*Note: Age restrictions and policies may vary by arcade. Check with your local facility for specifics.*
First-time visitors may need to sign a waiver or register for a game card. Staff are typically available to help explain games and provide tutorials. Some arcades offer newcomer specials or free play sessions to help you get started.
*Note: Policies vary by arcade. Confirm with your local facility.*
*Note: Payment methods and requirements may differ by arcade.*
*Note: Tips may vary by arcade type and location.*
*Note: Policies, pricing, and features differ by arcade. Contact your local facility for details.*
191 College St
Burlington, Vermont 05401
Great spot with a very chill vibe and great bartenders and staff. It's an arcade experience but with some of the best draft beers around along with their true specialty of amazing cocktails. These guys put 100% effort into creating the very best drinks to be found.
Shout out to bartender Dylan for excellent service and creative, well balanced cocktails. The logo hand-stamped onto each ice cube is a clever detail. Good craft beer selection as well. No substantial food available but we got a bar snack of Whipped Feta with crunchy pita chips, which was savory, airy and quite elevated. Games are super fun, even if I could only excel at Pac Man based on muscle memory from my youth.
Loved the cocktail menu here! Also loved being able to play a few old school games. I really want to rate this a 4.5 because multiple games ate an extra coin or two (not the ones pictured), but the drinks and service at the bar were really top notch!
Great bar, really enjoyed the old arcade games, pinball, and especially the cocktails. The Devil?s in the Details was my favorite drink, it was perfectly balanced and well crafted. The atmosphere was great and it was extremely clean. I will definitely be back next time I'm in Burlington.
Most barcades fall into being too much pinball, with mediocre drinks. Not The Archives. The games are a perfect mix of pinball, the classics, and weird machines I haven't seen before (Baseball Superstarts was a blast). Tokens are cheap, and the drinks are great, especially their riff on a Paper Plane. My party had a blast here. Didn't have the food, can't review
This is a perfect bar: - They carry many world class beers both on draft and in cans/bottles, including many from Hill Farmstead, The Alchemist, and Lawson's. - They list their menu on Untappd and regularly update it. - Their physical menu shows what's coming next. - They offer small (5oz pours). - They excellent cocktails as well. Our favorite was probably the clarified milk punch. We were particularly impressed by how they use an unusually clear ice cube. It made me more critical of cocktails everywhere e
Nice place. Good vibe. I really enjoyed playing a couple of pinball games. I had not done that in ages! The video games are not noisy and there is no loud music which is good for me since I have sensitive hearing. The only issue was the cocktail. It was good but the price was outrageous for what I got. An ice cube so big it took 95% of the space in the glass leaving only a couple of mouthfuls of drink and making it difficult to drink.
The Archives is an excellent spot! The atmosphere is lovely: a fun spot but not overwhelming. Fun games, great music, and amazing drinks! Dan was our bartender and he was fantastic! I would highly recommend The Archives for a fun game night with some good drinks
Pretty awesome Barcade, with good selection of classic games to play for a great price! Drinks are average price and a good selection for most. It was super crowded but still pretty easy to find games to play, especially because everyone is always rotating. Only annoying thing is showing vaxx proof but was not a problem for us - make sure to have a copy of your card on your phone or in print.
Great bar, with a lot of Retro Games!
Nice bar/arcade with more than 5 working pinball machines including a few Stern's and a DataEast. They have unique and interesting drinks as well. They also have an extensive beer menu and a cheese plate. I would highly recommend this place to anyone with an interest in pinball. Only issue I had as an archivist was that the menu featured acidic paper and non-rustproof brads ;)
Friendly staff, good drinks at good prices. I love the arcade cabinets they have and I'm definitely coming back again when I'm in town.
Great place with amazing cocktails. We only played a few of the arcade games but the place is really well run and organized. The drinks were awesome and reasonably priced and there was a great beer selection.
Go to any other place and save your money! Unless, you're craving $20 ice in a cup. Has got to be the most horrendous bar in Burlington. Drinks are trash and the employees have been vocally rude to customers for no reason. I do not recommend this place. I do not care how much you've been drinking because it's not worth the disappointment. I have had friends that have told me they were not allowed into this place even though the were of age and dressed up nice and clean. A worker named Tyler decided to be pr
Every time I'm in the Burlington area, I swing by the Archives! The cocktails are innovative and the staff is so friendly. It's a great spot to catch up with friends or have a date night. P.s. Their Fros? cocktails are so refreshing on a hot summer?s day. Not too sweet, just right and refreshing!
