Tappers is among the better arcade bars I've been to around the country. This spot is very big and has lots of different kinds of games. They were packed on a Saturday night. From consoles and classic arcade games to pinball, their variety is admirable. I also like how the bar is in the middle of everything. Some of my favorite games they had are Tapper (of course), Burger Time, Ms Pac Man, Galaga and Centipede. The arcade ganes are free while the pinball machine costs vary from $.50-$1/play. Their well drinks are cheap, and the service is fairly quick too. read more

I love this concept. My husband and I don't visit very often, but when we do we have so much fun. He gets to relive his childhood memories and I am down to try any new game! I love that this bar also gets some good beer in. It's so nice to drink great beer and play the games for free (minus the pinball). There are frozen beverages for those who aren't beer nerds. They do look good! We will keep coming back! read more

Such a fun place to spend an afternoon! The games are free so make sure you come wanting to have a few drinks! Def would go back and suggest trying it out if you are looking for things to do. It was a nice way for us to do something different in the winter when there isn't much else to do. Bonus: the beers are fun names and I loved my cider!! read more

The doorman accepted ID and money for cover but, then cut me off at the door claining I was too "drunk" when I was no where near close. I made a joke to the doorman about cover but, that was it. He claimed my speech was "slurring" which was total BS and we continued to have coherent conv ersations which he continued to lie and claim I was slurring. He almost to the point he was starting a fight. The doorman continued to try to start an argument and then gave us our money back. I have been to that place a TON and have spent a ton of money there and have never ever experienced anything like that anywhere in Indy!! Unbelievable and never experienced something like this no matter my situation. This is New Years Eve when half the place was wasted!! Unbelievable!!! read more

I'm a little mixed on this place; a lot to like, a few odd happenings so this is based on a few experiences. Pros, cons. Pros... solid game selection... diverse beer menu, and as someone who stares at a screen for work I oddly enjoy pinball. Large selection of pinball machines. Worth noting these aren't free play, but I'm not bitching. They are a bit more to maintain than a console, more of a disclaimer. Prices varied a little bit they were all more than reasonable. Cons... or odd things IMO. While playing (street fighter 2) a couple analog sticks (maybe just 1, that I was using) weren't quite as functional as they should have been. I've spewed my wrath many a time via Ryu, Sagat, the uppercuts and fireballs were only flowing on one side. I let my equally qualified cohort try who was successfully executing, he failed with my joystick. That at least gave his win less merit. Wash. Some folks aren't great about not celebrating (or emphatically losing) within the confines of the space provided. No big deal, but can mess up a game. Lastly I found it odd as I tried to order a bourbon to sip on, I was told I had to add a mixer to it. Why carry backbone and other "better than well" whiskeys if you can't just put it a glass, or in a glass on rocks? (I asked, asked if I could have a small enough water added to not ruin it, etc) but it was required for a mixed drink. I was told it was to keep people from getting silly, puking, making a mess but based on the amount of sticky spots I'm guessing other things let that happen too. And... pretty sure it's just as easy to chug a whiskey and coke. You might be curious of my previous alcohol content intake? Glad you asked. I got off of work, went home and let my dog out. Came down here, had one pint of beer and asked for a whiskey. Not a shot. I'll still go back but if I'm in the mood to sip a whiskey and play games I'll go elsewhere now that it's possible. read more

I went with my wife friends and our husbands. It wasn't jammed packed since the renovation. My friends complained about the cheap wine and watered down drinks. It does seem the games are starting to feel run down. Since a lot of women are dragged by their husbands, it would be nice to see more games catered to women. The games are nostalgic and it's a different scene than just a regular bar. The staff were peppy. read more

I've been to a few arcade bars in Ohio so I was super excited to hear that Tappers was available in Indianapolis. My last visit to Tappers was on a Sunday after brunch. It wasn't busy yet so my friend and I headed to the bar for seats and drinks. As previous reviewers have mentioned only wine and beer are available but they do have creative mixes. I got a creative spin on a mimosa and my friends went with beer. All of the games are free except for pinball which is less than .50 per game. My friends and I played a few games before we left. All in all, it's a great addition to Indy. A liquor license would give them 5 stars. read more

