Such a fun spot. I've been here with friends a few times and I always see people on dates and double dates. It feels like you're on the set of Stranger Things mixed with Back to the Future. It takes me back to my teen years at Nickel-A-Play; all it's missing are the tickets and prize counter. The Pinball room is impressive, but in a crowd, I prefer Skeeball and Guitar Hero any day. Some of the machines are a bit run down, but that comes with the territory of a vintage arcade. Pac-man, Paper Boy, Donkey Kong, Cruisin' World. The crowd is there for a good time. You really can't help but laugh all night when you have a pocket full of change, a drink in your hand, and dozens of machines to choose from. read more

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There is something just unfriendly and dare I say creepy about this place. It could be the bartender's terrible attitude, the bouncer screaming his head off at me that I can't take the free water cups with me as I walked out the door, or when we entered, the bouncer wanting to check inside my 4x4 inch purse. It creates a really weird vibe that is deeply uncomfortable. So much so that the last time after I dealt with the weird bouncer, I promptly turned around and walked back out. read more

My friend and I had so much fun playing the games. We had no issues with machines taking money. There was great mix of music. Only 4 stars as I wish it had sanitation stations around the facility. read more

So are y'all gonna take my ID when I'm 26 and show up bc I'm from out of town? This place seems like a fun spot like we have in st Louis but not going if that's going to happen. Please lmk thanks read more

This place takes me so far back. I am so glad it is walking distance from where I live. Without the alcohol it's actually a wholesome place to spend a few bucks on Pac Man or pinball games. I wish this location were bigger :) read more

Wonderful!!!!! My husband and I had a beautiful night!!!!!!!!! I won on connect 4!!!!!!!! First time doing a photo booth!!!!!!!! read more

The 1UP Arcade Bar - Colfax - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Fun ish barcade in Colfax. Tons of old school games with some new school stuff added to keep the young and old atmosphere happy. Staff was meh. Got two drinks one was supposed to be a "dollar" screwdriver and one was a slush pup which was a slushee type drink of your choice with any liquor added for $2 more and the total came out to 12.50 so something didn't add up. The barcade has tight corners so not much room to get around the place but the games were cheap, about 25-50 cent games and loud old music which was alright if you're into that. read more

The 1UP Arcade Bar - Colfax - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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This was by far one of the coolest places downtown Denver! Such a fun and retro place to go to for games and drinks. They have a big variety of pinball machines, along with the classic Pac Man, Mario, and Donkey Kong arcade games. For the most part, they are all 50 cents a game compared to other arcade places. We also visited the Lodo one on Blake St. and we were not very impressed. The one on Colfax has a greater variety of games and more room. read more

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The staff is only polite if they know you. Half the games need a repair of some kind. If the joystick isn't broken a button probably doesn't or vice versa. The vibe is great if you're into amphetamines and butt rock. The places just oozes irony. read more

Super fun experience! Great games and fun atmosphere! Bring your quarters! Cocktails are all very very sweet just so you know but great selection of beers on tap. A bit unclean but it is a bar. If you are worried about covid I would not go here. The games are not very clean nor did I see them cleaning the machines regularly but cool place overall. read more

We're all out here for a bachelor party from San Diego. This is the 1st spot we visit and one of our friends got denied for having a vertical ID. He's the youngest guy in the group at 23. Fine, I can only accept your shit rules. One if the guys in the group went back to ask the guy if he'd reconsider to which then the security guard bolted out the door and screamed at the guy to "read the fucking sign" and then he ran off claiming "I have work to do" lmao. All good. You dumbasses slipped up on probably a good $350-$500 tab. To the owners, Your security guy is a fucking joke. read more

Would have gave this place a 5 stars but when my friends and I arrived the bartender was kind of rude and didn't seem to care at all . We asked for a drink menuand he said "it's all right there " like dang we may want something you are good at making !!! he just thought all we wanted was the happy hr but guess what we didn't we just wanted a drink . After my 1st good tip he had a change and treated up a little better . But the games was soooo much fun . If your not a hipster by looks don't attend ! Unless you are like us and can make a bad situation a good one . read more

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I dig it a lot! 4.5 stars! Insane improvement over Monkey bleh! Great location, not nearly as trendy/crowded as the 1up. Perfect for a bar hop and meeting place. The girls bathroom could use a little work and not all the games work all the time, but what can you expect? 3 guys for every girl, that is what. But, they are arcade colfax types, so know what you are getting yourself into. It sandwiches Kitty's w/ sanchos - so there are lots of interesting smokers to welcome you and bid you farewell which provides some excellent colfax flavor. I dig the numerous places to park you beer, there are only two tables in here and yet there are lil shelves a plenty for your PBR tall boy. They also have good shot specials and a decent happy hour til 7. They have some tasty local brews on tap and a couple a tv's for good measure. I wonder what the 3up will bring.... read more

