The Baxter Arcade

Being Gen X, I loved being able to play all my old favorite arcade games here. Loved the pinball machines too. The new mandolorian pinball game was awesome. Great atmosphere. We went on the weekend for family day. My kid is grown, but I loved seeing the younger kids being able to play the vintage games. The bar has other events like trivia, so I will definitely go back!

Excellent options for arcade games and pinball, ample amounts of space and a decent beer selection. I left out stars in the food department merely due to fact that there isn't food available but every other facet is on point. Never tough to get timely service.

Awesome arcade bar. Interesting selection of beers, including some cool local breweries (I got a great milk stout), and a small set of beers on tap. Plenty of places to sit inside and a few tables outside. The vibe of the place, including the staff, is genuinely cool. There are a few machines (20 or so) that mainly consist of pinball with videogames. Games usually cost $0.5 in quarters, although it could be more (pinball $1). It's okay, but it does let you get carried away as in other arcades that charge to

I went here with my sister and her boyfriend while visiting them. It is a very unique and fun place. We went to watch the UNC game and enjoy some drinks. It was nice that it wasn't too crowded, so we could grab a table and play some games. They have a nice selection of drinks and everyone was very friendly. Definitely worth checking out.

Sooo good! Arcade games are on point, as well as the vibe. Plenty of space to enjoy the night. The bartender, Alex, is phenomenal! He didn't hesitate to alter any drinks I ordered and made me feel super welcome. Can't wait to come back

Personally my favorite arcade because they have lots of games that are retro and a bunch of new games at the same time. It's not like your Dave& Buster's, but it's a good mix between an old arcade and a new arcade with beer. I've been there twice already and each time is a new experience. The first time was just me getting what I wanted and playing games and then the second time they were having some sort of event with local artists that design clothes and such. I'm sure they'd be open up to other events as

Fun times. Nice place. There's a quarter dispenser inside. Test the pinball machine before putting a quarter in it. Same as when I was a kid, some machines will just eat your quarters, and pushing the coin return does nothing.

Came here after dinner for my partner?s mother?s birthday and 5 minutes after we arrived they started a holiday-themed trivia night. Had so much fun and ended up staying longer than we had anticipated. Cannot wait to go back next time we're in town!

Water lines were down. Bartenders were making the best of the situation. Very dark lighting.

One of my favorite places to go when I visit! Great games that are rotated with a good beer and liquor selection. They are also a fantastic place to watch sports at, especially UNC football and basketball. You can bring in food, snag a table, and play games during halftime. I highly recommend it!

Just a hole in the wall gem. Tons of old-school arcade games and pinball machines. It's a treasure and now I'm thinking that I'd love to open up my own in the NC High Country.

Fun place to visit and do karaoke. Some brews and lots of games.

Classic! Games, beer, memories. Kids allowed before 6pm. 10 well maintained pinball machines.

Super fun time!! You take the bar and you mix it with the arcade and it's sooooo fun. They had a good selection of different kinds of games, my fav is definitely the racing one. They have coin machines so you can really game like your heart desires. Bar was good and staff was friendly

Almost an entire row of pinball machines were out of order. Some of the pinball games were a lot of fun though. You can get a drink and play games with your sweetie. It was pretty dead when we went on a Saturday night

The Baxter is a great bar if you love reasonably priced drinks, and of course - arcades and pinball! Pinball machines are swapped out often, giving a good deal of variety. However, they can also be quite beaten down, which is to be expected given the popularity of the place. Bartenders can be hit or miss. Overall, good place to play retro (and newer) arcade games.

Great spot to play vintage games and have some cocktails. Games only take tokens and they do have a tendency to eat a few tokens but it's fun anyway. Somehow, I managed to lose my lucky ?2 coin in a machine. Not even sure how it fit in there. I will definitely go back. I was really happy when I moved back to the area and saw they had survived all the closures during COVID.

Members club packed full of classic arcade and some late vintage pinball games. Hours of fun if you've got the quarters.

This was honestly the funnest bar we've been to in a while. We felt like we were 90's kids again. We felt like we were in Stranger Things! They've got a nice selection of beer and liquor, and so many vintage games. What a great time!

The Baxter is a magical place. A little black hole that will suck you into this town and keep you locked in it's unique atmosphere for months (It did for me!). There's always a solid crowd and the games are fun. Bartenders are genuine people who will be endlessly friendly and real, and keep the place fun and positive. I will never forget the little place. I hope it's around when I float through town next time.

