Orbit Pinball Lounge

My boyfriend and I stopped at Orbit Pinball Lounge on a Saturday night just after 10:30 maybe. Neither of us had ever been. We looked around and ordered a Pabst Blue Ribbon (in a glass bottle) and a Strongbow cider (in a can.) We got $ 5 worth of quarters and headed toward the pinball machines. They had a decent selection of machines and I especially liked the Star Wars machine and The Simpsons machine. They were also 3 lanes of Skee Ball. One row of Skee Ball and at least 3 – 4 pinball machines were out of order. I’m sure when you have this kind of business it’s challenging to keep those kind of machines working all of the time but I thought it really took away from the room to have so much not working. It was a very young crowd in there and we watched two guys pick a fight with each other over nothing. The vibe was hipster wanna be. There was lots of plaid and even a pair of Dickies overalls but they were posers. The place is shiny and new and I want grit and city with my pinball. I have never reviewed it but really one of the best bars in St. Louis, and certainly the absolute best pinball bar, is the The Silver Ballroom. Orbit is just fine if you don’t know any better.

Cool place with a bunch of different pinball machines obviously. Pretty cool concept as some friends and I walked there on New Year’s Eve. Just had a few drinks and played the Metallica (yes the band) pinball machine a few times.
Overall a really unique and different experience!

This place is awesome and I’m so glad it’s become a Maplewood staple!
This is more than just your typical «Barcade»…its more «vintage» style games (not sure if that’s the right description but I think you get the idea… this place is a step-​up) and the staff here is awesome… they have a great local, authentic St. Louis feel and provide this bar with extra personality.
Every time I visit OPL, I know I’m going to have a good night! I always leave feeling happy and wishing the night lasted longer… so if you’ve never been here, you need change that stat.

8 bit pale ale and Simpsons Pinball!!! Yes, please and thank you!!!

Neat place. Came here after dinner at the Piccadilly (previously reviewed) and had a great time.
With wife and two other couples… played some pinball (I love pinball) and then hung out in the bar drinking vodka lemonades.
Really cool bar area. Great lighting and comfortable chairs around a 4 top.
I’ll be back

Really fun place. Had drinks and played games… really chill, great attentive staff. Had a great time.

My group and I weren’t able to enjoy the experience of the lounge because of the loudness levels involved. Otherwise, it seemed like a fun place to hang out every now and then.
Currently there are pinball machines (obviously!), hardwood floors, and hard tables and benches. The only way I would be interested in returning is if the lounge would find a way to decrease the loudness levels. Soft, porous materials would do wonders!
Orbit Pinball Lounge seems like a great place to hang out, as long as you don’t mind the noise!

We dropped by for a quick drink after Side Project cellar closed for the night. Basically two big rooms — one for the bar and one for the pinball machines.
Bar is ok — has a decent amount of bottle/​cans of local brews and a few taps. We didn’t try any food while we were there. They something around 15 pinball machines in the other room you can play.
Overall, a fun idea and a cool place to check out for a quick drink while you’re in the area, but I wouldn’t make a night of just hanging out here. Do a mini barcrawl and check out the other bars in the area like Side Project cellar or the Crow.

Very cool. I noticed right upon entry that their booths had old pinball machines as the table top, very neat.
The Bartender was really cool. The place is very clean.
This is a cool place to just hang out and drink.
Only 2 Cons, some of the pinball machines were a $ 1 (skeeball was only $ 0.25 per) per play and no draft beer.
Would recommend checking it out!

This is a great place for a pit stop on a Maplewood pub crawl. This lounge is sleek and modern, using a good amount of LED lighting. They have a few booths that feature tables made out of re-​purposed pinball machines. Vintage lighted signs line the walls of the lounge area.
They offer a great craft beer selection and have a full bar. They only offer snacks in the way of food. The owner is often behind the bar, happy to speak with you about games or booze. Clayton the bartender is a lot of fun to shoot the breeze with.
Orbit offers about 10 unique pinball machines and three lanes of skee ball. My friends and I have enjoyed ourselves each time we’ve been here. It’s a bit off the beaten path in Maplewood, due south of Saratoga Lanes. It’s definitely worth checking out if you are a pinball junkie!