I sent about 2 hours here. Classic arcade. Brought back many memories. Drinks are priced well.
Drinks are very overpriced even for the area. Games are cool Bathrooms are AMAZING, great place to take a dumpy, highly recommended
I loved this bar. Fun arcade games that reminded me of being a kid + you can order great drinks too. We spent a very fun evening here when visiting Burlington. I'd definitely come back.
This place is a GOOD time! They have some real retro arcade games and the pinball machines were our favorite!! You can play for a while on just 5 bucks. Staff is super helpful and cares about your experience too. We've been to quite a few barcades but this one we seemed to have the most fun at. Thanks!
Took the archives espresso martini, and thought it was delicious. My bf also took another cocktail, but both of us seemed to have the same opinion - drinks felt more like mocktails, and less like cocktails. I have visited better bars, so rating this 3/5.
This place is pretty solid and the games are quite cheap. The bartenders were so-so, but overall it's definitely a good place if you're looking for something different than just a regular bar scene. Good selection of local beers.
Got the Arcade all to myself. ??????????????????????
This is such an awesome barcade! Great variety of arcade games and drinks. Friendly staff. Tokens are easy to buy and even $5 allows you to play a lot of the games. Endless fun! Will be back again
Swanky bar and retro video games!! The cocktails were delicious! My favorite cocktail was the clarified milk punch, so unique. ??
I've gone to arcade bars before, this one seemed kind of bummed out. There weren't a lot of people in there, which seems like it's be cool, but for some reason it just lacked that fun atmosphere. The arcade games were pretty cool, but they didn't have a lot of multiplayer and you have to use their token machines. They're cocktails are good, so I'd suggest going here for drinks and using the games as more side entertainment when you get bored instead of going here to enjoy an arcade and drinking casually.
Great spot in downtown Burlington with an extensive tap list, and so many games from one's childhood. It's a trip down memory lane, and a wonderful way to spend an evening, whether it's solo or with a group!
So happy to see the spot open post pandemic. It's one of our favorite bars to visit for nightlife when visiting Vermont Vermont. Has lots of old-school really fun video games and great craft cocktails. Feels good to be back
Fun bar, excellent cocktails. Wish the bathroom had a coat/purse hook
Wonderful bar staff. Great recommendations and the drinks are SO good. Can't go wrong with whatever you order or just ask for a recommendation. Fresh juice, they make the syrups in house. The staff is so nice and friendly. 11/10 would and will go again
An excellent bar, bar with a wide variety of cocktails and beer, with a cool arcade vibe and good music. As an espresso martini lover, I've tried many. However, the espresso martini from this bar is the best I've tried.
Service was great, as was the clarified punch cocktail I tried, and the games were nostalgic and fun.
Great bar staff, wonderful atmosphere, and a lot of fun to boot! My wife and I made time during our brief vacation in Burlington to come back a second time just because we enjoyed it that much. We couldn't recommend The Archives more!
We loved this place. Great beer list, and the arcade games were awesome. We ended up going both nights we were in town, and will definitely go back!
Talk about a flash back in time! There are some phenomenal archives here dating back to the good ol' day of Asteroids! A collection of games complimented exceptionally well with their selection of beers, which was a variety of great craft Breweries both local and some just a tad furhther. I 'inadvertently' brought some coins home, guess I'm going back to check out the Archives soon!
I love this bar, and all of the bartenders that work there! Chill environment, the pinball games are great, and basically everyone is super damn friendly! Its a great time. And on Sats and Sundays they open at noon and can bring your kiddos to play some classics!
This is one of our favorite date night spots! The games are fun, the drinks creative, and the bartenders knowledgeable.
Cool concept for a bar. Lots of retro old games, the one in Winooski is a bit smaller than the south Burlington one but I liked them both
I love this place. It is a fun, casual vibe. Sometimes I can get overwhelmed by the elitism of the Burlington bar scene but this place is not even remotely like that. Tons of arcade games, mostly the most popular and old school. Stuff like Pacman and Centipede. All of the games are affordable. They don't charge you 5 bucks to play one game like other places do. There's a nice bar right in the middle of the space and the bartenders are super friendly and happy to advise you on the good drinks or what would b
My husband and I had a great time here! We came in around lunch time and stayed for a couple hours drinking and playing arcade games. $5 goes a long way if you are decent at the games! We also ordered Bento and they delivered so it was so awesome the Archives has a deal with a neighboring restaurant and they accommodated us eating at the bar. The beer selection was great and the two bar tenders we had the pleasure of interacting with were so friendly and helpful with local recommendations. Would highly reco
guy who said he was the ?director? was pretty rude to me and my buddy :(
Great drinks and classic arcade games. You can also order sushi from a few doors down and Enjoy it on the patio.
