Boxcar Bar + Arcade

This was the best bar I visited on my last trip to Raleigh. It was pretty crowded on Sunday night, but the atmosphere was fantastic. The bar features lots of retro arcade games and pinball machines, along with classics like air hockey, skee-ball, and dome hockey. You need tokens to play, but there's a token machine that accepts both cash and credit cards. The place is pet-friendly and has a great vibe, with fun touches like voice-activated hand dryers and motion detector hand sanitizer dispensers. I recommend sticking to the beers, as the cocktails are a bit watered down. There are plenty of cup holders to keep your drinks safe while you play. This place is perfect for hanging out with friends and having a great time. There's plenty of parking available, including a paid lot nearby, and they accept credit cards.

This is a great spot to relax and have fun. Although, once you have gone 2x or more you may get bored with the same games. Overall I had fun. My sister came to town and we like to compete. We challenged each other every game we played. They serve drinks but I don't think they have food.

Super fun place to hang and play old school arcade games. Drinks are reasonably priced and pizza is pretty good. Best part is probably their outdoor patio area with the fireplaces. Would recommend 100%!

I liked the atmosphere of the store, the staff, and the games they had. There were plenty of pinball tables to choose from. The Godzilla and Toy Story pinballs were especially fun! Unfortunately, the games were played with store-specific coins, so it would be nice to be able to use 25 cent coins. There is an exchange machine for game coins, but it's a waste of the surplus in the middle of the game... There is plenty of parking around the area, so you can drive there.

Be warned, you cannot enter here without an ID. My husband and I drove 40 minutes to have some food and family fun with our two kids, 9 and 11. My husband didn’t bring his wallet because he hurt is back and wasn’t driving. He also didn’t plan on drinking so he didn’t think he would need his ID. When we got there he was refused entry because he didn’t have his ID. We are both very obviously over 21…me 46 and him 43. So, basically I could enter with my kids but he couldn’t come in with us. Absolutely ridiculous. I see comments from Boxcar on previous bad reviews that NC laws prevent entry without an ID. That is not correct. They only prevent the sale or consumption of alcohol for someone under 21. Why not implement a wristband system if someone is under 21 or doesn’t have ID? Or just have some common sense and good customer service? Both seem to be lacking here. It was noon on Saturday and the place was dead. You’d think they would want the business. In the end, we took our business elsewhere and gave our money to an establishment that wanted us there. We won’t be back.

Had such a great time! Music was great and so was the atmosphere! Highly recommended going if you want to go out and have fun and have a few drinks. Better than Dave & busters!

Boxcar has been a great place to go in my experience thus far. The staff have been respectful, friendly, and sweet every time I've gone. I've always felt taken care of upon going here, where staff are welcoming engage in a way that makes you feel like friends upon meeting them for the first time. They go through efforts to make people feel safe. They've instated security on weekends to ensure added safety, and the security people are super friendly and patient! The games are fun and there's a good beer selection. The only thing I'd suggest is getting the Injustice game back, but that's all. The drinks are typically great! There's usually a good beer that you can find on tap or the bartenders will work with you to find a fitting cocktail for the time you're having. Sunday mimosas are pretty rad, too! The patrons make it great, too! I'm sure the welcoming staff are a variable in attracting welcoming patrons. No matter the reason, patrons are usually welcoming here! I can't count the interactions I've had with people I previously didn't know and left feeling like I've made a new friend. I think you could go to Boxcar alone and feel extremely welcome Also, I went here for their Taylor Swift night a while back and it was my favorite night out in a long time! I'd love more events like that!!

We stopped in after dinner with our children. The kids loved it and we could have a beer while we played with them. Great time for the family overall. Children are allowed in before 8 pm.

We decided to go here after eating dinner on and Wednesday night and were surprised by how busy they were. The only problem we had was that the token machine that takes cards would not work for us so we had to use the atm and then the cash machine for tokens. $10 of tokens is enough for to people to play an adequate amount of games. I would start with that and then maybe do another $10 afterwards if you still want to play. They have a great playlist and we had a good time.