A great place to grab a drink, play some pinball, video games, and pool!

Yo, it's gonna be crowded but for a reason. Great game selection. Decent drink selection. Wish pinball was cheaper.

A treasure of Chapel Hill. Old school Fun that even tons of kids enjoy. Always feels safe, chill, and friendly. If some game takes your quarters, they always make it right. Special event nights, cool memorabilia collection, movies playing. Just good fun. More of a family Place than a college hang out if you are wondering.

I came here for the first time with a friend and it happened to be karaoke night so we signed up. Once we got called up, as soon as we started signing one of the female employees (bonde girl) IMMEDIATELY started grabbing my waist and quickly moved down to my butt and I don't even know this lady so don't even ask if I asked for it because I did not. I didn't know how to react so I kinda froze. She then started fully grinding on my friend without consent either and this went on for the whole song and we left

All good fun; awesome people and a chill vibe. The arcade machines can be temperamental, but it adds to the charm of the venue. Plus, it seems like the only spot in Chapel Hill/Carrboro that's not out to rob you and doesn't water down the beverages.

Y?all need to fire the man who works at the front. Literally the rudest guy ever. Always yelling at people walking in the front door. Filling out a form for a barcade is enough pain don't need someone making it seem like life or death. Also him coming up to our group and yelling at us to put masks on while we were sitting at a table drinking when there was MAYBE one other person in the entire place wearing a mask. Ruins my experience every time. Me and everyone I've been with have hated our encounters with

My favorite place to go every night Edit: fri July 21 2023 My friend says this bar is cursed. On 4th of July one of their workers named Simon told me to leave. Matt who I guess is the owner never looks me in the eyes. I feel some racist vibes but that goes on in half of the places I go. Regardless I'm not welcome anymore and I do not need to spend my money for cheap drinks and pbr thats more expensive than anywhere else. Also their games are ok at best. My favorite is gauntlet and I don't really like pinba

Family fun serving great local beer in a quirky part of town. Perfect way to spend a nice afternoon.

Great vibe - locally owned - fantastic game selection.

If you can't handle 6 people at the bar with two bartenders then you shouldnt be working as a bartender plain and simple. Imagine triple that amount plus having to make a full restaurants drinks Do better and don't yell at your patrons because YOU have anxiety. It's not cool.

This place was so fun! They had a lot of games to choose from and all of them were a blast. I particularly liked the star wars prequel pod racing game and the Tron game. They have a lot of pinball machines here too. It was pretty quiet when I came here on a Wednesday night. It was very easy to go from one game to the next without any wait time.

Great place to go if you like to play all the classic arcade games from the 80s and 90s. Decent beer selection. Great for parties or just hanging out. Kid friendly. Parking around this place can be scarce. Fun place for a couple of hours of entertainment.

Really cool and fun arcade right off Franklin. Become a member for $1! Apparently some crazy way to serve alcohol without food loophole in NC law. Fun old school games and fun stuff to look at. Great date night. Thanks!

This is a really awesome place to go and spend some quarters. Grab a drink or 5, go find your favorite arcade game as a kid and just have a good time with friends. The owner and all the staff were extremely friendly and the drinks were reasonably priced.

Excellent spot for cheap thrills and drinks. Wish the pinball was cheaper. Crazy taxi is their best game only fifty cents

The bartender was very unhelpful. I asked where's the menu and he looked at me strangely. Then I asked okay then what do you have to drink and he just gestered to the whole bar. So without a menu, I settled for a Stella. Then I finally saw the menu on the left wall. Besides that, the games were super fun. I played frogger, space invaders and a puzzle game. I loved it. Only 25 cents per game! Very affordable. The music was really chill and I enjoyed the atmosphere.

Only good things to say about this place. The owners are great, bartenders are super cool, video games don't have jacked-up prices, there's outdoor seating... The only time I had any kind of issue at this bar was when a customer grabbed me, but it wasn't much of an issue because immediately upon informing Joustra, the guy was kicked out. Not only is The Baxter fun, it's also a safe and accepting space. I go to The Baxter anytime I'm visiting Chapel Hill/Carrboro. Favorite bar in town.

One of the two best arcade bars in the Triangle (along with Quarter Horse). The Baxter is big, with around 50 arcade games and pinball machines. The decor is all science fiction movies and memorabilia, the bar itself is decorated with comic book pages, and the shelves behind the bar are loaded with toys from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. There's a good selection of beers, too. This place is perfect for the older nerd in your life, and a great place to spend some time before or after a show or dinner.