Do you like arcade games? I didn't realize how much I liked pinball until I had a fist full of tokens ($5 for 20 tokens! 2 for pinball machines, and 1 token per arcade play). There are an assortment of machines to play on and the bar list of ciders, beers, drinks, etc is very long. The bartender also had a great recommendation for me when it comes to ciders! It was a peach cider and very good. Enjoy this fun arcade night with some good drinks!
Had a super fun time here. Plenty of games for everyone, including pinball, pac-man, and plenty of other classics. Bartender was very friendly and helpful, and our drinks were delicious (a little pricey, but its Burlington, it's pricey everywhere). Games are pretty affordable too, and a nice big open garage-door-style window to sit in front of and watch the night roll by on Church St. Will be back!
We had a fabulous time for my friend's 21st birthday tonight at The Archives! Chris was so nice and friendly. The bartenders were also very kind. We had been planning on going elsewhere later in the night, but got so caught up in the arcade games that we stayed until closing time. The music was great, and the drinks were reasonably priced and delicious. There was a game for everyone and then some, so we had no trouble keeping entertained for hours.
Awesome beer selection and grab quarters or get tokens to play the arcade games! TMNT is my favorite! Great atmosphere too
My friends and I went to Archives Friday morning around 1:00am for a couple drinks to finish off the night, and it was an amazing experience. Our bartender Emily was absolutely wonderful and had the best attitude! She was so kind and upbeat!! We experienced some costumers that were rude and demanding towards her but Emily took it in stride and handled them in a very professional manner. This girl deserves a raise!!!!! Thank you Emily :) You made our night
Amazing collection of games, beers and cocktails. A true triple threat and always somewhere we stop into when in town
Friendly staff, great drinks -- both beers and cocktails. Awesome collection of vintage games! Was fun to get to play Area 51 again as an adult, and the pinball games are equally as great. Definitely worth a visit, pretty lowkey on weekdays.
Fun little spot for gaming and drinks. Machines are mostly vintage, but decent titles. Dunno who's idea it was to mix an espresso martini with sour ingredients, but that should be abolished from the menu.
Excellent staff, very attentive, courteous, patient and knowledgeable. Clean bar. Very nice collection of craft beers and craft cocktails. The games are retro and a lot of fun, great way to pass the time and spend an evening. One of the bartenders is incredibly strong, ask anyone.
Very unique spot, bar and arcade that has a high class drink menu. Games that bring the nostalgia type feel no matter what generation. X-Men vs Capcom, Hook pinball, Rampage, T2: Judgement Day, Ghouls n' goblins, the list goes on. Cocktails are made well, very good service. Fun and hospitable staff, bartender was a pro!Token machine takes cash or card, 25? game credits.
I know I'm late to the party on this one but this place is a blast. Bring friends and bring money because between the best in Burlington beer selection (5 Hill Farmsteads on tap when we were there!) and pinball/arcades this spot is an all nighter. It would be a super fun date night spot or solo bored evening or night out with friends. Damn I already can't wait to go back.
I'm one of those people that saves 5 for staff for like... amazeballs service. These guys are awesome. I was having sort of a rough night and this place really came in clutch. This was a great escape from the dance hall and the pool yard that I longed for in my homestate, but nothing comes even close. Truly a unique New England gem and should be treated as such. Much like a favorite Sega Genesis cartridge weighing down your 2023 tax returns like you're gonna play that thing later. Groovy little place, and
Fun place with a great cocktail and beer menu. They serve cheese for food which is perfect for am arcade. This is truly the "archives" of arcades and has all really old games. Some great gems in there, and would be great to see some more recent classics as well! Thanks for a good time!
Pretty standard gimmick bar. Surprisingly you need to pay for the games here which is out of the ordinary for most arcade bars
Cool bar but sadly poor hospitality - staff was very unfriendly
This place is fun! Tried two different cocktails and both were creative and well crafted. Big selection of cocktails and also offered some nice beers on fraught. Had a blast playing the old games- Galaga, tekken, pinball, etc. machine for change also accepts credit cards which is nice. I'd be back for sure!
