Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade

Portland, United States

4

Closed now

40 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 503-796-9364
Website:
www.groundkontrol.com
Address:
511 NW Couch St, Portland, OR, 97209
Old Town - Chinatown
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
100 ftNorthwest 5th & Couch
230 ftNorthwest 6th & Davis
270 ftNorthwest 5th & Davis
Categories:
QR code
Download QR Image Download vCard

Map

Streetview

Activate map

Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Ambience
Hipster
Noise Level
Loud
Music
DJ
Good For Dancing
No
Alcohol
Full Bar
Happy Hour
Yes
Best Nights
Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check
No
Smoking
No
Outdoor Seating
No
Has TV
No
Dogs Allowed
No
Has Pool Table
No
Accepts Apple Pay
No

Today

Today 12:00 pm – 2:30 am
Closed now
Local time (Portland) 9:39 AM Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Business hours

Monday 12:00 pm – 2:30 am
Tuesday 12:00 pm – 2:30 am
Wednesday 12:00 pm – 2:30 am
Thursday 12:00 pm – 2:30 am
Friday 12:00 pm – 2:30 am
Saturday 12:00 pm – 2:30 am
Sunday 12:00 pm – 2:30 am

Description

Specialties

Age restrictions: All ages Noon-​5pm. 21+ only with ID after 5pm!

Remember when you weaseled your parents out of every quarter you could, only to blow them all on Pac-​Man? Space Invaders? Defender?

Now that you don’t need your parents’ permission or a month’s allowance, one place still has all your favorites: Ground Kontrol, the Pacific Northwest’s best collection of arcade and pinball classics.

Ground Kontrol brings the arcade experience into the 21st century with over 100 of the most popular video games and pinball tables in a futuristic multi-​level space. Enjoy a full bar and food menu nightly, along with recurring events such as Rock Band Tuesdays, the stand-​up comedy night No Pun Intendo and two monthly Free Play Parties!

So, adults, bring your ID and your 21+ self down any night after 5PM and enjoy a drink or two while playing your favorite arcade games, the way Nolan Bushnell intended.

History

Established in 1999.

Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade (GK) was founded in 1999 by 2 record store employees who loved classic video games. Originally at SW 12th & Alder, GK also sold used records & videos. In 2003, five lifelong pinball & video game fans joined up and purchased GK.

With a new focus on games and gaming culture, the records and videos were sold off and the console selection expanded. GK also began to host live shows, including the video game inspired band The Minibosses.

In October 2004, GK moved to bigger & better digs at 511 NW Couch St. in the historic Old Town district. In May 2005, GK added beer & wine service. Portland’s definitive «barcade» was born!

Today Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade is the West Coast’s premier arcade, appealing to video game and pinball lovers of all ages. GK preserves the experience of an ‘80s arcade while updating it with newer features, like a full bar & food, and is the only place in the Pacific Northwest where many arcade games can be played.

Meet the Manager

Art S.

Manager

Like most children of the early 80s, my first introduction to video gaming was the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Mario Bros. I’ve always loved going to arcades, and killed many a weekend (and a few days I should’ve been at school) at my hometown arcade until it closed up in the late ‘90s.

Now that I’ve found my way into a job that combines my love of video games and pinball with my appreciation for a nice cold beer, I look forward every day to making sure (along with the fantastic owners & staff) that Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade is the best arcade/​bar it can be.

Keep your reviews coming, and we’ll keep listening!

