Entry No. 59 — the New Orleans file — filed under: arcade-play
Rendezvous Tavern
A longtime Magazine Street neighborhood bar (open since 1969) that has a dedicated pinball room alongside pool, darts, and video poker. The pinball lineup currently runs four machines including Guns N' Roses, The Mandalorian, Rush, and Jaws. With 80-plus beers, ciders and seltzers, late hours, and rotating food pop-ups, it's a games-and-drinks spot rather than a polished arcade.
The story
Since 1969, this corner of Magazine Street has held down the block as an unpretentious Uptown anchor while much of the surrounding neighborhood polished itself up. The Rendezvous Tavern makes zero attempt to look like a slick retro-arcade concept bar; it is a dark, unapologetic neighborhood dive that happens to keep a dedicated pinball room tucked alongside its pool tables, dartboards, and video poker machines.
The pinball setup here is tight and curated—usually four high-end modern machines rotating through the space, with recent lineups featuring titles like Guns N' Roses, The Mandalorian, Rush, and Jaws. You won't find a blinding wall of fifty noisy cabinets here, just a cozy alcove where you can nurse a cold drink, work on your high score, and hear the metallic crack of the bumpers over the low hum of regular bar chatter.
Behind the counter, you won't get hand-carved ice or bespoke syrups, but you will get an impressive lineup of over 80 beers, ciders, and seltzers stocked in the coolers. Paired with late-night hours and rotating local food pop-ups—ranging from pop-up kitchens to seasonal crawfish boils—it remains one of the last true low-key gaming hideouts on lower Magazine.
What it's like
Step inside off Magazine Street into cool, dimly lit dive-bar comfort. The main counter dominates the front room with regulars watching sports or drinking brews, while the pinball machines, pool table, and darts sit tucked away in their own area. If you come hungry, check who is running the food pop-up or boiling crawfish out back that evening. It’s casual, self-paced, and low-pressure: grab a drink from the cooler wall, trade off games on your chosen pinball machine, and don't expect shiny arcade frills.
The move: Pick two of the four pinball machines, trade off games while sampling from the long beer-and-seltzer list, and grab whatever food pop-up is in that night.
📍 Before you go Pinball selection is small (around four machines) and titles rotate; it's a bar first, so expect a dive-bar vibe.
- 📍 Uptown
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Big night
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 3101 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Mystic Krewe Pinball Parlor — If four pinball machines at Rendezvous only whet your appetite, head over to Mid-City to play the larger public collection inside the Broad Theater.
- Cure — Balance out Rendezvous' dive-bar beer list with sophisticated craft cocktails in a converted firehouse just a short drive away on Freret Street.
- Prytania Theatre Midnight Movies — Follow up a low-key evening of pinball and casual drinks on Magazine Street with a late movie at Louisiana's oldest single-screen theater.
Good to know
How many pinball machines are actually at Rendezvous Tavern?
Expect a small alcove with about four pinball machines at any given time. Titles rotate periodically, but recent games have included Jaws, Rush, The Mandalorian, and Guns N' Roses.
Does the bar serve its own food?
No standing full-service kitchen is built in; instead, the bar relies on rotating pop-up food vendors and seasonal crawfish boils to feed the crowd.
Is Rendezvous Tavern kid-friendly?
No. It is a neighborhood dive bar first and foremost—complete with video poker, late hours, and a full liquor bar—so it is an adult drinking spot rather than an family arcade.
What other games are available besides pinball?
In addition to the pinball lineup, the venue houses pool tables, dartboards, and video poker machines.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · kineticist.com · Yelp · magazinestreet.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-23