We had so much fun here. It's nice to do nostalgic things while not being either considered weird for being in "kids spaces" and also not having to navigate thru children. Drinks were good. Games were good. The space is so cool. It's indoors and outdoors they do music and karaoke. It's self service other than drinks and they were nice. No complaints. read more

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Did not have food, but I did hit the bar and the service was great. The place is pretty cool if you like old school arcades. I loved the pinball machines and the original Mario. I will be back didn't get to play all the games I wanted. read more

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We went for the grand opening and it was amazing! The restaurant has amazing food and feels like stepping back in time to the 80's. The arcade is packed with many old school video games and the music is great too. read more

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more clubs than I can count, but this is hands down the best one I've ever visited. I was in Providence for a four-day weekend attending a flight simming convention, and a group of about eight of us decided to check this place out. The cover charge was super cheap, around twelve dollars if I remember right, and the drinks were strong and reasonably priced. The bar had a full selection and a long list of creative, delicious cocktails. The Terminator was my personal favorite, packed with flavor and definitely worth trying. But the real star of the show is the arcade. The variety blew me away. Everywhere you looked there was something different and exciting to play. They had old-school classics like Pac-Man and Galaga, intense fighters like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, racing games that make you feel like you're tearing up a track, shooters with light guns, air hockey tables, skee-ball, basketball hoops, a whole row of pinball machines, and multiple Dance Dance Revolution games. It felt like stepping into the ultimate arcade fantasy, and the best part is it's all free and unlimited once you're inside. I could have spent the whole night just exploring all the machines. Then we discovered a huge outdoor patio buzzing with people taking turns singing karaoke on stage. The energy was amazing, and everyone was cheering each other on. And just when we thought it couldn't get better, we went upstairs and found another full bar and a dance floor where literally everyone was moving. No one was standing around trying to look cool. People were actually dancing, smiling, and just having fun. We danced for about three hours straight without stopping because the DJ was dropping one incredible track after another. I can't recommend this place enough. It's a blast from start to finish, and if you're anywhere near Providence, you absolutely have to check it out. You will have an unforgettable time. read more

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Great nostalgia! After a mixup with an all ages date Anthony, the owner went above and beyond to rectify what could have been a bad experience. Awesome place to go with friends! Two Sundays out of the month they do an all ages day which i highly recommend. thank you Anthony and staff read more

Went last night, paid $24 dollars and the minute I ran outside to smoke, they tried to charge me again. This place is dingy, dirty, and charges exuberant amounts for entry to a glorified Dave and Busters. What a ripoff, please save yourself the date night and just go to Moniker Brewery! read more

This place was great! I haven't seen anything like it around me. $12 to get in and then everything is set to free play! Tons and tons of games for everyone. 21+ is a set back for families but the biggest issue I had was that when I opened a tab they kept my credit card and my drivers license... read more

The Free Play Bar Arcade may not be everyone's idea of heaven, but it's definitely mine. Holy cow! This place is amazing. I don't use those words lightly. Before heading out for the night, I was advised by an older local that this might be a sketchy part of town. However, I saw nothing sketch, and I know for sketch. I've lived in Oakland, CA and Philadelphia, PA. This was not sketch. There was a bouncer at the door, which made me think the warning wasn't completely out of line, but I felt entirely safe both inside the bar and outside while waiting a moment for my Lyft to pull up. That said, back to the amazing part of it all. I came for the all-you-can-eat pinball, which during the week was a knockout low price of $7. The only bummer is that the place is 21+ which means it will be years until I can bring my kids. There are family days once a month, so maybe in the future, I can schedule my visits to RI accordingly. The pinball machines were in great shape and there was a fantastic variety from which to choose from. Modern Sterns had functioning Insider Connect readers. There were even drink holders attached to the sides of the machines for your convenience. Pinball was spread out in two banks, with the newest machines towards the front door, and more classic machines along with recent tables from the past decade tucked on a fall wall in the back right. Ventilation was good. Noise is loud, but it always is. Here's the truly remarkable part though. I was not expecting to see so many classic arcade games from the 1970s and 80s. Seriously, these things brought me back to my youth, and it made the Free Play Bar Arcade really seem like it was someone's labor of love. These aren't just machines. They are a collection. And putting together a collection like this could represent a life's work. All open to the public, for a mere $7? With the ability to buy and drink good beer? But it goes just a little bit deeper too. The art on the walls. Chef's kiss. What a throwback to the arcade days of the 80s, and again, just bursting with love. You want more? Well, how about rhythm games! Dancing ones in addition to some hand eye coordination options, the likes of which I've never seen. There were folks who were seriously dancing up a sweat in their pursuit to be a master of the dance! Which also means, this place is serving multiple communities, which makes it even cooler. Seriously, one of the coolest places I have ever been. Just go. Go. It's awesome. Maybe you can even beat my high score on James Bond. read more