Related places

Explore similar places:
150
ft
Silver Dollar II
19 NW 5th Ave (Old Town - Chinatown)
200
ft
Davis Street Tavern
500 NW Davis St (Old Town - Chinatown)
320
ft
Level
13 NW 6th Ave (Old Town - Chinatown)
550
ft
Big Trouble
329 NW Couch St (Old Town - Chinatown)
550
ft
Barrel Room
105 NW 3rd Ave (Old Town - Chinatown)
560
ft
Dirty Nightlife
35 NW 3rd Ave (Old Town - Chinatown)

Vicinity

Near this location:
50
ft
Backspace
115 NW 5th Ave
60
ft
KIRIKO
107 NW 5th Ave
60
ft
Compound
107 NW 5th Ave
70
ft
eROI
505 NW Couch #300
90
ft
Fifth Avenue Lounge
125 NW 5th Ave
90
ft
Someday Lounge
125 NW 5th Ave

40 reviews of Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Venice, CA
My friend brought me here while bar hopping around the neighborhood. At first I was a little turned off by the $ 5 cover, then I found out all the games were free to play! They have an awesome selection of arcade classics of the 80s-​90s, some of my favorites being The Simpsons and Area 51. Pinball fanatics will love the upstairs area with over a dozen machines
There’s a bar on one side with half a dozen beers on tap, and I think my pint was $ 4.50. not great for Portland standards but coming from LA that’s super cheap.
It’s dark and cramped but that only adds to the ambiance. Could do without the sometimes overwhelming whiffs of BO from certain patrons, though. All n all well worth a visit.
Place rating: 4
San Jose, CA
Was last here in January 2016. There’s really nothing like this in the Bay Area (of California). I’ve only come across arcade bars in Seattle, so this was something I had to check out.
They have DDR, rampage, puzzle bobble! ALL OF MY JAMS!
Tons of classic arcade games. It gets pretty tight in there if you’ve got two people two one machine (due to the layout). This place consists of two floors: first floor– coat check, bar, bathroom, and some little dj area. second floor makes up of pinball machines (from what I recall). The majority of the crowd are grown ass men *big surprise*. Very chill spot, afterall, it is Portland. They’ve got a few illuminated tables if you want to just sit and chat.
I know there’s a cover fee both Friday and Saturday, can’t say anything for the other days of the week.
Affordable cocktails (arcade themed, duh) and beer.
Place rating: 5
Huntington Beach, CA
When I came here 2 years ago the first time I’ve never been to a «barcade» before. Now these things are popping up everywhere. Vintage games, old school jams, and alcohol! They’ve also got this ultra addicting game called Killer Queen that you won’t see anywhere else! Pinball selection of games on point. The arcade selection on point. I just have a great time here and ready to whoop anyone on Street Fighter 2. This is a nice attraction for those looking for a night of nostalgia with friends.
Recommendation: Play «Killer Queen» with a group of people!
Place rating: 5
Langley, Canada
21+ evenings!
This barcade has got things right. Cheap drink specials, a nice selection of craft beers and cocktails.
Second floor is filled with pinball. Love it.
Good mix of arcade games focused mainly on classics.
Definitely watch for their tournaments and gaming specials!
Place rating: 4
San Jose, CA
We actually came on a Saturday early afternoon so I can’t speak to the bar scene. We did wander by on a Friday night and there was a line to get in, so we passed. Instead we just enjoyed the games the next morning. I think we played for about an hour. Plenty of classic games and lots of pinball. Solid arcade, but it’s pretty small inside and would definitely be wicked cramped during peak times.
Place rating: 4
San Jose, CA
Came here Saturday night during the Starlite parade and I’ve honestly haven’t had that much fun in awhile. $ 2 cover = infinite amount of old school arcade games, which included tons of pinball, pacman, and of course Mario kart. My boyfriend and I were probably there for 2 hours and just having a good time. Definitely recommend to come here if you’re looking for something different to do. (:
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
I had been looking forward to coming here for several months and it lived up to the hype! If you’re looking for a chill place to relive your childhood, this is the place. Two floors of fun — mostly arcade games on the first floor and pinball machines on the second floor. My favorite was the 4 player option for TMNT! Most games are 25 – 50 cents, with a few being 75 cents — $ 1.
Tips:
1. Come before 7:30pm for no cover. $ 2 cover after that.
