Up-Down Minneapolis

Bar · Carag ·

Up-Down Minneapolis

Bar · Carag ·

60 taps, pizza slices, and 25-cent games make this arcade bar fun

Information

3012 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408 Get directions

$10–20

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,991 Cities

The Best Rooftop Bars and Restaurants in the Twin Cities | Eater Twin Cities

"A popular arcade bar chain outpost on Lyndale Avenue in Uptown Minneapolis, Up-Down is stuffed to the brim with old-fashioned pinball and video game cabinets, so folks can button-mash while sipping pints from the impressive selection of beers on tap. The atmosphere on the rooftop is a little more pared-back: Play jumbo Jenga and stay warm near the fireplace." - Cinnamon Janzer

https://twincities.eater.com/maps/best-rooftop-patios-bars-restaurants-minneapolis-st-paul-twin-cities

Up-Down

Up-Down Minneapolis

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,991 Cities

Where to find the best arcades, pinball, foosball, air hockey, and video games at bars in Minneapolis and St. Paul | Eater Twin Cities

"Up-Down might just have the best selection of games in the area, including 80s arcade classics from “Donkey Kong” to “Dig Dug,” 90s fighting games, and current games like “Killer Queen,” designed with the modern bar arcade in mind. Also: plenty of pinball machines and some of the best Skee-Ball machines in the Twin Cities. Between sipping a beer and eating a slice of pizza, Up-Down is also a perfect spot to overhear couples bond over wrestling on awkward first dates and watch pinball wizards do battle." - Will Simons

https://twincities.eater.com/maps/best-bar-arcade-video-game-pinball-minneapolis-st-paul

Up-Down Minneapolis

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,991 Cities

Where to Eat and Drink in the Lyn/Lake Neighborhood | Eater Twin Cities

"Up-Down is a dream come true for old-school arcade lovers. There are 60 beers on tap and a selection of pizzas offered by the slice or whole. Get nostalgic with games like Street Fighter II, Skee Ball, giant Jenga, Super Mario Bros, and Pac-Man." - Eater Staff

https://twincities.eater.com/maps/where-to-eat-in-lyn-lake-minneapolis-uptown-lyndale-avenue-lake-street

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Up-Down Minneapolis

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,991 Cities

Your Local Guide to St. Patrick’s Day in Minneapolis | Eater

"A nostalgia-fueled arcade bar perfect for groups, featuring vintage ’80s and ’90s arcade games, pinball, life-sized Jenga, and other games for just 25 cents each. Pair the cheap play with housemade pizza by the slice—most notably a life-changing chicken-and-waffles pizza—and a full bar for a playful, communal St. Paddy’s celebration." - Vox Creative

https://www.eater.com/ad/17059550/st-patricks-day-minneapolis

Up-Down Minneapolis

@itwheredockboat

27 Postcards · 4 Cities

Leisure Down Time

Minneapolis St Paul

Up-Down

ReviewMania

Google

This place was awesome! I don't drink but I went here with a friend and I'm glad I did because the arcade was super fun and it was cheap! They don't charge super crazy for coins and every machine only requires one coin to play. The pizza was super fire although they didn't have any ranch or blue cheese which I found odd. They have a bouncer up front to watch the door and watch your coat. My buddy said the drinks were a good value and had a huge selection. All in all it was a blast.

Connor G.

Google

Selection of shooting, racing, fighting, classic, and pin ball games. The special they have were $25 buys what I assume is a pound of coins and a 6 pack is insane. Friend and I went, and it was almost too much coins for us. By the end, we were running skeeball over and over to get through the coins (too many coins woe is us 😩). Pizza was very average, but no one should really expect more, it's a barcade not pizzacade. Plenty of drinks on tap, friendly bartender. Thankfully no one was hogging machines, which can be frustrating.

Le Andre' “Radical Ed” W.

Google

Up-Down is a wonderful place for a date on a dime. Romance meets retro in this homege to the era of the coin-op arcade games. Tokens are plentiful and the drinks are deliciously quenching. The games are entertaining and nostalgic. The pizza, while tasty, was unfortunately the cause of some serious upset stomach the following day. Hopefully this was just a one-off and not the standard. The Skee ball machine was particularly entertaining. However, several times the score was not accurately recorded after a ball scored. Again, hopefully just a glitch. Overall a great experience that I will repeat again in the future. Game on!