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Nostalgia. Both good legacy games and newer stuff. Air hockey. Arcade "ambiance" - what more could you ask for in an arcade. It's our first night in Providence, RI (we're in for a wedding, and I wanted to visit some places.) My wife spotted this place, and we walked from The Graduate (the former Providence Biltmore Hotel) - it was less than 1/2 a mile, and as costly as parking is in Providence, walking is your BEST BET (hint!) You hit the door, pay your $7 per person (no re-entry (TIP!)) and go to the games. The bar is to your left as you walk in, the games are to your right. They had a TON of games - Asteroids, Robotron, Joust, Sinistar, Qix, Q-Bert, Super Sprint, Area 51 (nice to play this, now I def don't want to buy one) and literally dozens more. 2 x 2 person air hockey games, 1 x 4 person. They had a good variety of the old classics, and the newer stuff. It was quite entertaining - we had a heck of a good time! read more

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Hadn't been in a while and noticed they were doing a 'family day' and popped in. Had a blast. Having played a lot of these games growing up, its nice to play and have infinite free lives to finally 'win' the game. And Skee-Ball is also just so much fun. read more

I had a lot of fun at this spot. It is a great location in Providence. It is perfect for millennials who love nostalgia. I enjoyed playing games while enjoying fun cocktails. It's a great location for a night out with friends or a competitive date night. While it was busy the night I went, I didn't wait long for a drink or to play a game. The only downside is parking. We went on a night that PPAC had a show and the parking rates were insane. We ended up parking at the mall and walking over. That's the only thing you need a heads up on! read more

Retro, fun atmosphere. Drinks are very reasonable. Helping me decide if I want a racing car or motorcycle.

Great place to play unlimited games for one price! They have cup holders at every game too

My husband loves it here. Every time we visit our daughter in RI, we have to go. So many pinball and other games, it's hard to choose what to play. $10 for all day. We more than get our money-worth! read more

Really fun arcade bar near downtown Providence!!! I'm not a big gamer, but I went here with my boyfriend and his friends, and they loved all the games available (big variety). Everything from pinball machines, to air hockey, to skee ball, to a photo booth! In his opinion, the best part about this bar is the arcade games are FREE and unlimited lives (just a cover at the door). The best part about this place in my opinion, is the PIZZA!!! The cheese pizza at the bar is REALLY good- don't underestimate it, order one!!!! Makes for a fun night out, I would recommend! read more

Free Play Bar Arcade - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Great staff, full of fun classic games, fully stocked bar, and clean enough. Great monthly event for kids to attend. read more

Free Play Bar Arcade - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Reasonable entry fee for what the place has to offer! Unique selection of both retro and modern games. I was pleasantly surprised with their collection of Japanese rhythm games & pinball machines! There is another bar with karaoke and a dance floor upstairs which is a fun way to cap off the night! Drinks are average price for the providence area. All the staff here were super chill. Also note that there's a parking lot next door we paid 21$ for parking. There are ample places to park all around if you don't mind walking accouple blocks. read more

Okay....this place is cool. My husband and I travel all the time and we hit an arcade bar in every big city. Honestly, this might be the best one we've been to. They have a million games, all well taken care of and maintained, and different types - old school and new school. Their bar is fantastic with all the drinks you might need. And they even had live music which was cool. We were highly disappointed in their food menu though - just pizza. Which, to be fair they don't need a crazy good menu, but we're not local and wanted to try some local food. Not a big deal. But they were rude to us about leaving. Out of all the cities we've been in, this was the heftiest entry fee we've had to pay to enter an arcade bar....and then we couldn't leave and get food. If we left, we had to repay. We didn't even think to ask about re-entry when we entered because we've been to probably 20+ arcade bars around the country and re-entry has ALWAYS been a given, especially if you pay an entrance fee. We were there maybe 45 minutes and decided to leave because I was starving. It was honestly so disappointing, we would have grabbed something, come back, and spent all night buying drinks at their bar. But to each their own. So cool spot, but they did rub us the wrong way. IF you are looking for a great arcade bar, this is it, but make sure you eat before. read more

