If you ever find yourself in Edgewood, save yourself the trouble and do not come here. The staff is unfriendly, and the clientele is just as rude. I had a run-in with one of the customers at the Jenga table. This is truth or dare Jenga, so there are some actions that involve strangers. It really is a great way to get to know people, and in any other place, I am certain it brings people together. The action in question involved telling someone you thought his or her hair was fake. One of the girls I was playing with - i didn't arrive to the bar with her because again this is supposed to be a friendly place - says it to another man. The man comes over to the couches we were sitting at and picks up the entire Jenga tower and starts belligerently throwing it around. I go to report it to the bouncer who tells me I can just leave if I am unhappy with the way the other customers were acting. read more

Joystick Game Bar is a bar located on Edgewood Avenue that is packed with video games. I came one Friday night for a UYE and had a great time. The space is fairly small, but there's a good variety of video games (Galaga, Batman, X-Men, Ms. Pacman, Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat II, and many more). I am most definitely not proficient at video games. In fact, the only video game in the entire joint that I've played before is Ms. Pacman. I got there early (around 6:15) and the place was empty. The perfect time to play some of the games. I pulled out my singles and got a bunch of quarters (they have machines that take both $1 and $5). Each game is only a quarter to play. I tried my hand at Ms. Pacman (I sucked) and then moved on to Galaga (sucked even worse). A few of us tackled X-Men. I'm not really sure how long we played the game or how many quarters we fed into the machine. I seem to remember each of us yelling out that we needed more quarters as various times and also making a mad dash to my wallet in the middle of the game to get more quarters. We were victorious in the end and beat the game. A few of us left to grab some food and came back around 10/10:30. The place was packed by then. Wall to wall bodies. Various shouts of expletives as people died during game play. The bar fills up about half of one of the walls. I was recovering from an illness so I stuck with sprite. Others really enjoyed their cocktails. They had a chalkboard menu up on the wall with some food items. I'd definitely go back and play some more games and maybe be able to enjoy a few drinks as well. For the girls, there's a very favorable ratio of guys to girls in this place. read more

I love this little hole in the wall barcarde in Edgewood. It brings me back to when I was a little girl, playing in the arcade with my uncle (may he rest), for hours on end, always getting my butt whupped at Street Fighter. I'm many years older, now, and thankfully I can drank and the games are still $.25, but unfortunately I still really suck at Street Fighter. read more

This used to be my favorite bar on Edgewood. Some of the bartenders like to get completely plastered and throw people out at the end of the night. I was thrown into the middle of the street 4 minutes after last call. This is unacceptable. It messed up my knee. This company will NEVER receive another dime from me. Under no circumstances should a bartender lay hands on a guest. There's a reason you have a bouncer. You simply can't allow this kind of behavior. read more

Maaaaaan listen....I thought I walked into heaven! Old school videogames, great drinks, AND good food! I will definitely be back here when I want to hang out at a cool place. It's not a huge place by any means but it meets the needs of a great casual hang out spot! I feel like I took a step back into my past and it's totally a great thing! The burgers are banging! Go to this place and prosper! read more

This place was soooooo fun! We had to wait a bit to get in, but the guy at the door was really friendly, and it moved fast. There are several old school arcade games. There are also board games and places to sit. Then there's a DJ and room to dance in the back. I saw on the walls that they have a lot of game nights. I had one of the craft cocktails and it was really good. This place is like the most brilliant idea ever for grown up fun. Whhhhhhy is this not in every city?! I know I'll be back when I'm in Atlanta. read more

What do you want in a dive bar? Nostalgia? Overly broken-in couches? Arcade games? If that's what you want, this is your place. They have 4-6 beers on tap that rotate and a menu of cocktails. I didn't have a cocktail, but the people I was with did, and they enjoyed it. Obviously the draw is the arcade games. If you ask them at the bar, they'll give you change for games. They have a ton of rotating events like DnD nights on Monday and Tuesday. Overall, a fun time. This is not the kind of place you might spend all night, but it's a fun place to take people, especially if they're in from out of town. read more