Willow

Google

Such a fun spot to go solo, on a date, or with a group of friends. The games are all 1 token to play (equivalent of a quarter) and theres tons of variety; old school video games like donkey Kong and frogger, pinball, racing games, and more. The pizza is delicious! $6 gets you a huge, specialty slice, definitely worth it! They always have specials going like free tokens with a drink or buy one get one free for tokens depending on the day. Come check this place out!

Malachi S.

Google

The next time I fly in to MSP, my Girlfriend and I will ensure that we swing by this joint again. Unfortunately, we were being complete fools, and tried to come here on Halloween night. This was a foolish choice, cause this place was jam packed, as you would expect, on a Halloween Night that falls on a Friday. With that being said, I am still very intrigued and plan to use my coins the next time I land in Minnesota. The drink specials looked great, and there was even a doughnut machine for when you get the drunk sweet tooth munchies. And, they have a savory option as well—piping hot pizza. Unfortunately, it was a bit too crowded for our tastes that night, but we will be back and try all of the games and offerings. Parking was not that bad, considering the night it was, but we did have to search around and find some street parking.

NYC J.

Google

Super chill spot. Pizza 🍕 is really good. Alot of old classic video games.

AllisonJamey M.

Google

I'm a complete Galaga nerd and I let the tech there know that fire button was a bit wonk. Charlotte listened to me and told they were on it. They were attentive and very helpful. The very next time I jumped on the cab Galaga was working flawlessly. Thank you Charlotte, you're freaking awesome! Just a fun, fantastic place.

Paul K

Google

I love this place! Great bar for anyone who loves games or the vibe of the 80s/90s in general. Lots of games for groups of people to play together or solo. The mechanical pong is a nice addition and definitely recommend it. Also if you’re a fan of Bauhaus, they offer a lot of their beers and even have a specialty one made just for Up/Down called Frogger Logger. Nice and light. Perfect for enjoying while you’re filling virtual beers on Tapper.

Lauren H.

Yelp

The 80s kid inside me is so happy when I visit this place! Such a fun concept to have a vintage arcade bar. I didn't eat here, but drinks were good and the service was ok. Fun (5/5) I LOVE video games, especially in the early days when there was just a joystick in 2 buttons. My favs included Miss Pac-Man, Tron and Killer Bee. Value (5/5) Check out their specials since they often have 2 for 1 tokens. A friend of ours stopped in before we grabbed dinner to take advantage of their 2 for 1 tokens special that ended at 9pm today. However, I hated paying $2 per hour for parking.

Natalie E.

Yelp

My husband and I love this place (so much we actually did our engagement photos here). The music choices are always on point. The game variety is great. They often have new games so it's not always the same old thing and the bartenders there are very attentive. Great choice of beers and the games only cost 1 token to play (per player) unlike some Other arcades we've been to. If you're looking to avoid the crowds, go early and you'll be able to play whatever you want with little to no wait.

Diana F.

Yelp

Updown is such a fun spot! There are tons of games, pinball machines and interactive game consoles (n64 smash brothers, jenga, etc). They offer pizza or cupcakes on site which is fun although we didn't get any it was nice having it as an option. The staff was kind and helpful with coins and drinks. There was a wide array of alcoholic drinks offered and giant water bins around. We ended up here around 3 on a Friday night and it was quiet but slowly filled and became very busy. If loud noises are hard for you I'd recommend planning accordingly so as to avoid busier times/ crowds.

Mark K.

Yelp

First time visiting this bar after hearing great things about it. I am a big gamer so going to a bar that is full of games was perfect. Went here with two other people on a Saturday night. The bar itself was absolutely packed with people. Despite it being a big crowd, we were able to play most games we wanted to with minimal wait times. A few machines were broken, but staff seemed to tag this pretty quickly if they were out of order. They had a good mix of retro games and group games for people to play. The machines are definitely very used and it doesn't seem they get much maintenance to their buttons/joysticks which can make gameplay frustrating. You have to purchase coins to play games, but most games are just one or two coins so you actually get a good amount of gameplay in. Drinks were fairly priced; typical to any other bar. There really wasn't seating anywhere so be prepared to be on your feet the whole time. For accessibility, it would be very difficult for someone in a wheelchair to navigate through this bar just due to the amount of people alone. It was a good experience, but I might not make it my first choice just because of how popular it is. Parking was a little tough to find in the area; we ended up parking a couple of blocks away.

Aurah Gqunefere W.

Yelp

If you're a fan of really loud, fairly crowded places then you'll probably have a great time here. We didn't wait in line too long, bartenders were all friendly and helpful. They didn't have any specialty drinks when I was in, but that may have changed. Overall I think you're mainly there for the arcade novelty than for anything else. I'm looking forward to giving this place another shot in the future, but I think it's maybe just not for me.

