Barcade Bar / Arcade

WILLIAMSBURG, NEW YORK –

A mash-up of proud dorks, hipsters, and crunchy yuppies with their dogs in tow show up for a little friendly competition at Barcade, a beer bar/arcade combo featuring almost three dozen vintage arcade games.

Just inside, an open patio offers scintillating sinners who (still) smoke a place to puff and chat beside a wall artfully bedecked in beer caps, though the real draw for retro-loving geeks is the chance to wallop the ape in Donkey Kong, slaughter the spies in Rolling Thunder, or take on a number of other games most folks under thirty probably never heard of.

When they aren’t gaming, artistic friends and grungy groups gather at the wooden bar and sip their brews, discussing plausible ways of escaping the underwater glitch level in Super Mario Bros.

This beer-heavy spot celebrates local wares with patriotic panache – only American micro brew offerings like Dogfish Head or Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout – with at least twenty rotating choices on tap.

Although things don't get too rowdy or raucous, new-fangled rock from the Stones to The Shins keeps revelers' spirits high, and snagging one of the few tables is usually a chore after 8pm any night.

Regardless of the time, Barcade manages to straddle a few different styles to create a place where patrons can woo a fellow nerd, chug-a-lug with their comrades, or just read a book beside their pooch.