Pinball in San Jose, CA

HarleyGirlKateHarleyGirlKate
edited February 22 in General

Hi,

I used to love to play pinball and thanks to someone on here, I learned about a bar in San Jose that features a room full of pinball machines as well as a bunch of old school video games like they used to have in arcades back in the 90s.

I've gone with other people a couple of times and by myself a couple of times too. If any other women on here might want to get together and go play some pinball in San Jose, CA sometime, feel free to hit me up via private message. I'm down for meeting just one other person or a small group. The place also has a bar with soft drinks and adult beverages (I am a fan of Topo Chico since I'm often the designated driver in my circle and I'm trying to lose weight for sports) and they have pub food too, so it is kind of fun. Mostly a younger crowd, but some older folks too, such as me. :)

I hope this is an ok place to post this. If not, please move or delete it.

thanks,

Kate

Comments

  • OhioMikeOhioMike
    edited February 22

    @KateBee rhat place sounds awesome. I’d love to visit that place. When in San Francisco I visited this arcade which I recommend as a day trip …

    One of my nieces and her fiance just opened a pizza / pinball shop here in Ohio which is really popular too 😊

    All awesome places for CC meet ups 👍

  • HarleyGirlKateHarleyGirlKate

    @OhioMike I've been to that place and you are right, it is awesome! Good luck to your niece and her fiance with their pizza/pinball shop. If I ever happen to find myself in your neck of the woods in Ohio, I'd love to go check it out, and you are right--it does sound like a great place for a CC meet up.

  • WestsideMarcWestsideMarc

    If you’re ever in Vegas go here! Free to get in and just pay with quarters as you go:

    http://www.pinballmuseum.org/

  • HarleyGirlKateHarleyGirlKate
    edited February 22

    @WestsideMarc Oh wow, thank you, I definitely will. Was hoping for a vacation in Vegas one of these days. Wanna to go the casinos (of course), go see some shows (show girls for the win!), drive a tank, and shoot a bunch of crazy military weapons, which I found out is a thing, and do a bunch of other sketchy stuff. :)

  • WestsideMarcWestsideMarc

    You’re very welcome and that sounds like a great Vegas trip. Operative phrase, sketchy stuff.

    The owner is a little bit of an oddball, lacking in certain social skills and sort of curmudgeonly. I went up to introduce myself and thank him for assembling such a beautiful collection but he’s not really a people person. (His employee warned me though) Lol.

    The machines there date back to the 60s. Most of them work, but there are a few that are on the blink in some way.

    They also have other modern games there but if you’re going to go it’s really all about the vintage. Besides, the newer pinball machines have no character, you get a million points just for hitting a simple bumper, where back in the old days we had to work our butts off just to get 1000 points. Enjoy…..

  • cuddlefaerycuddlefaery

    If I make it out that way, I'd definitely be down!

  • HarleyGirlKateHarleyGirlKate

    @cuddlefaery Awesome. Please let me know if you do; I'd love to meet you someday and hang out. :)

  • cheeseboycheeseboy

    I'm heavily involved in the pinball scene in the bay area - before I start listing off cool locations, I'll mention the pinball map app or pinballmap(.)com is a user supported map of pinball machines all over the country (and some internationally). You can search for locations near you, or locations with a specific machine. Belles & Chimes is an international women's pinball league that was founded in Oakland and has many chapters around the world.

    The bay area has a lively and welcoming pinball community - in the south bay, there is a pinball league that meets weekly on Thursday evenings (ask and I'll send more info). San Francisco is home to the above-mentioned Musee Mechanique antique arcade, and Free Gold Watch (55 pinball machines on coin play). Concord has The Flipper Room, which has about 25 machines in collector quality in a great environment for enjoying an afternoon of pinball. Seaside has Lynn's Arcade, which hosts regular tournaments and events. Sadly, the south bay recently lost Lvl-Up in Campbell which had 10 well maintained machines and always got the newest titles as they came out. State of Mind in Los Altos has a decent lineup. There is also the Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda, with over 90 machines on free play (paid admission is good for the entire day, closed Mondays). California Extreme is a pinball & arcade game collectors show that takes place in Santa Clara, usually in July - hundreds of games on free play from private collections available for one weekend (paid admission). Google can help you find these places. :)

    I'd be happy to meet with others for pinball - reach out. :)

  • HarleyGirlKateHarleyGirlKate
    edited February 23

    @cheeseboy Oh, very cool, I had no idea at all, thank you for all of the information! :)

    I'm not usually free on Thursday evenings, but I've love to know regardless, please, if and when my schedule changes as it sometimes does.

    @WestsideMarc Heh, yes, I'm looking forward though I don't know when it'll happen. Sounds like the owner of that place is a character, but hey, as you say, you were warned. =) The old machines sound great. The one that the place I've been going to mainly seem to be from the 90s, but are still a lot of fun. I know what you mean though and agree--the ones that I played in the 70s, when I had to stand on a chair to see what I was doing, have a certain charm and character ... how much of it is objective (can charm and character be objective, exactly?) I don't know. Lots of fond memories in any case and no getting seventeen million points and still not getting a free game like the new machines, lol.

    -- Kate

  • lesmis33lesmis33

    @cheeseboy I didn't know the bay area had such a rich culture around pinball and arcades! I have made note of all you shared. Thanks!

    I'd also be interested in a group meetup for pinball or arcade games if any such rendezvous occurs. I am terrible at them, but I do find them very amusing.

  • [Deleted User]SlowHugs (deleted user)

    Been to the one in Asheville NC. Makes me feel like a kid again, pissed off at games for losing and everything.

  • OhioMikeOhioMike

    @cheeseboy @everyone Thanks for all this info. So cool 😎

  • TxTomTxTom

    In Austin, we have an arcade chain called Pinballz. They have a pretty large collection of machines in each of their three locations.

  • HarleyGirlKateHarleyGirlKate

    @SlowHugs That looks like quite a nice museum. Are they are games they let people play in addition to the exhibits?

  • CelestialTouchCelestialTouch

    There's pinball apps for tablets thats kindof entertaining with different themes, for people that dont have space for the large ones.

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