Mike B.

Yelp

25 cent games - all the classics - super fun for an early evening stop before going out - cool little crystal shop next door - don't beat my Bubble Bobble high score please!

Magna R.

Yelp

This has been a bar we frequent at least every month or so for the last year. The game variety is awesome with a lot of vintage or more rare finds. The classics fr available including ski ball (although a lot of these machines are usually broken), pinball, basketball, racing games, and more! Their tap list is impressive with some house made cocktails that are quite good as well. Their fanny pack deal is awesome on Sunday's ($25 for a fanny pack with tokens and 6 tall boys for your group). The view from the upper deck is beautiful and allows for a nice variation of scenery if you want to spend half your night outdoors. My only real complaint about this place is the staff are often unfriendly. I get it as a bartender that high pace places often don't leave much room for customer service but even on slow days a lot of the staff look grouchy and don't put in much effort to smile, greet you, etc. This continues to security who are often out vaping in the back but also quick to yell if you are standing somewhere you shouldn't or blocking a walkway. Good security is so needed so I don't want to ever complain, but as someone who comes often and observes, the staff as a whole just seems strange. However, the games and the vibes make it worth the trip regardless - just don't be expecting a warm welcome!

Khalilah Y.

Yelp

Had a great time playing all of the old school games. Especially loved skee-ball. The pizza was pretty good as well. I still have tokens to use, so am going to have to find one near my city or come back to Minnesota. Staff was mostly friendly.

Megan M.

Yelp

I've heard really mixed review of this place but I loved it!! Really fun vibe with lots of games, drinks, and places to hang out. They also have a by-the-slice pizza counter which is sooooo smart. Who doesn't want a slice of pizza at the end of their night?? Plus the pizza was yummy so that helps as well. Arcade games do cost money, so bring some cash if you are looking to buy tokens to play a few! I was really bummed to find that their dance-dance revolution game was out of order, but that just means I'll have to come back to try it another time!

Darren L.

Yelp

Fun place to go out with friends and play a few games. They have a large variety of arcade games, as well as a few GameCube games and outdoor games like big agenda, connect four, shuffle board. (Unfortunately some games don't work or the controls are messed up/stuck from food or drink or overuse). We went on a Friday and did the 6 beer + 80 tokens deal for $40. (Normally it's $35 every day besides Sunday, when it's $25, but we paid extra to get white claws.) they also had $2 pepperoni and cheese pizza until 8pm, and the first 100 people at the bar got 20 free tokens! Great deal for tokens and drinks... very greasy pizza. I wouldn't get the pizza again, but what can you expect for $2 a slice? All around a fun night out! Check it out!

Elizabeth W.

Yelp

For GenXers and perhaps Millenials, this is a great place to relive some of your misspent youth with a wide variety of pinball and video games along with big Jenga and skeet ball. The atmosphere is what you'd expect at an arcade- a little dungs and dark, but who cares? You're there for the game. We went early evening (5pm) on a Saturday and it was already a little crowded, but the wait for any given game was very short. It is probably much better earlier in day or on a weekend. They have a limited menu with pizza slices and a few other item. At the bar they have a wide selection of taps, a decent looking cocktail list and a decent wine selection as well. The only thing I would have liked better would have been a few nonalcoholic brews on tap, though they did have one in a bottle. A fun and not that expensive place to spend a few hours.

DaQuia C.

Yelp

We came by randomly, just looking for something unique to do and this place didn't upset. The person at the door was really cool and we didn't even know it was free token Friday! I did think there was a restaurant, but I guess it's just pizza? We didn't come for drinks so we just enjoyed the arcade.

Dana W.

Yelp

Absolute great nostalgic vibes all around. An arcade like you remember when you were a kid. 25 cent games, great pizza, old-school movies on the TV, and a wonderful and welcoming staff. Perfect place for a date.

Bruce K.

Yelp

This is fun. Pop some money into the change machine, get tokens, play games. Yes. Lots of pinball games, lots of classic arcade games. We played some Tron (I won), some Burger Time (I won) and some Tetris (I lost) and a bunch of other fun stuff. There is more than just the ground level so keep looking for new (old?) stuff to play. The beer is inexpensive. The pizza is cheap. The vibe here is fun times. [Review 17860 overall - 91 in Minnesota - 1381 of 2022.]

Rachel H.