With this update, I'm truly torn between giving Joystick 4 or 5 stars. At this point, it really deserves 4.5, but that's not an option. I intentionally planned my second visit to be right at 5pm on a weekday, so I could experience their offerings personally, ya know, see what this joint's like when it's not wall-to-wall with sweaty arcade nerds like myself. To usher in that relaxing post-workday haze, I ordered the DellaPietro and the 4th & Sand. Two very distinct and delectable beverages, indeed. The DellaPietrio tasted akin to an Old Fashioned, but with a big, burly, smoky Scotch base. Might be a new favorite. The 4th & Sand, on the other hand, was a fruitier drink based with Pisco Porton which I'd never had before but was very sweet & smooth. Also very good, but so far stacking up third to the DellaPietro and the Last Level. For food, I tried the Homemade Cheese Poofs, Savory Doughnut, and Ice Cream Sandwich. Where to even begin? The Cheese Poofs were exactly what you'd expect them to be; an addicting snack that's quite easy to shovel into the face between levels. What surprised me, however, was the quantity of Poofs one gets per order. Definitely a good buy. The Savory Doughnut was a dense, delicious puck of soft bread and a gooey, cheesy filling with a scattering of goat cheese, tomatoes, and onions around it to give it some balance. My only wish is that it be bigger. I could drop several of those bad boys without giving it much thought :-) To wrap it all up, I had the Ice Cream Sandwich. Kind of picturing a regular old ice cream sandwich(ya know, rectangular chocolate wafer, vanilla ice cream, haven't changed in about a century), I was impressed to see two miniature blocks arrive on a silver dish, all angularly cut and resting on one another like some chocolate version of that fountain in front of the Hall of Justice. Layers and layers of chocolate, Nutella, and peanut butter. Indescribable. And GOOD NEWS! They've already shifted around the placement of the games. Rampage now gets its own nook off to the back, while Bad Dudes is nestled between SFII and the bar. A huge improvement, I think. So after round 2, Joystick has successfully leveled up to 4 stars. Now if they could just add Gauntlet or Smash TV ............. read more

Josh (bartender) great guy and very helpful :) love this place for the old school games! Def an intimate spot for friends and for a date night read more

Conflicted because I think I like the idea of this place more than the actual place itself. Love the concept of an arcade bar, but I was spoiled with the one I went to in Asheville. This one is a bit more dingy and dark and not welcoming. The staff isn't super friendly but average. The drinks are pretty good (that Vietnamese coffee is a good dessert and the beer is diverse) but a bit pricey. Not an overly fun hangout but interesting and standard place to swing by. read more

I love this hip dive bar that is filled with your favorite arcade games and no frill! First of all, all the games are only a quarter and they have a dollars only ATM! The crowd is lively and hipster or just that East Atlanta vibe. I enjoyed the salty bar treats they had as well and I can see why food wasn't on the menu, although I tend to want to eat at bars. I also like the location and the array of other bar options in the area. read more

**NO PARKING ON THE WEEKENDS AFTER 7** We set out for an eager Saturday night at Joystick, thought we lucked up when we found a parallel spot open at the front entrance. I paid to park at the meter, the ID boy at the front door had just watched us walk in from the car and checked our ID without informing us that was a no parking zone which by the way was unmarked, nor did the meter inform you. We were in there a total of 5 minutes before we were ticketed by the Parking troll strolling up and down Edgewood Ave sliding tickets under each cars windshield wiper. I now have paid to park at the Park Mobile Meter, have a $25 ticket, and had to pay $20 to park somewhere else! The city needs to make this parking rule more apparent or the ID boy at the door needs to be on the look out and give customers a heads up! This is so bad for business for this super cool game bar. We will not be back to Edgewood for a while, or I will have to get a second job just to afford to park there. read more

Hole in wall game bar with board games, old school arcade and a karaoke room with a VJ who talks all kind of trash on you. Was a hilarious and fun time! Plus, reasonable drink prices and great selection of liquor and beer. read more

This place is exactly as the name states: a bar with old school arcade games. They have all the classics. Donkey Kong, Centipede, Galaga, Dig Dug, Street Fighter, Rampage, and more. The environment is extremely laid back and chill. If you're visiting Atlanta, this is a must-see place. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because some of the machines eat your quarters. The right slots work better than the left ones. read more

