Entry No. 84 — the Dallas file — filed under: arcade-play
Cidercade Dallas
A low cover unlocks nearly 200 arcade and pinball games all set to free play, paired with two-dozen taps of craft cider and beer brewed in-house by Bishop Cider. It's a warehouse-scale floor in the Design District where the draw is genuinely the games rather than food or bottle service. The mix spans classic cabinets, pinball and oddball novelty machines.
The story
Tucked away on Irving Boulevard in the Design District, Cidercade is what happens when a local craft cider maker decides a production facility needs a few hundred arcade cabinets. Founded by the team behind Bishop Cider, the warehouse space strips away every friction point of modern entertainment: no paper tickets, no plastic swipe cards with hidden balance traps, and no coin slots demanding a steady diet of quarters.
You pay roughly $12 at the front door, and every machine on the floor is instantly unlocked. The floor holds well over 140 games spanning decades of arcade history—a sprawling array of golden-era cabinet classics, modern Japanese rhythmic novelties, and dozens of pinball tables with clattering physical bumpers. It's built for people who actually want to play, not just sit at a bar with a token dispenser in the corner.
Because the entire operation is backed by Bishop Cider, the bar focuses heavily on what they ferment in-house. Expect over two dozen taps running everything from bone-dry apple ciders to experimental fruit-forward pours and hard seltzers, along with guest craft beers. They leave the heavy cooking to local food trucks parked right outside, keeping the indoor focus entirely on the screens and the sound of pinball steel.
What it's like
Stepping onto the floor feels like dropping straight into a wall of neon light and synth noise. On weekend afternoons, you'll dodge families pacing between drive simulators, but as evening hits, the space pivots to a strictly 21-and-over crowd. If you want uninterrupted runs on the popular pinball tables without waiting for a machine to free up, slip in on a weeknight, grab a cider flight, and work your way down the back aisles.
The move: Grab a flight of house ciders and bounce between pinball and free-play cabinets for as long as your competitive streak holds.
📍 Before you go ~$12 entry covers unlimited play; 21+ at some hours, and the cider is made on premises.
- 📍 Design District
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Big night
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2777 Irving Blvd, Ste 200, Dallas, TX 75207
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Bowlounge — Located less than a mile and a half away in the Design District, Bowlounge lets you transition from free-play arcade cabinets to vintage 1950s bowling lanes.
- Free Play Dallas — Cross the Trinity River into Trinity Groves to compare Cidercade's vibe against Free Play's vast floor of 160-plus arcade cabinets.
- PRP (Permanent Research Project) — Trade the flashing monitor glare and arcade chimes for a quiet, focused contemporary art exhibit inside a converted 1930s Trinity Groves home.
Good to know
How much does it cost to get in, and do I need quarters?
Admission is around $12 per person for unlimited play. Every machine inside is set to free play, so you can leave your wallet in your pocket after paying entry.
Is Cidercade 21+ only?
It is family-friendly during daytime hours, but transitions to a strict 21-and-over policy in the evenings.
Do they serve food inside?
Cidercade focuses on drinks on tap, but they host a daily rotation of local food trucks parked right outside the venue.
What drinks are available at the bar?
They pour over two dozen house-made ciders and seltzers from Bishop Cider, alongside craft beers on draft.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · toasttab.com · pinside.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-23