Gaming bars are increasingly popular, and Leeds is packed with them. Take on your mates while quenching your thirst!
From shuffleboard to crazy golf, social darts to liquid-soaked bar games like beer pong, nights out with friends don’t just have to be sitting in the corner of a pub. Head to Leeds city centre and an array of great gaming bars await – whether you’re after an ice breaker for a date or something to do with your mob, take your pick of these…
NQ64
While we love Arcade Club, it doesn’t make for the perfect adults-only games night out because, well, it’s not adults-only. NQ64 is, however, and its city centre location and array of games and drinks has made it a hit.
Quality music soundtracks your battle royale, with drinks ranging from draught beers through to cocktails both classic and game-themed. It’s free in – just buy some tokens and let battle commence.
What? Arcade games, console games, pinball.
Where? NQ64, 11 Merrion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PG.
Book it: nq64.co.uk
Roxy Lanes
The name might be ‘Lanes’, but there’s a whole lot more going on at The Light’s outpost of the Roxy empire. There’s ice-free curling, the ubiquitous shuffleboard and even American pool, so you can take to the baize.
It’s all accompanied by rocking music, plenty of big screens showing sports, and the kind of comfort food you crave when you’re rinsing your mates. Focaccia pizza, hot dogs, wings and loaded fries. What more do you need?
What? Air hockey, American pool, basketball, curling, shuffleboard, tech darts, ten-pin bowling.
Where? Roxy Lanes, The Light, 44-48 The Headrow, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 8TL.
Book it: roxyleisure.co.uk
Pinnacle Sports and Games
One of the city centre’s premier gaming bars, Pinnacle gets things right with a brilliant drinks range – there’s 100 gins and 20 draught lines to keep things oiled – and highly scoffable pizzas and nachos.
You and your gang can take in live sport on the numerous screens while you play pool on one of the five full-sized tables. Fancy stepping up to the oche instead? There are two interactive dart boards for budding Luke Littlers.
What? Pool, interactive darts.
Where? Pinnacle Sports and Games, 1 Bond St, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5BQ.
Book it: pinnaclesportsandgames.co.uk
Flight Club
Darts was the stuff of working men’s clubs until Flight Club arrived in town. Their fresh take on the classic sport has transformed it into the perfect social activity, with mini-games galore and all the scoring done for you.
You don’t have to be good at darts to win but even losing is fun here, with buttons for table service drinks, pizza and bulging trays of bar food. Pork belly bites and a game of arrows? It gets no better.
What? Social darts.
Where? Flight Club, Sovereign House, 1-2 South Parade, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5QL.
Book it: flightclubdarts.com
BOX
Credit: Jack Kirwin
As well as being one of the best sports bars in Leeds, BOX is also a fantastic gaming bar, with shuffleboard and electric darts on offer.
Handily located right in the heart of the city, it’s a fab spot to unleash your competitive side, before catching the latest sporting action across 35 HD screens. Peckish? Satisfy your hunger with a menu of hearty classics, from burgers to pizza and kebabs. Winner eats for free!
What? Shuffleboard and virtual darts.
Where? BOX Leeds City Centre, 15 Infirmary Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 2JS.
Book it: theboxbar.com
Parkside Tavern
Want to play pool with your crew? Cue up a night at Parkside Tavern, a place that manages to be one of the best gaming bars in Leeds and a fab pub at the same time.
Grab something from the range of lagers and craft beers then get yourself on one of the four full-sized Sam K pool tables. If you’re better with dart in hand, there are two quality Winmau boards up on the wall too. Fuel your battles with pizza, nachos and more good stuff.
What? Pool, darts, shuffleboard, beer pong.
Where? Parkside Tavern, St John’s House, Merrion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 8JE.
Book it: parksidetavern.co.uk
Gameshow Allstars
Credit: Gameshow Allstars
The latest addition to the Leeds game bar scene, Gameshow Allstars offers something wholesome and original, bringing competitive fun with a twist. Here you’ll get to cosplay as a competitor on a tv gameshow.
Whether you’re a trivia master, fast-fingered on the buzzer or a wildcard who loves to try their luck, you’ll find something for you amongst their array of interactive games. It’s the perfect location for a thrilling group outing with laughs guaranteed. Grab drinks from the bar, fill up on delicious pizza and put on your gameface.
What: Mini-games and challenges modeled from your favourite TV gameshows.
Where? Gameshow Allstars, Unit 19 Central Road, Central Arcade, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6DX.
Book it: gameshowallstars.co.uk
Pixel Bar
Credit: Pixel Bar
Pixel Bar offers something distinctively different to Arcade Club and NQ64 – while it’s most definitely all about games with a side order of booze, it’s a console-first affair.
That means you can sip on a draught beer or a colourful gaming-themed cocktail while you destroy your mates at your favourite game. They’ve got all the Switch, Xbox, Playstation and PC classics you need, from Mario Kart through to Fortnite and DOTA 2.
What? PC and console games.
Where? Pixel Bar, 25 Great George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3AL.
Book it: pixel-bar.co.uk
Roxy Ball Room
The brace of Roxy Ball Rooms in Leeds tick pretty much every game you could want to partake in on a night out with your mob. From a steady game of pool to a messy round of beer pong, all human life is here.
Pile into some pizza, fries, beers and cocktails while conquering your friends at duck pin bowling or darts, basketball or crazy pool. Shuffleboard comes in standard, tech and bank shot versions – now that’s comprehensive!