Boxcar is a unique place to unleash your inner child in the triangle. I previously visited their Durham location which is huge in comparison to Downtown Raleigh. This location does not have as much real estate, games or the cool pizza counter, however there is a little bit of something for all gamers and 80's babies alike to enjoy. I visited after 10 p.m. while celebrating a birthday with a friend and he really enjoyed being a big kid for the evening. Mario Kart, Air Hockey, Skeeball, NBA JAM, Pinball, StreetFighter and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are all classics. The staff were very friendly and worked hard. I love the late night hours and parking was seamless when scoring a spot right in front of the building.

Boxcar Bar + Arcade is a super fun place to hang out for an afternoon or evening. We asked it my 17-year old stepson could come inside or if it was only 21 and older. The staff said he could come in until 7 pm. Sadly, we only had an hour, but he had the best time in that hour. My husband and I enjoyed all the old-school games like galactica, pac-man, frogger, and so many more. I've been a few other times with friends and had a fun time hanging out for drinks and entertainment. Boxcar is a great option for something different to do.

We love box car!! This was a fun night out, we will definitely be back. Good music, no issues with fighting or people being over served. It's definitely a young crowd but we fit in at ages 30-45. There is no food, but you are more than welcome to order from local spots and have it delivered. They have holiday drink specials that are pretty good. The bartenders stay very busy but keep a great flow. No long hold ups. Tip you'd bar staff, they keep the night going.

Went to Boxcar while waiting out the rain for a concert. Great time of games and drinks!!

Bar is stocked and they had specials on a daily basis The games are good for single and multiplayers This place brings back all the fun you had as a teen but with Drinks. Great place to hangout

I was in Raleigh on a business trip. Me and some of my colleagues went there in the evening. It has a lot of the "old school" arcade games and play games (ski ball, basketball, air hockey). You purchase tokens which I think were equivalent to quarters. There was a little nostalgia seeing Street Fighter, Pac Man, Galaga, Simpsons and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the 4 player one). There were also a lot of pinball machines and TVs to watch sports. They also had a full bar and while I didn't pay for any drinks (lucky me) it sounded like they were decent prices. I'd go again next time I'm in town. We went on a "Singles Night" where apparently you could get a name tag and free tokens, so my friends and I signed up whether we were single or not.

Cool place to hang out with friends on a weekend. It can get packed but it's still fun. I like the variety of drinks and it's a nice spot to take someone on a date.

I've passed this place so many times and finally went in with my husband while we were out on a date. It was pretty packed, but I did see there was a section reserved for an event. We arrived just before 8pm and I heard an announcement saying anyone under 21 must leave by 8. There's a big bar with a couple of TVs around but they have music playing. There are many games available to play, kind of like a mini Dave&Busters. We had to wait for a couple of games but it wasn't a big deal at all. It was a very fun night, allowing us to relax and let loose. The crowd was mostly 20's, but we felt completely comfortable in our 30's. This is a great place to go with friends or family.

This place is a vibe! From the games, the staff, the decor and the showing of quality cartoons. A friend and I decided to try out the onesie party event at this local spot. There weren't many onesies, but the energy was fun and positive. The bar staff was knowledgeable and friendly. I appreciate that some of the staff wore onesies for the event. The drink selection offers various IPAs, hard seltzers and cocktails. I enjoyed the Oh Yeah! drink (the name made me think of Macho Man Randy Savage). I do wish that this location offered some type of snacks for customers. I appreciate the variety of games at Boxcar. The location offers pinball, skeeball, air hockey, arcade games and driving simulation games. I was excited to see a arcade favorite of mine-The Simpson game. I will for sure visit this location again.

Boxcar Bar + Arcade is a busy, busy bar that also happens to have some great vintage arcade games. We were shocked at how packed BB+A was this early on a Saturday. We've been to a few vintage arcades in other cities and have never seen one so packed with younger people who are (maybe) playing these games for the very first time. Without missing a beat, we grabbed some quick drinks from the center bar and made the rounds to play some classics, favorites, and long-forgotten games. Yes, we're those Gen-X'ers that fondly remember playing Street Fighter, NBA Jam, Ms. Pac-Man, and Frogger "back in the day." We also saw a few sweet games that we forgot about, like Jurassic Park. What we enjoyed most about BB+A was that the entire crowd was cool and level headed. We played a few games of NBA Jam with a group of much younger guys, talked a LOT of trash, and ended the game with high fives and props. Our only feedback would be to lower the front pinball section from $1 to .50. When the back gets packed, the pinball section is the only place you have some elbow room, enjoy your drink, and continue the fun. We look forward to our next BB+A outing, cold drinks, and Jam session.

