I admit, I am not a board gamer. The last board game I played before coming here was monopoly and it ended with tears, a floor full of game pieces and a keen understanding of who was a ruthless capitalist in our family. Aside from that, I went to this place on a suggestion from some friends. Never really been to a place with this concept and it sounded interesting. I had NO FREAKING IDEA there were so many board games in existence! To add, some of these games are very intricate and strategic and some are just quick but probably most are actually fun if you give them a chance. Anyway, the guys at this shop were extremely knowledgable about the games. Like insanely knowledgable. You could point to a game and they would surely be able to ramble about the intricacies within seconds. That's amazing and very helpful because I'm sure most people that go in there are not so well versed. If you're on a schedule and only have so much time, they will find a game that fits that time frame. Five stars for great service and the coffee bar was excellent. Baristas and game experts?! read more

Like, I think, a lot of people, I had never been to anything like a board game library before. I had a friend visiting from out of town, though, and he wanted to check out Albuquerque's entry in this genre. Well, it's definitely something different, and I like it. Empire is something like a midsize cafe, with coffee and cafe food items available for order - and I'll mention that I thought the coffee was good, although I didn't try any of the food. One thing is really different though: it's full of shelves of board games. You pay an hourly rate to hang around, and while there you get the use of their wide selection of board games. I'm not huge into board games myself so I can't claim to be an expert. But there's nothing I've heard of that they didn't have, and with about 7 friends we had a real good time. It was moderately busy when we were there, they were able to seat us right way but I think that was some good luck as all tables were taken most of the time we were there. The staff were friendly but didn't seem particularly attentive - perhaps just because they were busy at the time. Overall a good experience though. read more

Note: don't come here on a Friday night if you don't want to wait for a table. Came here on a busy night after dinner w/ friends -- holy moly, there was a lot of people. We were greeted at the front by a kind gentleman who put our name on the waitlist & would call us whenever a table for our party was available. Yea, okay, no biggie. Within 15-20 minutes later, we received a call & headed back after roaming around Nob Hill for a bit. But this time, we were greeted by another gentleman & he guided us to our table. Now, for the board game selection.. holy bejeezus were there a lot to choose from.. let me tell you, the selection is literally HUUUGE. It ranged from stuff I know/heard of/played before to stuff like I've never even heard before in my life. After much debate, we just decided to stick w/ The Game of Life -- because why the heck not? After getting settled w/ our board game at our table, the gentleman came back & got our drink/food orders. I got the chai while the others got iced tea. The chai was very flavorful & was better than I expected. I look forward to my next visit here to try out another game in their selection! read more

Stopped in for treats, coffee, and good conversation. Absolutely nicest staff, plus delicious chocolate cake and coffee. Easy parking on the side. Definitely recommend. read more

We visited from out of state and found this on Yelp. We had a great time with the kids and enjoyed some tasty food. We enjoyed ourselves we even bought one of the games to play at home. read more

It's like being a kid again! This place, for $3 an hour allows you to play one of about a few hundred board games, just like did when you were a child going to grandmas house! You can get caught up in the game of Life, Clue, or try games you never heard of, why not?! The atmosphere is chill, with all different age groups all playing games and having fun! read more

My husband and I rarely play board games with each other or anyone else. But we were hanging out with some friends on a Friday night and they suggested to go play some games here. It sounded fun, so we went. We were amazed of the game selection and staff. They claim to have 600 games, I didn't count but believe this to be true. All the games have been inventory and parts are organized in little baggies making game assembly and clean up a snap. The staff is very friendly and extremely knowledgable about the games. Our server helped us set up the game, explain the rules, and came by frequently to answer questions. We ate before we came or we would have sampled the menu. Our fiends, however, ordered coffee and ended up having more than one cup. There hours indicate they are open to 11pm, however, they allow patrons to finish their game if it runs past this time. Our game ended shortly after mid-night. I'm a very sore loser and left the place feeling like a winner even though I lost. Simply because of the positive and upbeat atmosphere. I'll definitely be back! If you are ever in a mood to play an old favorite game or something new give Empire Board Game Library a try. I did and I was very satisfied! read more

This place is uber unique! If you are looking for a fun place to hang out with family and friends and play a game, this is your new home away from home! But what I love most cannot be ordered from the menu and comes absolutely free - it's the staff! Everyone here is so friendly and helpful! New to a game? They will help you get on the right path! This is a gem hidden in Nob Hill definitely worth a stop! read more

