Tucson’s food scene is more than just great food and drinks — there are quite a few local places where you can challenge your friends to a game of pinball, cornhole, bocce ball, Pac-Man, or even a round of giant Connect Four. Heck, a couple of these spots even have batting cages.
Here are 15 of the best locally owned spots where food, drinks, and fun go hand in hand.
Bada Bing Bada Boom hosted its grand opening at 2331 S. 4th Ave. on Friday, May 2.
The menu includes pizza, burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, and shared appetizers such as wings and mozzarella sticks. They also feature a full bar and pool tables. However, the arcade and life-size characters serve as the main draw for the business. This includes Batman and Joker, the Simpsons family, Alvin & The Chipmunks, and more.
The Barnyard was once a barn that was transformed into a restaurant. There’s prime rib, nachos, ceviche, and a patio that’s big enough to host a large gathering of your closest friends. Out there among the creatures of the wild, challenge someone to a game of jumbo-sized Connect Four or toss around the beanbags for a friendly cornhole competition. Maybe whoever loses has to pick up the tab. Just a thought.
“Working at a video rental store back in 2004 was one of my favorite jobs, and so there’s something special and nostalgic about walking into Casa Video. It’s neat to be greeted by one of the familiar faces behind the bar before wandering around the store and grabbing a bag of popcorn and a beer.”
Casa Video also serves wine on tap and NA beverages, has board games, and hosts “Speed Trivia” on Tuesdays. Plus, there’s usually a food truck parked outside.
“There are around 10 pinball machines, foosball, and a stage for live music in Catalina Brewing’s game room. It’s a great place to relax, sip on a local beer, and work on my reflexes. Pinball is harder than it looks.”
Aside from beer, the Marana-based, bicycle-themed brewery serves ciders, seltzers, bottled wines, mixed drinks, shots, and food from the occasional food truck.
Cobra Arcade Bar in downtown Tucson is a two-story playground for arcade lovers. Packed with vintage and modern arcade games, this lively spot lets you sip on craft cocktails or local beers while battling it out on classics like Mortal Kombat and Pac-Man.
In the later hours, it’s a full-on dance party. Cut the rug, gamer!
It’s a restaurant, pickleball destination, music venue, and beer garden. There are a total of five pickleball courts, three of which are located outside near the beer garden and two located inside the renovated and climate-controlled Corbett Building.
Food and drink can be ordered from both the restaurant and beer garden while on the court.
Found on the historic Grant Road Lumber location, the 20,000 square foot space has cornhole, table tennis, shuffleboard, a huge enclosed patio, occasional live music, and a loaded food and drink menu. Plus, there’s a huge parking lot — there’s no need to play real-life Tetris while fitting your car in a spot.
“Home Plate is my go-to spot when visiting my mom in Marana. Even when I’m nearly dislocating my shoulder in the batting cages, a cold beer in hand makes it all worth it.”
This family-friendly restaurant also has shuffleboard, pool tables, and arcade games. Don’t forget to try something on the menu: burgers, wings, salads, sandwiches, etc.
“I don’t understand why the bocce ball courts at Locale are usually empty, but it’s free and it’s fun in the sun. Pairs well with an Aperol Spritzer.”
The team at Locale blends old-fashioned Italian classics with local products — from a Seven-layer Lasagna to the Pizza a’Taglio, the Italian roots run deep.
“Red Garter has all of the ingredients for a fun night out: beer, burgers, darts, pool, a jukebox, and Big Buck Hunter. With very few windows, it’s a great spot to keep cool in the summer and forget what time of day it is.”
With its giant mural of a stallion, Red Garter is easy to spot on Speedway Boulevard. They also have plenty of TVs spread throughout the dining room for sports fans.
This hidden getaway for geeks, gamers, and anyone strolling around the Tucson Mall offers over 600 board games. When you’re not rolling a 20-sided die or studying a map of The Shire, check out the tavern — they have a rotating selection of local and imported beers, along with a variety of meads. Game on!
“I did a full menu photo shoot for them when they first opened and had their Italian sandwich afterwards. Despite it having sat around a few hours, it somehow managed to still be one of my favorite Tucson sandwiches with its ratio of fillings.”
Over on the taproom side (Craft, A Modern Drinkery), there are four Nintendo gaming consoles, a stack of board games, and “Geeks Who Drink” trivia on Thursdays.