A lot of fun with friends! 21+ usually but on Sunday, for certain hours, anyone is allowed in. Place has a bar and every old school arcade cabinet I could think of. There are a fair amount of tables (all high tables that seat 4 I believe). Do not attempt to bring alcohol in, obviously.

This place is really cool, featuring video games and pinball machines from my youth. The beer list is pretty impressive too and they aren't above creating innovative seasonal cocktails (for example, a green shot with jelly "eggs" in it to celebrate Alien Day) to boot.

This is place is something right out of my dreams! Good beer and incredible video games! Most of which only cost .25 cents. Spent several hours playing with only $5.00 Just how the arcades used to be when I was growing up.

Too much fun! The Baxter is one of the best bars I've had a chance to visit. Cool arcade machines, awesome drinks, and really amazing staff. If you're ever looking for a place to hang out, the Baxter is it!

If you loved the arcade games and want to have a reminder. This is the place for you. They have mortal combat, mario, pinball which I enjoyed and hadn't seen in long time. They have a great job with the deco and the drinks were enjoyable. Will be going back soon.

I am absolutely baffled at what I experienced here. A long haired man with glasses (looked about in his 30s) tried pocketed my LEGAL government issued ID. He was working the front desk, on March 12th around 9:00 PM. Coming in with my friend who had an ID very similar to my own, in which he accepted, would not return my ID until we threatened to call the police. Upon checking again he finally gave it back, probably realizing it was legitimate, but told us not to come back. He stole my property and was probab

Update: I just read the comment below mine, I was also a single female walking into this bar alone. The guy I encountered was a male in his 30s with long blonde hair & glass. I would definitely suggest staying away from here as this seems to be reoccurring issues with the doorman. Just walked away from trying to enter this bar, the guy at the front door scanned my ID at the door as I was told it's a once time membership of a dollar (no biggie) so as i was filling out the paperwork the guy told me he had t

I always go here with my dad on the weekend we always get Ben & Jerry's after I think it's a great place there's so much pinball games I can beat my dad sometimes and it's just so it's such a good time and there's this time for me and my dad to hang out more together so have a great experience there and I hope you do too if you go too. By Virginia's granddaughter

Your essential local neighborhood bar staffed by a bunch of very cool people. Mindful of non-alcoholic drinks and even carries NA Guinness! They have a cat, too.

My favorite bar in the MULTIVERSE. They have incredible old-school video games, an insanely cool atmosphere, and an unmatched, incomparable bar crew. The owners are like family to me, and they welcome everyone, from every walk of life, to show up, laugh, cheer, turn up a beer, and have the best night ever falling headfirst into ?80s nostalgia. Do yourself a favor and discover your new happy place at the Baxter. Tell ?em Dudley Moore McKinney sent ya.

Parking can be spotty around this little barcade so I like to uber. I love the games, even though I'm not good at them. They get pretty busy and draw a young crowd. Solid beer options. The same door guy has been there every time I've gone and I've never seen him smile. Doesn't stop me from smiling ??

Only the best place ever. Good drink specials, good music (sometimes DJ) and of course the games. Perfect for date night or night out with friends. I always have so much fun here. You can't go wrong.

Old school arcade games, immaculately maintained. Fun events. Good bartenders.

Definitely an awesome place to go out if you're looking for a chill, but fun Saturday night. They have a good bar selection and fun games for all demographics. My dad is also a hugeee fan.

Kid friendly during the day. Good taps, could expand the tap selection more. But, great classic arcade games and old and new pinball. Super friendly staff.

My favorite arcade games! Galaga, Joust, Tempest, Frogger, Ms. Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros. & more on vintage arcade machines, and each game still costs only a quarter. Plus a nice selection of NC microbrews on tap & in cans. We bring our son on Saturday and Sunday afternoons when it's open for all ages. This place is totally rad! (Translation for Millenials: it's a lot of fun!)

Always fun. 25 cent arcade machines, so bring some cash (coin machines available). Cheaper drinks than other local bars. Comic book theme (the Baxter from Fantastic 4). Kids allowed on weekend days.

As far as barcades go the Baxter barely qualifies for one. The pinball machines are in horrible conditions, some of them barely playable. The only saving grace is the good customer service. If you want to go to a bar just to be at a bar the Baxter is a place that looks cool. But if you want to go to a bar and game, I'd choose elsewhere.

Very trendy-hipster vibe with great alcoholic selection of local craft beers, cocktails, wines, and a huge selection of vintage arcade games. They have machines to exchange dollar bills for quarters to play the games and even drink stands to hold drinks that you can carry from game to game.