What? American pool, basketball, beer pong, crazy pool, duck pin bowling, ping pong, karaoke, golf, tech darts, shuffleboard.
Where? Roxy Ball Room, 58 Boar Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6HW and 9a Merrion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PQ.
Book it: roxyleisure.co.uk
Electric Shuffle
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Shuffleboard was already spreading around Leeds before Electric Shuffle arrived in town and became the go-to venue for all thing boardy and shuffly. There are nine tables in this cool subterranean venue, with a high-tech approach that takes care of all the scoring.
Take your pick of four games, or work your way through them all to crown the champion. While you’re doing that, the staff will be bringing you small plates to snack on, along with quality ales, spritzes and sharing cocktails. Have at it!
What? Shuffleboard.
Where? Electric Shuffle, 123 The Headrow, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5RD.
Book it: electricshuffle.com
Chance & Counters
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Want a Leeds gaming bar with a lot less neon going on? Head down to Chance & Counters, a cafe-bar piled floor to ceiling with more than 500 board games – you can challenge your mates, or just gleefully destroy your kids at Catan.
Smash burgers and dirty fries are the order of the day while you take your pick of an an array of craft beers and ciders. The games range is phenomenal, with everything from family faves through to challenging multi-hour affairs.
What? Board games.
Where? Chance & Counters, 6-8 Merrion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PQ.
Book it: chanceandcounters.com
Black Cat Club
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While a name change from El Gato Negro to Black Cat Club may be relatively minor, the same can’t be said of the major transformation that greets you when enter the revamped venue.
Goodbye tapas restaurant, hello social bar with interactive shuffleboards and dart boards with six different games modes. Add in screens showing all the live sports, a menu of smash burgers, pizzas and cocktails and you’re laughing all the way to victory.
What? Interactive darts, shuffleboard.
Where? Black Cat Club, 35 Park Row, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5JL.
Book it: theblackcatclub.co.uk
Junkyard Golf Club
Credit: Junkyard Golf Club
Junkyard feels like the grand old veteran of the Leeds gaming bar scene, but it’s still a riot of fun, colours, crazy cocktails and the indulgence of out-of-control competitive streaks.
There are three wildly decorated nine-hole courses here, and Bozo, Pablo and Gary all have their own challenges. Of course, juggling a golf club and a Fizz Pop cocktail garnished with fizz wiz and bubblegum bottles is an art in itself.
What? Crazy golf.
Where? Junkyard Golf Club, The Light, The Headrow, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 8TL.
Book it: junkyardgolfclub.co.uk
Boom Battle Bar
Credit: Boom Battle Bar
Axe throwing with alcohol? Golf that’s not just crazy but ‘crazier’? This isn’t your parents’ gaming bar. Any of the six different games makes for an ace night out with mates, but surely you’ve got to do them all to crown a supreme champion?
American pool is skilled but oh-so-sedate compared to the digital table take on beer (or Prosecco) pong they’ve got lined up here. The food is, as you’d expect, heavy on the burgers, wings and fries – well, you can’t really eat foie gras while playing shuffleboard, can you?
What? Axe throwing, tech darts, shuffleboard, American pool, beer & Prosecco pong, crazier golf.
Where? Boom Battle Bar, S43 Ground Floor Level and First Floor Level, Victoria Gate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7AR.
Book it: boombattlebar.com
Cuckoo
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Is Cuckoo a gaming bar with a party attached, or a party bar with some games attached? It’s definitely not the most hardcore of the Leeds gaming bars on this list, but it’s still fun with a capital F.
Beer pong, giant jenga and the like are just an excuse to the get the ales and shots in while the fairground decor adds to the decadent vibe. Arrive before 9pm and you’ll be treated to free pizza to accompany your Pina Koala or Honey Badger cocktail.
What? Giant jenga, beer pong.
Where? Cuckoo, 37 Call Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 7BT.
Book it: cuckooleeds.co.uk
Head of Steam
Less of a gaming bar and more of a seriously big pub with some games occupying some square footage, the Park Row Head of Steam has a smattering of arcade games and dart boards, but most people are crowded around the shuffleboard tables.
Take your turn sliding your pucks down the table – it’s curiously addictive – and beating your companions might even make you feel better about the somewhat eye-watering craft beer prices.
What? Shuffleboard, arcade games, darts.
Where? Head of Steam, 6 Park Row, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5HN.
Book it: theheadofsteam.co.uk
Outlaws Yacht Club
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We’ve spent many an hour in Outlaw Yacht Club – solo, in couples and mob-handed. It’s a perennially popular spot that does a little bit of everything very well – and that includes its stack of board games.
Far away from the noisier gaming bars of Leeds, it’s more of a place to enjoy a cocktail or three over a long Sunday afternoon with mates, dusting off classics such as Scrabble, Boggle and Catchphrase. Just say what you see.
What? Board games.
Where? Outlaws Yacht Club, 38 New York Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7DY.
Book it: outlawsyachtclub.com
Carousel Bar Leeds
Bright, bold and bouncy, Carousel has become a favourite fixture on the Leeds gaming bar scene since it arrived in early 2024. With colourful fairground styling and an array of games, it was an instant winner.
Book yourself a table or two, or grab some tokens for the arcade games – there’s basketball, racing machines, air hockey and, perfect for when the drinks have been flowing, dance machines.
What? Arcade games, beer pong, shuffleboard, interactive darts.
Where? Carousel Bar Leeds, 117 Albion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 8DY.
Book it: carousel-bars.co.uk
