Dr. Ink | Come On Get Happy!
Finally, a Chuck E. Cheese’s for adults. So what if Coin-op Game Room doesn’t send out a guitar-wielding mascot or offer sky tubes to crawl through? It’s the booze and old-school video arcade games combined with heavy rock music from the ’70s and ’80s that matter.
Coin-op’s play-zone concept has gone over well in North Park since it sprung onto the scene less than a year ago. With ample space for mingling and a large bar stocked with craft beers and all of the essentials that go into serious mixology, the joint accommodates about 20 clunky game machines eager to eat your quarters.
To help beat the summer heat, I sprung for the $3 draft special of the day, a crisp Jamaican Red Ale that would ultimately dull my reflexes when playing Super Mario Bros. by Nintendo. My highest score was a mere 3,350 points, although I could have whipped butt on Ms. Pac-Man if the aficionado playing it had taken a breather.
From the front to back patio, a sense of nostalgia washes over from other games that include Off Road, Star Wars Trilogy, X-Men and Big Buck Safari, which is equipped with a plastic rifle. There’s also an elaborate Spiderman pinball machine. And on the back patio you’ll find a couple of table games like Connect Four and giant Jenga.
Coin-op recently introduced a shortlist of beer cocktails that are only $6 apiece during happy hour. My friend opted for the “Trouble in Paradise” concocted with gin, pear liqueur and fruity saison ale. A dab of rosemary syrup offset the sweetness. Though small, it’s hand shaken and sports a delicious creamy consistency when poured into its dainty chalice glass.
Cocktails made without beer sell for the same price, such as Kentucky tipplers combining grapefruit-infused bourbon with sarsaparilla bitters. The “True Blood” is made with mint-infused Pimm’s, raspberry and lime. Specials extend also to well drinks, selling for $4 a pop.
Discounted munchies run the gamut from roasted nuts and house cut fries with sea salt ($4 each) to grilled cheese sandwiches and chorizo nachos priced at $6. Beef and veggie burgers go for $8.
We tried the nachos, which featured a generous piling of corn tortilla chips crowned with more sour cream than cheese sauce. The avocado was also scant, but with so many cathode ray tubes catching our eyes and some decent rock music blasting through the room, we were too preoccupied to fuss over food.
