This place was a lot more fun and a lot "more" than I expected! I had a great time here, as did my friends. For a $7 cover charge, you get a table for 3 hours and access to any of their hundreds of board games. This place is an absolute treasure, and I recommend it to everyone I chat with. They have beers and cocktails available from local Hamilton breweries, some amazing home-made snacks (try the rice krispies square!), a fancy espresso machine for your coffee needs, and a load of tea options. Highly recommended and I can't wait to be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sarah Simionescu
Have absolutely loved coming here with friends. The carrot ginger soup here SLAPS its so good and so underrated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Soup
Alex Woodley
Super fun place! Clean, games are well kept, service and food are perfect
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Robert Scozzari
Overall, this is a great little café. I appreciated the service and the delicious Cappuccino and the chewiest chocolate chip cookie ever. Also, they have an excellent assortment of games to choose from that are very well organized.Unfortunately, the issue was the noise level. I've been in busy cafés before, and I know it can get loud, but the noise level here was unbearable.I couldn't hear my guests sitting right beside me. Which meant, If you weren't yelling nobody could hear you. Which meant the noise level became louder and louder and louder.It also did not help that some other tables were yelling so loud as they argued over their game, whatever they were playing. It was uncomfortable.I likely won't be back for this reason as I've been to other similar spots without this issue, even when they have been full to capacity. Maybe it's the metal roof. Maybe it's something else but the acoustics of this establishment are terrible.I do hope they fix it as it is a nice spot and the service and quality of everything else are excellent. I'd love to come back if the noise level was addressed or maybe it was during a time that was not busy.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 5
Britt Williams
My family was visiting from the states and wanted to do something fun indoors. We had a blast here. My wife and I are definitely going to become regulars.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chips & Dip
Josh Escalera
Good vibes and 7$ for 3 hours of play is a great deal. Guy told us to close the door as we were coming in and we were holding the door for our friends so he needs to chill a lil bit tho. Otherwise 5/5
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 4
Adrian Manickam
Absolutely loved my first visit to the games cafe. The milkshakes were amazing and the popcorn were a tasty touch to our gaming session. We did not try any of the other food offerings. The friendly service and extensive game selection truly made the experience unforgettable. At just $7 per person for three hours, it is a great deal for a night out in downtown Hamilton. While it can get a bit loud and the hard seats might become uncomfortable after a while, these minor inconveniences didn't overshadow the overall enjoyment. Only small issue was some groups leaving multiple game boxes at their tables which they were not playing, but it didn't spoil the fun. Highly recommend this place and will definitely be returning. Also recommend making reservations.Parking: Multiple parking options are available. However, depending on the day and time, finding convenient parking in downtown Hamilton may require a short walk.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tomislav Milobara
I didn't have any of the food, but I heard it is good! Service is great atmosphere is
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Ibrahim Al-khattab
I visited this place recently. Worst service ever. It used to be a great place before. But now they don’t take your orders properly and serve you cold food with stone like buns. And on top of that, 18% FORCED TIP for this bad service. They don’t even tell that beforehand !!! They are gonna charge you automatic gratuity for whatever type of service they give.Won’t be going there anymore. And will tell my experience to all of my friends at McMaster. There are two more cafes around 2 miles away, go there.7 dollars per 3 hours is just a way to get you IN, then slap this automatic 18 percent on top of that. Unethical business practice, to say the least.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Devashish Dubey
The staff didn’t pay any attention to our table despite calling the server who was on her phone most time. We literally had to go all the way to the counter counter to order stuff in the middle of games.And later the server tells us we WILL be adding an automatic gratuity (tip) of 18 % to your bill because we need money to survive. These were the exact words. We were like, ok whatever.The environment is good and all like any board games cafe but AVOID if you have another choice. I am not really sure if the owner pays the employees enough. The service was whatever, but also the way she spoke about tip, I don’t think the owner pays them enough.There are a few other board game places. Check them out !!
Absolutely love this spot for a date night or just for a fun night out. The selection of board games is fantastic and the way they are organized makes it really easy to find games you want. The staff are all helpful and nice with any question you have. The overall atmosphere of the place is great if sometimes a little loud. The only reason it’s not a five star review is the main food is relatively bland and not entirely worth the price. The popcorn, baked goods, and soup are quite good though as well as the drinks. Overall I highly recommend coming here if you’re looking for something fun to do in Hamilton.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Soup, Popcorn
Nageswara Rao
The place is good with lots of varieties of boardgames. I overheard them saying they have a thousand games. It's a nice place to chill and play. However, it is in expensive side of you go with a big group as they charge gratuity. The staff was friendly and helpful.
Kerri D
Love this place!! $7 for 3 hours is very reasonable. The employees were fabulous and very helpful. The price for beer is very reasonable considering you only pay $7 for 3 hrs. They have every game you can think of!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Tiiu McNeice
So many games to choose from. Nicely organized and a good system set up for when you’re done. It was a good time and I would 100 percent recommend that everyone goes at least once. It is such a welcoming cozy atmosphere. Love it!
Kieran Bennett
Went a few nights ago for some dungeons and dragons with friends. Magnificent and friendly service right out the gate, felt so welcome. We ordered two sandwiches to eat, some popcorn, and a bowl of chips. Our sandwiches were genuinely delicious, though the chips were a little oily for my taste. The they came with however was a very satisfying onion flavour. We washed all this down with some outstanding apple cider and finished the night with a cookie which also hit the spot.If you’re looking for a solid meal and some games, with excellent service on the side, can’t go wrong with Bard and Bear.
This place was a lot more fun and a lot "more" than I expected! I had a great time here, as did my friends. For a $7 cover charge, you get a table for 3 hours and access to any of their hundreds of board games. This place is an absolute treasure, and I recommend it to everyone I chat with. They have beers and cocktails available from local Hamilton breweries, some amazing home-made snacks (try the rice krispies square!), a fancy espresso machine for your coffee needs, and a load of tea options. Highly recommended and I can't wait to be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Have absolutely loved coming here with friends. The carrot ginger soup here SLAPS its so good and so underrated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Soup
Super fun place! Clean, games are well kept, service and food are perfect
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Overall, this is a great little café. I appreciated the service and the delicious Cappuccino and the chewiest chocolate chip cookie ever. Also, they have an excellent assortment of games to choose from that are very well organized.Unfortunately, the issue was the noise level. I've been in busy cafés before, and I know it can get loud, but the noise level here was unbearable.I couldn't hear my guests sitting right beside me. Which meant, If you weren't yelling nobody could hear you. Which meant the noise level became louder and louder and louder.It also did not help that some other tables were yelling so loud as they argued over their game, whatever they were playing. It was uncomfortable.I likely won't be back for this reason as I've been to other similar spots without this issue, even when they have been full to capacity. Maybe it's the metal roof. Maybe it's something else but the acoustics of this establishment are terrible.I do hope they fix it as it is a nice spot and the service and quality of everything else are excellent. I'd love to come back if the noise level was addressed or maybe it was during a time that was not busy.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 5
My family was visiting from the states and wanted to do something fun indoors. We had a blast here. My wife and I are definitely going to become regulars.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chips & Dip
Good vibes and 7$ for 3 hours of play is a great deal. Guy told us to close the door as we were coming in and we were holding the door for our friends so he needs to chill a lil bit tho. Otherwise 5/5
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 4
Absolutely loved my first visit to the games cafe. The milkshakes were amazing and the popcorn were a tasty touch to our gaming session. We did not try any of the other food offerings. The friendly service and extensive game selection truly made the experience unforgettable. At just $7 per person for three hours, it is a great deal for a night out in downtown Hamilton. While it can get a bit loud and the hard seats might become uncomfortable after a while, these minor inconveniences didn't overshadow the overall enjoyment. Only small issue was some groups leaving multiple game boxes at their tables which they were not playing, but it didn't spoil the fun. Highly recommend this place and will definitely be returning. Also recommend making reservations.Parking: Multiple parking options are available. However, depending on the day and time, finding convenient parking in downtown Hamilton may require a short walk.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I didn't have any of the food, but I heard it is good! Service is great atmosphere is
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
I visited this place recently. Worst service ever. It used to be a great place before. But now they don’t take your orders properly and serve you cold food with stone like buns. And on top of that, 18% FORCED TIP for this bad service. They don’t even tell that beforehand !!! They are gonna charge you automatic gratuity for whatever type of service they give.Won’t be going there anymore. And will tell my experience to all of my friends at McMaster. There are two more cafes around 2 miles away, go there.7 dollars per 3 hours is just a way to get you IN, then slap this automatic 18 percent on top of that. Unethical business practice, to say the least.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The staff didn’t pay any attention to our table despite calling the server who was on her phone most time. We literally had to go all the way to the counter counter to order stuff in the middle of games.And later the server tells us we WILL be adding an automatic gratuity (tip) of 18 % to your bill because we need money to survive. These were the exact words. We were like, ok whatever.The environment is good and all like any board games cafe but AVOID if you have another choice. I am not really sure if the owner pays the employees enough. The service was whatever, but also the way she spoke about tip, I don’t think the owner pays them enough.There are a few other board game places. Check them out !!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Absolutely love this spot for a date night or just for a fun night out. The selection of board games is fantastic and the way they are organized makes it really easy to find games you want. The staff are all helpful and nice with any question you have. The overall atmosphere of the place is great if sometimes a little loud. The only reason it’s not a five star review is the main food is relatively bland and not entirely worth the price. The popcorn, baked goods, and soup are quite good though as well as the drinks. Overall I highly recommend coming here if you’re looking for something fun to do in Hamilton.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Soup, Popcorn
The place is good with lots of varieties of boardgames. I overheard them saying they have a thousand games. It's a nice place to chill and play. However, it is in expensive side of you go with a big group as they charge gratuity. The staff was friendly and helpful.
Love this place!! $7 for 3 hours is very reasonable. The employees were fabulous and very helpful. The price for beer is very reasonable considering you only pay $7 for 3 hrs. They have every game you can think of!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
So many games to choose from. Nicely organized and a good system set up for when you’re done. It was a good time and I would 100 percent recommend that everyone goes at least once. It is such a welcoming cozy atmosphere. Love it!
Went a few nights ago for some dungeons and dragons with friends. Magnificent and friendly service right out the gate, felt so welcome. We ordered two sandwiches to eat, some popcorn, and a bowl of chips. Our sandwiches were genuinely delicious, though the chips were a little oily for my taste. The they came with however was a very satisfying onion flavour. We washed all this down with some outstanding apple cider and finished the night with a cookie which also hit the spot.If you’re looking for a solid meal and some games, with excellent service on the side, can’t go wrong with Bard and Bear.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chips & Dip