Yelp

What an awesome place, I didn't even know this existed. We stopped in on a Saturday with a party of four around noon. A full bar, plus a kitchen that is cranking out pizzas all day every day. We noticed that on Saturdays it's buy one get one free with tokens, $15 lasted four of us an hour and a half plus we took some home. We also went with a whole meat lovers pizza that came out within 10/15 minutes and was piping hot. I also noticed that they had a donut vending machine, I will definitely have to check that out the next time I go. Overall, we had a lot of fun, there were multiple games that were out of commission. I really wanted to play ski ball but over half were broken and the ones that were working. We're actually technically broken as well, but still somewhat functional. I wish the GameCube also would've been working, but alas, that was also broken. Our group really enjoyed the pinball, along with the speedboat racing game. I think I would return, my entire party loved their experience and we can't wait to come back.

Cristina D.

Yelp

Went to hit this spot based on a recommendation from a local. One of only 6 locations nationwide, this 21 & over arcade bar was located in uptown MPLS. The bar was pretty packed on a Thursday night. Definitely attracting more of the 21-35 yr old crowd (on this night at least), Up-Down was a pretty chill place to hang out, grab a drink and play some old school arcade games. We went on a Thursday which happens to be 10 cents per token, so my $20 went a long way. Since we're definitely not the beer drinking types, my budget went a long way and I got about 3 mixed drinks and 4 shots of Hennessy. If you do prefer beer, Up-Down offers about 60 craft brews on tap to quench your thirst. If you're looking to down those beers with some grub, you're limited to just pizza--which you can order by the slice or a whole to share with your crew. We played several games of skee ball and pretty much stuck with The Simpsons arcade game the entire night. However, if you're a 90's baby, I'm sure you'll be looking for Tetris and Mortal Kombat somewhere inside. However, since I've had one too many shots already, things started to get blurry and seemed it was all a dream...

Lexi M.

Yelp

This was our 3rd Up Down we've been to. I liked the pinball lineup and the floor plan of this place. They had a pizza window just like the other places so if you're needing a quick bite, they have pizza! The lineup here was great and in a really cool location!

Gina D.

Yelp

The upstairs area smelled strongly of vomit until the doors were opened. The whole place was so crowded you could barely move, let alone get a game. Did not try the food but the drinks were fine and not as horribly priced as I expected for the area.

Caitlin P.

Yelp

Always have a great time here!! Some games break, but most were fixed this time around. We were here last in December. Staff was good and they have great pizza by the slice or whole pies!

Julie D.

Yelp

Up-Down is a barcade in Uptown, you must be 21+ to enter. It has a very cool vibe overall, the walls are covered in a nostalgic collage with pops of neon signage. There are a ton of games to play, and tokens are only $0.25 each. However they run a lot of deals of tokens each week so it can be even cheaper to play. However, there is always a decent amount of games that are out of order at any given time. The bar offers a wide selection of beers that come at reasonable prices ($5-10) as well as a selection of cocktails ($10-$15). In addition to drinks, they also have pizza made in house. The pizza is cheap but the quality and flavor is not! I have tried the plain, the veggie, and the mac and cheese pizza and all have been great. In addition, Up-Down hosts events throughout the year - some of which are themed or have live music. This year I attended the prom night and the emo night. Definitely a fun vibe for a good night out!

Jen R.

Yelp

Loved the beer list, loved the game selection, and the pizza they serve is so much like old-school arcade pizza, it's crazy. We came here to drink and play some pinball so Up-Down was right up our alley. We came in an ordered a few brews (sidenote: holy beer selection, Batman! It took me like 5 mins to find something I wanted but that's not a bad thing). We bought $20 worth of tokens and started playing. Only gripe I had really was that the pinball machines were not lit up correctly, most importantly Addams Family pinball, which I guess sort of fits their aesthetic but I need to see what I'm doing! Pinball Wizard I ain't. The pizza was excellent albeit a bit expensive. We had a slice of the pepperoni and waited for them to make the veggie slice fresh, but it was worth it. All it was missing was some hot sauce! Staff was friendly and attentive (pizza dude was surly but maybe he had a bad day).

Stephanie R.

Yelp

Love the vibe. We went during the 2 for 1 tokens, and it was a great deal. Bartenders were all super friendly

Shaji K.

Yelp

Trying to figure out what to do on a Saturday afternoon brought me to this spot. Machines line the entire place - ranging from pinball, classic fighter, racing, skeeball, and more. All plays are $0.25, which you can either get at the bar or by the change boxes posted around. The bar itself is located in the center of the arcade, with a giant beer list, cocktails, and wine. Was able.to get one of the beers on draft ($7) and play at some of the machines which include cup holders. Aside from the arcade items, they have some outdoor seating if you want to get away from it all for a bit. Love the vibe and relatively cheap prices.