When my friends mentioned stopping by here, I was a little wary, but I'm so glad we went. It was a blast! The interior of this place gives off a nice retro kind of vibe and is packed with arcade games of all kinds. My person favorites being Ms. Pac Man and Tapper. The cool part about this place is the way they price. All the games are free, you only pay for your drinks. Keep in mind though, that this is a bar, so you must be 21 or over to come in. The drinks they serve rotate, but a few menus stick around. The drink names were creative and looked delious. If you're in the fountain square area with some friends, stop by and try your hand at some games and see if you can get the top score! read more

Arcade games and beer, what more could you ask for? And with no quarters (or covers) necessary. Tappers is a great time, with games like X-Men, Galaga, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker, and Pole Position. I've been able to achieve childhood dreams of beating many boss levels at Tappers. I love the concept of an arcade bar and I'm thrilled that Indy has one of its own. read more

Although this place literally smells like the day after a college basement frat party, it is a blast! Grab your bag of nostalgia and hop on your favorite childhood arcade game. (I'll be a on Pac Man or any of the zombie shooting games, thank you) I'm happy to see that Indy has an arcade bar with the games being $Free.99. It's an addition to the downtown area that makes it easy to solve the question of "So what are we doing tonight?" You can also order and adult drink while playing your heart out. Sounds like a good deal to me! Plays those games like it's 1995! read more

Cute arcade place with lots of games. I got the margarita which was very nice. There is a charge to play the pinball machines but the other video games were included in the price of a drink. Barkeep was very personable and the place was located near downtown. Parking was a breeze! read more

Nostalgia at its finest. I love this place!! It has vintage arcade games! Best part - a large number of the games are FREE!!! I love the Mortal Combat game and The Terminator game! The X-Men and Simpsons games also bring me great joy! Be careful with the a terminator game because you'll be shooting robots for days if you're not paying attention to the objectives of the game! Just a great place to grab a beer and de-stress. read more

See all

Indianapolis's original arcade bar. I remember experiencing their pop up efforts before they had a physical location. The space is in Fletcher Place and convenient to the redline. Good open space with solid tap selection and plenty of video games. Nice welcoming vibe and helpful staff. Great spot for video game enthusiasts. read more

I hate to do this. It actually pains me to give this place three stars. Don't get me wrong, it's a great concept that is extremely clean and really cool. Maybe it's because I don't love video games, even though Tyler does, or maybe because I don't love spending almost $7 on local beer I can get for $4-$5 in other places but Tappers just didn't do it for me. The good: the games are awesome! I mean seriously probably would have paid a $5 cover just to get in and play all these cool games. They provide tables for your drinks while you play. They also have traditional bar seating and tables if you want to sit. We went on a Saturday early evening and this place was relatively crowded. A lot of games were being played but you still could maneuver through and we played tons of games. The atmosphere however was lacking in the sense that there really wasn't one. Once we were done playing after about thirty minutes we looked at each other and decided we were ready to leave. If you want a place that is super unique this is it. Tappers is a great place! We will definitely come back on a Saturday night to check out the atmosphere again! read more

Clean and nice! Went on a Wednesday. Beer was good. Wish they had more than just pretzels in a bag and a popcorn.

Such a fun place! We had friends visiting from out of town and we all had a blast. Their expansion is wonderful and there is a huge selection of games for everyone. The drink selection is great too- even for the non beer drinkers! Will be returning soon! read more

Definitely a fan! Went for the first time last night and it was hopping! Especially for a wednesday night. It's nice to go to a bar that has something else to offer besides booze and music. The beers are decently priced. I don't have a problem with paying their prices when all the games are free. NBA jam was my favorite! So fun! Lots of opportunities to interact with other people or whomever you brought. Not sure if the air was off last night but it was brutally hot. And a little stinky, but I'm sure once the weather is nice, keeping the doors open will help with that. Definitely stop by. 21+ though so, sorry kiddos. read more

