Best arcades & games for a date in New York
Bowling, arcades and escape rooms, then dinner to settle the score.
60 spots · Jump to the list
A little competition gets you past first-date small talk faster than anything. Bowling, arcades, escape rooms and mini golf give you something to do with your hands and something to laugh about over dinner afterwards. Most are walk-in; escape rooms need booking.
This guide ranks 60 arcades & games in New York, from Chelsea / Hell's Kitchen to Upper West Side and Astoria / Long Island City. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
The list
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
Buttermilk Bar
4.1(17)Park Slope / Gowanus · $
Amsterdam Billiards
4.0(22)Flatiron / Gramercy · $$
Cellar Dog
4.0(20)West Village / Greenwich Village · $
Lucky Strike Chelsea Piers
4.0(17)Chelsea / Hell's Kitchen
Dive 75
4.0(13)Upper West Side · $
Barcade (Chelsea)
4.0(9)Chelsea / Hell's Kitchen · $$
Alligator Lounge
4.0(5)Williamsburg · $
Break Bar and Billiards
4.0(4)Astoria / Long Island City
Frames Bowling Lounge
3.9(18)Midtown Manhattan
Jake's Dilemma
3.7(18)Upper West Side · $
Secret Pour
Bushwick / Ridgewood · $
Basement
Tribeca
Showing 49–60 of 60 spots
Good to know
- What's the best arcade or game spot in New York for a date?
- Our top pick is Buttermilk Bar in Park Slope / Gowanus, rated 4.1 out of 5. Amsterdam Billiards and Cellar Dog round out the top 3.
- Which New York neighborhoods have the best arcades & games?
- Chelsea / Hell's Kitchen (2), Upper West Side (2) and Astoria / Long Island City (1) have the most spots in the top 12.
- Are there affordable arcades & games in New York?
- Yes — Buttermilk Bar, Amsterdam Billiards and Cellar Dog are all $$ or under.
- What should we do before or after?
- Make it a game night out: friendly competition, then dinner. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.