Came here last night for my friend's birthday. I loved the atmosphere! There is a very cool game room with old school arcade games if that's your thing, a room with nice seating arrangements perfect for relaxed conversations, as well as a great back room for dancing. Their drinks were really good and pretty inexpensive. Lastly, I loved the 80's music in the dance room-- it created such a fun, communal environment. read more

This is a great spot to come to, and I am going to come back again and again with more friends. The food is great-- flavorful, unique, and filling-- and the different cocktails are also amazing. Try the Last Level if you want a drink like nothing else you've ever had. Also, they had a solid selection of good quality beers. The prices are very reasonable, and the service is quick and friendly. I only wish they could expand in order to put more tables in! This place is a ton of fun and worth your time! read more

Super fun! Drinks are very good especially the coffee bourbon and the old fashioned and fairly priced. Great place to bring any group! No shortage of games! Even if you forgot quarters, they have various free card/board games as well as dominos and janga. I also really appreciate that they have a bouncer to keep the crowd inside a manageable size. Highly recommend checking it out if you are in the area! read more

Solid concept here. The arcade games are $0.25 - $0.50 each, and there's also an area for dominoes and other board games. The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is because the food selection is super limited. Right now they have a hot dog vendor serving up plates, and if you don't like hot dogs, you're kinda outta luck. I wish I could've came when Illegal Foods was running the kitchen. Will likely return. read more

A good bar that taps into some great nostalgia. The throwback arcade games they had really brought me back. Every single game cost just a quarter! Pair that with a good selection of beer, it made for a really great time. read more

I came here because I kept hearing about the great food BUT, unfortunately for me, they had JUST decided to stop serving food a couple days before I showed up. Well, besides a $7 breakfast burrito, which was just OK. I was so disappointed! The drinks are wonderful, though and it's definitely a cute little place. Reminds me of a Brooklyn bar. And the arcade machines are a fun touch. I got really drunk and played a fighting game with my boyfriend and his friend. But no food?! Ugh. I still can't get over it, because I had heard that they had a mean pork belly. I was too late. :( read more

Loved coming here for 95th St Tacos! Hoping that they bring them back because they're def missed on Edgewood. Super unique flavors and nothing else like them in Atlanta. read more

This is a great fun spot to spend an evening - reliving your youth with a bunch of retro arcade cabinets and some really great snack food and some really imaginative cocktails. The beer selections are good - not your usual Bud Light and Coors - and the bartender really seems to enjoy making some truly inventive cocktails. Prices are reasonable and the service is friendly and welcoming - I think they were slammed when they first opened which could have led to some longer than normal wait times at the bar. It's a small space, yet cozy. Give it a try - it's worth your time. Free parking on the street after 7pm. read more

Come to the Joystick and look for Lauren. She's the best! She and Travis will take care of you! Best bartenders in town!

Horrible, negligent service. I waited at the bar, waved down the bartenders, and each of them looked me in the eye and ignored me. They even took customers who weren't waiting as long before me, and they were clearly intentionally ignoring me. I even moved to different sections of the bar with the same results. It's wasn't until the bartenders ignored me for 20 minutes that I asked the busboy if he could take my order, he said the bartenders would be angry if he did. Then, I noticed one key detail: most of the patrons were white or white-looking, and I am not. I will never frequent this place again---it wasn't my first visit, but it was definitely my worst. read more

Joystick gets the barcade concept right. While I personally would enjoy just a few more games, I understand they're pressed for space and manage to have a good selection of arcade games. In the next room, there are plenty of spots for you and your friends to huddle around with Joystick's selection of board games. The drinks are good and the food is above average for what you'd typically find in a bar. A favorite spot in Atlanta, for sure! read more

I'm a huge fan of this place. Great place for adults to hang out on Edgewood, place video games and have some really solid food. I had basically the best grilled cheese sandwich I've ever had in my life there. If you try anything try either that or the Korean burger. Both were amazing. read more