We had such a great time, biggest suggestion is go on Sunday in the afternoon..its not packed. We don't drink but they have coke products. 2 cokes 6 bucks with a 2 dollar tip to the amazing bartender and the video games were all ours, they have a totally separate rm with pay games like 20 of the best pin ball games. Bring an additional 20.00 and have a blast..28.00 bucks for endless entertainment...now that's amazing. read more

We recently went to Tappers for a work event and it was a BLAST! I had been before they expanded into a new part of the building and it was fun but I enjoyed the new layout so much more. The pinball machines in the back work well and give a more open feeling near the bar rather than feeling like everything was squished in to a small space. We had such a good time and there were games for every taste. Some played video games - N64 is my jam! Some played more traditional arcade games - I was schooled in the art of Burger Time And some even played fun board games and got a bit competitive over that connect four. The beers were great and I like that they have rotating taps. Also, I liked that they offer a small selection of cocktails as well - making sure there is something for every taste. I will for sure be back soon to keep practicing my Mario Kart skills. read more

The games are free and the beer is cold! No fretting about remembering to bring cash or ATM charges, Tappers has open play. The staff is great about keeping your beverages full while you game (they come around with iPads to take your order). You can get lost in the games and end up spending an hour or two here easily. The atmosphere is fun and relaxed. The crowd is eclectic - everyone from hard-core gamers to those just waiting their turn to play NBA Jam. Many of the games are pretty old - like Atari old - so there's the occasional "Out of Order" or it's hard to understand the game (stupid Popeye game!). I love stopping in anytime I'm in the area, if just for a little bit. read more

This is the perfect addition to Indianapolis. They have a game for all types and the beer selection is wonderful. I had 3 different beers that I had never had before and all were very delicious. We went around 5pm and it was a good time to get started. Less people and no waiting on the games. We moved around the space and tried a good variety including Atari games, old school donkey kong, and Mortal Kombat. The service was very prompt even when they got pretty busy and the atmosphere was enjoyable. It was great seeing groups of friends laugh and have fun playing games they haven't seen since they were kids. The games are free except for Pinball which is really nice. I believe I found my new hang out spot. read more

Wonderful!! What is not to like here!! Your favorite past time (Arcade) combined with your other favorite (Beer). haha Beer selection here is good, I've only been once and i didn't ask but I'm sure its a rotating tap. They enter your information in to their pos system at the bar and while your out playing games if you run out and a server sees your or you see them they can order you another beer and bring it out to you without skipping a beat on that arcade game! how cool is that. The game selection is pretty good, ranging from the 80's atari originals like pac man and asteroids to the 90's favs like mortal combat and NBA Jam. The arcade machines are free to play but the pin ball machines cost coin. the arcade is full now, I'm not sure if they plan on doing any swaps on games to keep them moving around. the only complaint i had was it would have been nice to have a few hand sanitizer stations around the place. There may have been one but i didn't see it. besides that (small) thing i can't find anything wrong with spending hours here!! Great place for a date or to come with friends...or alone..just a great place! read more

People who complain about beer prices at Tappers are similar to those that comment on the Nifty DIY Facebook videos and say "just buy this at a store." No one likes either person. Tappers is everything Yelp has already said - awesome video games (probably 50+) with some of my old school Nintendo favorites, such as Popeye, Donkey Kong, Punch Out, Arkanoid and more! The games are FREE. F.R.E.E. Order your $7 beer and enjoy the hours of entertainment! Support local business owners who have brought something very cool to Indianapolis. read more

YAAAS! Love this place, LOVE this place! Have a drink and have access to all the arcades your little grubby hands can get on. Only thing I wish is for a few more non-alcoholic drinks, so we have more options, but the root beer they have is great. Drinks: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Arcades: 10/5 Venue: 5/5 read more

This was a fun place to visit. You order a drink and then can play all the arcade games in the place, except for pinball. The games are fun and old school. Definitely a fun place to visit, but I'm not sure we will go back. They had a decent selection of speciality brews but not too many domestics. Overall was a fun experience and a good time killer for an hour or so. read more