Calvin A.

Yelp

When here to start out the night for a bachelor party really enjoyed it. Pizza was great too. And staff was very very friendly.

Ronaldo G.

Yelp

Me and my wife Went Friday July 5th after eating at the Japanese Bistro across the street. Security told us we couldn't have food inside, that's fine. We didn't think much of it, we had fun played games and had fun for a short while. Come to find out they ate OUR FOOD!! Over half out of our food was eaten!!! Completely disgusted and couldn't believe it!!!

Heather G.

Yelp

I respect Up-Down as being a great place for a first date. The video games and other games such as Skee-ball are nostalgic for 80' and 90's babies. It is a fun environment that helps even the stuffiest of people to let loose. I have been here pre-covid as well and this place seems to always have a good crowd yet I have never had to wait longer than a couple of minutes to play a game. I ate her pre-covid and remember the pizza just being decent. Not enough to write home about. I am not a beer drinker but I have heard that this is pretty decent here and they have a vast selection. Alcohol + games is already a great formula for a good time. For now, I recommend eating a few doors down or any place in Uptown. Front patio includes oversized Jenga which is where you can find me.

Sheri S.

Yelp

Fun, fun, fun! We arrived around 7:30 on a Saturday night and the place was lightly packed. The space was open through and through with exits to the front and back patio in addition to their rooftop deck. The vibes are good here. People were out and about to have a good time and generally super friendly. It was fun to try a bunch of different arcade games. There was such a nice variety of things to play. My favorite was Dance, Dance, Revolution. Eventhough I sucked, it did not matter becuase I still had fun. Folks were so generous to give us UpDown coins when they had left over before leaving. This was so considerate. I dont think we had to pay for any extra coins because of this kindness. It surprised me at how free flowing everything was. I guess its nice when things go smoothly and a good time is not spoiled. By 9:30 we decided to leave and grab an actual meal in Uptown. Up Down has pizza but its not really set up for eating a meal. Its more of a spot to drink. The place was fully packed by this time of night, which made for a great time to exit. Up-Down is cool, so if you want a game night out I would reccommend for sure.

Sini B.

Yelp

I love this place! The video games are cheap and the vibe is great. The drinks and pizza are also fairly inexpensive. Up-Down is great for a spontaneous date or to just hangout with friends. There's plenty of street parking around. Also make sure to follow them on social media. There are always themed parties or video game competitions happening quite often.

Gray B.

Yelp

What's not to like, retro video games, at least 10 awesome pinball machines, and 4 lanes of skeeball. Huge bar and a food menu to boot. They also have 2 for 1 tokens on Saturday before 9pm...Score!! I really loved the energy of this place. Parking is street, but I managed a space a 3 minute walk away on 8:30p on a Saturday.

Chris C.

Yelp

Stopped by late Sat afternoon. Pros: Giant beer list Lots of games - retro video and new pins Cheap - games are a token only and tokens sat until 9? Are half price Pizza - pizza window doles out hot greasy slices for $4 Giant coolers of self serve water Service at bar quite good esp considering how busy they were Cons Not sure if they have anything but beer, no wine for sure Busy - so many people but good for them Game condition poor - not sure who owns and services the games but a disproportionate number were not working, ate tokens or partially working. Didn't bother saying anything as they were busy and it's so cheap to play Games are close together and it can get a bit clustery and drunk ppl seem to forget which tokens are there but everyone is friendly. This is a young crowd - there was a doorman checking IDs but the vast majority of the crowd is early 20s. Fun place, cheap, beer nerds will be happy, pizza works (also great service)

Jeremy H.

Yelp

Cool 80s ambience, tons of retro video games. Free super smash brothers 1 gaming. Microbrews. Super sized Jenga. Next door to Wrecktangle pizza. Great service.

Juan Sebastian J.

Yelp

Great experience that appearance was very pleasant.but depending on the bartender they priced you differently that I wasn't fun.

Richard C.

Yelp

I can't comment on their wide variety of arcade games because every time I come here it's packed, so I've never gotten a chance to play! But I can say it's a fun vibe with cool people and a great beer selection!

Amy P.

Yelp

I love up-down. I really really love up-down. My organization hosted a watch party here and also did a beer release and everyone here was so nice and supportive. They worked super hard behind the bar to make everything easy for us and not only that, but I love the environment here. There's SO many games to play and even just watching people is entertaining. Outside of work, I enjoy bringing friends with to watch the games or even just grab a drink. Definitely a fun spot.