A nice little barcade with a wide selection of games. Not a lot of top-tier offerings though, so don't expect to play some of the classics. Lots of less-popular games though which are fun to try. They've got a wide drink selection with a bit of everything. Worth a stop for a drink or two!
If you're looking to kill some time late afternoon, this place is great. Solid selection of classic arcade games that are cheap to play. Beer selection is wide and unique, one of the best in Burlington. They have some food, but could change it around a bit.
Solid barcade, especially when considering location. Awesome addition to church street. Great drinks and service, decent pinball selection and super Mario Brothers 3. Solid cabinets. Would love to see a killer queen cabinet installed! 5 v 5 Game, I played it at add a ball in Seattle, there are a few other cabinets throughout the country. I would personally promote a killer queen night if a cabinet were installed
Amazing vibe!!! Enjoyed playing arcade games and good selection of drinks!
One of the best bars downtown. It has tons of classic arcade games and pinball machines to choose from as well as a great beer and mixed drink selection. This place is a must go if you're looking to find something a little less crowded than the bars right on Church Stree
Great craft beer selection. Ordered an excellent cheese plate that featured all Vermont cheeses. Beers from The Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, Lawson's, and Hermit Thrush. Great selection of vintage arcade games and pinball. Games such as Rampage World Tour, Area 51, Tekken, Ms Pac Man, etc. Oh yea... and 4 player X-Men. Awesome time. Great service across the board.
This place rules! Blast from the past games, cool atmosphere, and excellent cocktails! And the bartender has got some mad skills to boot, a true artist. A+ all around.
Fun arcade bar with great drinks and beers. Bar tenders are friendly and the atmosphere is chill.
I love this bar and arcade! My favorite drink in the summer is the fros? they offer :)
Great atmosphere, amazing crew! I threw a creative mixer here, 50+ creatives showed up. The staff was friendly and accommodating they developed a few drink specials ahead of time for me and even moved a barrel I needed to use as a table. They had zero issues taking care of my 50 guests in a timely manner and no one felt cramped. Thanks!
This is the place of my childhood, teenage, and adult dreams. I really can't recommend this place enough. If you like good beer (on tap and can/bottle selection runs deep) and classic arcade games, then this is a great spot for you. There are also newer arcade games (2k era) and a handful of pinball machines for those who are inclined. The staff is friendly and the music is good, but it's not really loud here and conversations are easy to carry on without yelling. I love The Archives and hope it's arou
Excellent drinks and service. Lots of people but didn't seem cramped. The games are all pretty vintage. Some were pretty fun but a good number of them were strange to play. If you grew up playing a certain game it would be great but if you didn't know how to play it was kind of lame.
This little barcade in the heart of Burlington has a very good drink list and a large selection of arcade games and pinball machines. Their doorman was a bit unpleasant, and some games are hard to get to during peak hours, as people crowd the narrow space between games but still, we got to play pretty much everything we wanted to (except for Addams Family pinball, which was out of order at the time.)
Awesome drinks and great service. The games are a fun bonus. Keep it up, Matt!
This place is AWESOME! While visiting Burlington for an extended weekend I ended up here twice. It's such a cool experience to play old school arcade games. The staff was also really helpful (the change machine ran out of quarter and the man we told was very nice and fixed it very quickly). Will be back for sure!
My friend came to meet us tonight at archives for a night out and she was stopped at the door. The bartender publicly embarrassed her, insisting that her ID was fake. It is not. He took the ID to several other employees and then told her to leave. Ruined the night for us all. While I respect the precautions, the staff needs better training on how to identify fakes and handle the situation with respect. I'm not mad that they suspected her ID was fake, but just at how they handled the situation. She left conf
My new go to bar, great tap list and fun games make it a fantastic hangout spot. Good place to start with or end your night. Only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is the lack of food, cheese plate is nice but not what I want when I'm drinking and playing time crisis.
I really enjoy the all of the arcade games, im a super picky drinker and only like certain things and they helped me find a delicious underwood wine !! The bouncing staff (Chris) is friendly and knowledgeable of other happenings in the area if you in the mood to bar hop ! In the summer i love when they have the big windows open and you can hang out on the patios!
