Entry No. 199 — the Denver file — filed under: arcade-play
Akihabara Arcade and Bar
Akihabara is built around imported Japanese 'candy cabinets' you almost never see stateside, leaning into fighters, shmups, rhythm games, and racing titles, with many cabinet menus still in Japanese. There's a full bar with craft beer and mixed drinks alongside console setups, so it plays more like a slice of an Akihabara game center than a typical American barcade. It opened in 2016 and stays open late into the early morning.
The story
Founder Brandon Osha bought his first Neo Geo arcade machine when he was sixteen, learning to repair its internal wiring in his basement through online tutorials. Years later, after traveling to Tokyo's Akihabara gaming district with his wife Tiffany, the pair decided to recreate an authentic Japanese game center inside a Westminster strip mall off Harlan Street. Opening in late 2016, Akihabara Arcade and Bar discarded standard American barcade tropes—skipping wood-paneled upright cabinets and skee-ball—to focus strictly on imported sit-down 'candy cabinets' like Sega Astro City and Vewlix frames.
Rather than leaning on broad retro nostalgia, the venue functions like a localized import ecosystem. The floor is split into distinct zones, including a dedicated room where sit-down battle cabinets face back-to-back, letting competitors play head-to-head on separate monitors for matches of Street Fighter or Marvel vs. Capcom. Nearby rows hold Japanese rhythm machines like Chunithm and Taiko no Tatsujin, dense bullet-hell shmups, and oddities like Cho Chabudai Gaeshi! (Super Table Flip), a game featuring a physical plastic table controller designed to be slammed upside down in simulated rage. Many cabinet menus remain entirely in Japanese.
What keeps the floor alive is relentless hardware upkeep. Instead of letting sticky joysticks or coin jams linger, staff replace switches and repair boards continuously. On Thursday and Friday nights, the space converts into a competitive hub for Front Range fighting game weeklies and high-score runs streamed live on Twitch, giving you the distinct feeling of stumbling into an inner circle for arcade obsessives—except anyone with a handful of quarters can sit down and insert a coin.
What it's like
Arriving at the strip mall lot 20 to 25 minutes north of central Denver, you walk into a dimly lit space filled with 16-bit sound effects, heavy rhythm game bass, and clacking plastic joysticks. The bar serves craft beer, Asahi, and video-game-themed cocktails alongside cup ramen and snacks. Most cabinets run on physical quarters—many for just 25 cents per credit—and there is a cash ATM near the back if you arrive empty-handed. Keep your drinks on the provided tables; putting a glass on top of a cabinet incurs a strict $50 service fee. Minors are required to leave by 9:00 PM, after which the floor turns strictly 21+. If you want uninterrupted time on four-player racing titles like Initial D or Mario Kart Arcade GP without waiting behind tournament crowds, go early on a weeknight afternoon.
The move: Pick a two-player fighter or co-op shmup on one of the imported candy cabinets and run a best-of-five while trading sips of a Japanese-leaning beer.
📍 Before you go Located in Westminster, roughly 20-25 min from central Denver; 21+ focus and opens in the afternoon.
- 📍 Westminster
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Big night
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 8901 Harlan St, Westminster, CO 80031
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Secret Level Arcade & Bar — Compare Japanese sit-down candy cabinets in Westminster with 80s-era American pinball and upright cabinets down in Olde Town Arvada.
- Bernard's Tiki Room — Swap button-mashing fighting game tournaments for heavy rum drinks in a secret upstairs tiki hideaway four miles away.
- Botanica Caridad Del Cobre — Follow up high-speed Japanese bullet-hell shmups with candles, herbs, and spiritual supplies at North Denver's oldest botanica.
- The Terrorium Shop — Trade digital arcade screens and neon joysticks for preserved specimens and plant terrariums in nearby Berkeley.
Good to know
How much does it cost to play the arcade games?
Most games accept physical quarters and cost one quarter (25 cents) per play, though certain larger or multi-screen setups cost more. There is no general cover charge, and a cash-only ATM is available inside.
Are kids allowed inside Akihabara Arcade?
Visitors under 21 are allowed until 9:00 PM with adult supervision. At 9:00 PM, the venue transitions to a strictly 21+ bar environment.
Do they serve food, or only drinks?
The full bar offers craft beer, imported options like Asahi, Japanese sake shots, and themed cocktails. Food options are limited to quick snacks such as instant cup ramen, jerky, and chips.
How do the Japanese head-to-head cabinets work?
Instead of sharing a single control panel, sit-down candy cabinets are wired head-to-head or side-by-side. Each player sits at their own screen and joystick panel while competing against the player on the linked machine.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · Westword · 9news.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-23