Allyson S.

Yelp

It's ok!! For a beercade, fantastic games, excellent selection of beer/alcohol. Love the outside spaces. Bartenders are super friendly. The only "bad" thing that I noted was the pizza. It's just ok. As a person from Chicagoland, I wasn't super impressed - but it's definitely worth the price. The plain flavors are better than the speciality.

Zach G.

Yelp

Got drunk and played donkey kang. 11/10 Blah blah blah My girlfriend liked it too Good beer selection Could use deer hunter, resident evil, or any any game where I get to use a shotgun peripheral

Faith E.

Yelp

I came here with my cousin and it was a nice time! It is really all about who you go with and if the arcades are working ! I thought that a good amount of arcade games were not working which was unfortunate. They have a bar with an assortment of drinks and I ordered the Princess Peach drink which was good! I didn't get a chance to try the pizza but they seemed to have good flavors.

Marie C.

Yelp

I loveee this place! Barcade with good drinks, food options, and a patio, what more could you need?! I've been here a couple of times - it's always crowded! But from my experience, crowded in a good way, not in a "who just touched me" kind of way. In summers they've also got their patio and rooftop open which adds so much space! They've also got another bar on the roof. You can buy coins from the bar with your drinks which is nice. Then you can play classic games like Skee ball, Pac Man, Frogger, racing games, and they even have a console set up. If you don't want to pay for games you've also got the option for huge Connect-Four, Jenga, Cornhole, and Shuffleboard! Great spot for a group of friends or even a date! First date approved too ;)

Déjà J.

Yelp

I've been here plenty of times pre-covid, day and night, I've recently went once since covid - daytime and I will give a breakdown of all 3 experiences. Pre-covid daytime (any day): Very chill vibe, my favorite time to go because it's hardly anyone there so you can pretty much play any game without having to wait. Also no lines for pizza or the bar. Pre-covid nighttime (weekends): Very packed, hard to play almost any of the games because of the crowding, in the warmer seasons they do have outdoor games and seating areas where you can chill. Its not a super big place so it can get very loud. During covid (weekend - daytime): Still very chill, hardly anyone inside so same as pre-covid. The bar was not completely stocked.. They have a "full bar" but they drinks they put together on their drink menu (cocktail wise) a few were crossed out, so I assumed they didn't have those but the few that weren't crossed out would be avail, but they also were not. Not sure/it's not clear what the safety precautions were because signs were posted that you have to wear a mask and be seated to play games, in which there were was a seat placed at each game. For drinks they had one smaller printed sign that said please sit while drinking, in an area of tables, but almost everyone was walking around with their drinks, playing games and drinking, which means not wearing a mask. They did have cleaning stations where you could clean the games before/after playing. Also a lot less games due to spacing, but they for sure kept all the best ones. Overall I've been going here for years, it's a fun place to hangout.

Steve T.

Yelp

I like pinball. I like beer. Put together, it's a natural fit. So the place has everything for the gamers spanning the decades. Like others have said, there is the outdoor patios, roof top bar, crazy tap selection, etc. etc. Their slices of pizza? Rock solid. Depending on when you go (like everything in life), it can be a complete shit-show, or it can be quite pleasant. There have been times I've gone where I can actually hear Black Diamond or Number of the Beast when I play the KISS or Iron Maiden machines. That is something I enjoy. But it's fun when it's busy too as I like to people watch and there are always those playing games going "what am I supposed to do" while laughing. It's a fun place. The place is a franchise (locations in Des Moines, KC, elsewhere) and they do a really good job of keeping their machines running and fresh as it feels like they rotate stuff between the locations. Plus, ALL games are a single token. None of this 50 cents crap like Can Can Wonderland where the machines originally used to be a quarter and the game maintenance sucks (Blow me and your limp flippers CCW). It's in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood so if you drive and park, your timing is also key. Otherwise the area is an easy Lyft or bike ride to if you choose. Plus on Thursday's it's 10 for 1 on tokens (again here is where I type with one hand and flip CCW's pinball endeavor off with the other).

Scott K.

