Pixels Arcade Taproom in downtown San Rafael isn’t just a bar—it’s an adult playground where beer, Pac-Man and pizza collide in a jolt of pure retro nostalgia.
San Rafael is Marin’s unofficial nightlife city, and its downtown strip offers enough bars and taprooms to turn any evening out on the town into a bar crawl marathon. But for those who are looking for less of a crawl and more of a linger and enjoy experience, Pixels Arcade Taproom is the place to be.
Pixels lures passersby inside with a red carpet rolled out on the sidewalk; this terrific theatrical touch leads people from the street and straight into the high-energy arcade taproom (aka barcade) that’s packed with color, music and an immaculate decor scheme, full of personality and lit up in flashing neon.
After walking the VIP red carpet inside, guests then check in at the front desk, receive a techy wristband and are set loose like kids in … well, an arcade. That wristband? It’s the metaphorical golden ticket to not only the games, but to the tap and tab too. After all, gaming is thirsty work. And Pixels doesn’t just provide drinks. In fact, it has a fantastic novel method for getting libations to its guests.
Instead of a full bar, bartender and wait time to match, Pixels has an entire self-pour beverage bar, where anyone with a wristband can simply swipe a wrist, pick a beverage and pour as much as they’d like with the payment already on tab. The beverage selection includes both classic and local beers from Pond Farm, Henhouse, Cooperage, Original Pattern, Mare Island and more, along with some top-notch ciders from Golden State and Humboldt Cider Co.
Exciting, right? Well, the owner and operator of Pixels, Rob Simmons, certainly thinks so. And his enthusiasm and love for the arcade taproom can be felt throughout the entire establishment. From the trendy, aesthetically pleasing indoor decor (courtesy of Simmons’ days working in the graphic design industry) to the curated playlist blaring only the best, most retro radio hits, it’s safe to say that Pixels is the most pleasantly nostalgic fever dream of an arcade one could hope to find here in Marin.
According to Simmons, the inside of Pixels is a whole lot like what it’s like being inside his mind. As he said this, the eye naturally takes in the decor, noting once more the multi-colored lights, trendy decals and street sign reading, “road to nowhere” up above, while neon signs of Mario and Luigi flash in the background. Yup, checks out.
“I wanted to create a place where people could actually interact with each other and do something fun, beyond the nightlife options that are currently available,” said Simmons. “A place where you could be transported back to a simpler time, through the many pop culture visual cues here, a time that many of us have sadly forgotten in our busy workaday lives.”
Pixels opened last year and has since catered to the nerds, geeks and otherwise fun and games-minded adults who want to go out and do more than sit, drink and repeat. At this barcade, however, guests can sit, drink and repeat while playing fantastically entertaining and nostalgic games such as: Pinball, Pac-Man, Mortal Kombat, Tempest, Street Fighters, Metal Slug, Crystal Castles, Frogger, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Robocop and so, so much more. Plus, those who want something a little more modern can plop themselves down in the console gaming lounge area, complete with a Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
And if all that isn’t already enough, Pixels is also absolutely brimming with tabletop games like Exploding Kittens and Unstable Unicorns, plus classics like Scrabble and Yahtzee for those who are more traditional than the more recent trend of exploding, unstable animals. Cards Against Humanity and Crabs Adjust Humidity, anyone? There are even games like Mind the Gap, a curated trivia game for multi-generational players to compete on an equal playing field and duke it out as peers.
“Finally, a place that offers something for everyone—and every age range—be it pinball, classic arcade games or our gaming lounge outfitted with Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PlayStation gaming consoles,” said Simmons. “There was nothing like this available in Marin County, so that was my goal when creating Pixels.”
On top of the ever-titillating DIY tap (my personal favorite game in the establishment— one wins every time they play), Pixels offers a menu stacked with delicious bites that perfectly match the vibe inside. Thanks to the collaborative spirit of downtown San Rafael’s bars and restaurants, Pixels can offer guests hot plates of nachos, burgers and buffalo wings. Oh yeah … that’s the stuff.
Plus, Pixels has made the best possible deal with State Room to bring the restaurant’s top-notch wood-fired pizzas, offering the opportunity for nearly endless pizza parties to Pixels and its guests. The classic combination of pizza and arcade games really sparks those old synapses, tapping into dopamine stores sitting pristine and untouched deep in the back of the brain since the simple days of childhood. Pizza and arcade games unlock that, for sure.
Please note that Pixels is for big kids, age 21 and up. So, one should just be sure to bring an ID to show to the front desk in order to gain access to the premises, its beer and a chance to kick back and indulge in pure, unsupervised adult fun ’n’ games. Just like the old days, eh?
To play games, eat, drink and make general merry at Pixels, one only has to pay a small general admission fee of $14 Monday through Thursday and $18 Friday through Sunday. Early birds, who arrive in the first or last hour, pay only $12 Monday through Thursday and $14 Friday through Sunday. But those who want to swing by for a drink, a bite and a board game can come in and enjoy the atmosphere (and/or a big game on the TV) for no admission fee whatsoever.
Plus, each week offers select events, curated specifically to add even more engagement, entertainment and positive vibes for Pixels patrons. These include Pixels’ Magic Mondays, Ladies Nights on Wednesdays, discounted drinks on Thirsty Thursdays, as well as more events like comedy nights and karaoke.
Pixels Arcade Taproom is open six days a week, from 4 to 10pm Tuesday through Thursday, from 1 to 11pm on Friday and Saturday and from 1 to 10pm on Sundays. Pixels (plus all the fun, games, beer and delicious bites) is located in downtown San Rafael at 1137 Fourth St. To learn more, visit pixelsarcadetaproom.com.