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I am a regular at 1up for the last year or so. Here is my thorough evaluation of the customer experience they deliver: + Great selection of games + Management / ownership / staff has done a great job of improving the functionality of the games in the last 6 months - thanks! + Good drink prices, selection, and service in general (see caveats below) + Great patio, jukebox with TouchTunes, and overall ambience + Fun, laid-back, diverse, interesting, and friendly customer-base in general...the weekends are little more, well...the herds come (some are great, others are terrible) + Bouncers do a great job of being friendly and securing + Regulars are treated better than rando customers, as they should be - Does take a little while to get recognized as a good customer - They take and retain your credit card and your ID if you open a tab...I advise getting cash - ATM machine charges about $4 per withdrawal, fyi Overall, amazing place...just needs (as many places in Denver in the late 10s) a little more attention to the customer experience. read more

What Dave & Buster's and Gameworks are trying and failing to be. Good service, tasty affordable alcohol and awesome old school video games at old school prices. The only thing I would improve upon is more cup holders or surfaces for drinks, but even that situation isn't bad. If you're a gamer, this is your bar. Go. read more

The staff is not friendly at all. Mid drinks and mid atmosphere. Do your self a favor and don't go here. Denver has plenty of awesome bars, minus this one. read more

Been to a few though this one was so chill and down to earth. Just good people looking to drink, eat and play games.

Much bigger than the downtown location. Not in the best area though. Always a fun place to go for fun times and cheap beer.

I've been to 1Up when visiting friends who live in the area. Good - the machines are maintained, they have a wide variety, and it's fun. Bad - the staff were not just impolite, they were downright rude. (We were not drunk, and had really come to just play the games.) Drinks were served with disdain, eye rolling for no reason was standard, and the drinks were sub par. I'd probably go back because it's convenient, but am looking for other places in the area that are friendlier to their paying customers. read more

This place is fine. I've been to beer arcades across the country and this one ranks right in middle. The game selection is excellent! There was a great selection of old school arcade games and probably the biggest pinball selection of any beer arcade I've been to. The issues with me come down to mainly service. Sure, while I do not like paying 25-50 cents per game, I get why an establishment would opt for it. It's not a make or break... just something I don't prefer. The best beer arcades I've been to have always been free-play and do not seem to suffer. Anyway, back to the service... very, very underwhelming. Staff seemed inattentive, and to a lesser extent, seemed not care about their job(s) altogether. It really took away from what could be a fantastic experience. read more

If you enjoy arcade games and drinking, then this is the spot to be. From ski ball to pin ball to competitive pacman with your friends, they have entertainment. Arcade games are 50 cents, ski ball is 25 cents. A really inexpensive way to spend your night with your friends. Oh and they have a juke box! read more

The 1UP Arcade Bar - Colfax - 3 ski ball machines (located in the back of the building) - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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This arcade and bar, brings me happiness. It is inexpensive and a great way to kill an hour or two playing classic video games. I have heard the venue side is very good too. They have a happy hour, but it only included domestics, not the kind local beer. Though that is a little disappointing, in is overshadowed by the formidable selection of pin ball games both classic and modern, skee ball, and historic Nintendo, Saga, and other video games. They have a few modern games as well, but I prefer the more dated artifacts. Some one said they have a ton of machines, and rotate many selections. In my opinion this is the prefect spot for a date, or a detour on a bar crawl. I have never been to a show here, but came out to see the free broadcast of the latest Dead tour, or to see how bad it was. The other room is cool, the canned sound seemed good. I cannot wait to see a real show here. read more

Always a good time at 1-Up. The go to spot to pre-game before a concert at the Fillmore. If you're feeling gangsta, grab a 40 ounce and chill. read more

Fun place overall but they use the actual glass to scoop ice for their drinks, so, maybe stick to beer, but overall fun place

I went to 1Up with several friends on July 21. I ordered margaritas (there was a $6 special advertised on a chalkboard outside) the entire time. Each one tasted different, but I had gone to each of the three bartenders, so I thought it was just a function of how they made the drinks. I told my friends to order them as well because the special was good. When I got the bill, I thought I had been charged for an additional drink. I called over the last bartender, the only one who had verified when I ordered a margarita that I wanted a "regular margarita" (to which I responded, "Yeah, the special") and he said that I had ordered some special fancy margarita the other times and the upcharge wasn't a mistake. I had asked for a "margarita" each time. I checked with my friends and they were also overcharged after ordering a "margarita." We really don't appreciate this bait and switch. When I order a margarita and there are more than one option, the bartenders need to check and not assume the higher priced ($9) one. I live down the street, but I won't be back any time soon. read more

Best bar on Colefax! This place is great! Super nice atmosphere, really fun games, and best of all it has shots of MD2020 for 50 cents!