Yelp

Vintage video Valhalla! Balrog, Qbert, Mario, Mr. Donkey Kong, Sonic, Megaman... all my old friends are here and waiting for me almost any day of the week! Just waiting to give me that special little warm feeling that ONLY an overheated 1983 gaming console can give you! BAM! PEW PEW! ZIP BANG KAPOW! Everyone's a winner when you're at Up-Down... unless you go on a Saturday night in the heat of summer. Then it's just pure crowd... and I'm not waiting in line for Ms. Pacman... first, she's married and I don't play that... second... I don't like people touching me while I fondle a joystick. I'm just weird that way. Aim for Sunday-Thursday and you've got all the game you need.

Dick C.

Yelp

Where do i even begin...I used to come here almost every night after work/school, before COVID and moving farther away. I absolutely loved the place. EVERYTHING IN THIS PLACE IS NOW COMPLETELY BROKEN. Both Hydro Thunder cabinets are out of order, the joysticks on almost every single arcade game are totally worn out and sticky/drifty to the point of being unplayable, the ABV on at least one item on their drink menu is incorrect (and when i pointed it out to the not-at-all-busy bartender at like 5 PM i was met with a vaguely passive-aggressive "yeah it probably is" before she walked away), they replaced the N64 with a Gamecube that has maybe 2 working controllers, the already overpriced pizza is even more overpriced now, and i guess the old mix of 80's and 90's pop, rock and hip-hop was too retro or edgy or something, because what finally drove me away was them seemingly playing an entire Fallout Boy album, or maybe it was one FB song and then an hour of identical sounding bands, i don't know or care. This was like the only bar i ever actually enjoyed going to, but i can't imagine coming back any time soon.

Daniel S.

Yelp

Such a fun barcade decently close to Downtown MPLS! I had a slice of cheese pizza and a Blueberry Apple Cider, which were both so good. The games are mostly priced at $0.25 per game, which is such a fair price to play. $5 kept me going for hours! Definitely busy but turnover on games was quick and I was never waiting long. Definitely try it out!!

Mikayla K.

Yelp

Food: A huge selection of beers (and ciders for those who don't like beer). They also have a small kitchen that serves up greasy, delicious pizza. Their mac and cheese pizza is my favorite. Venue: Large bar with tons of old arcade games and pinball machines. You buy good tokens Chuck E Cheese style and they have a great birthday deal! They also have an outdoor patio with a giant Jenga and Connect 4. It gets crowded on the weekend, as any popular bar does, but it's usually not unmanageable.

Cyann L.

Yelp

always a great vibe and the best place to hit up with friends. the games are cheap, drinks are affordable, and the pizza there is delicious and fresh. on busy busy days service can be slow at the bar, but if you're okay with waiting awhile it should be fine

Dio B.

Yelp

It's pretty cool. Lots to do, and entertained me and my friends. Also the drinks and food was good

Mercedes T.

Yelp

We had a stupid amount of fun here, just my hubby and I. It's a "make your own fun" kind of place. We were like kids in an arcade again, except we aren't kids, and we were tipsy. It was great. We were there on a Sunday night due to the reviews mentioning how busy it can get. It was pretty lively on Sunday but not overwhelmingly so. I highly recommend it if you can pull it off. Plus their "Six Pack And A Pound" deal is $10 cheaper on Sundays. (6 domestic tall boys, 80 game tokens, and a fanny pack). We paid $25 for all of that and those 80 tokens lasted the two of us for hours! Yes, a couple of the games were broken or not working quite right. But it was only a few of them. They are old as dirt and there's "big drunk children" button-mashing them and 'tilting' them every night. What do you expect? Our favorite games are pinball (hubby loved the Star Wars), skee-ball, Arkanoid, giant connect four, ninja turtles, simpsons, and multi-player pac man. Great service from the bar tenders. No complaints. I have friends and family that are begging to be brought along the next time.

Mallerlyn V.

Yelp

I love this Up-Down, the arcade games, pizza and ambiance is amazing. The staff is always friendly and willing to help.

Cadia G.

Yelp

Drinks + Videogames + Rooftop engineered to blow my hair just the right way so I look like a model = Happy Cadia. Up-Down is a great bar. You can easily kill 4+ hours here either sitting around and relaxing or trying out the different games they have to offer. The downstairs has most of the arcade games and is where a lot of the people who come on their own or in small groups hang out. There's a beautiful patio and large board games. All you have to do is grab some tokens and you can bop around to whichever games you want with minimal wait time unless it's a weekend. (I think the best time to go is during the week) Most bars are pretty dead Sunday-Thursday but the arcade games allow for it to be the perfect amount of busy all the time. Upstairs is my favorite part of the bar. The rooftop is GORGEOUS and is the perfect place if you're looking for a cute date spot or want to come with a larger group. They have a couple games upstairs as well (the most popular seems to be giant Jenga). Honestly Up-Down isn't just for the nerds (shoutout) like I thought it would be. It's a great place for everyone with good food, lots of beer choices, and lots of new people to meet. Come down and try it out. My only tips: leave your purse (it gets obnoxious) and make sure you have pockets. They have SOME places to set things down but not always and you don't want to carry things around when you're bouncing around so often.

