WHY HAVE I NEVER KNOWN ABOUT THIS PLACE UNTIL NOW???!! This place is FANTASTIC!! Found this place by accident as I was driving around the area, looking for parking. It's like Chuck E. Cheese's for adults, minus the screaming kids, smelly feet, some random person dressed in a creepy mouse costume, and ball pits. Instead, substitute all of those with a bar! This place is full of arcade games - everything from driving games (e.g. Inital D, Mario) to fighting games (e.g. Mortal Kombat, Tekken) to shooting games (e.g. House of the Dead) to air hockey to foosball to pinball games to cornhole to N64 and Nintendo games (e.g. Street Fighters, Sonic, Mario) and much, MUCH more!!! Plus, they also have a photo booth (doesn't accept tokens) AND beer! Seriously, if you're a true gamer, you MUST check this place out! It's a big venue with TONS of people during the weekend. Start yourself off with 10 tokens by checking into Yelp, then go CRAZY! You'll never hole yourself in your room ever again once you feast your eyes on the grandeur of this place. read more

Boxcar Bar has done a great job listening to feedback and they've adding in original games. And they're allowing food to be brought in which is a nice touch. Overall pretty happy with this place now, even the machines are doing a better job accepting tokens... read more

Bottom line: Boxcar gives a fun alternative to the regular night out, in getting to enjoy arcade classics in a unique bar atmosphere. It's upbeat and fun, and that's what I look for in a night out. I'm a fan, and I intend on making more visits to Boxcar in the future. The Deets: Yes, I grew up in the time of Centipede, Donkey Kong, PacMan, and other arcade classics. Yet I had not gone to try out Boxcar until recently. What a wonderful way to step back into the past and enjoy all those arcade games in a lively bar atmosphere...I'm glad I stopped in! Boxcar is down in the Warehouse District of DTR, and I like how they keep that feel for the most part however accented with very cool graffiti-like artwork on the boxcar type door behind the bar. I dig it. Two bars, one front and one back, serve you while you decide what you are going to play. I like the spread-out layout of the bar, so you don't feel so claustrophobic. I find now that a lot of the machines have drink holders, a definite plus. Once you have drink in hand and get your tokens (yes, the machines take tokens not coins) then you choose your arcade classics and pinball machines to test your skills with. I noticed they have a Doctor Who pinball game, awesome! The shuffleboard in the corner is a good pick, Lindy P. and Sara B. was enjoying this one a lot that night. A classic that Carley W. and I camped out on for about an hour is the Area 51: Site 4 game where you get to shoot video aliens with hand held guns as they pop up in the different scenarios...who doesn't like shooting at hostile aliens invading our planet?!? The rest of the night was filled with shooting zombies, blasting centipedes, trying out being one of The Simpsons, and of course trying our hand at skeeball! I think this place makes for a fun filled and different night out. The Saturday night I was there, there was minimal wait for drinks/tokens and staff covered the area well. The owner Jared was very nice as well talking to us and seeing how our night was progressing. I realize that some of the machines are not originals (a lot seem to point out that there are actually a good number of emulators) but I guess I'm not a purist and it doesn't deter my experience, at least that night it didn't. I noticed there were enough original cabinets to get the arcade feel, and I think they are working on more. We all had fun at Boxcar that night, I am glad that "barcades" are popping up in the Triangle these days. read more

My husband and I stopped here for our anniversary. It was so freaking fun and I monopolized the Addams family pinball machine. Super easy to get coins and sodas. The bathrooms are clean and encourage blackboard graffiti. I really love the place and the location. My only complaint is that I wish it was larger, but what can you really do (that's not really a complaint), but yeah-it's really cool and we had a blast! We will be back and I can't wait to throw down again. read more

Boxcar Bar + Arcade - Bathroom chalkboard fun! #Ravenclaw - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I'm not usually a fan of arcade bars, but this one pulled it off pretty good. It was right next door to the Pit BBQ, and we had some time to kill so we ventured over here. Imagine our excitement when we checked in on Yelp and were given 10 free tokens each! The games were affordably priced, so we had a hard time getting rid of all of our tokens. We decded to just kill some skeeball at the end for 2 tokens apiece. Chill vibe at the front bar, though our bartender couldn't recommend my friend a beer. "I don't drink beer," they said flatly. Hmmm, what happened to customer service? Say I dunno and grab a coworker? Oh well. Would love to come back and chill at the back bar and just watch the mayhem. Good people watching for sure! read more