I imagine if heaven exists, it's something like Tappers. I love that they didn't half-ass this place. You can tell these folks have dedicated a great amount of time to making this place excellent. The best part is... FREE GAMES. It was so fun to bounce game-to-game even when it was max capacity. I will be returning, many times! read more

I love the vibe of this place. It's so low key and fun. It reminds me of being a kid and getting to enjoy places and it not just being about getting drunk and trying to look cool. It's my favorite bar in Indy and I love their bar too. read more

Pretty cool place and pretty big. Free classic arcade games, drinks, and pinball machines. You do have to pay for the pinball machines. Very impressed with the collection. Bartenders were fast. read more

I am so thrilled Indy finally has an arcade bar! My first experience at one was in Columbus, OH at 16-Bit. I loved it and have been hoping Indy would open one up and boom, they did! Everytime I've come here I've had a blast. Not only do they have free play on all games except pin-ball, but they have an amazing beer selection! I usually always get to try something new when I go. I went last night with a friend from out of town. He loved it and we enjoyed some games. As we were playing Mortal Kombat, a bartender came up to us and showed us some tricks to use! We were stoked to know new moves and had a great time! The selection of games is pretty stellar! Weekends tend to get busy, so make sure to be prepared to wait to play! read more

God, Indy needed something like this. Too long is the Indy market playing safe with their bars and restaurants and while this is not a new concept, it is very much needed. The concept is simple. Order a drink, and have free reign on their cabinet arcade games while you are drinking. (Pinball is extra) They have about 12 different taps and some random bottles as choices. Not a ton of choices, but enough for the hour or two you may spend here playing some games. Other than that, it is pretty simple. No food as there is no kitchen but from what I understand, they would allow you to "order in" meaning you can go grab something from anywhere in the delicious surrounding and bring it in to eat if you want (I overheard this, so don't quote me) My concern with Tapper's is the freshness problem. After a year, most people who are excited about this place will have been here once or twice. The draw is clearly the arcade while drinking, but if you don't update some games or bring in another draw...what will make people continue to come back? I'm worried about this. I hope the owners have a plan in place to rotate out arcade cabinets to keep the games fresh and people flowing back in. This will be tough seeing as how this are retro vintage games that are probably not falling off trees anymore and hard to maintain in good condition. Get a form of food setup, introduce a few more taps and bottles, and find a way to keep your customer draw fresh and I think this place could succeed well into the future! I plan on coming back again for a second run on those games. read more

This place is a blast. As a old school gamer this place is a dream come true. It can get very packed sometimes, but all the more reason to make new friends. Its fun and i love. Shout out to ryan for being a great worker to. read more

Usually when I'm this pumped to check out a place I'm on a one way road to disappointment. Thankfully, Tappers was all things awesome! Everyone's been dropping the truth: the beer selection was brilliant! Loved the variety of different breweries and as a dark beer fan, I greatly appreciated that there were some non-IPA/wheat options. Shadow Boxer from Indiana City Brewing was delish, to be precise! I had just eaten so I wasn't concerned, but one thing to note: you can carry in food or have it delivered! Love that concept. The games were awesome and nostalgia-inspiring and I loved that they were on free play so you could walk up and walk away or get hooked without breaking the bank! Don't miss Mario hiding along the front windows - a personal favorite! Although fellow patrons bogarted the diner pinball the whole time, we also thoroughly enjoyed a few rounds on the other two that weren't broken and you can't beat 50 cents a pop! They offer an ATM and change machine within arms reach to perpetuate your indulgence. One thing to note - I would be curious to see how quickly they're able to get these antiques repaired! Though I was impressed that only 2 or 3 games were out in the whole place. It was a great time and I can't wait to go back! read more

So much fun. FREE, I repeat, FREE games. Great drinks, that come in adult caprisun like bags... awesome. If you aren't a gamer, like myself, you will still have plenty of fun! Try it out, you may be surprised! ;) read more