Love the vibe, layout, and selection of games! The drink options are always solid and I love the specials. However, some games seem oddly priced especially pinball. If you aren't looking for a slightly rowdy, very into gaming crowd then I suggest somewhere else. read more

Cool atmosphere, tons and tons of arcade games, cheap tokens, CHEAP drinks, mystery shots, 40's, pizza, you name it. Outdoor patio with giant jenga and Connect four, some seating. Definitely fun to stop by for a couple hours on a night out to the bars. read more

Never never never ever have had a bad time at 1UP. Old school videos games with a few new ones scattered in. Order a 40oz or some wine (out of a plastic bottle) whatever your fancy. I enjoy this location better than the original due to it's location. On my most recent visit the bartender held my skateboard behind the bar with no issues. read more

The 1UP Arcade Bar - Colfax - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

If you enjoy feeling like you're a disservice to the staff, then come on down. The machines steal quarters (don't play Moonwalker) and the employees don't care. They want the machines to steal your quarters, because their solution is to say "thanks" and then start talking to someone else. Free capital for them, why fix it? If you see a short round bartender with long black hair, don't buy drinks from him. He acts like you just kicked his dog when you try to order a drink. BRING CASH!!! Don't use your credit card, the employees are more than willing to add a few bucks onto their tip after you leave, and that money is impossible to get back. Apparently they hire bandits instead of bartenders. Also, the drinks are more expensive than what's listed in the menu - show the bartender and he will try and fight you. Lastly, expect to encounter sticky buttons and loose joysticks. Some of them don't even register diagonal inputs - a $10 part to replace and it takes maybe 15 minutes, I've done it multiple times before. Buttons cost maybe $6 a piece. You'd think an ARCADE would be able to repair their equipment, but I guess that's still too much to ask. I personally love barcades but this place is really dropping the ball in every way possible. read more

It's a gritty, crowded, loud place filled with arcade games and pinball machines from the 80's and 90's. So I liked it a lot. They had a huge Pac Man game near the front door. I found one of my old faves, The Simpsons, and played that for awhile. Even saw Paperboy and Frogger. The only thing I didn't like, as mentioned by a previous reviewer, is that you have to play with real tokens. I've been to a modern arcade with same types of games that charged $10 to get in with unlimited gameplay. If you're a gamer, or gamer chick like myself, check this place out. I'd come back again. read more

Double check your credit card charges and be sure to save a copy of your receipt. Someone here is running a grift. They added 25% to my credit card slip AFTER I tipped in cash - the only reason I caught it right away is because I have an app on my phone that shows a charge when it's submitted. I confronted them (they said it was because it was they add on tip just in case people don't tip - FYI, that's totally not legal) and they took 2 days but finally submitted a final charge without the extra charge. Someone is pocketing cash and balancing their books with the credit card receipts. read more

Fun place to be. Stumbled upon this place on accident. The staff took everyone's safety seriously. The manager (I'm assuming) was a good looking buff dude who went around the bar constantly making sure everyone was wearing their mask. If he saw a mask come off to take a sip of a drink, he was right behind you instantly making sure you put your mask back up after your sip. The only reason this isn't five stars is because they made a friend of mine stand at the door for THIRTY minutes while they thoroughly checked her ID. They required two forms of identification, a credit card and they had to run said credit card in order for her to enter. read more

A really high quality arcade with new and old machines alike. My problem is that the pinball machines are $1 a play. This discourages newbies to play since you can drain all three balls in under a minute. They'd make more money per machine at 50cent plays. read more

The games are legit . The staff is trash. Everytime I come to this place there is always some type of issue with a bouncer or bartender being a piece . Tonight a person in my party wasn't let in because of their government issued temporary COLORADO ID. What's even crazier is the bouncer said he would take a school Id or bus pass with a picture . Not only that but this same bouncer harassed our party the whole time we were inside. I don't think I have to mention we were some of the only African Americans inside. Sick of these trash experiences I have EVERYTIME I come to this bar . Fix it 1Up. read more

Love love love this bar and arcade! It's seriously the best thing for adults to do! Finally a place that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for gaming. Me and my BF go and never spend more than $20 on games! It's amazing! Plus, their drinks are some of the best prices in town. This place does it right! It's definitely one of our go to hang out places now. Plus, I like this one better than the one in LoDo...I think they have more games at this one! read more

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Nice selection of games and friendly bartenders. Enjoy coming here weekly. They have several "fastplay" Pac-Man machines. All the classics are represented here. And an entire room of pinball machines. Highly recommend. A fun oasis on E. Colfax! read more

The 1UP Arcade Bar - Colfax - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Go to bar on east Colfax. Enormous selection of classic arcade games gives me flashbacks to childhood. Two bars with a good mix of craft and crap beers. read more

I love this place! It really brings me back to a better time... :) You will find all your old favorite games here and they still run on quarters. No need to buy a card where the prices of each game become unclear. They have a full bar complete with drink specials and all your favorite beers and booze. The prices are fantastic as well. I see all sorts of younger people here getting their game on as well as some old schoolers too. Plenty of pinball Lots of multiplayer games Fun old school games Great coin-op fun You will find me playing Castlevania or Shinobi... read more

I was really excited to come here a couple weeks ago when my friend was in town visiting. I'm 22 years old and have a valid Colorado license, but the bouncer told me my ID was fake even after looking at it right next to another Colorado ID and shining it under the black light. I was really disappointed because I've really wanted to go here since I moved to Denver. It wouldn't have been a big deal normally, but the bouncer was incredibly rude about it to the point where I almost asked him to call the cops on me just to prove my ID was real. read more