Okay, so i'm not really an 80's kid (I was born in the middle of '89) but I have always appreciated a good arcade! I have been to a lot of them around the world (my favorite being the cool underground ones I frequented in Korea!) and can think of no better date-spot than a place where I can kick your butt in Mortal Kombat and air hockey. That being said I am so glad bar/arcades like Boxcar are starting to popup in the Triangle. Play arcade games and have a beer? Yes please! The game selection at Boxcar is a bit more limited than of other arcades and a good chunk of their games are emulators, but I still managed to have a good time. They're cheap(two tokens, when 5= $1) and fun which is all I really need to be happy. I can understand if this bothers a 80's gaming purist but for me, it's fine. Some of my favorites at Boxcar are skeeball (though without tickets it kinda takes the competition out of it), Pac Man and air hockey. Bar selection is pretty decent, with a rotating tap of beers, several bottles and bourbon. The bar itself has been crowded every time i've been, making it VERY hard to order or pay your tab. I believe they just fixed this with a second bar in the back, which I will definitely be checking out soon. All in all if you like video games or want to shake up your date night give Boxcar a try! It's a fun and cheap way to have a great night! read more

Boxcar Bar + Arcade - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I discovered this hidden jewel while I was waiting outside The Pit for a table. This is a cool spot to hang out with friends. It's a arcade with a lot of pin ball machines, air hockey, shooting games, a lot of old arcade games like gauntlet legend, Simpsons and plenty other games that I haven't seen since I was a kid! They also have a bar right at the center of the arcade which is a big plus! Also when I checked in on yelp they offered me 10 free tokens to play with!! Definitely would return if I'm in the area :) read more

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Pure. Wholesome. Arcade. FUN. I was little when I was into arcade games, but I played many of the games on console. So many classic fighting games include Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat. Among the racing games, Mario Kart was on N64 as well as the arcade version. The con of the arcade version was that it didn't take a picture of you. The ugly picture is part of the racing fun in arcade mode though. Ski ball was a fun throwback, and it's way more fun competing against someone than waiting for tickets to spit out. Note: there will be a few salty run-backs if playing against your friend/family/etc. I saw a variety of pinball machines, but I didn't touch any. There was even fooseball and classic DDR with the standard foot placements- not this new age DDR-esque machines located in 4 corners. It's fun to watch the pros play DDR, but stop hating on the people who get dragged into it on beginner mode. Let people live~ The service seems like a hit or miss. Our original unhappy female bartender we went up to threw the card back at us, so we switched to a friendlier guy but alas, he shared the crap news that they all split the tips. The selection of fun is plenty. The crowd is friendly~ The service will either be excellent or awful. The bathroom is well-maintained. It's still a solid place to check out regardless! read more

Super fun place for a group of friends or date night! Pretty busy on the weekends but we didn't feel like we waited that long for the popular games. I've been to other arcade bars and they seem to have more games. It would be fun if they had larger yard games outside too! Overall fun time! read more

Nice place to play arcade games alot of classics and cheap drinks cool place to hang out

Took my son before it was late. Friendly staff. Pinball machines best part., highly recommended

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 read more

I went for my a party once. One of my parents friends had a birthday for their son their. Amazing experience! I would recommend 10/10. It's perfect for party's or if you just want a fun place to hang. They even have a old tmnt fighting arcade game and it's sooo fun!! would recommend / read more

Boxcar continues to get better and better. I was there a lot when they first opened and you could tell they were working some kinks out; they are hitting all cylinders now. All of the games are original cabinets (I'm not sure if anything is emulator play actually) and the daily specials are definitely something to keep an eye on! Free tokens when you check in on Yelp, and free popcorn to snack on while you drink and play. I have to think most of the additions/adjustments to this bar came after people spoke up to the staff/owners. I believe in this bar because they are willing to change for the customer, and I've got to say, they're doing quite well at it. Highly recommend! read more