I ordered a brisket sandwich and fries for about $25. The sandwich was very good and fries plentiful. The challenge was finding a table to eat at and the wait was about 25 minutes. The live music was good but very loud. Fun spot if you're prepared for the lines and challenges for seating. One additional note, we ate here during the summer 85 degrees while there was a band playing.

Absolutely great spot for a Saturday night! Lots of fun games to play and I really liked the outside area to enjoy a cool breezy night. The pizza was good but I would've liked something else to eat as well. Beers were plentiful, cheap, and super easy to get even with a full house! Fully recommend.

Pinball machines in good condition and decent selection. It is extremely loud in the back of this establishment

Place is what it says it is. Lots of arcade and pinball games. Football, Ski-ball, air hocky. Good selection. Full bar. Was there on a weekday during Christmas holiday. The place was full of kids burning through their parents cash while they had a drink or two or.... I played some pinball. A buck a game. Games seemed to be well maintained.

This is a great spot to have a drink, catch the game, or play a ton of different games! They have pinball, skiball, air hockey, basketball, Pac-Man, etc. So many different games to choose from, there's something for everyone! The service is quick and the space is HUGE! Great spot to meet up with friends or a fun date night!

I love going boxcar!!!!! I love going on a date here or with a bunch of friends or with my whole family! The drinks are an added bonus but I really enjoy just playing all the games. They got a good section of games and each machine has a cup holder near by so you can easily game and drink. The best place to hangout!

Service is fine, beer selection is fine. Before I left NC for the free republic of Texas, I used to go here all the time. Like twice a week after work, at least. It was super fun, and they always had plenty of machines. I'm back visiting for the week and stopped by. It's nothing like it used to be. They've reduced their cabinet selection by what looks like 80%. The entire point of coming here was that selection. No reason to come back again.

I've lived in the area for 6 years and work downtown and frequent this spot. I have never experienced such poor service until this day. the bar closed at 1am on a Thursday but by 1:01am I witnessed the entire staff telling me to chug and get out. Once the comment was made, we were trying to finish our drinks we paid for and to get out. They became hostile making offensive comments and that we needed to leave at the moment (1:02am). For what reason?! We did not continue to game or order more. Tabs were closed out before hand. We stepped aside to finish what we paid for. We were paying patrons. We respected that they were closed and were trying to finish what we paid for, but the staff staring yelling saying we need to be on the street. I will never give these people another dollar. SO RUDE!!

Honestly, this place was pretty cool! I loved the old school arcade games! It was pretty packed on a Friday night so it did get a little difficult to play on any of the games, so we mainly were on the pinball machines. But, the bartenders were great! Be ready to order cause they are trying to get everyone served as quickly and efficiently possible while making sure you're taking care of. The atmosphere overall was great too. There was an outdoor section that you could sit down and a DJ playing which was nice as well.

So much fun! A mixture of new and older arcade games with a bar if you wanna indulge in a drink. The vibe there is just right with everyone laughing and having fun at all the games. Will be back soon!

Overrated...bad experience. At the door, no greeting, demanded ID and took photo with no explanation or customer service. Most of the games accepted tokens and then didn't work. Wouldn't go back.

First - location is downtown Raleigh, perfect place for this! Lots of fun arcade games and old school games like skee ball. I was victorious in two games against my husband. Second - they have Kona Lager on draft, liquid Aloha - love it! The bathrooms were clean and the service was on point. They card everyone on the way in since it is a family friendly place. Excellent way to spend an afternoon out of the heat and humidity.

Fun place! Lots of games, you get a cup for coins to go in, DDR was fun. The place was slightly grimy. But worth checking out

Had a great time here last night. Had someone skip me and was a bit peeved but the atmosphere of this place is so freeing. Upon trying to order a drink I asked the bartender if they had a particular alcohol and they said "can't hear you sorry" and then walked away. Waited another 5 minutes until another bartender saw me and asked me how long I've been waiting for and apologized. Had a great amaretto sour and loved the pinball machines. Would definitely come here just not on a busy weekend.