If you like arcades, the value and game diversity here are both tough to beat. How can you walk past all these machines without enjoying yourself, I wonder? Good for individuals, couples, groups, and really anybody, Free Play really brings the variety and (more importantly) spirit that arcades once had - and still can have. Drink variety is A-OK here - and if prices aren't great, it's likely because you got in the door pretty inexpensively. The pizza is unspectacular, which is on point for most any arcade I ever frequented when I was young. The people are business-like and friendly. Come in and find your favorites - 2010s dance frenzy machines, 2000s first person shooters, 90s franchise standards, 80s museum pieces, as well as skeeball and tabletop games - visit with the good stuff and take in the nostalgic happiness inherent here. I bet you'll like it! read more

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Yelp! is asking me "what went well?" and I'm almost afraid to answer that because if I told y'all the truth--you'd call me a liar. My wife and I were in Providence for the weekend and Free Play was on our itinerary. After stuffing our faces with some tasty pretzels from The Malted Barley, we decided to walk a few blocks over to the barcade. I'm an 80s baby and previously visited a barcade in Salem MA. I had a good time there and was hoping to do the same at Free Play and share in the experience with my wife. We walked in thru the front door and had to pause a moment as I stood there in wide-eyed wonder looking around the place. Arcade games wall to wall. Neon signs. Dim lights. It was as if I was a teenager all over again entering an arcade. The wave of nostalgia was unreal. But the big differences are that I didn't have to save my allowance and beg for a ride to the arcade. Free Play is conveniently located near downtown Providence and $12 provided UNLIMITED play. Oh--and I'm old enough to buy one of the many cocktails they pour up. After paying the cover charge to enter, we bellied up to the bar. I ordered Rainbow Road--ayo, shout out to Mario Kart--and a DownEast cider. Made our way over to Skeeball to get a few rounds in and then perused thru the venue to peep all the other games. Dig dug. Time Crisis. Marvel vs Capcom. Mortal Kombat. The Simpson. Pac Man. Galaga. Star Wars. Street Fighter. Honestly, let me just stop. Because the games they DON'T have is a shorter list. And I haven't even named all the pinball machines lined up on the wall. But let's keep it moving because just when you thought the 1st floor was a blast from the past, at 10pm the dance club inside Free Play opens. The Rewind Retro Dance Lounge is a dance club located on the 2nd floor of the barcade. Doors open for them at 10pm and remember that $12 cover we paid earlier? Yea, it covers your entrance into the night club too. Heading up the stairs I was expecting to dance the night away to the typical 80s and 90s songs every other dj tends to play. Not that they're bad--it just gets old after a while. I mean how many times can you hear "This is how we do it" or "Poison" before your eyes roll out of your head? Thankfully, that wasn't the case at the Rewind Retro Dance Lounge. We were some of the first people thru the door and made our way to the bar. I was in the middle of ordering new drinks when the dj dropped "Young Hearts Run Free" by Candi Staton. I'm pretty sure I let out an audible shriek as I jumped and ran to the dance floor. The absolute bangers didn't stop there. "Music sounds better with you", ABBA, Daft Punk, The Bee Gees, Rick Astley, Depeche Mode. Seriously, the dj didn't miss. When was the last time you've been in a club and "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode dropped? We danced for hours and ended our night around 1am because we had some activities planned in Newport later that morning. In my opinion, Free Play Bar Arcade is worth a visit if you're in the area. We're already planning our return trip in November for my birthday. That place has no business being that damn cool. read more

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Overall i absolutely love this place. I'm just tired of the old self faded egotistical rock punk male bartenders mostly. Some are respectful for sure and know how to do their job. On the other hand, theres no need for sarcastic remarks when a customer is ordering something. Or giving sarcasm or just insulting/instigsting things. Idk I find that very weird and inappropriate. I literally just wanted a drink. read more

What a fun place to come for a great night of nostalgia!! Not only do they have a ton of arcade games, INCLUDING many of the arcade games from Japan (!!!), they also have some live music occasionally, and play some old 2000s hits! I had a lot of fun with my friends here and would definitely come back for another arcade night. read more