1. Check in on yelp to get some coins. 2. Use free coins to have a great time. 3. Indulge in the daily drink special and get more tokens. 4. Play some corn hole or giant jenga on the patio. Also you can bring your dog. There are no cons that I can see. read more

Boxcar Bar + Arcade - Token specials - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Pretty nice baracde for me and my co-worker to kill time for 'The pit' wait. I spent $3 for 30 mins of time crisis. Then off to dinner. It would have been drunken dance dance revolution but I didn't want to break my ankles. read more

1980s retro feel arcade with top titles you know and love, a bunch of pinball machines, plus a bar with a great selection of local and regional beers to try. I can't speak highly enough of this place. All of the games were in top condition and fully playable as well, down to the light guns on the Area 51 Game and the pedals on Spyhunter-things that are often in a state of repair in places like this were tip top at Boxcar. I'll be back! read more

Boxcar Bar + Arcade - Re-dominating the high school in Spy Hunter after 30 years.... It cost me a lot more this time! - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I was in town for a business trip and while I was trying to kill time, I found this Arcade Bar. There are not much Arcade Bar out there. I think they are a good concept. The have a bar for drinks with some food. I didn't had any food, so rate this place for the Arcade. :) There are lots of varieties and even some classic games. Also good for kids. read more

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Ahhhh no Centipede?? This classic game from 1980 has been in every arcade bar I've ever been to expect Boxcar. -1 Star. Great place overall, There was an abundance of games and people, which made it a little tight an really hot. Fooseball and DDR were a major plus however $1 for 7 balls is a rip-off. Pros: - If you like people, meaning you want the packed in like sardines, Boxcar is for you. - All the games are working! Yes this isn't common for most arcades. Gold star for maintenance - Pinball machines are nice and there's a good variety, the AC/DC was my favorite - Cheapish beer - $2.50 Hamms cans, not too shabby Cons: - HOT; I was literally dripping sweat and I'm not an unhealthy obese man who sweats while watching TV... bring your dew rag and stay hydrated kids - Put a $20 in the change machine and you better be planning on playing with all $20. That change machine throws special branded tokens good only at Boxcar. Every modern, vintage arcade Ive been to over the last few years all exchange bills for quarters. There wasn't a sign specifying this, unless maybe I was just blitzed drunk and couldn't read. - No Centipede! You may not care about this one but damn, I was butt hurt - such a classic, please find it. 3 Star experience over all, maybe next time lll go on a Monday afternoon in January. read more

A hip and exciting place to be. There's something for everyone at this barcade located in downtown Raleigh, even dogs are welcome! Although this is a bar, I also saw kids playing at the many arcade games available, pinball machines, skeeball, air hockey, and shuffle board. (We weren't carded entering Boxcar, so I guess kids are welcome!) There are awesome discounts on the weeknights. We came on a Tuesday night and beers were $3 a pint! I instantly smelled the freshly popped (free!) popcorn walking into Boxcar. This is one of the few places in downtown Raleigh that has a full bar, couple dozen craft beers on tap, delicious snacks, and loads of entertainment. The old school arcade games were nostalgic. My friends and I spent the most time playing air hockey. Don't forget to check-in on Yelp to get your $1 worth of free tokens (4 tokens). Perfect place to meet up with friends after dining in downtown Raleigh. read more

Great atmosphere! Too me back to being a child. And I didn't have to pay fir parking . Nice staff and great alcohol specials

A one star review for their new entry requirements. First you must have your ID scanned which includes your full name, street address and birthday. After that, they take your picture. Finally, they require and email address. Please be aware of these requirements before you or your group decide to attend. As for the barcade portion, it's a fine retro arcade. read more

Awesome Arcade bar with a wide range of games and drink options. Several ciders available. Sunday is five dollar drafts. Doesn't look like there's food here but lots of restaurants nearby. The staff is very friendly and welcoming which is refreshing. This spot is lively and seems to be a Raleigh hot spot. I will definitely be back my next visit to Raleigh. read more