I think there are people who can be competitive and still be decent people, and there are those who simply can't. I'm the latter. The few upsides to my horrible condition is it normally only happens with Mario Kart, Mario Party, and short board games. That's right, I'm not in it for the long haul. It requires too much energy to be such an angry person for longer than an hour. Although, my SO could play angry board games for hours, and then gets annoyed that I Empire Boardgame has everything needed for people like me, and those other, better people. Their boardgame library is GINORMOUS. They have games I've never heard of, they have the classics, they have ones that will last hours, ones that will be short lived, good for groups, or good for pairs, whatever you're looking for they have something for you. Their staff is also super knowledgable and will help pick out a game that will fit your groups needs. Empire would make an excellent place for a date night, a family night, or a just because I need some friend time night. It is a true test of my friendships and relationships, and it is a ton of fun! Plus, it is crazy inexpensive, you pay by the person per hour, and they have delicious drinks and snacks. Definitely check this place out! read more

I really enjoy coming here. The atmosphere is pleasant, the staff have been friendly and accommodating (even helping you with a game you might be struggling with, if they are familiar with it), there are so many games to choose from, and the food/drink are tasty. The London fog is super delicious! It's a great time altogether!! And reasonable in cost, $3.00 per person, per hour (not including Cafe purchases). My only suggestion is with the punch card system they have. You get one punch per visit with your 10th visit offering one free crafted drink and one free hour to play games. I would suggest that if a customer stays longer than two hours, they should receive two punches. Or if they spend more than say $20 on food/beverages, they should get two punches. I know the way it's set up now means more money in their pocket but it takes the customer a lot longer to fill up their punch card, which doesn't really encourage them to come more often. Just my two cents worth in that. read more

I really enjoy this place. I don't play board games much in my spare time, but the number of board games (over 1,000) is astonishing. It's $4 an hour per person. We played Ticket to Ride, Exploding Kittens, and Carcassone. You could easily spend hours playing games. What I loved is learning about all the games for intellectual nerds like myself who love geography and history. You got Axis & Allies, Western Legends, Wyatt Earp, Letters from Whitechapel, & Anno 1800, Lost Cities, Tikal, Lewis & Clark, and Wingspan, as well as movies/show themes like Back to the Future, Clue: Harry Potter edition; Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Star Trek Catan, and Disney themes like Life Haunted Mansion and Disney Villainous. The staff are very helpful in helping to select games--when I was here before, one of the worker suggested Fun Employed, which I ended up buying. And of course, I'm a big fan of food and coffee. They serve beverages like coffee, chais, and teas, as well as sandwiches. So you can be sipping your lattes while playing games to your heart's content. It's great for those like me who aren't as used to playing with board games, as well as hard-core board gamers, who are always fun to watch as they get really into the games. Empire also sells some of their more popular games for those interested. While it might be overwhelming looking at all the games to choose from, Empire does have it's games as well as the "location" in the library online. Most of the games are in one larger area, but there are smaller end caps and other ares with games located throughout the store. Closer to the front door are the more "traditional" games like Monopoly, Life, Apples to Apples, and Sorry. They even had Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders. The business is located in the Nob Hill area. It's not my favorite area to go to due to the parking issues, but it's a great location for the business itself as it's close to the university. read more

I enjoyed my espresso and cups of coffee here. Their flavors were all great. And my sandwich tasted so fresh and flavorful. The game selection here is large and varied. Most of the games I've never heard of! It was fun to look at all the different games. The game our group ended up playing was Pandemic, which requires a massive amount of teamwork and strategy. It provided us with tons of fun for four hours, and we had our tasty drinks and food to complement the experience. It's nice to have a place that encourages actual interactions with people in-person (not through screens or text!), and the games really make each person think. The servers were really nice, and they seemed engaged in the atmosphere. Our server asked us how our game was going, and then mentioned how he himself couldn't make it through a game of Pandemic for more than a few turns because it's so hard! Another server was nearby and, upon hearing this, he joined the conversation for a bit. Our server also made sure to check in with us fairly often, and gave us suggestions about other games we might like. It was really a pleasant experience! I definitely want to go again soon! If you want to have an enjoyable time with friends, family, or a date, this is a great place to go! read more

Such a fun spot, so many amazing games! No matter if you wanna feel nostalgic, laugh, or have a serious strategic game with friends - this spot has it all. Great drinks, coffee and deserts mean you can stay for as long as you need! Great spot, highly recommend. read more

I love this place! My wife and I stopped in during the soft open and heard about the $3 hourly rate and tried out a couple hours with some simple and fun little stuff. She rarely enjoys board games but we found something interesting then had a game suggested to us by the staff and we were hooked! Since then, I've taken my family for mother's day (my mom loves game nights) and then my nephew decided to have his BDay party there. It's a rare event when a group of 11 year olds and the adults are all enjoying themselves. The staff is fantastic, everyone I've met there is sociable and friendly and genuinely appear to be enjoying themselves as much as we are. The game library is exhaustive so there are dozens of games to play in different groups plus I get to try out a $70 game for $3 and see if I want to spend the cash to buy it. This is a great addition to Nob Hill and I can only beg people to go and enjoy it! read more