Really fun spot in downtown Raleigh for a date night or night out with friends. Bartenders were nice, drink selection was adequate. Gave 4 stars vs 5 because it felt like there could've been a few more games.

I absolutely love this place. I'm from Chicago so brunch prices for liquor and drinks is usually a bit pricey. But not here. Amazing deals for Sunday, mixed with arcade games. You honestly can't go wrong. I've been here 3 times since I've been out here travel nursing and it's always a good time. Sometimes there is live music on the patio and that's always a treat. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a chill time with drinks and fun.

Years ago I enjoyed the place. Today was my second time attempting to go in two months. They are now forcing all patrons to give them your address, height, age, hair color, and sex. You also MUST take a photo for their database EVERY time you enter. They refuse to check id like a normal establishment. Have you ever traveled through China? I have, and this is exactly how citizens are treated out there. Its so eeriely disturbing that I suggest people avoid this big brother surveillance bar.

Super friendly staff, great music, clean place. Went for an ugly sweater party and it was packed but an amazing time. All the patrons were friendly and there to have a great time. Will definitely be returning!

I came here with a bunch of my friends that were working dreamville. They said my ID was FAKE! I brought my ID, birth certificate, social, and passport. They are absolute idiots. They have outdated technology that they refuse to pay for. I was treated like shit even though they were wrong. Do not go here they get you drunk and scam you for a dollar a game anyway! Save yourself. This was my favorite place the past 7 years. They suck now. Don't even try

Was walking around looking for the parking lot to my car and ran across this place. Seen a crowd outside and heard the music so decided to check it out. Staff - They have someone checking id's at front, and a good amount of bar tenders, but looks like short on staff having people walk around cleaning up the arcade. Other than that it was kinda crowded to see how friendly staff could be. Venue - Place is a decent size with a good size bar, a good amount of games at the arcade, and a patio with a dj outside. Location - Great location in downtown Raleigh. Prices - Drinks are cheap and good pours. Overall it's a great place to come to if you have a group of friends and want to have drinks and play games.

So much fun! Great mix of old and new school games. Love the pinball, but would love some more variety. Lots of the games break, but the staff are super nice about it and comp with free tokens no questions asked. Will for sure be back!

This place has really great drink specials, lots of games, and reasonably price. The only thing, perhaps which can be expected, is that it's a bit dirty (I.e. the floors and games were really sticky or had drinks spilled on them).

Fun place to go for a night out if you are in the mood for arcades. Drinks, games, and outdoor space to hang out, it's the perfect adult hangout. Highly recommend going here!

If you need a place to hangout with friends, this is your place. There is a wide range of classic arcade games for one to choose from, with a very efficient bar that serves generous shots for their customers. If you're young and need a place to take a date, this is the place for you.

Fun for the entire family (before 7!). Love playing the old pinball machines. People working there are helpful and friendly. Dog friendly, too.

What a special place in downtown Raleigh! All the arcade games and beer you could want. Fun vibe !

Lots of fun, we had a team building event there and they did a great job. Bar food and drinks were good but the bowling, music and karaoke were awesome.

My first time here and my family had a blast. I decided to do something fun with the kids and boxcar was perfect. I loved that I got to drink while the kids play lol, the only thing missing was food. I definitely have to come back without my kids. On the weekends kids have to leave by 7 pm!

A very unique and fun experience. Good drinks, but obviously the arcade inside makes this a place you want to come back to.

It's exactly what you'd expect - great vibes and good beer. Most games are about a $1 per play and the bar has great daily deals. They have a nice outdoor space when you need a break from gaming.