Tonight the Dj is doing an amazing job... on a chilly night he still has people outside bopping! Some of the new machines should not be as expensive for one turn. The bartenders were effective. This is a great place for "friendsgiving" . read more

We had a great time on a pretty packed Friday night. We had to wait a bit for certain games like Mario Kart, but it was worth it. Most games were only 25 cents, although some (like bug game hunter) are up to a dollar. They had a DJ playing 80s music, and there were a few middle aged gentleman breaking it down on the dance floor to everyone's entertainment. They also have a pretty good beer and cider selection. read more

Boxcar Bar + Arcade - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Fun with a great selection of games but super crowded. Blessedly unburdened with "ticket acquisition" games -- just a bunch of classic and current arcade games. Beer selection was ok; mixed drinks were decent but unremarkable. Would visit again with the right crowd, but it would be great to be able to play and converse at the same time. read more

My favorite bar downtown. Boxcar makes me feel like a little kid and I love it. You get free tokens when you check in on Yelp which is an awesome bonus. Drinks are absolutely phenomenal. I always order a fuzzy navel wherever I go, so I have had more than I could count. However, this place made the BEST fuzzy navel I've ever had. I couldn't stop ordering them! Bartender was really nice and professional, atmosphere was top-notch, and the place was clean. Recommended for SURE. read more

Boxcar Bar + Arcade - AMAZING BAR!!! - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Was very disappointed. Excited to come with my husband and 20-year old son who is a video game geek. Even though he had no intention of drinking, they would not let him in. A simple wrist band could have been used instead of throning away customers. Won't get a second chance. read more

Disclaimer: I don't know much about arcade games and I didn't try the beer. That being said, this place was a blast!!! All of the games are super old school and make this a trippy walk down memory lane. They had like 3 different versions of Street Fighter - one of my favorite video games while growing up! They even had one of the original Mario games where all you do is kick off the turtles. The games range from Pac Man to Skee Ball to Fooseball to Mariokart - meaning, it covers all different types of games, so bring your lovers and friends to enjoy a night of fun! They even have a photo booth with some fun accessories! Each of the games is only 2-4 tokens, but be careful - you could easily burn a hole in your pocket. Especially if you've had some drinks. It doesn't help that all of the games have cup holders attached to them, so you can conveniently and easily play and drink FOREVER. (Also can easily make a drinking game out of these.) Please remember that people playing games can get pretty worked up aka it gets hot in there!! I would go back. To play games. With alcohol next time ;) read more

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Not much of a gamer and never really got into the old school pinball but I really liked this place. I went during the week (Tuesdays is $3 drafts!). I played the zombie shot em' up game, prehistoric Jurassic Park shot em' up dinosaur game and foosball. In addition to your Pac-Man, Tetris and Centipedes of the world, there is skeeball and an outdoor area with corn hole and some weird hook on a string game. You have to go see it. I can't explain it. Boxcar is in a great area with Circa 1888 half a block away and next door to The Pit and across from Videri Chocolate Factory. Great place to play around during the week. Play hooky from work the next day and make a night of it. read more

Boxcar Bar + Arcade - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Boxcar Bar + Arcade is a great hangout spot, conveniently located to downtown Raleigh with plenty of food options nearby, including The Pit next door. They have a good mix of classic 80s and 90s arcade machines, as well as pinball, ski ball, air hockey, etc. There are two bars, one in the front and one in the rear, and there are even a few tables in addition. The paintings on the walls are fantastic, as well, and help really immerse you in the gaming environment they have created here. I appreciate that they still use tokens, as many arcades have switched over to flat entry fees or prepay cards, which encourage players to camp at machines longer. read more

Boxcar Bar + Arcade - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

"Waited over 10mins to get my drinks from the blonde bartender. She seemed occupied making fun of people that had just been thrown out. When she did finally come over she was extremely rude and short with us. We asked to sample a couple of beers which upset her further. I wanted to plan a corporate event here for my office but because of our terrible experience we've decided to book somewhere else. Unfortunate. Not sure what all the hypes about.... Are the bottomless mimosas even legal in NC? #ncALEdept Too bad one apple ruins the bunch nice place, great location but the service is terrible! #neveragain read more