2. Kids are allowed before 5 pm so bar isn’t open. 21 and over after 5pm.
3. There are two quarter machines. Use the one upstairs to avoid the line and congestion near the entry door.
4. Check out the Pac-​man bathrooms before you leave! Just trust me on this one.
Place rating: 4
Dallas, TX
Good beers? Check. Arcade games? Check. Pinball machines? Check.
Pretty fun place to hang out. Not a massive place, you definitely get up close and chummy with those around you. They definitely cram a lot of games into a small two story joint. The second floor is primarily pinball machines and the bottom floor is where most of the arcade games reside. The pinball machines are 25 – 50 cents, the arcade games range from 25 cents up.
Nice beer selection. Looked to be all local craft brews on the menu. Tried a few of them, all tasty.
Fun place to waste an hour or two– go back in time and play some games you haven’t in ages!
Place rating: 4
Arlington, TX
This place is so cool! I’ve never been to a ~barcade~ and this spot is something I’m really going to remember about Portland!
They don’t serve double shots nor do they have pickleback at the bar. All people drinking must be present at the bar as well. They do have a capacity limit and will not let you in if they’ve exceeded capacity and you have to wait for people to leave. They convert your cash into quarters, not tokens.
Upper floor had a plethora of pinball machines and also had 1 DDR machine. Downstairs had a variety of different games from Tekken and Tetris to the Simpsons and Mario kart racing. I really wish that the Mario kart racing were linked so you can race against people you’re there with. I mean. That’s the fun in Mario Kart Racing! My boyfriend & I saved this game for last and were bummed to realize they weren’t linked.
Also their bathrooms are SOOO COOL! Go check it out for yourself! I didn’t think it looked all that interesting in the pictures but it’s pretty cool when you see it IN THE FLESH. This place is awesome. Go.
Place rating: 1
Boston, MA
Terrible experience. Bernard at the door is incredibly rude and offensive. He said real rude and hurtful things.
I definitely would not recommend anyone go to this terrible bar.
If the manager is reading this – I would recommend firing Bernard. Will tell all friends to never go here because of him.
Place rating: 4
Santa Ana, CA
This is a pretty awesome arcade/​bar spot. The line to get in can be pretty ridic, but once you get inside, you feel like a kid again. It’s like Dave and Buster’s but way more nostalgic.
I can’t speak for the alcohol, but the vibe inside is killer. I didn’t encounter any d-​bags… everyone was just in there to have a good time and play some games! I was pretty hooked on the pinball games. There’s something about old school pinball that makes me feel like I’m 12 again. The games downstairs are a little harder to get to since it gets so packed down there but we were able to play a few rounds of race cars which was a lot of fun.
Overall I think it’s a great concept, cool décor, and fun games. If I lived in the area, I would definitely be back but probably earlier in the evening to avoid the lines.
Place rating: 4
San Jose, CA
Pretty cool barcade in Chinatown that I heard about from my friend. Wanted to kill some time before dinner since it was 3PM when we were around the area, but didn’t know that the bar opens at 5PM, FAIL. So if you’re under 21, you have to come here before 4:30PM when they start checking IDs.
Upstairs has a bunch of pinballs machines, and downstairs has your typical arcade selections like mortal kombat, street fighter, mario kart, etc.
I thought it was pretty fun just playing some games, and it’s probably a lot more fun when you can drink and play. I also saw online that they host events, like comedy shows, so it’s pretty lit.
Place rating: 5
South Pasadena, CA
Great clean old school fun — most arcade games 25 – 50 cents, pinball machines (plus ddr) upstairs, looks like they have a DJ and drinks at night
Place rating: 5
Los Banos, CA
Youth. We often try to replicate or relive the power and freedom wielded when young, and this place does both.
Everything from the quarter drop to the slightly janky controls of the most popular cabinets, I felt like I could spend every day here (the same dream we all had a kid).
I came on an early sat afternoon so I didn’t have the chance to enjoy the bar service, but my bachelor party that normally would be in Vegas will be in PDX solely for this place.
Place rating: 4
