The Rook & Pawn

Athens, United States

4.4

Open now

8 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 706-543-5040
Website:
www.therookandpawn.com
Address:
294 W Washington St, Athens, GA, 30601
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.3 miThe Arch
0.6 miMulti-Modal Center
0.7 miPhysics Bus Stop
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Lunch, Dinner
Parking
Garage, Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Noise Level
Loud
Good For Dancing
No
Alcohol
Full Bar
Best Nights
Sun
Coat Check
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
No
Caters
No
Has Pool Table
No

Today

Today 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Open now
Local time (Athens) 15:28 Sunday, 22 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Tuesday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Wednesday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Thursday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Friday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Saturday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Sunday 11:00 am – 12:00 am

Description

Specialties

The Rook and Pawn is an experience completely unique in Athens and is one of the first board game cafes in Georgia. The Rook and Pawn will feature a collection of over 550 table top and card games along with some of the best food and drink Athens has to offer.

Customers who wish to play games will pay a small $ 5 daily fee to access the entire library and can stay and play as long as they like while enjoying a full menu of food, beer, wine, spirits and coffee. Kids 12 & under can play games anytime for free.

For those that can’t get enough, monthly, annual and even lifetime memberships will be available that will allow you to waive the daily fee. But you don’t have to play to enjoy The Rook and Pawn, patrons who choose not to access the game library can come in anytime to eat, drink and enjoy our unique atmosphere without paying the fee.

History

Established in 2015.

The idea for The Rook & Pawn started in the summer of 2014. We had heard of the success of board game cafes in Europe and of a few popping up here in North America. Carrie and I love games and love Athens and felt the concept was perfect fit here.

We have loved playing games since we were kids and had amassed quite a library of games in our personal collection. We have also enjoyed meeting new friends through board game nights at each other’s houses. The Rook and Pawn will be a place where any age, any skill level, will be able to find a game they love. Combining the perfect game with the perfect location in downtown Athens will make for a perfect afternoon or evening for families, students, everyone!

Meet the Business Owner

Tim and Carrie K.

Business Owner

Tim and Carrie have loved playing games since they were kids and had amassed quite a library of games in their personal collection. They also enjoyed meeting new friends through board game nights and gaming groups. They wanted to bring that same excitement to Athens through The Rook and Pawn.

The Rook & Pawn is a place where any age, any skill level, will be able to find a game they love. Combining the perfect game with the perfect location in downtown Athens makes for a perfect afternoon or evening for families, students, everyone!

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8 reviews of The Rook & Pawn

