D

DJDamo Bealsvia Google

about 1 month ago

Entertainment! Food! Something to drink!! Just so good, works out to be a 1 buck a game! Way better than Timezone!

S

Shannonvia Google

about 2 months ago

Great atmosphere. Great food. Pinball machines were so much fun. Amazing service. Staff very helpful and friendly, thanks to Lola and Lexi for making our first visit a fun experience. Can’t wait to go again.

N

Nathan Peterkinvia Google

3 months ago

The place is a huge vibe. Dark wooden floors, staircase and bar and SO many classic CRT arcade machines over 2 floors. The food was amazing, I had chips and fried chicken that knocked the socks off all the other places ive had the same dish. Mad place to hang out with friends for a night.

J

Jason Rickerseyvia Google

4 months ago

Palace Arcade is a great venue filled with vintage video games and good vibes. Located on Beaufort Street, it’s about 1 km from the Brisbane Hotel, and is a really fun place to hang out in. Already brimming with nostalgia, classic 80s music and neon signs help to enhance the atmosphere and re-create the arcades from days gone by. As you walk in, you are greeted by an array of classic 80s and 90s arcade games. This includes a bank of the famous ‘Daytona USA’ machines. They also have ‘NBA Jam’, another classic that hails from the 90s. They even have ‘Pong’ by Atari! So cool. Along with video games, Palace Arcade has a couple of well-stocked bars, one on each level. Both of these have a great variety of beer, wine and spirits. They also do cocktails, including one named ‘cheat mode’, which suits the theme of the place perfectly. Your food cravings will be satisfied too, as they offer a range of pizzas and share plates, including fries and chicken wings. I didn’t have any food on this visit but last time I went, I remember the food being really good. The upstairs section has a cool atmosphere. There are a few high tables and chairs, along with the bar itself. This section is decked out really well. There’s a lot of exposed brick, which really adds character to the place. Plus, there are some cool neon signs, along with art and posters on the wall. These make for a relaxed and fun atmosphere. As cool as upstairs is, you really need to check out downstairs to fully experience what’s on offer. The downstairs section has a few booths, so it’s the kind of place where a group or a couple could spend a few hours hanging out playing games and having dinner and drinks. Plus, it’s more dimly lit and really allows you to escape into whatever game you choose to play. In my view, downstairs is by far the coolest part of the venue. They have a selection of pin ball machines, including Indiana Jones, Iron Maiden and Star Wars – very cool. They also have one of my favourite arcade games – ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ – the one where you can have one to four players. It’s a classic side scrolling beat ‘em up. This was only my second visit to the venue and I happily spent most of my time on the TMNT game. I love the old side scrolling beat ‘em ups. There’s something uniquely fun about them. You feel like you’re part of a story. Plus, I’m a big ninja turtles fan. As an aside, 2025 marks 35 years since the release of the original live action film featuring Judith Hoag as April O’Neil and Elias Koteas as Casey Jones. But that’s by the by. I also tried my hand at Street Fighter II and even remembered the trick to make Ryu throw a ball of fire while he says ‘Hadoken’! It’s amazing what you remember after so many years away from something. Street Fighter II is an eternal classic, so I’m glad they chose to include it. Characters like Chun Li – known for her spinning bird kick – and Ken and Ryu are iconic. It’s good to see them continue on screen into the present day. They also have Mortal Kombat II. I’m old enough to remember the whole kerfuffle about this game between Sega and Nintendo in the 90s. Needless to say, the arcade version is really cool. Other classic games on offer include ‘Double Dragon’ and ‘Gauntlet’, just to name a few. Palace Arcade can get busy but that’s ok as they take bookings. I was there at mid-afternoon on a Friday and most of the booths were booked from 4 pm. So, I’d recommend booking ahead on weekends. They do online bookings, which is super convenient. That said, you can still just rock up, have a drink and a feed and try your hand at whatever game captures your interest. One thing I like is that they do half price games on Sundays, which is really cool. Payment is easy. You buy a pre-paid in-house card that you load with credit and then use this on whichever games you want to play. All in all, Palace Arcade is a great place to unwind and chill out after a work day, or on a weekend. You can channel your energy into something fun, and all for a reasonable price. I’ll be back for sure.

C

Chris Wintervia Google

10 months ago

Fantastic place. Original arcades. Excellent food. Craft beer. And now they've started the gaming tournaments up again. What's not to love? Loved the Mortal Kombat 2 tournament but...I did come third lol. Can't wait for the next one.