Entry No. 65 — the Des Moines file — filed under: arcade-play
Monsterama Pubcade
A horror-themed pubcade tucked into a strip on SW 9th, where the draw is a wall of pinball that leans into the creepy: Creature from the Black Lagoon, Ghostbusters, Dungeons & Dragons. Pool tables and darts round out the floor, and an unlimited game pass means no scrounging for tokens mid-flipper. It runs family-friendly until 8pm, then flips to 21+ for the rest of the night.
The story
Tucked into a modest strip along Southwest 9th Street, Monsterama Pubcade was built by local owners Chris and Michele Pruisner as a deliberate southside sanctuary for horror cinema and analog gaming. Instead of chasing standard bar-arcade tropes, the basement space leans entirely into classic monster culture, surrounding players with creepy creature-feature decor, pool tables, darts, and signature spooky cocktails mixed behind the bar.
The main draw is the pinball lineup, heavily weighted toward the dark and fantastical with machines like Creature from the Black Lagoon, Ghostbusters, and Dungeons & Dragons. Rather than making you scrounge for quarters or manage a stack of tokens mid-game, Monsterama runs on an unlimited game pass system, letting you lock onto a table and play continuous best-of-three rounds without breaking your flipper rhythm.
What it's like
Look for the locally made sign pointing you into the basement space on SW 9th. Inside, cue sticks crack on the pool tables while silver balls clatter across horror pinball playfields under low lighting. Before 8:00 PM, the atmosphere is low-key and open to families; at 8:00 PM sharp, the pubcade flips to strictly 21+. Grab an unlimited pass at the door, order a cocktail from their signature menu, and claim a pinball table early on weeknights before the post-8pm crowd fills the floor.
The move: Grab the unlimited game pass, claim Creature from the Black Lagoon, and play best-of-three on every monster-themed pinball table while trading sips of cheap beer.
📍 Before you go Closed Mon-Tue; opens 3pm Wed-Thu. 21+ only after 8pm.
- 📍 Southwest Des Moines
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Big night
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 3108 SW 9th St, Des Moines, IA 50315
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- South Des Moines Sculpture Park — Pair a daytime visit to a homemade roadside art park featuring a 30-foot UFO with an evening of monster pinball down the street.
- The Haunt — Double down on horror night life by pairing Monsterama's monster-themed arcade with drinks inside a downtown speakeasy hidden inside a haunted house.
- Up-Down Des Moines — Compare Monsterama's flat-rate horror pinball layout on the south side with Up-Down's quarter-fed 80s arcade vibe in the East Village.
- Rook Room Game Lounge & Cafe — Shift from loud pinball mechanicals to a quieter library of over 1,000 tabletop board games in downtown Des Moines.
Good to know
Where is Monsterama Pubcade located?
It sits in a strip center on the south side of Des Moines at 3108 SW 9th St.
Is Monsterama 21+ only?
It operates as family-friendly during the daytime and early evening, but turns strictly 21-and-over every night after 8:00 PM.
Do I need quarters or tokens to play the games?
No, you buy an unlimited game pass at the venue rather than feeding quarters or scrounging for tokens.
What games are available besides pinball?
In addition to horror-themed pinball tables, the floor features classic arcade cabinets, pool tables, and dart boards.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · members.dsmpartnership.com · Facebook
last checked: 2026-06-23