Flippin’ Good

Like all things ’90s, pinball is back, y’all.

Cue the nostalgia—pinball is making a comeback. While the first coined machine dates back to the 1930s, the arcade game hit peak popularity in the ’90s—a fact driving its current resurgence as all things of the “Edgy Decade” return to favor (see also: low-rise jeans, claw clips, thin brows and other trends). After all, you can’t beat a classic (!).

Not only are many Gen Xers and millennials harkening back to their halcyon days of youth by buying machines for their homes, pinball tournaments are taking place across the globe—and the classic games are remerging at bars, restaurants, gaming sites and beyond. 

Clearly, select Raleigh establishments were ahead of the reemerging trend (we see you Boxcar), but, now, scads of local spots are shooting on the scene. Here’s where to bump those balls around town. 

The Avenue
Glenwood South
Must play: Spider-Man
@theavenueraleigh

Beach Shack Bottles & Taps
North Raleigh
Must play: Black Knight: Sword of Rage
@beachshackbottlestaps 

Boxcar Bar + Arcade
Warehouse District
Must play: Jurassic Park
@boxcarral

Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard
Five Points East
Must play: Lord of the Rings
@bowstringpizzabrewyard 

Brookside Bodega
Oakwood Mordecai District
Must play: Oktoberfest
@brooksidebodega 

The Cardinal
Smoky Hollow District
Must play: Monster Bash
@thecardinalbar

Heyday Brewing
Northeast Raleigh
Must play: Deadpool
@heydaybrewing 

Industry
Glenwood South
Must play: Fish Tales
@industry.raleigh 

Johnson Street Yacht Club
Glenwood South
Must play: South Park
@jsyachtclub 

Person Street Bar
Seaboard & Person Street District
Must-play: Stranger Things
@personstreetbar 

Roshambo Beverage Co.
Moore Square District
Must play: Beatles
@roshambobevco 

Slim’s
Moore Square District
Must play: Monster Bash
@slims_tagrams 

To find more pinball machines in the area: pinballmap.com/raleigh-durham