretty empty. It was obvious he just didn’t want to let us in. We were a mixed crowd of guys and girls and maybe he didn’t like that we were having a good time or just wanted to have a power trip but he was very rude. Bouncers are the first impression anyone has of a place and having a bad one just turns people off and puts them in a bad mood. Not exactly great for business.
He eventually caved and let us in and the place easily accommodated us as expected. The games were fun and the bar service was average. The bartenders were hit or miss: some friendly, some jerks. The night would’ve been a lot more enjoyable without the initial bad experience. I probably won’t go back if that bouncer is still employed. I’m sure other patrons will eventually follow suit…

Are you an adult who loves to drink & play? Well, obviously you need to go to the Arcade Bar. A divey-​style, 3-​story bar filled with arcade games on every level — even the older ones you used to play on your original Nintendo system — as well as more interactive games like Ski-​ball (can anyone seriously nail the 100 slot?) and Foosball, too.
Feel like just lounging instead? There’s ample seating, high-​top tables, spacious bars, and cup holders everywhere per another fellow Unilocaler’s review (shout-​out to James J.), a bar on every level, and great bartenders. Full liquor bars, no food served, no smoking (yay!).
It gets busy and crowded so be prepared to wait a little for popular games. Head up to the 3^rd level for more space/​seating and the largest bar in the joint. Games take tokens so bring cash although ATM is available inside if you forget.
We were here Saturday night and I have to give a STANDING OVATION to the bartender on the 1^st floor (I don’t know his name but hope he or his manager sees this) — there was an incredibly intoxicated woman at the bar, barely able to sit on the stool, falling over, appeared like she was blacking out and couldn’t keep her head up. The people she was with were trying to coax her outside to get a cab/​Über and go home, but she resisted/​refused for several minutes. She was causing a scene. The bartender gave her a water and when she tried to order a drink she obviously did NOT need, he firmly told her she was cut off and needed to leave. He repeatedly told her she needs to leave during the 20 or so minutes she hung around. Her friends as well as the bar manager on duty urged her out and eventually did get her safely into a cab/​Über and sent her home. I applaud the bartender for being adamant and responsible by looking out for this woman’s safety and not allowing her to continue to drink. He also seemed to be looking out for other patrons like myself — nobody wants a sloppy drunk, falling all over, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere for others — so THANK YOU to the bartender on the 1^st floor who was so great and responsible Saturday night!

List of matches made in heaven: peanut butter + jelly, wine + cheese, and now alcohol + arcade games. Having never been exposed to the chain arcade bars, I can’t compare Arcade Bar outright to these places. What I CAN comment on are other bars I’ve been to, other arcades I’ve been to, and the fact that this spot does a fantastic job on both fronts.
The Venue
A few doors down west of the intersection at Main St. and University Ave., Arcade Bar is easily flagged now by a custom sign placed against the side of its 3^rd story. The other surrounding business might suggest this spot is also quaint, at least until you discover that all 3 floors of the building are dedicated to video games, pinball machines, bars, and spots to chill. Two sets of stairs exist: interior steps through all 3 areas and external stairs that go directly from ground to 3^rd floor.
1^st Floor — Here’s where you’ll find the majority of their popular games and pinball machines. A full bar sits right near the entrance, and the token machine for this floor is towards the back of the room. This is where you can get draft beers also: the selection is small but solid and pours are served in plastic cups.
2^nd Floor — More lounge-​like, with a solid bit of seating and slightly less noise. This floor partly overlooks the ground floor, a neat-​o aesthetic, and more games of course. They once had a projector with a retro console that was free to play but that was off on my last visit
3^rd Floor — Bar #2 lives here, and it’s a lot bigger of a space in general. Plenty of stools for grabbing your drink, and booths lined against the back for chatting there also. Skee Ball and some other arcade games exist here to entertain.
The Vibe
Not sure why I ever thought it, but I expected to see this place slower on the weekends. Wrong. They were packed on all 3 floors Friday night with a nice blend of patrons. Between the better games being on the first floor and the bar also, expect to feel a little cramped if you go during peak times. Plenty of TVs are placed throughout the floors to accommodate for sports fans which I was happy about, and they also have an integrated virtual jukebox you can queue up music from your phone with (it’s a paid service, but downloading the app is free).
Final Thoughts
My favorite perks:
+ Cup holders are all over the place, including near games
+ Great selection of games, and they are rotated pretty frequently thanks to a partnership with a JAX arcade distributor
My constructive criticism list is short:
— Too many of the machines were broken/​unplugged, which means waiting in line to play
— Drink prices are not clearly advertised or accessible
— Tokens are needed for games, so be careful to not overspend
Overall this is a knockout because it accommodates a large crowd and the barrier to entry is low: send as much as you feel like on games, enjoy drinks regardless. Prices for drinks SEEM on par and the energy of the place is great!

Holy crap, this place is amazeballs fun. Can’t add anything to what the first reviewer said. I didn’t even get to play any of the games I wanted to because it was so packed. The only downside is that my handicapped buddy was restricted to the first floor because there’s no elevator or other ADA means of him getting around, and all the seating areas downstairs were full. But he still had a great time, as did I. Check it out.

TLDR: Favorite new bar in Gainesville, the Top is doing great things for downtown, pinball roolz
The Top Empire does it again. Barcade is awesome, Im totally addicted to pinball now, and I am stoked to see so much life on this corner of downtown.
Barcade is 3 stories, with arcade games on each floor. There’s a bar on the bottom floor and the 3^rd floor. 3^rd floor is more open and loungey. Second floor has some really cute and intimate booths and nooks. Bottom floor has the most arcade games and gets really packed.
As with all Top businesses, there is a well designed aesthetic that brings character and life to the space. It’s a simple, clean, arcade hall vibe. The demographic here hasn’t settled out yet, maybe it’ll always be a mix. On the weekends you get a wide range with college kids in khakis and dockers, older folks checking out the arcade games, 20 something gamers, downtown regulars, punks, hipsters, normies, nerds, whatever. Do I hope that one day the punks scare the frat bros back to dave and busters so I can play the Simpson’s pinball game without hearing terrible things being said? Maybe. But until then, Ill gladly keep coming back here.
It’s worth saying for the uninitiated, The Top owns a decent chunk of the heart of Gainesville’s downtown, smack dab at University and Main. With The Top proper, their prep kitchen on the university face of the block, the Wooly, the Atlantic across the street, Pop-​a-​Top, Small Bar, and now Barcade, the top is bringing a lot of life to an area of town that just a couple of years ago was dead.
It’s not just good news for the Top and Gainesville’s young and hip, their businesses bring foot traffic to the area which is vital for the survival of independent businesses in the area. Downtowns thrive on foot traffic. Arrow’s Aim records has always benefitted from The Top patrons perusing their vinyl while waiting for a table to become available. Now with Arrows Aim occupying what used to be FLA Gallery, the symbiotic relationship with the top is stronger than ever. Not to mention Video Rodeo nestled between Death or Glory and Barcade. This block is the perfect place to meet a date at the top for dinner, get to know each other’s music choice at Arrow’s Aim, let him win foosball at Barcade, get cute over a fancy cocktail at Small Bar, grab a movie to «watch» from Video Rodeo, and ice cream and snacks from Pop a Top to round out the night. Then you can get each other’s names tattooed at Death or Glory the day after. All that gross, hipster romcom-​ability within one block. I love it. Take that, Brooklyn!