Entry No. 33 — the Butte file — filed under: arcade-play
Sláinte Butte America Pub
A family-owned Uptown pub stacked across three floors, with a rooftop bar up top and a basement that hides more than 20 classic cabinets — Pac-Man, Super Mario, Street Fighter II — plus a rotating wall of five real pinball machines that has recently included JAWS Pro and a Mandalorian LE. Games run from a quarter to a dollar, so you can grab a craft cocktail upstairs and disappear downstairs to grind quarters. The arcade keeps its own hours, opening at 3 PM most days and running to midnight on weekends.
The story
Uptown Butte doesn't do subtle, and neither does 8 S Montana Street. Named with an Irish toast to the city's blue-collar heritage, Sláinte Butte America Pub operates as a three-story vertical stack: a rooftop deck up top for fresh air and drinks, a main-floor pub pouring craft beers and cocktails, and a basement stairwell that drops you directly into a subterranean cabinet warren.
Walk down those stairs and the craft-beer vibe gives way to the hum of cathode-ray tubes and mechanical flippers. The basement holds a hand-picked collection of over 20 classic arcade cabinets—including heavy-hitters like Pac-Man, Super Mario, and Street Fighter II—alongside a rotating five-pinball lineup that regularly cycles through modern machines like JAWS Pro and The Mandalorian LE.
The genius of the setup is the friction-free transition. You grab a craft drink upstairs, load your pockets with quarters at twenty-five cents to a dollar a pop, and disappear underground. No RFID wristbands, no prize counters—just straight coin-op gaming built for head-to-head showdowns.
What it's like
Head into 8 S Montana St, order a drink at the main bar, and look for the stairs taking you down into the basement. The basement arcade smells faintly of old electronics and cold brick, with cabinet art illuminated in neon lighting. On weekend nights toward midnight the room gets loud and crowded around the pinball wall, so if you want uninterrupted time on Street Fighter II or the Mandalorian pin, swing down closer to the 3 PM opening mark on a weekday.
The move: Order craft cocktails, then take a roll of quarters down to the basement and play head-to-head Street Fighter II until someone wins best of seven.
- 📍 Butte (Uptown)
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Big night
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 8 S Montana St, Butte, MT 59701
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- 51 Below Speakeasy — Double down on underground Uptown dives by moving from Sláinte's basement arcade to the hidden speakeasy tucked under The Miner's Hotel.
- Headframe Spirits Tasting Room — Pair local spirits distilled in hand-built continuous-flow stills with a head-to-head quarter-grind just down the block.
- Montana Axe Bar & Throwing Co. — Keep the low-tech competition going by trading 25-cent Street Fighter matches for target throwing around the corner.
- M&M Bar and Cafe — Follow up rooftop views and cabinet games with a visit to a historic Butte watering hole down on Park Street.
Good to know
Where is Sláinte Butte America Pub located?
You'll find it at 8 S Montana St in Uptown Butte, Montana.
How much do the arcade and pinball games cost to play?
Games range between a quarter and a dollar per play, so bring cash for quarters or break a bill at the bar.
What games are in the basement arcade?
The basement features over 20 retro arcade cabinets (such as Pac-Man, Super Mario, and Street Fighter II) plus five rotating pinball machines like JAWS Pro and The Mandalorian LE.
What are the basement arcade hours?
The arcade typically opens around 3 PM on most operating days and stays open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · pinballmap.com
last checked: 2026-06-24