Southeast Portland, Portland, OR
This place is a geek’s dream. They have tons of old arcade games as well as a few new ones to keep it interesting.
Now, I must say that I really miss when they had a stage in the front with live bands that played. That was when Ground Kontrol would have easily gotten all 5 stars from me. Now there is a small booth for a ‘DJ’ to play music.
On a positive note, they are EXPANDING! I am really hopeful that with the expansion comes another stage so they can revive the live music!
Place rating: 4
Rochester, NY
What a badass barcade. I love, absolutely adore, pinballs. This place had sooooooo many pinballs it was super great. It can get a bit much when there sre tournaments and i was weirded out by a 2 dollar cover for a barcade which is a place you will definitely be spending money at. The beers were a great price.
3 dollars for awesome portland beers. All local, all the time. The place is small and a bit full of sweaty peeps but most people were friendly and it was a great time.
Flashback to the 80s. 90s as well. So good. Will definitely go back when I’m in Portland again.
Yay!
Place rating: 3
Manhattan, NY
Always a fan of barcades — a pretty simple concept that keeps the nostalgia of arcades alive. This particular one is open late with two floors of gaming awesomeness.
Saturday night there was a cover of $ 2. Not the most egregious thing, but that was the first time I ever had to pay cover at a barcade. Inside it’s dark and lit up like a nightclub. Bar to the side and only one working coin machine on the first floor (the one upstairs was busted). Lots of cool games to choose from; including Mario Kart, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and other classics. Plenty of cupholders at each machine to hold your drinks.
Some of the machines eat your quarters, which is annoying, yet overall a good setup. A few things could use some fixing in order for this spot to get a better score.
Place rating: 4
Hawthorne, CA
Great selection of games and ok selection of beer/​food, but I didn’t come here to eat. I’ve been to similar barcades before, and you really can’t go wrong with these kind of set ups. The arcade games of the 80s and 90s is full of nostalgia.
The top floor is all the pinballs and and a Dance Dance Revolution. Bottom floor is pretty much everything else. Ground Kontrol is a pretty small place, so it can get packed easily. Highlight of the games for me were Tekken Tag, the Simpsons, and X-​Men. I hardly see those anywhere now. Games are anywhere from 25 – 75 cents. Have fun!
Place rating: 2
Portland, OR
Why do I always feel like I’m going to get sick if I touch anything?
I really want to like this place but there are too many child germs mixed with twenty-​something nerd-​grime and the smell of spilt tall-​boy for me to feel comfortable.
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
I am a child of the 80s — so video games are near and dear to my heart.
I love flashing back to scrounging quarters from under car seats and couch cushions and riding my bike down to the Arcade.
Ground Kontrol is most def hipster — but I don’t mind. I’m in the zone with Asteroids, Centipede and Mrs. Pac-​Man. I do appreciate it is 21 and over. Another thing I appreciate is the placement a a few hand sanitizer dispensers.
With age come wisdom, and a tad bit of OCD after touching sticky game controllers.
The bar has beers on tap and cocktails with generous pours. Cup holders are provided on top or on the sides of the game –thoughtful right? There is a food menu — but I’m there to play so have never really checked it out.
There are change machines on both floor — $ 1s and $ 5s only.
Pinball can be found upstairs — remember the laundromat in college and playing pinball waiting for the spin cycle to end — awww, those were the days…
This is a great place to spend a few hours — playing some games and having a few cocktails.
The have plans to expand and add another bar. Not sure if they will add more games or just spread out what they — it is close quarters (see what I did there).
Go check it out.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
Nothing wrong with a little late night arcade action and this place is open until midnight. This place brings back good memories from childhood of staying up late to try and beat the next level in Donkey Kong. You have to show ID to get in after 5. We got there around 9:30p.m. No lines but the place was busy as per usual and the line for the bar was incredible. Besides that we came armed with quarters and ready to elbow our way through the crowd to have a good time. Good selection of games and pinball machines. Definitely a good option when you’re over going to Wunderland.