It was all fun and games until you go into the bathroom and see this. This type of shit can't be tolerated anymore. Disturbing read more

Free Play Bar Arcade - Bathroom stall - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

This is the best experience I have had at an arcade style bar. The place is huge with lots of games on good condition, one time cheap entrance fee and then free to play, bar, smoking area, just a great hang overall read more

I used to come here pretty regularly pre pandemic, and just went back for the first time since. For a $12 cover you get to play a variety of arcade games like skee-ball, dance dance revolution, ice hockey, and pac man. There's a bar downstairs with the games and on the second floor there's another bar and a dance floor. I remember a few years ago they played more classic dance music, and when I went recently it was more electronic. Considering the value, I think this is a great place for a night out in Providence. read more

Really cool place in downtown Providence. 7 bucks to get in and you get unlimited plays of all the retro arcade games in the joint. Good amount of people in there for a Wednesday night in February and a massive selection of games. Might I recommend Crazy Taxi read more

Not bad, we had fun, but a lot of the machines were either not working, or were in disrepair. Some half worked, or had damaged screens. Guitar hero for instance, only one guitar worked, 2 out of the 3 air hockey tables didn't work at all. The bubble hockey table had backward controls, stuff like that. It would have been a lot better if they maintained their machines better. That being said, the place was fun and I would give them Another try soon. read more

It's loud. It's busy. The staff is friendly. Friday night around 6:30 it cost $12 to get in and as promised a whole night of "free" gaming. There were a few machines asking for funds, but very few. I was joined by 2, 30 something guys who took some adjusting to the activity level to warm up to play. I Loved the pinball machines (I am of a certain age ) I forgot how much I enjoyed playing them. We didn't eat dinner so ordered 3 pizzas, they were said to be large but in truth they were about 10 inches. Unfortunately they were not brought out for 45 minutes, the bartender explained they had just one pizza oven, I'm guessing it was small. We took out pizzas home and ate them there. Mistake! The pizzas were sub standard and caused a bit of an unwelcomed reaction from our bodies the next morning, all three of us had the same issue. Go to Free Play, wear your noise cancelling headphones if loud is an issue, play, have fun, however, I suggest you eat before you go and steer clear of the substandard fair: thin undercooked slightly off putting pies. read more

an amazing place for friends, dates, and everything in between! the neon lighting and retro games bring a great sense of nostalgia for the 80's. the bartenders are quick and friendly, and the drink selection is great! i sadly did not get anything to eat, but everything i saw both looked and smelled delicious! the outside smoking/karaoke section had an amazing atmosphere! would 100% go again! read more

Quite the hidden gem. I stumbled upon this as a choice coming in from out of town and considered it an option if we had nothing else to do. We had some time, so wandered over to this very unassuming to the point of worrisome place. However, super worth it. I've been to barcades before but haven't been to one that charges a general admission ($7 pp) for unlimited games which is (pun intended) a game changer. The drinks were very reasonably priced. The gaming options felt like I was preparing for Ready Player One, with extensive options. Most games were functional (RIP left guitar of Guitar Hero) and it was awesome to be able to win skeeball and air hockey over and over again and continue my mission on various games without having to pay for more time. Wish I had more time to spend here! read more

Stopped in on our first night in Providence. This was so much fun, I'm actually surprised how much fun I had, cause this is totally out of my comfort zone, but it helps when you've had a few Chardonnays in you. We went here on a Friday night, it was popping. The bar had a good selection and the service there was quick and attentive, despite it being very busy. There's like some bouncers out front that you have to pass to go inside. Inside, all the lights are off but all of the games are on with their bright lights, so there's plenty of light. They had an impressive amount of games there, which was fun, my favorites were Mario Kart, Pacman and some motorcycle game and of course skee ball. The games are freeplay, as they're included in admission. My only complaint is the games were extremely old, very 90s feeling. Some of them were hard to navigate because they only had 2 buttons. This place would benefit significantly to upgrade and update their game selections. Even the MK was an older edition. Anyways, this was one of my favorite things we did in RI, that I would definitely recommend to anyone else wanting to have a fun time. Great place for if you're with friends. read more