SAVE YOUR QUARTERS! Boyfriend planned this night and was all excited to go to an vintage arcade. GOT TO ORBIT and was os disappointed!!! There were maybe 5 pinball machines. BORING OLD ONES! Skeetball. old and sirty. and video games… what a joke. 2 video games you had to sit down and play. DONT GO !

Orbit is a fun hangout for the weekends. They have a nicely laid-​out bar area with table seating in the front. The booth tables are made out of vintage pinball machines and they are lit up from beneath, which is just the coolest thing ever. The bartenders are friendly and prompt.
The only thing I wish they did better was the food. They can order food from any of the nearby restaurants and have it delivered, or they have pre-​made pizzas that they can bake for you. We ordered the barbecue chicken pizza, which was good. It’s big enough for two to split and is flatbread style with rectangular pieces. Essentially St. Louis-​style with a high topping-​to-​crust ratio. Pretty good, but disappointed they don’t make their own food in-​house. I understand it’s a whole other person on staff to have a cook, but it makes the experience so much better if you have your own menu. At least be able to whip up some pub grub or cheap appetizers.
The pinball and skee ball machines in the back are awesome! I highly suggest indulging the kid in you to check it out. The skee ball is my favorite and there are three of these, plus at least ten pinball machines, all of which have really cool lights and designs. I’m not a pinball fanatic so I can’t speak to historic factor and how valuable any of these are, but they look amazing. So many sounds and flashing lights — definitely an experience.

We decided on a whim to check this place out after dinner. It’s a fun, quirky place that you should try! The décor is cute (some of the tables are pinball machines), the bar is nicely sized and appeared well stocked (although no Miller Lite if that’s your thing and no draft at all), and if you enjoy skee ball or pinball, you will absolutely have a great time! We saw people from 21 to probably mid-50’s and all were having a good time. Drinks are reasonably priced, bar staff was attentive and the restrooms aren’t bad. They do have a change machine, but if you’re going for some serious play, you may want to bring your own supply of quarters as the change machines can form a line at times.
Seems like a safe neighborhood and there’s a parking lot just about a block away.
We will go back!

A friend and I randomly wandered in here a few months ago after very curiously putting our faces up to the windows for a few minutes. we saw tables that were pinball machines and had to go in.
It was a weekday night and pretty empty. The drinks were cheap and then… We saw the game room! Tons of pinball and skeball for a quarter! We had so much fun playing. This place is awesome.

I love pinball, and I play every chance I get, both at home and on location. Orbit is one of a handful of convenient St. Louis area locations featuring a sizable collection of pinball machines under one roof.
There is a lot to like about Orbit: the décor is very cool, with a dim bar area adorned by some really tasteful old pinball playfields which are lit from behind, casting a warm glow over the room. The bar is nice and stocked with a full selection, tended by some people who really make a nice drink.
The selection of machines is also respectable. While they’re not all A-​list machines, there is a nice rotation of classics and hidden gems that you don’t necessarily see at other locations in the area. There’s also a row of skee-​ball machines should you prefer wood to steel.
So, with so much going for it, why do I give orbit a middling review?
For one, the machines are not incredibly well maintained. During several dozen visits, I have invariably encountered machines that were not working properly. Switches out, trough optos intermittently functioning, lights out on the playfield, etc. This is pinball, so this stuff happens, but I often see the same issues crop up on the same machines, meaning the machines are infrequently maintained, or never fixed in the first place.
A lot of these issues are simple and easy to fix. It would literally take just a few seconds to correct most errors and get the game back into service. However, it appears that no one on site has the know-​how to fix issues on the fly. I don’t believe the machines are serviced by an operator, but even so, there should be an agreement that would allow the staff to remove the glass to fix minor issues, and there should be someone present during busy hours who has the knowledge and ability to fix issues that crop up.
And that’s the main issue with Orbit. Doesn’t seem to bother a lot of people, but during the weekends, I get the impression that most of the people there aren’t really there to play pinball. This is evident by the cluster of people hovering around the skee-​ball machines, crowding out the left side of the pinball bank, and the overall lack of etiquette demonstrated by those playing pinball (people abandoning games, taking too long to resume play, or even worse, sidling up to your machine and playing your game if you turn your back for even a second).
All in all, Orbit is a less pinball-​focused bar than The Silver Ballroom, and it seems to attract a younger clientele. Yes, there is the advantage of not reeking of smoke when you go to Orbit, but overall, The Silver Ballroom remains the better venue for those who are out specifically to play pinball.