Best ARCADE and BAR Combo of the SOUTH! Great place to hang out and very friendly people. Warning this place is about 80% men, but that's never been an issue for me. I've always been treated Awesomely.

Had a great tone today st the Midway MiniCon with my sons (4 and 8). Most games only cost a quarter and all are nostalgia filled. Brought me back to the days of the mall arcade. Thanks.

Very fun place for a date. Good drinks with generous ratios. Not too expensive to play the games either and lots of 2 player options.

Count on a good time, great crowd, some young and some older like me. It's a good vibe.

A true nostalgia trip with the arcades, including the smell and setting! Perfect for millennials and older. :3

Pinball and old school arcade with a decent selection of about 10 mostly modern tables and twenty 80s-90s cabinets. Local beer on draft.

Great, well maintained pinball arcade with decent bar. Would like to see more taps, but their range is good. Love trivia night!

Barcade itself is a great place; and the same goes for most of the staff. Had another run in with one of the front staff. He has a reputation for being a dick. Kicked out a sober guy because he didn't like him. Sold it off as the guy not being sober. Too bad there actually was another guy who was intoxicated and could have been denied Pacman within reason. Nice job with 1: Being a dick and 2: Not knowing the signs of intoxication. Take a ServSafe alcohol class.

$0.25 classic arcade machines on rotation, great beer selection, and the geekiest decor make this place the adult kids bedroom my fictional millionaire self would have built for my future adult self. That's how I feel about Baxter's

OMG RAMPAGE !!! I haven't played that arcade game in 20 plus years! Lots of nostalgia with the games they have. Although, I don't remember having to put my beer down first. Expect to have some of your quarters "eaten". Par for the course with these old machines. ENJOYED!

Arcade games for a quarter?!?!? Pinball for fifty cents?!? Reliving my middle school days. Great place to take kids on weekend during the days. On second thought this place is twice as great as I thought.

A lot of the games are still just a quarter. There is a good selection of old video and arcade games. My son loved it, and the old man was still able to win some of the games. I've had practice... 30+ years ago.

All good! IDK if they serve food.

Classic games like mortal kombat 3, marvel vs Capcom 2 and tons of ping ball machines. Enjoy the good time. Wish they had more. Variety of good arcade games though.

Great bar, lots of classic arcade machine and they even have kid hours where I can bring my kids to play games during the day on the weekend.

Classic arcade games that are fun to play! Membership needed ($1). Up to 2 non-member guests may enter with one member.

Great barcade in a wonderful area. Good selection of newer and older arcade games at reasonable prices, good selection of beer, and some hokey cocktails for the people who aren't beer-inclined.

We had a children's party here and it was great for the classic games like PAC man. This is also a bar. It should be advertised as a Bar & Arcade.

Way expensive wine prices for the choices they have, so-so variety of beers; and one does ask why this place requires people to be paying members? Not a private club quality of a place. If you are into arcade games, however, this is the place.

Quirky, wierd, different. Come for the old school arcade games and pinball. Full bar in operation. All ages welcome. No food served, but available nearby.

Remember the 90's? Well I do, especially the arcades. This place is like a trip to the late 80's/early 90's only with booze. Have a pint, play some games. It's all good.

Lots of arcade games from pinball machines to latest shoot em up games. Even has old favs like Tetris. Regular local crowd. Full bar but no food.

Good barcade with great selection of games. All the classics are here along with a ton of pinball machines. Always a good crowd but pretty loud.

Classic arcade games, great pinball machines, and a nice drink selection. I love the decor, bartenders are awesome and welcoming.

Relaxed trip down memory lane! Great beer and great games. Bring cash for change machines, but they do have an ATM.

Incredibly unpleasant staff. Required membership. Oft overcrowded, so you'll have to wait to play any games. Poor beer selection, with demanding prices.

Waited to get drink, no staff came.. the game spy hunter was broke but not tagged. Low selection of games.

My favorite place in town. Huge selection of beers, tons of games, and the staff and owners are all wonderful.

Fun nostalgic feeling place that has tons of old arcade games that smells and looks like a dive bar. If you can get past that its worth a visit if you miss the feel of an arcade.

Great people, awesome atmosphere, and the arcade games are back! It is one of my favorite places to go to in Carrboro/Chapel Hill!

We love this place, old school games, a full bar, fun decor. It's a great place for a party or an afternoon if retro fun.