Up-Down Minneapolis
| Address: | 3012 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408, USA |
| Phone: | +1 612-823-3487 |
| Site: | updownmpls.com |
| Rating: | 4.6 |
| Working: | 3PM–2AM 3PM–2AM 3PM–2AM 3PM–2AM 3PM–2AM 11AM–2AM 11AM–2AM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 9
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Ryan C
3.5 - Dont get me wrong I had a lot of fun going there on a Saturday night, but there are some things they could improve upon. The beer list is great, the pizza is a nice little feature, nice patio areas, and the games were fun and nostalgic. It was pretty packed with a nice mix of people, from the nerdier to hipsters to cute girls and bros, with most people in their 20s and 30s. The layout of the bar was nice for the most part and there was room to breathe. Now for the games - nice selection of 80s and 90s games, skee ball and pinball machines for $.25. My biggest complaint here is that a good number of the games are broken (one skee ball machine was working then decided to steal 5 tokens and not turn on) and 1/3rd to 1/2 of them are just bad games. I think they should stick with the classic games like blitz, Mario, mortal combat, etc and then exchang the no name games for more recent arcade games that are simply better and higher quality electronics that wont break so often. I know they have limited space, but the lack of seating may hurt when it gets colder because at the end of the day this is a bar before its an arcade. Nostalgia gets you in the door but you come back for a quality experience and this place just needs a touch more to deliver the kind that will allow it to be there for years (especially considering most of the clientele probably grew up with game boys and play stations, and not arcades) . Minor gripe - it felt like it was raining/leaking because the pipes are exposed and the condensation leaks.
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Barry Whitmore
Has its ups, and has its downs. This place can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a let down. There are some really fun machines in the place, but they can also be really hard to get onto. There are some bad machines that just arent fun to play or are broken to the point that you cant play them the way you are meant to. Its a little excusable considering the age of the machines, but they shouldnt sit around if there is a serious issue with one. The place has a good selection of side scrolling action games, but their rail shooters are pretty disappointing. The classic games can be fun for a while. The pinball is a decent selection, but it can be a pain waiting to get into one of the good machines. The crowd this place attracts is one unfortunate flaw. Just awful people, but you cant really blame anything(aside from the Killer Queen machine that draws too many overly competitive people that are just no fun to be around) for it.
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David Victor
Lots of arcade games to choose from. I also enjoyed the n64 on the big screen. As for the service I was met with questionable results. After taking a seat at the bar I waited close to 10 min to be greeted at which point I asked the bartender which of their three types of saison he recommends. To this he responded "I dont know what that is" I politely repeated myself thinking he didnt hear me as he just stared blankly at me. At this point I asked to see a beer list, he tossed one my way and continued to look past me until I finally gave up on placing an order and just left. The list is large so I dont expect every bartender to know the beer list in and out, but Im disappointed in the lack of knowledge of general beer types as well as the non friendly attitude. Environment is awesome but dont bother asking for a recommendation.
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Nikolas Armendariz
Great atmosphere. TVs playing vintage wrestling matches and American Gladiator matches. Opening day was crowded but the large open space made it feel big and not claustrophobic. Only played a few games since it was so packed but had fun with friends. The bar staff was quick and friendly even though they were very busy! Outdoor patio area was fun with the giant jenga and connect 4 that was fun to watch. Good mix of people and everyone was respecting each other while having to squeeze past people in packed areas. Smiles and politeness makes pushing through crowds a little more bearable. Excited to make this my go to spot for the weekends! Also didnt have time for food but the 3 beers I tried were great. The thai chili wahoo Spicy beer, the sunken city saison, and the brandy stout. Delicious!
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Chase Clendenen
Look this was the first of the new adult arcade wave bars to hit uptown, yes other places have had games or pinball to play, but none have had the expansive selection of retro 80s - 90s games that Ive donated so many quarters too in my youth. They have two patio areas with jumbo Jenga and connect 4, the drinks arent too bad price wise and the best part is that all the games Ive played only cost one token 25 cents :-). This place is a blast and it shows if you ever try and go on a Friday or Saturday night since it gets packed! Also if you go earlier in the day Ive noticed they have a special $5 for 10 dollars in tokens.
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Aaron Furuseth
Great place! So much fun to play all the old games and they are updating their titles all the time. They also have some pretty neat new ones including a really fun 4 player pacman. One of the biggest draws is the games are only a quarter! They have an amazing craft beer selection for reasonable prices, cool older movies on the tvs and good drinks. The only ding for me is their pizza is really bad! I mean, for 5-6$ if thats the only food you serve, you can afford to get some quality. Its bland doughy and everything that I cant stand in a pizza. As long as you dont go when you are hungry, you will have a blast!
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Gabriel Douglas
great barcade. tons of games, all 25 cents. you can get tokens with drinks or discounts on tokens depending on what day of the week it is. ask a friendly staff member or check the website for what the daily special is. they serve large, filling slices of pizza. they have a front patio and a back patio with larger than life connect four and jenga. the 6 player X-men is a fun co-op game (so is TMNT & Simpsons), but Killer Queen takes the prize as most fun mutli-player game. Many of the regulars are usually on the machine, so watch a few matches and then jump in, theyll show you the ropes! highly recommended.
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Moose Man
Best arcade in mn! So many retro games and one of the only places that has Killer Queen! The staff is fun and super nice, always ready to help you if you have any problems. They have a huge selection of beers including the HUGE wall of taps lining the back of the bar. The pizza is awesome, and the only place ive ever seen macaroni and cheese pizza. They have outdoor smoking areas fully equipped with giant Jenga, Connect4, and tables. In the summer they have a huge fan, and last winter they had free coat checks. Definitly my favorite bar in the lyn-lake/uptown area! Its always my go-to hang out spot!
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Old Soul Honey
This place is 100% NOT SMOKE FREE. I wanted to love Up Down however due to amount of cigarette smoke in the place, couldnt even breathe. The problem is that Up Down has two patio areas where people gather and light up their cancer sticks which is fine, however not when Up Down opens the garage doors dividing the outside to the inside in turn letting smoke fill the establishment. I brought this up with staff and they could have cared less. Being disabled and not able to be around second hand smoke, this place was truly a disappointment and violation of the Minnesota Anti Smoking Act.