This place is really cool. I came at a really busy saturday night, but the atmosphere was great and they have a wide variety of arcade machines. I really appreciated the QR code menus! Im not normally a beer drinker, but I ordered a Mystic Dragon and actually liked it! They give you a big 16oz glass for most of the drinks that arent canned, so I think the pricing is pretty good. Bartender was super friendly. Great experience overall. read more

We decided to return in order to use up the tokens we purchased at our first visit. This time we chose to visit on a Sunday afternoon. Since they had just opened and there were no birthday parties going on, it was pretty empty. As a result we were able to play numerous arcade games and giant Jenga. It did fill up quickly but we had a lot of fun and stayed for about 2 hours. Galaga, Tetris, bubble hockey, and Jurassic Park were definitely favorites. We purchased a few drinks and they tasted great plus the employees are friendly, funny, and helpful. Only one game did not work properly and an employee immediately started working on it to fix it. Overall, we had a great time, the popcorn was delicious, and we were glad we were able to find a time where the arcade was not too crowded. read more

Fun place to have a drink and let the kids play. I even joined in a few games too. I'd recommend a visit

This place was a good time. It was an adult arcade adult being a fully stocked bar. They had almost any game you could want to play in there Pac man old school Sega genesis with sonic the hedge hog. But my fave air hockey we literally found the table and stayed there all night and drank beer. I felt like I was in college all over agian. I would reccomend this place if your in town. They had some food vendors outside. P.s. check in you'll get free tokens read more

Boxcar Bar + Arcade - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Love love this place. Took my partner here for the first time last night and he loved it too. Though you should expect it to be packed weekend nights, there are so many games to play and you never have to wait long. I encourage participation in the Thursdays ski ball tournament. Their bartenders are very receptive so be sure to tip well for their work and get your pinball skill up while you're at it. Drink specials are sweet too! read more

Updated review---2020-2021. We were so happy when this place finally opened up after being shut down for an entire year. Our family has been coming here since they opened several years ago. This was our place to be with friends every Thursday before the pandemic. My partner and I and our friends have been back since twice & both times it has been absolutely ruined. All bartenders who were the heart of the place are gone and are being replaced by this very easily agitated & exaggerated girls. Of course, the issue is always about the stupid friggin mask. Our party always wears it to our table and always wears it to the bathroom. But the waitress with the purple hair or red hair always manages to be rude, denying us drinks and feeling like she needs to watch us, calling her manager to "check" on our party who was just laughing and having fun, not loud at all, while other people further down were going insane and spilling drinks and breaking glasses etc and nothing was said to them. Twice already, I have had to have words with her about our masks which we wear everywhere else and cover everything, but she always has something to say about it, already twice. One time, the manager kept looking at our table like we were selling cocaine from under it or something simply because after a few drinks you start forgetting where the stupid mask is when you go to pee. The second time, we tried to give them a chance again, and the same waitress and her manager (a tall, big dude) were being super weird about us and not leaving our table alone actually idk why since we obeyed all bars laws . I talked to waitress, same friggin issue about the masks (?) And even though none of us were being loud or out of control, our drinks were suspended shortly after. That night one party spent $68 and my partner and I spend $50 and we all just left wondering what the hell happened and why did we spend our money here? Lesson learned. Businesses change with situations. It's sad. If I lose my buzz twice because of people at a place that's supposed to be fun, I don't think I'll be going back. Maybe one day after all this is over, I may be able to give them a chance again but right now, if you just want to be left alone and have your drinks in peace, don't go there. read more

Very cool spot! Parking would have been an issue, but we Ubered. Tons of games and a full bar. They do not have food, but do have popcorn. Staff was very friendly and on top of things. The line at the bar was a little long, but the bar tenders were on point and taking care of people quickly. They also poured a great drink. Would def go back if in the area. The live music outside was great, too. We were there on a Sunday and it was hopping! read more

Very fun bar! This place has all the arcade games and great drinks. They have a ton of specials including $3 draft on Monday's and $3 Fireball on Friday's. The games range from Pac-Man to skee ball! The even have a Nintendo! This is a great place for the adult video game enthusiasts! read more

Boxcar Bar + Arcade - Weekly bar specials - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina