Where to Play Pinball in Dallas–Fort Worth: Arcades, Bars, and Breweries with Machines
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The Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex spreads pinball across a sprawling network of barcades and arcades. The Cidercade and Free Play chains anchor multiple locations, while independent venues round out the region's options. Most venues operate on unlimited-play admission models.
Arlington serves as a pinball hub with proximity to AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field. Dallas proper, Richardson, Fort Worth, Garland, and Grapevine each host venues, giving players options across the metro.
| Venue | Area | Machines | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cidercade Arlington | Arlington | 30+ | Barcade |
| Side Quest Arcade | Garland | 20+ | Barcade |
| Cidercade Dallas | Design District | 20+ | Barcade |
| Cidercade Fort Worth | Fort Worth | 20+ | Barcade |
| Free Play Dallas | Trinity Groves | 20+ | Barcade |
| Corky's Gaming Bistro | Grapevine | 10+ | Entertainment |
| Free Play Arlington | Arlington | 10+ | Barcade |
| Free Play Richardson | Richardson | 10+ | Barcade |
| Nickelrama Firewheel | Garland | A few | Arcade |
Here's where to find pinball across the Dallas–Fort Worth metro.
Barcade · Arlington
Cidercade Arlington occupies a large space blocks from AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field. The venue pairs pinball with over 300 arcade games, craft ciders, and food options. Family-friendly during the day and 18+ after 9pm.
Barcade · Garland (Firewheel Town Center)
Side Quest Arcade houses a pinball collection alongside classic and modern arcade games in Firewheel Town Center. The venue includes the Hercules pinball machine, Atari's oversized 1979 release. A full bar and food service round out the offerings.
Barcade · Design District
Cidercade Dallas is the original location of the Bishop Cider–affiliated barcade chain. The Design District venue spreads pinball and arcade games across its floor with house-made ciders on tap. Family hours shift to 18+ at 9pm.
Barcade · Fort Worth
Cidercade Fort Worth brings the Cidercade formula to the west side of the Metroplex. The venue includes pizza, craft ciders, and nearly 300 games including pinball, DDR, pool, and shuffleboard.
Barcade · Trinity Groves
Free Play Dallas operates out of a former event space in Trinity Groves, making it the largest Free Play location. The venue houses 160+ arcade games and pinball machines alongside a full bar and kitchen.
Barcade · Arlington
Free Play Arlington recently relaunched as Tokyo Station with a Japanese arcade–inspired theme. The 21+ venue combines retro video games with pinball, craft beer, and pizza.
Barcade · Richardson
Free Play Richardson anchors the north Dallas suburbs with 95+ arcade games and pinball set to free play. The location emphasizes authentic arcade hardware and a rotating game selection.
Entertainment complex · Grapevine (Grapevine Mills)
Corky's Gaming Bistro blends pinball and arcade games with axe throwing, escape rooms, a golf simulator, and Krazy Darts. The Grapevine Mills venue includes a full bar and pizza menu.
Family arcade · Garland
Nickelrama Firewheel operates as a family-friendly arcade where games run on real nickels. The venue opened in 2017 and offers birthday party packages with the option to bring outside food.
The DFW metro's barcade scene leans heavily on the Cidercade and Free Play chains, each with multiple locations offering consistent unlimited-play admission. For visitors, the same-day wristband policy at Free Play locations allows venue hopping. Families should note the daytime hours at most barcades before age restrictions take effect.
Know of a pinball location we missed or have updated information? Let us know.
Last updated: December 2025
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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