Where modern gamers come to have a retro time! Love the local beers and the classy decor. This place is definitely a cool hangout spot for drinkers and gamers. read more

Tappers is, without a doubt, one of my favorite places in town. As a bar, tappers has a fun, video game themed beer selection at pretty reasonable prices. Most pints are $5 or $6, which for craft beer is about what you'd expect anywhere in town, and yet you also get to place all of the games for free at that price. There's enough variety, and although there's no food served there, there's any extensive delivery menu that covers any food craving you'd want while gaming and drinking. As an arcade, the game selection is fantastic, spanning genres, decades, and playability, from the crowd-pleasing six-player X-Men game to family friendly Burger Time to gorier games like House of the Dead, and everything in between. The games are well-maintained and tables for beer are well-placed so you never feel like you have to abandon your drink. Even when it's crowded, there's almost always a game available and the place is kept cool enough to be comfortable, even with all of the machines and bodies in the space. It's an absolute blast, and such a welcome addition to the city. I only wish there was room to expand -- but I love Rook too. read more

Really great themed bar! It was crowded mid afternoon on a Saturday but people were gracious with play times and we never waited long to try a game! Love that all the play (besides pinball) is free so you can really just hop around and try out different games you might never try normally. Drinks were average price IMO- we paid $24 for 2 glasses of wine and 2 craft beers. I agree with many of the other reviewers that the drink prices are pretty fair since gaming is free. I docked it one star because the back area where all the games are does get pretty warm especially as it gets more crowded. We were there on an unusually cold day in May and it was still pretty hot. I think a few mounted oscillating wall fans in the area where the games are most concentrated would fix that problem and keep the air moving! All in all - great place, fun games, friendly staff, hours of fun! Highly recommend for a fun afternoon with visiting friends or family! read more

I always have fun at Tappers and last night was no exception! I mostly went for the Rhinegeist Tap Takeover event but it is so much fun to wander around and play the games! I was a little disappointed that I couldn't play Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch (because it was stuck on Smash Brothers) but I'll just have to come back ;) The beers were great, the staff was friendly and helpful, as always, and the games were fun! I love going on a weeknight when it isn't super crowded and you can play all the games you want. This place is pretty unique, in that all the arcade games are free (pinball games are not). It's a fun spot to get a drink and it's something different than just going to sit at a bar or brewery. Also, surrounded by great restaurants so it's a fun way to kill time while waiting for a table at nearby restaurants or to hang out before or after dinner. It's super fun, even for those of us that really aren't very good at the games! read more

Video / arcade games + craft beer = the dream for many. I like arcade and video games; I don't love them. I'd much rather sit and drink a beer with friends and talk. This place is a perfect stop for the gamers and people looking to relive their childhood gaming memories. All of the games are free, yes, but expect a slight increase in the brews to cover those free games. This place also always has random events, tournaments, and other things going on so be sure to follow them to check out all of their special events. Great idea, just not a place I'd find myself going to often. read more

I was here on Memorial Day. I might have been day drinking for a couple of hours before I arrived. It wasn't too busy, which was good. This was a happy medium for my non drinking fiancé and my non video game playing self. They have a decent selection of beers but I wish they had hard liquor (I wasn't ready to make the switch to beer). I particularly enjoyed the car racing game, which my friend and I loudly called "drunk driver." Again, im glad it was dead. It was a bit awkward with the counters and have the beers by the games. I feel if you could just do a few shots and go to the games it would be great. I don't know how I would feel since I'm not too into gaming about having to wait to play a game of it was busy. I'm glad the business is doing well it seems more fun-loving than BARcade when I visited in that in NY. read more

Tappers Arcade Bar - Free arcade games, my designated driver is happy... - Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Great idea, packed on the weekends. Lots of arcade games (FREE) and 4 pinball machines that are $0.50 per play, or 3 games for $1. Went on a Wed night and was pleased that there were 8 or so games open out of the 40+ or so they had. It's a late space so even though there were 60 people in there read more