John John’s Game Room

[Out-​of-​Towner Review]
I was there, but not really there.
After we ate at Pie Bar we made it a point to come here, since we happened to see it when we drove up to PB. J loves old school video games, so it was a must.
Since the location is on a weird corner of a street, the whole spot is set up kinda random. There are plenty of different old school video game machines, which does include various pinball machines as well. They have a small bar, but we didn’t order anything. From what I noticed they tend to serve their beer in a can. I don’t know the other options, sorry.
They have an ATM and a machine to change your dollars into quarters, because duh — that’s how you play their games. It is a two story joint with games on both levels. It was fun to stand at the top and watch the shenanigans downstairs. They have the most random décor, large stuffed animals really. I mean, you can’t really go wrong with booze and video games. It was a Hipsters delight, from the looks of it when we were there. Super chill vibe and a little flash back down memory lane…
Any 80’s or 90’s grown up kids dream come true!

This place ruined my shoes I have never been to a place where the floors are so dam sticky my shoes where stuck to the floor the whole time I was there I went up stairs to play one of my favorite pinball only to find out that it was not working. So I played a few games on a different pinball and when I was done I was stuck to the floor I’m not kidding I was stuck I got my shoes unstuck and left I cant believe on a Tuesday night that this place was so busy that someone could not mop the floors I don’t think this was just a one night thing the floors where very bad like they have not been cleaned in a long time. Here is some pics of what happened to my almost 6 month new shoes

i haven’t been since the remodel but this place is really chill.
this place is probably the most unpretentious place of em all.
drinks are cheap and the décor is nice.
it just happened that jamal the bartender would be working whenever we went and he always played very good music. he’s an interesting guy.
i never really played games here, it’s just a place that’s laidback where you can chat and get a few drinks.
i wish all the bars in seattle had this easygoing feel but that’s not the case

Fuuun spot. Good music, good décor. They give away Seahawks tickets for effing pinball tournaments…

Great bar. I wish they served arcade food like government cheese nachos and hot dogs ala Shorty’s in belltown. They have a solid beer selection and Ice Cold Beer is the second greatest game ever (after Zeke’s Peak)

Good fun place. It’s little small, but decent place to grab a beer and then play a few arcades. Arcade selection isn’t that big, but it’s still fun.
They have a great PacMan setup.
The pie bar is next door if you want a good dessert.

This place was really fun and not too crowded as we were there on a Sunday. The best part about Sunday is that they have 3 machines for free-​play so you can rotate between paid games and free games to conserve cash. The beer and machines kept my girlfriend and I entertained for a couple hours, and now we’re seeking out other pinball and drinks experiences because we had so much fun here. Also, we really dug the two floor layout where you can overlook the downstairs machines and bar to scope for lines.

Awesome place for a beer and some rad pinball games. Check out the Game of Thrones machine on the 2^nd floor, and the owner has a sexy beard. If you tip enough, he might let you touch it.

We went in here after Knee High since it was right across the street and we never went to a arcade bar before so we decided to check it out. So first off it feels old and all the games in there are old, Some of them don’t even work or is just broken.
They don’t have any draft beers at all, I haven’t been to a bar that doesn’t have any drafts in so long haha. There is 2 stories so we went up and down we played a game of pinball and just left after seeing their liquor options.
It is VERY hipster friendly all I seen in there was nothing but hipsters, hipsters everywhere…

That was an exceptionally disappointing endeavor. Parking is expensive and the game selection is miserable. It’s a tiny space, locals only type of thing. I’ve been to places in San Diego that blow this joint out of the water. Don’t waste your time.

Quirky little spot on the lower side of capitol hill. Great pinball. Even the new titles are 50 cents. Bar is pretty minimal, mostly beer and shots. They have some interesting bottles to try, or you can just go with the $ 1 Mad Dog shots.
Titles as of Nov. 2015: AC-​DC, Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Embryon, Attack from Mars, Addams Family, Monster Bash, Medieval Madness, 8-​Ball (not deluxe), Joust, plus some arcades.
Bring a friend and try the 2p versus Joust pinball!

Fantastic new bar and games. John johns seems to be under new ownership with an awesome remodel/​refresh that kept the original character. 5 stars. The two player Joust table and 4 player Simpsons cabinets are favorites.
Hint: they seems to have some higher end spirits hidden behind the usual fare on the shelf. Had an awesome gin from Belingham. Delicious.

This place had closed down apparently even though Unilocal failed to mention that and so did their website. Would have been nice not to have made the trip over here.

This is a pretty small arcade bar. Its great to come here for somethin to do. I loved the ambiance, didnt drink anything. Loved playing southpark and tron pinball :)
I recommend walking over to the pie bar for desert after breaking a sweat playing games!

Cheap booze, cheap entertainment and no one trying to dance with (or, more accurately, up against) me. Why this sounds just like my kinda Friday night!
The space is small and while it’s certainly frequently peopled, it’s never been so crowded so as to be off-​putting.
I love the pinball machines but my friends like playing PacMan and attempting to finally shoot a gosh darn deer! (only in a game-​setting though)
It’s all in good fun and you don’t have to shell out a pretty penny to pass time. Even for those who don’t feel like playing, it manages to be quieter than some of the louder bars so you can actually talk without being hoarse by the end of the night.
It’s a good place for a more low-​key but fun weekend night.

I love this place. When I moved to Seattle I quickly became a pinball enthusiast. We used to hoof it down to Shortys in Belltown, but when John Johns opened on the hill there was no need. The games are cheaper and generally better maintained, almost all of the have cup holders, the ambiance is more «grown up» arcade (ie no black light art) and Jamaal is my favorite bartender (if not favorite person) on the hill– seriously, talk him up, he’s a scholar and a gentleman.
Side note– they also have a few little books to sit and chat, so if you are not that into games you can still enjoy the atmosphere.

I will one day defeat that mountain climber game. I think I passed level 7 once. Only three more to go, though it takes a certain special cocktail to get me to the highest mix of skill and brashness. Once I conquer a level, I always think a huge crowd behind me is cheering. I turn around, and no one is watching. I don’t need a crowd. This game, this game is just me and the game.
The other games are alright. But you come to John Johns for this one.

Stiff drinks, pinball, and an amazing location! Rad spot, great for a more mellow hang or first date. I’ll be back for you nascar pinball machine!

I found this place by checking Unilocal reviews of Seattle locals prior to my recent trip through town. I loved this experience with exception to the limited neighborhood street parking.
Having played a huge number of pinball games while a teenager back in the 80’s this place really took me back to more enjoyable times. While not every pinball game listed on their site is currently on the play floor I still found a great selection to choose from. My favorite pinball game is one called Taxi with a great storyline and lots of action but they don’t currently have it but I hope they do for my next visit.
The bar is small but the drinks and shots are very reasonable and my Jack & Cokes were quite strong and very enjoyable. The bartender was quite friendly and worked fast.
We arrived just a couple hours after their opening (open from 5pm to 1pm) and most games were open. This chanced in the time we were there as the crowd continued to shuffle in. Most people weren’t alone and the small groups focused on one machine at a time.
The flight of stairs up and down for the second floor are narrow and steep. Take caution once you’ve been there a while and had a few drinks.
I’ll surely be back on my next visit to town. I simply loved this place!

Accesible neighborhood bar with some excellent coinop classics.
This gets rated higher by me being so close. The drink selection is good considering the size of the place and how much space is used up by the coin-​op and pinball machines.
I love the upstairs loft walkway in front of the window. Best seats!