Arcades (& Bars With Video Games) In Birmingham, AL

Like most cities, 1980’s Birmingham was a hotbed of arcades and stand-up video games.

It was an age of Donkey Kong and Pac-Man, Galaga and Space Invaders.

Then, came the Atari, and the Nintendo after that.

Suddenly, Birmingham arcades cleared out and the world of video gaming was transplanted into player’s living rooms.

But just because the B’ham arcade scene isn’t what it once was doesn’t mean it’s gone completely.

There are still a number of places around the city where you can pop in your tokens and play.

Birmingham Video Arcades

These are the arcades in and around Birmingham:

Surge Adventure Park

Wildwood North
120 Wildwood Pkwy
Homewood, AL 35209
(205) 259-5849

Sunday-Thursday: Noon – 8 pm
Friday: 11 am – 10 pm
Saturday: 10 am-10 pm

Games:

• Pinball
• Skill Games
• Console Games

Vibe: Energetic/Hectic

Davenport’s Pizza Palace

2837 Cahaba Rd
Birmingham, AL 35223
(205) 879-8603

Monday-Thursday: 11 am – 9 pm
Friday-Saturday: 11 am – 10 pm
Sunday: 4:30 pm-9 pm

Games:

• Old-School
  • Pac-Man
  • Ms. Pac-Man
  • Centipede

Vibe: Nostalgic/Laid-back

Dave & Buster’s

Riverchase Galleria
2700 Galleria Cir
Birmingham, AL 35244
(205) 986-6200

Sunday-Thursday: 10 am – Midnight
Friday-Saturday: 10 am – 1 am

Games:

• Skill Games (Skee-Ball / Basketball)
• Driving Games (Cruisin’)
• Console Games

Vibe: Energetic/Hectic

BumperNets

Riverchase Galleria
2000 Galleria Cir
Birmingham, AL 35244
(205) 986-6200

Monday-Thursday: 11 am – 7 pm
Friday-Saturday: 11 am – 8 pm
Sunday: 11 am – 6 pm

Games:

• Console Games
  • Pac-Man
  • Ms. Pac-Man
  • Galaga
• Pinball
  • TMNT
  • James Bond
  • Venom
• Foosball
• Air Hockey

Vibe: Salesy

Chuck E. Cheese

500 Old Town Rd
Birmingham, AL 35216
(205) 979-3420

Monday-Thursday: 10 am – 9 pm
Friday-Saturday: 10 am – 10 pm
Sunday: 11 am – 9 pm

Games:

• Kid-Friendly
  • Skill Games
  • Console Games

Vibe: Kids, Kids Everywhere/Hectic

Birmingham Barcades/Birmingham Bars With Arcade Games

Barcades are basically just video arcades that serve booze.

Due to this, you typically must be 21+ to enter.

(Some barcades do allow players under 21 if they are with a responsible adult, but most of them don’t.)

So, if you’re looking for both a drink and a game of pinball/skeeball/Pac-Man in B’ham, here’s where you can find it:

Paramount

200 20th St N
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 320-2824

Tuesday-Sunday: 11 am – 9 pm

Games:

• Skee-Ball
• Pinball
• Console
• Guitar Hero

Vibe: Cool/Low-Key

Mom’s Basement

4411 3rd Ave S
Birmingham, AL 35222
(205) 774-6667

Monday-Friday: 3 pm – 2 am
Saturday: 2 pm – 2 am
Sunday: 4 pm – 2 am

Games:

• Pinball

Vibe: Nostalgic/Retro 70s-80s/Homey

Birmingham’s Arcades Out Of The Past

Ah, the ever pulsating heart of Birmingham’s gaming community – those dreamy days when arcades were not just about the games, but about the camaraderie and collective euphoria that permeated through every square foot of those glowing, bustling havens.

From the ever-popular Dance Dance Revolution dance-offs to the crowd around Street Fighter tournaments, the dedicated video arcade was the nucleus of Birmingham’s gamer culture.

Today, the gaming world is vastly different.

With the advent of home consoles and online multiplayer platforms, the need for arcade machines can sometimes feel obsolete, the blinking lights of a stand-up console a thing of the past.

But the echoes of laughter, the flickers reflecting off a sea of eager faces, and the symphony of electronic bleeps and bloops that once dominated Birmingham’s arcade scene remain.

So, let’s raise a joystick to Birmingham’s past, to those shared moments and to the friendships that were forged in the glow of those colorful screens.

Birmingham’s arcade scene may not be as bustling as it was in its prime, but the spirit of those times, the pure joy of gaming, still resonates – resonates in every token dropped, every button pressed, and every high score achieved.

Even as our joysticks have given way to VR controllers and our coin slots to in-app purchases, the legacy of Birmingham’s arcades remains a testament to the city’s gaming culture.

And while the neon lights might flicker a little dimmer now, the soul of B’ham’s arcade scene continues to shine brightly, its heartbeat still echoing in every ‘Game Over’ and ‘Continue?’ screen that lights up across the city.

So, let’s keep that gamer spirit alive, Birmingham. We’ve got high scores to beat and new worlds to conquer.

Game Over?

Never!