Entry No. 52 — the Boulder file — filed under: arcade-play
Press Play Bar
A subterranean arcade-bar tucked just below the west end of the Pearl Street Mall, with roughly 25 vintage cabinets glowing under low light. The lineup leans hard nostalgic with Pac-Man, Donkey Kong and Galaga alongside pinball, foosball, ping-pong, skee-ball and giant Jenga. Weekends bring rotating DJs and go-go dancers, and the kitchen turns out tacos, sliders and loaded nachos to go with craft beer and cocktails. All ages earlier in the day, 21+ after 7pm.
The story
If you aren't scanning for the pixelated 8-bit cherry icon hanging above 1005 Pearl Street, you will walk right past the stairwell. Head down the concrete steps into the low-ceilinged basement space formerly occupied by Round Midnight—a legendary local music club—and you emerge into a subterranean, brick-walled bunker glowing under the low light of roughly 25 retro arcade cabinets. Jesse Gossett and Mike Boselli opened Press Play down here in 2012, replacing live band sets with the mechanical clatter of physical pinball levers and dropping coins.
It stands as a deliberate piece of tactile counterprogramming right under Boulder's main shopping drag. You won't find digital swipe cards or ticket redemption counters here; the machines—spanning classics like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Galaga, and Mortal Kombat—run strictly on real metal quarters. Clustered around the perimeter of the room are pinball machines, skee-ball lanes, ping-pong, foosball, pool tables, and giant Jenga sets, anchored by a long bar slinging craft beer, cocktails, tacos, sliders, and loaded nachos.
What makes the basement distinct is its shift in personality. Before 7 p.m., it operates as a low-key, all-ages hangout for casual gamers and nostalgic purists getting in quiet high-score runs. Once night falls and the door flips to 21+, the space pivots entirely: weekend rotating DJs and go-go dancers take over, turning the narrow aisles between game cabinets into a high-energy late-night dance floor.
What it's like
Descend the stairs off the west end of Pearl Street Mall and you step straight into dark brick, neon glow, and a wall of sound driven by pinball bells and quarter drops. For a relaxed visit where you can claim Mortal Kombat or pinball machines without waiting, drop in during a weeknight afternoon. Later in the evening—especially on weekends after the 7 p.m. age gate kicks in—the basement gets loud and crowded as a dance floor opens up around the DJ booth. Bring cash or hit the coin changers near the entrance; every cabinet requires quarters.
The move: Grab tacos and a couple of beers, then run a best-of-five Mortal Kombat rivalry on the vintage cabinets before chasing a pinball high score together.
📍 Before you go 20+ before 7pm, 21+ after. Open afternoons/evenings into the early morning; Sat opens noon.
- 📍 Pearl Street, Boulder
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Big night
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1005 Pearl St, Boulder, CO 80302
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- License No. 1 (The Catacombs) — Continue your subterranean night out by walking two blocks east to sip craft cocktails in the dark, historic basement lounge beneath Hotel Boulderado.
- Enigma Escape Rooms — Pair an afternoon solving immersive puzzles right on Pearl Street with a descent downstairs for a round of Mortal Kombat and pinball.
- The Bitter Bar — Contrast Press Play's loud quarter-chomping energy with quiet, refined craft cocktails hidden behind a fake storefront on Walnut Street.
- Piece, Love & Chocolate — Grab hand-rolled truffles or take a weekend dessert workshop on Pearl Street before heading underground for arcade games.
Good to know
Do the arcade machines take game cards or quarters?
Every cabinet and pinball machine runs strictly on real quarters. Change machines are located inside the basement bar.
What are the age restrictions for Press Play?
All ages are welcome earlier in the day. The bar transitions strictly to 21+ after 7 p.m.
What food and drinks are served?
The kitchen turns out tacos, sliders, and loaded nachos, complemented by local craft beers on tap and full cocktail service at the bar.
What games are available to play?
The venue features roughly 25 vintage cabinets including Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Galaga, and Mortal Kombat, plus pinball, skee-ball, foosball, ping-pong, pool tables, and giant Jenga.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Yelp · Westword · boulderdowntown.com · bouldercoloradousa.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-23