Awesome staff. Essa, Lizzie, Connor, Paul and everyone is so welcoming. Great draft lists. Great cocktails. Not to mention all the work that goes into maintaining a preeminent collection of vintage arcade cabinets.
Great bar. Great Staff. Music is usually good too, and vinyl night is fun. Wish there was more pinball, but I'm stoked on the current cabinet line up. Fantastic draught and bottle/can list.
Smallish bar, surrounded by a decent selection of arcade games and a few pinball machines. Drinks are fairly priced, and there's even a credit card coin machine. Most of the machines are in good condition though a couple show some considerable wear.
Archives is a great spot to play some video games out with friends. I hit this place up often. Their cocktails are carefully crafted and their events are a good time. You should check it out unless you've got something against arcades, you monster.
My 80s friends were in heaven at this bar! All the arcade games they remembered growing up. Nothing modern from what I saw, all vintage games (I was bad at them but I had fun lol). Dont go to this bar if you're hungry too. They only have a 14 dollar cheese and cracker plate to offer you, which IS delicious, but not enough if you were expecting a burger with your beer.
A nice bar with arcade games for added flare. Lots of classic games are available to play with friends. Drinks are a bit on the higher end and it can get very busy, but otherwise a great time
One of the best overall bars and cocktails we have experienced in our travels. Cannot recommend it enough.
Fantastic little place to go. Plenty of old arcade games to play for $0.25 each. Machines use tokens which can be purchased by cash or card at a few vending machines within the bar. Large bar with a some seating along it, but plenty of tables around the location.
Great drinks and fun games. What more could you ask for?
My first time here was phenomenal! Bartender (Sean) is amazing! The drinks are great. The atmosphere was very laid back and fun. And we enjoyed all the games!
The tap list and cocktails are both solid, the staff has been good, and there's a decent selection of games. More pinball would be great, and cycling a few of frequently broken games out would be awesome. Also, Ninja Turtles.
This is a collage bar based on old classic arcade games in the heart of Burlington Vermont. Most of the classic arcade games are here as well as a few rare ones. Their beer selection is also quite good.
Stopped here the other afternoon and only a few people in the bar. The female bartender was incredibly rude and condescending as she asked for our vaccine cards. We are all vaccinated, but felt as those we had the plague. She herself was not wearing a mask, which seems odd to approach someone without a mask prior to knowing their vaccine status with such strict rules. She further lectured us that all bars are requiring vaccine cards in Burlington, which as a resident, is a blatant lie. In general the whole
It’s a mix of nostalgia and high-energy fun! Many arcades blend retro classics like Pac-Man and pinball with modern VR games, racing simulators, and rhythm challenges — often with music, lights, and a social vibe.
Both can be great! Solo visits let you focus on your favorite games, while going with friends adds competition, teamwork, and laughs. Many people plan arcade meetups as a casual hangout or even date spot.
Usually just yourself and a way to pay (some arcades still use coins, others use cards or apps). If you're competitive, bring your A-game. If you're social, bring friends or meet new ones over multiplayer games.
Weekdays or early afternoons are usually less crowded — perfect for focused play. Evenings and weekends bring the buzz, especially at barcades or venues with DJs, tournaments, or themed nights.
Absolutely! Arcades attract a mix of casual players and serious gamers. Whether you're jumping into a four-player co-op or chatting between rounds, it's a fun, low-pressure way to connect over shared interests.
Not at all. While many arcades are family-friendly, there are also adult-oriented ones with full bars, 18+ nights, or vintage nostalgia themes. Arcades today cater to everyone — from first-timers to lifelong gamers.
Yes! Many arcades host regular competitions, retro nights, cosplay parties, and more. Whether you're into high scores or just want to watch and vibe, events add an extra layer to the experience.
No worries — arcades are about having fun, not being perfect. Try a variety of games, ask others for tips, and remember: the vibe is more “let’s play” than “let’s win.”
Absolutely, retro games in arcades remain a thrilling draw in 2025! Classics like Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and Street Fighter II offer simple yet addictive gameplay, blending nostalgia with timeless challenge. Modern arcade cabinets often feature crisp displays and restored controls, enhancing the experience. These games thrive on quick reflexes and strategy, with vibrant pixel art and iconic soundtracks that spark joy. Arcades host tournaments and leaderboards, fostering a lively community. While modern games dominate, retro titles provide a unique, accessible thrill that keeps arcades buzzing.