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Up-Down

Up-Down Minneapolis

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Where to find the best arcades, pinball, foosball, air hockey, and video games at bars in Minneapolis and St. Paul | Eater Twin Cities

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Up-Down Minneapolis

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Up-Down Minneapolis

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Up-Down Minneapolis

@itwheredockboat

27 Postcards · 4 Cities

Leisure Down Time

Minneapolis St Paul

Up-Down

ReviewMania

Google

Connor G.

Google

Le Andre' “Radical Ed” W.

Google

Willow

Google

Malachi S.

Google

NYC J.

Google

Super chill spot. Pizza 🍕 is really good. Alot of old classic video games.

AllisonJamey M.

Google

Paul K

Google

Lauren H.

Yelp

Natalie E.

Yelp

Diana F.

Yelp

Mark K.

Yelp

Aurah Gqunefere W.

Yelp

Mike B.

Yelp

25 cent games - all the classics - super fun for an early evening stop before going out - cool little crystal shop next door - don't beat my Bubble Bobble high score please!

Magna R.

Yelp

Khalilah Y.

Yelp

Megan M.

Yelp

Darren L.

Yelp

Elizabeth W.

Yelp

DaQuia C.

Yelp

Dana W.

Yelp

Bruce K.

Yelp

Rachel H.

Yelp

Cristina D.

Yelp

Lexi M.

Yelp

Gina D.

Yelp

Caitlin P.

Yelp

Always have a great time here!! Some games break, but most were fixed this time around. We were here last in December. Staff was good and they have great pizza by the slice or whole pies!

Julie D.

Yelp

Jen R.

Yelp

Stephanie R.

Yelp

Love the vibe. We went during the 2 for 1 tokens, and it was a great deal. Bartenders were all super friendly

Shaji K.

Yelp

Calvin A.

Yelp

When here to start out the night for a bachelor party really enjoyed it. Pizza was great too. And staff was very very friendly.

Ronaldo G.

Yelp

Heather G.

Yelp

Sheri S.

Yelp

Sini B.

Yelp

Gray B.

Yelp

Chris C.

Yelp

Jeremy H.

Yelp

Cool 80s ambience, tons of retro video games. Free super smash brothers 1 gaming. Microbrews. Super sized Jenga. Next door to Wrecktangle pizza. Great service.

Juan Sebastian J.

Yelp

Great experience that appearance was very pleasant.but depending on the bartender they priced you differently that I wasn't fun.

Richard C.

Yelp

Amy P.

Yelp

Allyson S.

Yelp

Zach G.

Yelp

Got drunk and played donkey kang. 11/10 Blah blah blah My girlfriend liked it too Good beer selection Could use deer hunter, resident evil, or any any game where I get to use a shotgun peripheral

Faith E.

Yelp

Marie C.

Yelp

Déjà J.

Yelp

Steve T.

Yelp

Scott K.

Yelp

Dick C.

Yelp

Daniel S.

Yelp

Mikayla K.

Yelp

Cyann L.

Yelp

Dio B.

Yelp

It's pretty cool. Lots to do, and entertained me and my friends. Also the drinks and food was good

Mercedes T.

Yelp

Mallerlyn V.

Yelp

I love this Up-Down, the arcade games, pizza and ambiance is amazing. The staff is always friendly and willing to help.

Cadia G.

Yelp

Up-Down Minneapolis

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The Best Rooftop Bars and Restaurants in the Twin Cities | Eater Twin Cities

Where to find the best arcades, pinball, foosball, air hockey, and video games at bars in Minneapolis and St. Paul | Eater Twin Cities

Where to Eat and Drink in the Lyn/Lake Neighborhood | Eater Twin Cities

Your Local Guide to St. Patrick’s Day in Minneapolis | Eater

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The Best Rooftop Bars and Restaurants in the Twin Cities | Eater Twin Cities

Where to find the best arcades, pinball, foosball, air hockey, and video games at bars in Minneapolis and St. Paul | Eater Twin Cities

Where to Eat and Drink in the Lyn/Lake Neighborhood | Eater Twin Cities

Your Local Guide to St. Patrick’s Day in Minneapolis | Eater