Place rating: 5
New York, NY
If there’s one thing you do, play 4-​player Pacman.
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
I came here with my boyfriend for a friend’s birthday this past Saturday. We arrived around 8:15p.m. They don’t have their own parking, so you’ll either have to find a way there or park in a lot that will charge you $ 10 (at least on a Saturday). I think there are two lots nearby Ground Kontrol.
The place is also on the small side, meaning they reach their maximum capacity quickly and there’s a good chance you will have to wait in line. It seemed like right around 8:30, the line began to go around the corner of the building. So plan accordingly for this, unless you don’t care to wait at all.
There aren’t many tables, but you’ll most likely be standing up playing games anyway. The games also have drink holders on the sides of them.
I’ve also noticed some mentions on the bouncer/​security. Our experience was when we got there, there were two people ahead of us waiting to get inside, and after the bouncer let them in, he was super friendly and thanked us for knowing to wait in line or at least ask instead of just cutting everyone and trying to go straight inside. I don’t know if that made the difference in the bouncer’s demeanor, but I figured that it was worth a mention.
The games aren’t expensive. The most expensive probably being Mario Kart, but you can win cheap/​free games if you win on some of the machines. Game/​machines also change periodically. There is a change machine to exchange dollar bills for quarters to play the games.
Another thing I want to mention was how amazingly organized the bar was. I don’t think this was the outcome of the staff or anyone really, but people actually waited in a single line instead of crowding as close as they could to the bar to be served. The first bartender we got drinks from seemed a little irritated to be at work, but I think it may have been the end of his shift, because two girls started to tend the bar and were really nice.
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
This is a great spot in Portland. It’s one of those places that stands out from the usual bar/​activity scene of a city. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary to do, especially if you are a visitor to Portland, check out Ground Kontrol. Good for adults at night, great for kids during the day. Though it can often get crowded with either demographic at those times.
While I’m not very big of a gamer, I still can’t not rate this place high. It’s always fun to go and drop some quarters to lose almost immediately (if you’re like me) at old school arcade games like Dr. Mario, Pacman, BurgerTime, and so many others. The upstairs is full of pinball machines and DDR.
Best part about this Barcade — is the bar! It’s awesome to be able to carry a drink around like an adult while you play arcade games like a kid. The food menu is also reminiscent of being a kid, w/​items like PB&J, Frito Pie & Rootbeer floats.
The atmosphere in this spot is also on point. Dim room lit only by some neon blue lights. Definitely make a stop into the bathrooms when you visit.
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
An awesome Portland bar, way better than any other barcade I’ve gone to. They limit the capacity so it doesn’t get over bearingly crowded; you should always be able to find a game. Full bar and beers on tap. Upstairs has all the old school pinball machines. All games are reasonably priced (I paid a quarter for almost everything). The line moved fairly quick. I think most people only stop in for a short time. We got in after about 15 minutes for a 20 person line.
Place rating: 5
Minneapolis, MN
Very fun spot for anyone who played video games in the 80s and 90s or for people who appreciate those style of games.
Two stories of games like bubble bobble, paper boy, street fighter, pac man, and Mario.
Upstairs are pin ball games of Star Wars, walking dead, the Simpsons etc. they have dance dance revolution as well up there.
Downstairs are the classic games and a bar with a few light up tables to hang out and have drinks at. They serve food like ice cream, chili dogs, and pretzels.
The games cost anywhere from 25 cents to 75 cents.
