We heard the rumor from the local eccentrics that it opened with quite a storm. Allegedly, people could not get in, they were lining up in the street, it was crowded and uncomfortable, and there was plenty of immaturity in the crowd. Allegedly.
So we had decided to let it go through its beta phase. We had tons of fun last night.
Namely, the Barcade concept started in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY. The place was opened to cater to the hipster, W-burg scene (craft beer, nostalgia arcade, come on!)
The place is very spacious and open. Chairs and tables are spread out in a beergarden-like, "community" fashion - large tables where groups are to share space and interact. The walls are lined with vintage arcade machines. The bar has 20-30 craft beers on tap, mostly american beers. I did not take photos, but here are some of their own:
We arrived around 7:30. We sat down and we were quite cozy. The crowd around us was comfy, unobtrusive. The music was a bit too loud, and it got louder as the night went on. I tried the Avery Reverend, which is a Belgian, Quadrupel-Ale style beer, from Colorado. It is a formidable Quad. I tried a few more, such as the Slyfox Royal Weisse, before I ventured into the Weyerbacher Hops Infusion in a Cask.
I had been skeptical about cask ale for some time, especially because most American cask brewers tend to do hop-heavy beers in cask, and I am not a hop fan. However, much to my surprise the Hops Infusion (which I've had in a bottle and regular keg, before) was quite balanced with the hoppinness. Served warm, the flowery aroma of the hops dissipates softly up the palate and through the nose.
J, not being a beer person, stuck to vodka-seltzers. Being objective, I'd have to admit that I wish the place would cater more for non-beer clientele, perhaps with a more diverse wine selection. I wouldn't request anything great, but all we saw were three wine bottles at the butt end of the bar, standing there open for who-knows-how-long.
We tried playing some Galaga, but neither of us was a Galaga person. We opted for some games that we could play 2-Player. Two that hold special places in my heart were Golden Axe and Contra.
Golden Axe quarter intake was broken so we spent most of our quarters on Contra.
All in all, a good spot - the likes of which Jersey City needs more, especially on Newark Avenue.
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