Entry No. 68 — the Durango file — filed under: arcade-play
The Garage Billiards & Music Hall
This is Durango's biggest pool-and-pinball den: six Diamond pool tables share the room with roughly a dozen pinball machines, plus four-player Pac-Man, Big Buck Hunter, skee-ball, foosball and digital beer pong. It runs as a full bar open 2pm to 2am daily, with a 9-ball tournament every Wednesday night and a monthly pinball high-score competition where top scores win a bar tab. Happy hour shaves a dollar off beers and well drinks from 3:30 to 6:30.
The story
Before it rebranded, locals knew this 8th Street den as Pongas—a basement-vibe drinking and gaming spot tucked just off Downtown Durango's main drag. The sign changed, but the core objective remains intact: it is Durango's premier sanctuary for late-night game strategy, competitive felt play, and digital arcade grinding.
The room centers on six Diamond pool tables surrounded by a dense corridor of roughly a dozen pinball cabinets. Add four-player Pac-Man, skee-ball lanes, Big Buck Hunter, foosball, and digital beer pong, and you get a spot that shapeshifts continuously—hosting everything from heavy metal showcases to regular DJ nights while keeping the neon-and-felt game lounge running straight through to 2 a.m.
What it's like
Step through the door anytime after 2 p.m. into low lighting, the crack of billiard balls, and a steady soundtrack of arcade chiming. If you want room to shoot pool without waiting for a table, roll in during happy hour between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., when draft beers and well drinks drop by a dollar. Late nights get significantly denser as night owls, pinball wizards, and Wednesday night tournament players take over the floor.
The move: Grab a couple of cocktails, claim a Diamond table for a few racks of pool, then settle a friendly rivalry on the pinball row or digital beer pong.
📍 Before you go 21+ bar atmosphere; doesn't open until 2pm. Pinball tournament is monthly, 9-ball tourney is Wednesdays at 7pm.
- 📍 Downtown Durango
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Big night
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 121 W 8th St, Durango, CO 81301
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Subterrain — Follow up a competitive rack of pool with a cocktail inside a fully hand-painted basement art lounge just around the corner.
- Guild House Games — Trade arcade joysticks and pinball flippers for tabletop strategy and board games nearby in the Main Mall.
- Pots & Pints at Durango Arts Center — Warm up your hands shaping clay at a relaxed pottery happy hour before testing your rack skills on the Diamond tables.
Good to know
When are the weekly and monthly tournaments held?
A 9-ball pool tournament runs every Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m., while a monthly pinball competition rewards high scorers with bar tabs.
What are the hours and age restrictions?
The Garage is strictly 21+ and operates daily from 2:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
When is happy hour?
Happy hour runs daily from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., taking $1 off well drinks and beers.
What games can you play besides pool and pinball?
The floor includes four-player Pac-Man, skee-ball, foosball, Big Buck Hunter, and digital beer pong.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · durango.org · downtowndurango.org · Yelp · durangoherald.com
last checked: 2026-06-23