It has a true dive bar meets revenge of the nerds feel to it. So much better than places like Dave & Busters. You need to check it out!
Place rating: 4
Vancouver, WA
Finally an arcade that doesn’t smell like hundred year old carpet with nacho stains everywhere.
I’m not huge on classic arcade games and this place was personally more of a novelty thing to do for a couple of hours. It’s really well run with great beers and what looks like to be a diverse and affordable food menu.
They have Mario Kart, Exotic Car Racing, several pinball machines, Street Fighter, PacMan, Frogger and many more. The place was very busy on a Wednesday night and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Definitely unique and something you should do in Portland.
Place rating: 5
East San Jose, San Jose, CA
What a cool spot to grab a drink and play some classic arcade games! My friend and I stumbled upon this place by just walking around downtown at night. We noticed a small crowd outside and I immediately pulled up my Unilocal app to see what this place is all about. There was a $ 2 cover charge, but we didn’t go in that night. We came here the night after because we knew we had to wake up early to hike the next day.
Came here on a Saturday night, $ 2 cover fee. This place is fairly small. There are two floor. On the first floor, the bar is in the left corner, there is a coat rack on the side of the stairs, there is a live dj (I think only on some nights), the restrooms are towards the back, there are tables where you can sit and this floor has mainly your arcade games. On the second floor, you can find your classic DDR, some arcade games, but mainly pinball machines.
On top of most of the arcade games, there is a drink holder. Unfortunately, I’m a little too short to put my drink on top…
Anyways, overall environment is cool. It brings back childhood memories! Man, does that make me sound old. All games are inexpensive. They are all about 25 cents to $ 1? It can get super crowded in here because it is fairly small, but everybody is nice here.
OH! The woman’s bathroom is soooooo cool. The bathroom signs have pacman and inside was pacman themed! The tiles on the floor was so dope, as well as the bathroom sink.
Overall, really good experience. Good drinks, good crowd and good games!
Place rating: 3
Portland, OR
We took my nephew here for his 16 birthday party.
Since they allow kids here before 5pm I guess I was hoping it would be a little more family friendly?
They do have tons of old pin ball machines and despite having quarters eaten they are really fun to play!
I myself love the old school driving games, where you get to sit down and drive.
I think they had about 4 – 5 of them which were never available to play. Understandably.
The facility is very small which was not what I expected from the other photos we looked at here on Unilocal.
My husband and nephew had a great time playing games, some of which my husband hadn’t seen since he was a kid.
I wish the bathroom doors were unlocked, it was very frustrating having to ask to be buzzed in every time we needed to use them.
The woman’s bathroom was pretty gross.
The toilet in the only stall available was clogged and full of nasty stuff.
There wasn’t a changing table so I ended up having to change my one year old in the seat of our booth. Not fun.
It’s very dark and the music was very loud which I understand when it turns into a bar after 5pm.
The floors were so sticky my shoes were sticking to them, and the smell of the place was a mixture of old alcohol and sweat.
The service was lacking, which I suspect was due to only 2 people serving. That I could see.
Every time we asked the lady bartender for something, she seemed really annoyed.
I think this place would be really fun with friends at night for drinking and playing old school games.
I don’t think we’ll be back, but I can see why people love to come here and play.
Maybe they will work on their Service and all and all day time feel for families.
We would definitely be back if they did.
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
TALK ABOUT A BLAST FROM THE PAST!
Ground Kontrol is probably one of the coolest places I visited during my stay in Portland. Growing up in the early 90s, I remember video arcades being the staple of any shopping mall. Well over the years, they disappeared and nowadays you’ll be hard pressed to find one…
Well Ground Kontrol brings BACK all of my favorite video games. I’m talking NFL Blitz, Mortal Kombat 2, the old school X-​Men and TMNT beat em up games, etc… first floor is the video games and 2nd floor is pinball (and DDR!).