Orbit is a really fun place to hang out on a Friday or Saturday night. They have a ton of pinball machines in a back room and in the front there is a casual lounge. It sort of has a «swanky» feel… if you know what I mean. Bring your quarters, because you will really drop a pretty penny on those machines… especially if you suck at pinball like me! One of the most fun parts, though is their skeeball section! It is great to compete with friends, bet the next round on top score!
One thing I wish for Orbit is to have a draft selection of beer. The last time I was there, there were only cans and bottle selection.
They have these fun (and surprisingly delicious) little pizzas you can order if you get a craving here late night, but other than that, there really isn’t a food offering.
Check it out!

Orbit Pinball Lounge earns every drop or praise it gets. This place is such a unique and awesome bar, I hope to visit more often.
The lighting, design, and atmosphere is so perfectly whimsical and inviting it really makes it a unique adventure. The bar area is super dark but still lit up with plenty of neon-​esque lighting. The game room is kept dark but the numerous pinball and skee ball machines make it come alive. Orbit walks the fine line of dive bar and and retro play center. The games are all very cheap. 25 cents for skee ball and 50 cents for pinball. I probably dropped $ 10 for quarters and that kept my friends and I busy for quite some time. Annnnnnd they have the most awesome nerdy of machines. Lord of the rings, star wars, JURASSIC PARK! I’m sold.
In the bar area they have board games scattered around (i.e. Jenga and Trivial Pursuit). I didn’t partake in any of these but hope to when I return.
I didn’t try any of the food but I didn’t see they offered some a pizza menu. I don’t know if it’s very expansive other than that. There drinks are very fairly priced and the service is amazing. The bartender was super friendly, attentive, and laid back.
If this place was a block away from my house, I would love it even more! I feel like there are tons of locals who just walk here to have a beer and play some pinball. The idea of that is epic.
I can’t wait to show more friends this place!

Since I settled on a four star rating for Silver… I have to give Orbit a five star…
Why?
Orbit is better.
They are completely different vibes though. Orbit has a bit more upscale feel. Not upscale, but more upscale than Silver. Also? There is no cloud of smoke when you enter the door.
I 100% agree with other reviewers that this place is small.
A buddy and I went there on a night they happened to be having a Skee ball tournament (I actually don’t recall ever having played skee ball in my life… which maybe needs to be mended — next time!) and it got a big crowded as people were sitting at and standing around the middle tables in the back room. Hard to get my pinball on when someone was less than a foot away behind me.
I only played a couple of the machines… I played The Simpsons one, whichever one is to the left of that machine… and the Austin Powers machine (which was by far my favorite… toilets, flowers, shagging, time warps, and mini-​me). I was decent at it even after my standard cosmo, twice earning a replay for a decent score.
Cosmo was about average to little more than average price… I feel like it was $ 9? Which is akin to a place like Bailey’s Chocolate Bar, only without as much alcohol in it.

Super cool place! I’ve been wanting to check it out for awhile an so I was so happy when my work rented it out for its holiday party. There is street parking but it’s easy to find, just a bit off the main Manchester drag. It has big windows, a good sized bar, several booths with dark wood and leather, and a back room with skee ball (3 games) and pinball (about 14 games). The skee ball costs 25 cents a game and the pinball 50 cents, though if you bought multiple games on one machine, you could save (on a couple machines, not all).
By having a private party, we rented it out from 6 – 9 on a weekend and were able to bring our own food, which was very cool. They provided a cash bar. Prices were good and staff were nice and efficient.
I’d definitely return for some drinks and games! Fun times.

Sometimes Unilocal makes me look like quite the rockstar with my friends. and «discovering» this place was one of those times. Don’t worry, I give my Unilocal friends proper credit when due!
Love this place. We only drank and played pinball but that was plenty for a fun night. I just wish it was a little bit bigger. it’s hard to stand next to someone and heckle their lack of pinball skills when the machines are so close together. Plus it does get SO loud when it’s crowded, between the people talking and the machines going. I’ll certainly be back though!