Where to Play Pinball in Boston: Arcades, Bars, and Breweries with Machines
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If you're looking for pinball in Boston, you'll quickly discover that the city's tight real estate means dedicated pinball arcades are rare. High rents and older building footprints make it difficult for large collections to thrive in Boston proper. Instead, pinball is distributed across bars, breweries, and pop-up spaces in surrounding communities like Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, and Peabody.
That said, the Boston area benefits from dedicated local operators who prioritize machine quality over collection size. The result is a handful of venues with well-maintained games that rotate regularly. Whether you're looking for vintage electromechanical titles, 90s classics, or the latest Stern releases, there's something within a short drive or train ride from downtown.
| Venue | Area | Machines | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pop's Pinball - Deep Cuts | Medford | 10+ | Pinball Arcade |
| Roxy's Arcade | Cambridge | 10+ | Barcade |
| Double Bull Taphouse | Peabody | 10+ | Taphouse |
| Pop's Pinball | Somerville | 10+ | Pinball Arcade |
| Flat Top Johnny's | Cambridge | 10+ | Pool Hall |
| Bully Boy Distillers | Boston (Roxbury) | A few | Distillery |
Here's where to find pinball across the Boston metro.
Pool hall · Kendall Square, Cambridge
Flat Top Johnny's is a no-frills pool hall and arcade bar near the Kendall T stop, known for its dive-bar atmosphere and affordable late-night eats. The venue combines pool tables, darts, and a lineup of pinball machines operated by Pinball Over Boston, making it a popular spot for casual play and league nights.
Barcade · Central Square, Cambridge
Roxy's Arcade is a 21+ speakeasy-style barcade hidden behind Roxy's Grilled Cheese—enter through the freezer door. The venue pairs craft cocktails and a late-night menu with retro and modern arcade cabinets, DJ nights, trivia, and karaoke alongside a rotating selection of pinball machines.
Pinball arcade · Bow Market, Somerville
Pop's Pinball at Bow Market in Somerville started as a temporary pop-up and has become a neighborhood fixture. The intimate space focuses exclusively on pinball, with a curated rotation of vintage electromechanical machines and solid-state classics from the 70s through the 90s. The arcade is unattended, so players can come and go freely.
Pinball arcade · Medford
Pop's Pinball - Deep Cuts is a second location from the Pop's Pinball team, operating inside Deep Cuts in Medford. The room features a mirrored ceiling, moody lighting, and a selection of machines spanning classic titles and cult favorites, creating an intimate setting for date nights or post-show visits.
Taphouse · Peabody
Double Bull Taphouse at the Northshore Mall in Peabody is a sprawling two-story beer garden with over 50 taps, elevated pub fare, and a dedicated upstairs pinball room with its own bar. Operated by Pinball Over Boston, the machines skew toward recent Stern titles alongside rotating classics. The venue also offers bocce, shuffleboard, and darts.
Distillery · Roxbury, Boston
Bully Boy Distillers is Boston's first modern craft distillery, producing whiskey, rum, gin, and vodka with a rotating cocktail menu and guided tours. The tasting room includes a back lounge with a small game area featuring pinball machines for casual play between drinks.
The Boston metro's pinball scene is spread across multiple communities, so having access to transit or a car expands your options significantly. For collectors of classic machines, Pop's Pinball locations offer a curated vintage experience. For those seeking modern titles alongside food and drinks, Double Bull and Flat Top Johnny's deliver. And if you want something uniquely Boston, Bully Boy pairs local spirits with a few games in the back.
If you spot any changes or closures, let us know—machine counts and lineups rotate regularly at most venues.
Last updated: January 2026
Colin is the chief pixel pusher at Kineticist. He's a lifetime gamer who became enamored with pinball after taking in a family copy of the 1979 classic Joker Poker (the EM version). Since then he's bought, sold and repaired many machines, competed in all kinds of tournaments, and contributes to This Week in Pinball, the New England Pinball League, and Pin-Masters of New England. Previously, Colin spent over a decade working in marketing for agencies and tech startups. He also started and ran a music blog, happy hour website, and wrote a regular craft beer review column for Central Track in Dallas. Once aspired to be an artsy film director.
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