Wow! I recently had the best afternoon here. An excellent man named Destry, who is either an owner or the most valuable employee ever, steered my friends and me to the perfect coop strategy game, taught us the basics, then stepped back and let us go crazy. After we paid up two hours and several teas later, he gave us more game recommendations and even a quick round of one of his favorites. The other employees were equally amiable, if not quite as thrilled about games, and if I still lived in town I'd make this my regular Saturday afternoon activity. As it is I'll have to settle for the occasional visit and telling everyone I know to check it out. read more

Good game selection, staff, set up. Busy on the weekends. Minus one star: They don't provide water for free, have to purchase a bottle! read more

Didn't eat there but the space is really cool! Endless board games to choose from. You pay to play, a fee per person per hour.

What an awesome concept! You walk in and get to play board games for $3 an hour (per person.) They have anything from classic games that you played as a child to extreme strategy games. I've been to this place 5 times now and each time it has been packed! When you step inside the door they sit you down and explain the concept of the library. I've gone with just 1 other person to up to 6 other people before. They are very accommodating either way. If you don't know board games very well, they are great at finding one that you'll enjoy playing. One of the times I went with a group and we just told them how we were feeling that day. They were able to match us to game just by our feelings! Check this place out! read more

As the Yelp rating says, "Meh. I've experienced better." To be honest this place sounded pretty cool when I first heard of it. It's too bad I first heard of this type of place in another state. I've been to a board game libary in california and it was way better - especially the people running it. They were attentive to helping you pick out a game, learn to play the game, and not ignore you. The game selection here was pretty good I guess. Me and my friends were playing a game called Settlers of Cataan, which I'm sure you've heard of. The problem was that the space was too small and the owner wouldn't allow us to use anymore tables when it was clear our large group needed more space not even to just play, but to gosh dang sit down. Like wtf lol, he was kind of a douche... Anyways, the food (sandwiches, brownies, pastries etc.) are way overpriced, they don't let you have free water, and the drinks are mediocre at best. Maybe my expectations are just too high from going to one first in california. It's just that I usually set my expectations pretty low when trying something new. Oh well, onto the next one. read more

It can be difficult to find affordable entertainment, especially for younger audiences in the Albuquerque area, but look no further because this place will hit all the check marks on your list. I've come here to spend quality time with my family, for date night and even just for a fun night out with friends. Empire Board Game Library has hundreds of games to play with from cards against humanity to betrayal at the house on the hill. There are games for if your six years old and games for if your sixty. Their prices are also great! Adults play for the hourly rate of $3, which is amazing. Plus they offer a wide range of drinks from tea, to coffee to delicious cream sodas, and don't forget to order a grilled turkey sandwich here because they are delicious. I've probably been here a dozen times already, Because the great service, friendly staff, wide range of selection and clean bathrooms keep my coming back. read more

Loved this place! We happened on it when we were walking Nob Hill. Went in and had a fabulous two hours. We played three games which we had never played before. The staff was awesome and really knowledgable. We had picked a strategic game for our first and when we were returning it to the library, one of the staff noticed and suggested another game since we had enjoyed the first. It was great! The manager was really nice and we had one of our best date nights ever. You really have to check this place out! read more

Empire Board Game Library - Tigo - a century old strategic game that we had fun with. - Cafes Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

This place is so fun they have an amazing game selection. Most of the staff are really great at explaining the game rules to you and helping you set up. One guy with a ponytail has a listening problem and just rambles off like a robot even though I was asking something entirely different about the rules. The environment is clean, fun, and safe feeling. The food selection is good and has grown a lot over the past few years. The drink selection is also excellent. It's a very fun place to escape to and try something new. read more

We came to ABQ for the day and ended up spending most of our time here!!! We played pandemic and ordered a couple sandwiches and had a great time. read more

Incredibly extensive selection of games, great food, and killer baristas. The owner sat down to personally teach me this new game that he was excited about. Great idea for date nights or just hanging with friends. Very family friendly, too. I wish we had this in Grand Rapids! read more

Empire Board Game Library - Cafes Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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We have been to Empire Board Game Library twice, and both times we had a great visit. There is a large and varied selection of games, and the staff are all very knowledgeable about their collection, and always happy to help with explanations, tutorials, setting up, etc. There are always events and competitions going on, and there are even groups and gaming communities you can join if you are so inclined. A fun place to visit, and we will definitely be back again and again! read more

Came here for a team building event for work. The place is clean, staff is nice and helpful, and the food/drinks looked really yummy. My table played 2 games but there were many more playing and some even in a tournament. I could have easily spent a few more hours there. I will definitely be go no back with some friends in the future. The OCD in me wants the organize my games at home like they do, so easy to set up and put away! read more

Solid selection of games. Friendly and attentive staff. Reasonably priced and tasty food. What's not to love?

