Barcade Opens First Location in Manhattan

barcade

barcade

I previously mentioned my childhood-era love for Sega Genesis, but I must reiterate: I worshiped the 16-bit console, substituting traditional young-person activities, primarily anything involving physical exploration and exertion, with intense game-playing of Mortal Kombat 2 and NBA Jam. While Sega was an epochal component of my youth in Ridgewood, equally significant were visits to a laundromat on Woodward Avenue, where a pair of arcades swallowed endless quarters from my pockets and consumed endless hours from my afternoons. Barcade, an aptly named and excellently executed amalgam of arcade and bar, has enabled me to continue joysticking into adulthood — even as my fingers inevitably continue to lose dexterity. 

Owned by Paul Kermizian, Pete Langway, Kevin Beard and Scott Beard, Barcade launched in Williamsburg in 2004 to deftly return video games to the bar — once a fixture — on the coattails of an exploding movement: craft beerThe quartet followed with locations in Philadelphia and Jersey City, both in 2011, and ain’t stoppin’ their quarter-poppin’ — they open the fourth outpost of Barcade, also the first in Manhattan, today.* 

barcade

The newest locationat 148 West 24th Street in Chelsea, is assembled with distinctively Barcadian elements: a chalkboard and collection of behind-window neons above the bar, a superb lineup of 24 Northeast-focused drafts and, of course, arcades. Chelsea will offer the most cabinets of any Barcade, totaling nearly 50 titles. This includes Night StockerNBA Jam Tournament EditionTime Traveler and Millipede. “We’re starting to creep more and more toward the 90s with some of the titles,” Langway says, perhaps referring to the always shifting perception of nostalgia of his clientele. 

barcade

Chelsea will also house a larger kitchen than Jersey City and Philadelphia (Williamsburg only offers potato chips, basically)Langway described the menu, chefed by Lee Knoeppel, a participant on the second season of The Taste, as “eclectic and elevated arcade pub fare.” It won’t serve eats until the second or third week of June, but beer starts flowing on Tuesday. 

Barcade’s Opening Beer List:

Abita Imperator (Cask)
Abita Turbodog
Allagash Ginger Wit
Bell’s Java Stout
Brooklyn Ridgy-Didge
The Bruery Rueuze
Captain Lawrence Xtra Gold
Chelsea “Maker’s Mark” Strong Ale
Cigar City Jai Alai IPA
Climax Golden Ale
Doc’s Draft Hard Apple Cider
Dogfish Head Namaste
Fisherman’s Old Grog
Founders KBS
Harpoon Citra Victorious
He’Brew Genesis Ale
Heavy Seas Holy Sheet
Rogue “Nitro” Shakespeare Stout
Sixpoint The Crisp
Sixpoint Encore 2014
Sixpoint Sweet Action
Sly Fox Grisette
Victory Dirtwolf
Victory Fall Bockwards

 

*A second location is already planned for Manhattan, in the former space of Mondo Kim’s on St. Mark’s Place in the East Village.

Photo credit: John Kleinchester

Katy Keiffer

Katy Keiffer, a freelance publicist and food writer, is a tireless explorer of New York City’s remaining pockets of authenticity. Of particular interest are ethnic foods, protein and hotel bars.

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