Drinks, video games, couches and board games. Sound like the perfect night! Good for weekends, weeknights and everytime inbetween. Huge fan here! Will be back soon :) read more

you can find all kind of crazies, unique people, and hobos here in EAV! this place especially is the place to go if you want to just kick back and hang out with your friends after you were harass for cocaine or weed by strangers just walking around the area (don't worry, Steve with the harmonica is friendly). come here early or least prepare for a long wait because they have a limited capacity to make sure your experience here isn't ruin by people pushing/shoving you around. I got here when they reach their max and I enjoy my time! The drinks here are goooooooood and definitely not stingy about their portion! I didn't tried the food but vietnamese banh mi with wine and some nostalgic games?! why not! my friends and I maybe spent an hour or so on the Jurassic Park game but lost because we ran out of quarters. after we was destroy and eaten by those damn dinosaur, we went to the other room and play jumbo jenga and some board games but in anotherrrrrr room you can shake what your mama gave ya or go smoke some steam off at their outdoor patio. read more

Joystick is my go to for hanging out with friends, dates, or networking. They have a good variety of classic video games. The staff has good customer service which made me become a regular overtime. The cocktails are pretty good. I suggest trying the bourbon coffee. If you love Chill Vibes I suggest this bar. read more

If you come here, ASK FOR LAUREN! She was amazing! Such a sweetheart. This place was so chill and nice. I will definitely be back. Josh's Strawberry Jam was my fave! read more

I've been here twice - both times for a party. Neither time was memorable. The most recent visit I noticed a lot of the games were not functioning or in need of service - on more than one game the controls didn't work properly. A bartender judiciously canceled a few songs we loaded into the jukebox. Drinks were inconsistent and the bartenders were dismissive. As the evening wore on the clientele got increasingly sketchy. Such a great idea....but not very well executed. I probably won't be back. read more

Stopped here just to have a drink, stayed 2 hrs. They have all the classic games great food and drinks. The crowd was interesting all types of people come here. The staff is friendly and the bartender was amazing. read more

Took my cousins here, they all had fun playing the games. We had some good local beer It was a fun place to do , would prolly not come here a lot as its a commute from my house. But, if youve got younger people with you, definitely a good time. read more

The retro games took us back to our teenage years. Everything costs 25 cents. I would rather be here than Dave and Busters any day.

Old school games and liquor!!! What more could you ask for lol. This is my go to when I want a stiff drink for cheap!!! Can't be beat!!! You're sure to have a great time here!!! read more

You owe it to yourself to check this place out. Yes, the concept is arcade games, and I've spent an unadmittable amount of quarters on Turtles in Time. But Ian Carlson, with a formidable behind-the-scenes-of-some-killer-bars type resume, is at the helm here. I vote Joystick the most underrated bar in Atlanta. No joke. Most underrated and over performing. Ian sources local and unheard of beers and spirits to stock his very reasonably priced shelves. He takes a teamwork mindset to his cocktail list to create a barkeep-inspired cocktail list that puts the rest of Edgewood to shame. Go here before club hopping and come back after to feel like you're at home. Make sure to say hey to the super friendly door crew and enjoy your time in the back room playing board games! read more

We had 6 senior ladies and two younger chicks in our group. Joystick Gamebar does not take reservations, but I did email ahead with some questions and gave them a heads up of our date and time of arrival. From the beginning email to our final exit from the bar, we had excellent service. Note that Joystick Gamebar does not have table service. Order food and drink at the bar; you walk away from bar with your drink, and food is delivered to your table later. You are able to open a tab at the bar or you can pay as you go. We were there on a Sunday afternoon at 2PM so there were many street spaces available. You can also park on the residential street behind Joystick. After a great meal of perogies and drinks at Joystick, we walked across the street to check out Sister Louisa's. read more

Let me start by saying this places has some of the friendliest staff on Edgewood from the bouncers outside (Denver is my favorite) to the smiling bartenders. The atmosphere is like the ultimate game night with your friends from arcade games to Jenga. The drinks are strong and not over priced. I recommend the Long Island to start off your night. I love this place. read more

The bar is awesome. It reminds me of 16 bit in lakewood oh. It is great to see some of my favorite arcade games with great food and spirits. I recomend to anyone. read more

This place is fun! The cocktails were so good and the bartenders are really nice. Also, whoever controls the playlist is my hero.