Such a great idea with good execution. 700 games, well taken care of, with coffee, tea, cake, and meeple shaped donuts for purchase. The friendly barista/game nerd can make recommendations for you also read more

We stopped in to check it out and ended up staying for a game of vintage Clue! Easy going and fun environment---wide selection of games from Chutes and Ladders to Clue to building games/balancing and much more! Pay to play per hour-- reasonable prices. They also had a menu with desserts and snacks. Well worth the time and we'll def be back. read more

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After a few months in business, I decided to stop back in and see how they ran on a Friday afternoon. Previously, their food options were a bit weak (a limitation imposed on them by their kitchen situation), and the coffee was decent, but not stellar. But I didn't come for the snacks; I came for the games! They do a great job making sure the games all come back to the shelf with all the pieces in their boxes, and the roaming staff are well-versed in enough of the games to be helpful if you get stuck on a ruling. They know their library well enough to suggest other games from the over 500 they own which you might not have played before, but will probably enjoy, based on other games you've played before and liked. Think of them as a sommelier for boardgames. read more

This place is board game heaven. In a nutshell: 1) Pay $3 an hour to play any game available on their very extensive shelves. They have all the popular (Catan, Pandemic, etc) games as well as more for serious gamers (I assume, as we chose Pandemic) 2) Drink and Snacks (sodas, donuts, pastries, etc) 3) Sit down at any available table (please wait to be seated) and PLAY UNTIL THEY CLOSE AT MIDNIGHT!! The staff asks if you need help with the game you chose. Friendliest people you'll meet. We've been wanting to learn how to play Pandemic but it's a fairly pricy game to buy, so at $3 an hour, this was perfect. They helped us set the game up and gave us a low down of the rules too. For the next 3 hours we lost 3-4 times and managed in one of the games to cure one disease. It's tough playing with 2 people. Anyways, friendly, fun, and open late! read more

The place was alright muheh. They have a nice selection of games except that some of my favorites they were only there for purchase - which was pretty lame tbh. The staff was sort of rude at times but I think that's cuz they were busy. I would recommend the brownie that has the coconut on top of it. Tastes good, just overpriced! Otherwise it was a fun experience! Had a lot of fun with my friends, we just decided it was a bit on the pricey side especially since you have to pay hourly. (Keep in mind some of these board games last 5hrs+). read more

We were killing time after getting in town waiting to hear about our place to stay. This place was open and a perfect way to spend an hour. Lots of fun! read more

Empire Board Game Library - Battleship and espresso. Too tired to figure out the more complicated games. :) Reliving the simple games of my youth. - Cafes Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Came here last night for the first time, not really knowing what to expect but figured board games plus a cafe seemed like an awesome idea. We were greeted by Jest who immediately welcomed us and explained to us the cafe rules and how everything worked. We ordered some drinks and dived into a board game called Santorini and from there the night was history. Two hours went by without us even noticing where the time went. Jest and the other servers seemed very knowledgeable on all the games were more than accommodating. This place is built off a great concept and I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone looking for a light activity to do on any night! A++ read more

Great selection of board games! Customer service was awesome too. I think it was the owner who stopped by to check on how our game was going and if we needed help with the rules. We had a great time and it's definitely a unique place to hang out and play new games you may not have known about before! I got a chai latte that was good, and the meeple donuts looked awesome! read more

I come here a lot with family, and friends! The service is really good a tiny bit on the pricy side seeing that a lot of the games are super abused but hopefully that changes soon! read more

Such a fun place to hang out. Lots of board games to choose from and the desserts and drinks were delicious.

Great atmosphere, great idea, great time! My fiancé and I strolled in here after dinner and were more than pleasantly surprised to find an extremely helpful staff, a comfortable and welcoming environment, and more games than we could imagine. Though we only stayed for an hour, we'll most certainly be back! read more

I love board games and this coffee shop was heaven. There were games I had never seen before and the selection wad overwhelming. I went with two people and we ended up playing Lift It a whacky game with a timer, building blocks, and the need for a steady hand. At $3/hr time seems to fly by and the food and drink selection will entice you to stay for longer. It is the perfect place for a board game night out. read more

The coolest business in Nob Hill. Throw back a pint at Tractor Brewing, then walk over and enjoy what I imagine is Albuquerque's largest selection of board games. Friendly staff, chill vibe, fun games. Great way to spend an evening! read more