And yeah, no Dave and Buster’s pricing here! The games cost 25 cents or 50 cents. They start serving drinks after 5PM and those are also super affordable (i paid for some $ 3 beers, $ 6 jameson).
You can’t get much for 25 cents nowadays… but holy crap, not at Ground Kontrol. Easily 5 stars… I felt like a kid again!
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Ms. Pacman, Donkey Kong, Frogger, Paperboy, Millipede and Centipede and many of the popular arcade and pinball games are here in this dark arcade place. The feel and dark locality is like what I grew up on in my teens after school.
Instead of tokens used in some venues, this place uses quarters. A ten dollar roll was what I usually pay to play these arcade games. And indeed I did that when I visited here.
For foods, they also have a few foods that I remembered eating when I needed to take a break from the games. I ordered the corn dog. For $ 4.00, I get a simple hot dog covered in a fried cornbread batter on a wooden stick. I also added a bag of chips and a can of orange soda for $ 1.25 each. At that time, this was a pricey meal that feeds a king. Now in my late 40’s, this is just a very affordable snack.
They also serve beers, but not until 5pm. «Bummer…I wanted to play Star Wars drunk during the midday.»
With game consoles being very popular in today’s tech-​world, I am so happy that there are still arcade places left, especially in Portland.
Place rating: 4
Rowland Heights, CA
This place was super cool! My friends and I decided to stop by here to check out what the hype was and to get away from the rain (typical portland weather haha!). Definitely a place to stop by if you get the chance to! They’re opened from noon til 2:30am everyday.
COVER: Came before 5pm and got in without a cover charge. After 5pm it becomes strictly for 21 years and older plus a $ 2 cover.
LAYOUT/​AMBIENCE: Two floors of arcade games. The bar is on the ground floor. Both floors have games and it’s fun to explore around each one of them. The whole place has a theme for the games. Shoutout to the restrooms-​their floor tiles and even signs were pacman-​related… super cool! It is slightly dark in there and quite sticky… especially the floor area around the bar. Not the cleanest. Would definitely not suggest wearing flip flops haha.
GAMES: The games they had available gave me the feels of throwback happiness as a kid haha. (Cheesy, I know). Some games off the top of my head include Mario Kart, DDR, pinball, asteroid, centipede, pacman, tetris, TMNT, etc. Games are all also affordable, most are 25cents-​50cents and a few are 75cents-1dollar…which is rare to find in California (where I’m from) these days.
BAR: They serve food and drinks the whole time. Everything is reasonably priced and the selections are good!
Place rating: 3
Los Angeles, CA
3.5 stars!
What’s there to do in Portland when it’s raining? Play old school arcade games with a drink in one hand and quarters in the other! I enjoy this arcade because 1) two floors filled with a variety of games 2) it’s cheap! most of the machines only cost $ 0.25−0.50. The drinks were standard. I took some stars off because it’s a bit dirty and cramped. But overall, I enjoyed my experience here.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
F-​ing amazing
Barcades are few and far in between, so you better go. What better place to relive your childhood as an adult? There’s mortal kombat, street fighter, 4 player pacman, turtles in time and so much more! The only grow I have was that the street fighter machine had sticky jammed buttons so only the left side works, other than that it makes a fun night out, and a cheap place to pregame ;) if you know what I mean
Place rating: 3
New Brunswick, NJ
Stopped by here when we were in the area and came in. Its «dive-​y» and ater 5pm you need to be 21+ as it becomes a «bar”-cade. Lots of old school arcade games like Pac Man, Time Crisis 2, X-​Men, Simpsons, DDR, Mario Cart arcade style, LOTS of pin ball machines upstairs.
Cons: smells like a frat house as you walk in… lots of liquor smells. I wouldn’t necessarily think to bring any children here even before 5pm. The floors were SUPER sticky and my boots stuck to the ground.
Pros: games are cheap to play, bathrooms are pacman themed which is fun and you can have drinks anywhere since there are drink holders attached to every machine
I’d like to see what this place looks like at night in full swing.
Place rating: 2