Free Play Bar Arcade - Pinball Machines - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I really like the dance floor area upstairs. This place is very unique and also located right in the middle of downtown providences club mecca, so it's perfect for bar hopping nights when you wanna hit a few different spots. I'm not much of a gamer so I'm not really the target audience for this place but I did enjoy it when I went. read more

Let me preface this with saying that I've been to a LOT of arcades in my days and travels and Free Play Bar Arcade ranks in my favorites. There are cabinets that are hard to find plus games that I've never played. They also have some music arcades from Japan that I've only see at one other Arcade. We arrived at opening on Sunday evening (7pm) and it was $7 to play. You pay at the door and can stay until close. Walking in, my first impression was that it was dark and smelled smoky. There is a separate outside smoking section, I think it just wafts in and sticks to the carpeted floors. I ordered up some draft IPA's (12oz for $7.00+tax) and checked out the scene. There's everything from pinball to cabinets to racing games (including Mario Cart) and even DDR. Some of my favorites are: Burger Time, DigDug, Ms Pac-man, Qbert, Tapper; they were all there! Plus games I'd never heard of that I can't wait to go back and master (have you ever heard of Zoo Keeper?). You unfortunately can't come and go, but I did notice they have a food menu, although I didn't notice anyone eating. They have a cocktail list (prices raged from about $9-$15 if I recall), wine and bottles/cans of beer as well. I can see myself returning many times in the future and highly recommend if you're a fan of arcades. I definitely believe there is something for everyone here! read more

My partner and I have weird work schedules so, it's difficult to find a place open late to enjoy ourselves when we have a night off. Freeplay is just the place for that. $7 bucks to get in and the place full of games is all yours. 420 friendly so, you can enjoy a nice smoke break on their patio as well as a full bar with non alcoholic drinks. Also, they have fresh made pizza at a very reasonable price! Even the tables are games so you can play while you eat! No kids and doesn't open until 7pm. Looking for a place to get away for a few hours? Free play is that place. read more

Had a great time here playing some video games with my brother. We have always been into retro games and recently heard of this place. It was wonderful too because all the games were free after the payment of admission! Admission on Fri-Sun is $10 while the other days are $8. We arrived around 7p and stayed until 9p. We planned to stay for the dance floor to open up but it got delayed to 10p. It didn't start getting busy until 8:30p. One thing I like about this arcade is the age requirement 21+. It's truly recognizable that the maturity level in the environment is different from other gaming places. I recommend the Sweet Tart margarita! I also had the Princess Peach but wouldn't suggest ordering. It seemed like they only had pizza as a food option. read more

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Just vibes ! We did not expect to have this much fun! Drinks are strong too We checked our coats for $2 read more

Took my child here for the monthly family day. For $5 (usual over 18 cover) or $10 (monthly family day)unlimited games. Plenty of pinball machines, older vintage 80/90's standup and table top video games, skee ball and some air hockey tables. We really enjoyed our visit here. Plenty of o street parking if you don't mind a short walk. This is in a great location in an up and coming neighborhood. Close to downtown as well. read more

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*Knocked off a star - I bought one drink and made the mistake of not calculating and manually writing the tip amount, just the total. Seems like the person inputting it also hates math and decided the tip amount on their own. My mistake and only $0.50, but it sucks and is shady to know this establishment modified my tip and I'd imagine it's not the first time they've done this. So, CHECK YOUR CC STATEMENT GUYS!!! Visited on a Saturday night - Cover was $10 and there is a no backpack policy. The machines are in GREAT condition. Everything looks brand new with little to no wear and the majority are in working condition (saw a skee-ball machine out of order but didn't have a sign posted). They've got great games to accommodate up to four players, like air hockey and Pac Man. Tip: The bar upstairs is less busy! read more

Free Play Bar Arcade - Bartender modified my tip. - Bars Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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Had a great first time at this arcade! There are tons of different games to choose from, like DDR, Pacman, pinball, skeeball, etc. It was pretty crowded on a Saturday night but we could always find an open game to play. The outdoor area could use some work (the few chairs and tables that were available were all kind of dirty / sticky) but other than that I'd recommend coming here for a fun night out. read more

A fantastic spot with all you play arcade games with an upfront cover charge. They sport a fantastic beer/bar menu as well with some great looking snacks. The real benefit though are the games. The atmosphere feels like an arcade should, with the lights and sounds buzzing on as you play skeeball, pinball, or a classic video game. read more