Entry No. 67 — the Des Moines file — filed under: arcade-play
Backpocket Pin & Pixel
A craft brewery taproom in Johnston Town Center that pairs its in-house beer with a retro arcade and a row of duckpin bowling lanes. Duckpin uses short lanes, fat pins and palm-sized balls, so it is bowling stripped down to the social, competitive part with no heavy balls or rental shoes. The arcade mixes quarter-operated classics with pinball, and the kitchen turns out a full food menu.
The story
When Iowa's Backpocket Brewing expanded into the Johnston Town Center in early 2023, they skipped the predictable suburban taproom template. Instead of rows of identical high-tops and a generic board game shelf, they installed duckpin bowling lanes—an oddball, turn-of-the-century bowling offshoot that ditches heavy 16-pound balls and hideous rental shoes for palm-sized bowling balls and short, stubby wooden pins.
Because the balls weigh only a few pounds and fit in your hand like oversized baseballs, the skill barrier completely evaporates. You wear your street shoes, carry a house craft beer in one hand, and launch small hard balls down truncated lanes. The satisfying crack of fat pins collapsing is loud enough to cut straight through the surrounding noise of the taproom.
Encircling the duckpin lanes is a room anchored by pinball machines, vintage quarter-operated arcade cabinets, and a kitchen turning out pub food. Located about ten miles northwest of downtown Des Moines, it functions as a weird hybrid: a neighborhood craft taproom disguised as a retro game hall.
What it's like
Show up on a weekend afternoon and you will share space with families and birthday parties working through the food menu; come later at night and the floor shifts to beer drinkers taking competitive shots on the short lanes. Duckpin lanes operate on a first-come or reservation basis, so if there is a line, order a flight of house beers and sink a few quarters into the pinball machines while you wait. There are no rental shoes to lace up, meaning you can step directly from the bar to the lane without breaking stride.
The move: Split a flight of the house brews, then settle the night with a duckpin bowling match on the short lanes before hitting the pinball.
📍 Before you go Open daily 11am; family-friendly. About 10 miles northwest of downtown.
- 📍 Johnston
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Big night
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 6205 Merle Hay Rd, Johnston, IA 50131
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Old School Arcade (Grimes) — If Backpocket's game floor leaves you wanting a deeper retro dive, head four miles west to Grimes for a massive dedicated arcade stocked with vintage cabinets and pinball.
- Ratt's Underground Records — Head three miles south down Merle Hay Road to crate-dig for obscure vinyl in a subterranean mall record shop before grabbing a pint and a bowling lane.
- Curioso Antiques & Uniquities — Pair a rowdy night of duckpin bowling with a quiet afternoon browsing gothic taxidermy and oddities in nearby Beaverdale.
- Highland Underground — Keep your retro outing going by swapping Backpocket's pinball noise for a low-key 1970s basement speakeasy hidden in Highland Park.
Good to know
Do I need to wear special bowling shoes for duckpin bowling?
No. Duckpin bowling uses short lanes and lighter palm-sized balls, so rental shoes aren't required—you bowl in whatever street shoes you wore in.
How far is Backpocket Pin & Pixel from downtown Des Moines?
It is located at 6205 Merle Hay Road in Johnston, approximately 10 miles northwest of downtown Des Moines.
Is the venue family-friendly?
Yes. It opens daily at 11 a.m. and welcomes all ages with a full food menu, arcade games, pinball, and duckpin lanes.
What games are available besides bowling?
The taproom floor features a selection of pinball tables and classic quarter-operated arcade cabinets.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · weareiowa.com · cityofjohnston.com · desmoinesregister.com · dmcityview.com
last checked: 2026-06-23