Disneyland for adults! I came to Boxcar twice last weekend and I wasn't sure what to expect when I first came in, but everything ended up blowing me out of the water. Parking can be a little tricky here since it is a popular area, but we found a nice free spot close by. Score! We came on Saturday night, but there was no line to get in. We just showed our ID and we were in. Pro Tip: If you Check In using the Yelp app they will give you four free tokens. I got my friends to check in to get some free tokens and then we went to exchange some cash for more tokens. I exchanged ten dollars worth of tokens and I was off. I went up to the bar with my group and I was pleasantly surprised by the prices. They had some good specials going on. It looks like these change from night to night, but it looked reasonable the next day when I came back too. Boxcar can get packed, but it does make for some fun. I went off with my friends to play some games and was overwhelmed by all the fun choices. We played Turtles in Time (harder than I remember), X-Men, Tekken, The Simpsons, Aliens, Terminator, and Area 51 to name a few. We put in quite a few tokens beating some of these games, but it was worth it. They also have a Dance Dance Revolution unit that looks straight from Japan. I played my friend head to head for three songs and just edged her out. My score was a little lower than I expected and that brings me to my only real gripe at Boxcar. Some of the buttons on certain consoles are non-responsive. For example, when playing The Simpsons I struggled because Homers buttons don't always work. I had to switch characters. When playing X-Men one of the buttons didn't work so I couldn't do much my first go around until I switched spots. Now I have no idea how easy or hard it is to fix these units, but that was a bit annoying. There are tons of other fun aspects here though. They have old school Nintendo 64 in the back and I played some Mario Kart 64. I still got my mojo as I got my first place finishes. I think you can ask an employee to switch out the games. They also had a Super Nintendo, but we were all set with Mario Kart. It can get pretty loud and crowded, but people are friendly and you will have tons of opportunities to join or get joined. Playing video games with others really is a great way of making friends. Tons of strangers jumped in while trying to defeat Magneto or when I tried to kill some evil aliens in Area 51. This place is dog friendly, which is cool, I like dogs. It can get a bit hot, but you can dress low key. This place is a must visit spot. I cannot wait to return.

Fun place to play some arcade games and skee ball in a bar environment. Lots of college kids and very loud.

We are all entitled to our own opinions, right? Well here's mine: Parking: 1 Location: 5 Decor/ambiance: 5 Customer Service: 5 If you are in the Raleigh Downtown area and you are looking for some extra fun - please swing by boxcar! Its one of the coolest things happening DTR. They must have over a 100 arcade games to choose from with loads of booze to grab hold of as well as a cool patio deck that features some sweet life sized games (Jenga). The parking stinks as they have no dedicated free parking. Everything in that area is either paid or street parking (free at certain times). Love the warehouse district of DTR, as its super LIT right now. Be sure to check out boxcar!

Finally had a chance to stop by Boxcar Bar + Arcade on a Sunday around noon. The place was packed from the inside to the outside. The drinks specials were affordable. Although the bar was busy, the bartender managed to grab our drinks for us. We stayed for a good hour and enjoyed ourselves. It is definitely a nice place to hang out. I highly recommend this environment for kids and adults.

Couldn't even get in because he "couldn't verify my age" even though I was with my child and had a picture of both sides of my ID that he 100% could have scanned but decided not too. BS

Boxcar is a great place for guys night, if you don't mind waiting a bit for your turn to play games, or if you enjoy a nice crowded scene. The drink prices are not bad and they have specials available every night for those who want a cheap but good option. I would have honestly rather went to Dave and busters, since the games use just as much money and there aren't any prizes. The service was great and the bartenders are polite. If there where more games, space, and less wait times to play, this place would be great.

Whoa talk about taking a time capsule to back to the 80's yasss please!! This place is amazing and it just brings back many memories of hanging out at the arcade with your friends. Well here you can do just that as an adult the difference is you can have a drinks such as beer, wine, cocktails! Yup you read correctly play whilst you drink if you want. Inside this time machine called the Boxcar Bar + Arcade you'll find all the games you played back in the 80's and more. My favorite Donkey Kong to name one of many.. I cannot even begin to tell you how many games that are inside! There are bathrooms available and the arcade is very clean. Staff walks around to see if you have any questions or need assistance. I had an awesome time here and hope to go back soon!

Great vibe, fun games! Only complaint is the fucking middle school 12 year olds holding up the Jurassic park game. & everytime you got your hopes up that you could play, george and Tommy took out their weekly allowance and started another game . What is the h e double hockey sticks. Great environment with a full bar, check it out!

We really enjoyed the great variety of games and the drink selection. Their Mandalorian pinball game is signed by the game designer. It was very cool and had motion effects on the whole game--it rumbled. My 11-year-old said all the games were fun. He enjoyed guitar hero, but one of the guitars was not working exactly right. The air hockey tables were great too. My 13-year-old said the games were pretty cool.