Barcade–game on! (clever eh?)
Barcade has the inviting garage feel of a boys and girls club, a game den for kids who never grew up exactly… just developed a taste for craft brews. The cheery line-up of retro machines seemed immensely chill on a wintry Sunday, the way I think I like it best. Only Mrs. Pac Man was playing hard to get…
ladybug, who's object remains unclear
Unabashedly, let me put it out there: I love beer list menus with descriptions. (See also Rattle & Hum, The Pony Bar.) I’m just assuming my wedding, should one occur, will have them tucked into the program’s inner leaf.
Still, descriptions can be misleading. When I ordered reputable brewer Smuttynose’s Terminator G-Bock, I was expecting some fiery, hoppy blast to steel me for my mission to save the future world from killing machines and beerlessness, not an oddly heavy brew with the syrupy aftertaste of overripe stone fruit. It should really have come with crackers to wipe the palette clean. So I cheated and ordered two more. Elysian IPA, a favorite IPA of mine, strikes the pleasing balance between bitter and smooth. Fisherman’s ale is, as it sounds, a working man’s/woman’s beer, but a full-bodied, well-crafted one–and a bargain at $4 during happy hour.
While Barcade on one hand is your spontaneous laundry alternative–a much better use for those quarters you’ve scrounged–it’s also an ideal casually planned party spot. Set your birthday boy or girl up with a goblet of Avery’s Majaraja Imperial IPA, which carries a regal 10.2%, and play lookout for their game of choice.
Location: 388 Union Avenue, btwn Ainslie and Powers Street
Fuller pockets? You’ll need a full meal after all that pixelated battling. Head to Fette Sau nearby, which serves meat and beer by the pound/gallon!
Man why can’t I live closer? I love those old school games, especially with a nice lager in my hand!