San Francisco, CA
Shame on me, but I had such high hopes for Ground Kontrol. I was picturing something a little classy, maybe some wood flooring, classic video game prints on the wall, just sort of a fun welcoming environment. Instead, what I ran into was:
— sticky floors
— dark, grungy interior
— kids running and screeching around
— a no-​alocohol zone until early evening on a Saturday
If you’re a die-​hard arcade buff, you’ll probably be happy no matter what, but if you’re going for more than the arcade games, you’re going to have a mediocre time.
Place rating: 4
Portland, OR
This place is awesome!!! 25 – 50 cent games, and so many to choose from! They have all your classic arcade games like Tetris, Frogger, Mortal Kombat, pinball machines, etc etc. The best game that’s super fun is the NBA Jam!!! Super addicting! From about 12−5pm it is open for all ages so you can definitely bring your kids here. But after that it’s 21+
Make sure you bring lots of quarters or small bills to get them changed. I think the one downside I had was sometimes the games wouldn’t work properly and there was no employee found to help. That was the only fault I really found.
Place rating: 4
Campbell, CA
This is a dope ass place.
With retro arcade games throughout the 2 stories and a bar? Doesnt get much better than this if you are an old school gamer. There are metal cup holders at almost every arcade game so you can put your drink/​beer down and go to town.
Downstairs have party games like mario kart, nba, nfl, and 4v4.
Upstairs have mostly pinball machines.
This place cracks at night so be prepared for a crowd.
Overall: might return if in the area.
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
An 80’s style/​genre video game arcade. We came on a Friday night after 9pm and there was a $ 2 cover charge…
Video game prices tend to be on the higher/​expensive side, but hey, that’s just the way it is. Yes, there’s beer and cocktails on a limited menu, and tons of 80’s games that I can’t even begin to list out… It’s fun, and particularly if you’re looking for a laid back time with the intent of re-​living or being nostalgic to your 80’s video game memoris.
UPDATE TO MY REVIEW, as of 10÷28÷15 4:10pm PST:
I received a message from Ground Kontrol Business Manager (will keep his user Id Private) referencing prices of video games. In fairness, I will quote his message as I think it’s fair that he clarified pricing; he wrote…
…”…most of our video games are 25 cents and most pinball tables are 50 cents, just as they were back in the day! There are a few exceptions, but it’s important to us to keep game prices fair, so we do everything we can to maintain that.”…
So I may have had some misconception on the pricing, but I am glad the Business Manager from Ground Kontrol responded to my written review. Kudos to Management! I will return.
Place rating: 4
Newport Beach, CA
I’m a big fan of the idea of a «barcade» — a place where you can drink AND play fun arcade games! While in Portland, Ground Kontrol was a definite stop for me and my boyfriend; we’ve sort of been on an arcade game binge (with DnB’s), and when we heard of Ground Kontrol, we were so excited to stop by for a few beers and play some old school games!
First off, there is COVER. We accidentally bypassed the cover line since we just wanted to get inside so we dodged the cover-​man. That was an accident, really. But what we ducked out on cover, we spent on alcohol and a lot of quarters. So don’t be mad at us.
Upstairs is where all of the pinball machines are, so of course, me loving pinball, headed up there first to hit some balls. It was a bit cramped, they put a machine in any corner available. However, it’s not as cramped as the first floor, so if you need a breather, head up to play some pinball and get away from the crowd.
This place is bumping EDM, and there’s actually room in front of the bar, so… if you did want to dance, you could… I would. I didn’t. I drank and played games instead, cause the bar has a pretty good selection of beers!
Lots of games, shooter games, vintage games, space games, donkey kong, racing games, etc., etc. Some games I’ve never heard of but looked like a lot of fun. The row with PacMan was PACKED the whole time, so I’m guessing that particular area of machines is the best/​most popular. Lots of fun, kind of dark, but overall, great place to chill! Come a bit early to avoid the line! It doesn’t move much since once you get in, you’re probably gonna stay for at least an hour or two.