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Marietta, GA
This is a really awesome place to take a few friends if you want to drink and play games without breaking the bank. Typically $ 5 for unlimited games but they’re always having deals on either admission, food (which is really good quality) or their selection of draft beers/​mixed drinks.
Place rating: 4
Athens, GA
Even though it is a board game bar, the alcohol component isn’t overdone – it’s there, but people don’t come here to get drunk, they come to play board games, which keeps them mostly sober. The board game selection is large.
As for the food (I don’t drink alcohol so I can’t comment on that), I enjoyed it, but I’d caution that by the time I got my caprese sandwich, which served as my dinner, I was quite hungry, so the fact that I found it to be very tasty may be influenced by the pronounced hunger level. But I did find it to be tasty all the same.
Place rating: 5
Lawrenceville, GA
I visited The Rook & Pawn for the first time very recent. I don’t live that close unfortunately, but it was totally worth the drive. I can’t wait to drive back again! While I was there I had a signature cocktail which was as good as it looked… AMAZING! I played a few games and closed the place down. I lost track of time having so much! I can not wait to return and order some food! I love the idea that a lot of things are local items! It is very exciting to see others support Georgia grown!
This is defiantly a great place for anyone to come play games, eat, and drink! The wall of board games is insane and everything imaginable to play. I loved the décor of the place. It was unique and relatable. The staff was very friendly and inviting.
Place rating: 2
Athens, GA
I went once closer to when they opened, very excited to check out their game selection. They had several games I’ve been wanting to try. A little chaotic, got ignored by the bartender (he was playing a board game with friends or coworkers on the bar). I almost walked out but waited it out because it was new. My friend and I just played a quick game of Scrabble. I went back again a couple of weeks ago with a friend for a drink between other bars. One of the bartenders seemed to be hosting his own party of friends, passing out free drinks and shots. It was a little rowdy for our mood so we left. I went back a few days later for food on a lunch break. My friend and I each ordered a sandwich with side salads. It was, as others noted, hard to find a clean table — we settled for the least-​gross one we could find. My Cuban was alright, but the cheese wasn’t really melted and it was very greasy. The salad was inedible — the greens were discolored and almost mushy, and the carrots were sliced very thin and were not crunchy at all, a very weird texture. When I bussed my table I noticed another uneaten salad in the bus tub. The dressing was tossed with the salad, which I didn’t expect. The food was plated with paper underneath, but when bussing my table I felt something that seemed like peanut butter on the bottom of my plate, and my fork had some kind of dried food on it. It wasn’t busy at all, but the bar and a few tables were filled with employees being quite loud. I considered a Dondero’s cookie for the road but the bartender seemed too busy (there were coworkers at the bar to chat with and they seemed to be playing some sort of card game). Not sure when the good, quiet time is to go and really concentrate on a longer strategy game. The tables are wobbly and unclean, and not really a good size or shape for a lot of games (at least the type I generally like to play). I wanted to like it and gave it a fair chance but I want to concentrate on games I’m playing, and not just party and drink, so I’ll save my money and stick to gaming at home.
Place rating: 5
Atlanta, GA
So impressed with the concept, and even more so with the execution. The game selection is outstanding, almost overwhelming. But the staff was personal and friendly and helped me and my friends pick out a game that ended up being a blast to play! The décor is really cool and fits with the laid back vibe. Solid selection of foods and beers, too. I’ll be back!
Place rating: 5
Canton, GA
Went with my boyfriend earlier today and hooooly craperoni y’all. This place is legit. This was our first time to the restaurant, so we decided on just a daily pass to play games (just $ 5, completely worth it). After taking a look at the menu, I decided on the Caprese Panini, while my bf got the Monte Cristo. I wasn’t expecting something phenomenal because I was thinking the focus would be more on the gaming part of the experience, but wow. I mean, truly, wow. That was probably the best Caprese Panini I’ve ever had. I ordered a soda to drink, but my bf got one of the smoothies, the one advertised as tasting like apple pie and, again, WOW. They did not lie one bit, as that smoothie tasted 100% like apple frickin’ pie.
Very cool, intimate atmosphere. Felt intimate even with families with younger children playing games nearby which is, honestly, very hard to achieve. The bartender was awesome in explaining the concept to us as well. Thank you, The Rook & Pawn! We’ll definitely be back!
Place rating: 4
Athens, GA
I’ve been about 7 times. I’m hooked. I wasn’t much of a board and card games guy but consider me a convert thanks to this place. They’ve got a ton of game selections and a nice set up of tables that lets you control your lighting for each table. Good for a family during the day or a date. It fills up at night so get there at a good time to claim your spot. They work off of a membership system so if you just want to go in there and play they sell a $ 5 day membership. It’s an exciting, friendly atmosphere that has you chatting with strangers at other tables about the games they are playing. Make a day out of it.
I’d give it 5 stars but there are some negatives.
— The food is mainly snacks and sandwiches that aren’t too bad, but they aren’t anything too exciting. If I eat there, it’s because I’m locked into a game and not because I’m craving any of their menu items. Their snack plates are stronger than their meals so don’t go too hungry.
— The staff, although very friendly, social, and knowledgeable, can get distracted because they are often playing games with each other and guests who come on their own. Customers are supposed to clear off their own tables but that doesn’t happen most of time, so they can sit messy for a while. Being a game bar, the tables need to be clear and dry to play on, so it’s been a problem the past few times I’ve gone.
Place rating: 5
Las Vegas, NV
What a great place !!! The bartenders (Justin & John) were very friendly & mixed some good drinks… I tried a Seabreeze and a Malibu rum & pineapple juice drink. I also tried a vanilla latte coffee which was delicious. And the Cuban sandwich was very yummy !!! So many board games to choose from — everyone was having a blast. It’s a nice addition to downtown Athens !!!