Cidercade Dallas — Attraction in Dallas

A Night at Bishop Brewery's Cidercade

Dallas has always been a city that knows how to do leisure right. It's a place where tradition meets innovation, and nowhere is this fusion more evident than at Bishop Brewery's Cidercade. Tucked away in a nondescript warehouse district, Cidercade is a cathedral of nostalgic indulgence and modern hedonism. For twelve bucks, you get a wristband granting you unlimited play on over 170 classic arcades and pinball machines. It's an oasis for the inner child in all of us, and a sanctuary for the adult who knows that fun doesn't come in half-measures.

The Games

Walking into Cidercade, you're immediately hit with a wall of sound: the beeps, boops, and clinks of arcade games that whisk you back to the halcyon days of your youth. The selection is a greatest-hits album of arcade history, from Pac-Man and Galaga to Street Fighter and NBA Jam. The pinball machines—lined up like soldiers ready for battle—gleam with the promise of tactile satisfaction. There’s something delightfully analog in this digital age, a reminder that sometimes the old ways are still the best.

The Cider

But this is not just an arcade; it’s a brewery, and Bishop Cider’s artisanal beverages are the fuel that keeps this engine running. The ciders are a revelation. Forget the saccharine, mass-produced nonsense you’ve endured before—this is cider with soul. Each glass is a crafted experience, with flavors that dance on the palate. From dry and crisp to fruit-forward and aromatic, there’s a cider here to suit every taste, each brewed in-house with the kind of passion and care that would make a sommelier blush.

The Vibe

Cidercade is a place where pretension goes to die. The patrons are a mix of grizzled arcade veterans, bright-eyed millennials, and everyone in between. It's a social equalizer, a place where high scores matter more than job titles. Located in a large warehouse, the space is expansive yet inviting. Neon lighting, reminiscent of the vibrant 80s and 90s, bathes everything in a warm, inviting glow. You could lose hours here—and you should.

The Food

Food trucks, often a roll of the dice, are stationed just outside, offering an array of eats that perfectly complement the vibe. Whether you’re craving tacos, burgers, or something more adventurous, there’s a culinary chariot waiting to satiate your hunger. It's street food done right, adding another layer of delight to an already indulgent experience.

The Verdict

Bishop Brewery’s Cidercade isn’t just the best arcade bar in Dallas—it’s a reminder of what makes life worth living. It’s a celebration of play, of craftsmanship, and of the simple joy of a night well spent. For twelve dollars, you get more than just unlimited games; you get a ticket to a different world, one where the only thing that matters is the next high score and the next sip of cider.

In a city that offers plenty of ways to unwind, Cidercade stands out as a beacon for those who understand that the best kind of fun is the kind you can hold in your hand and share with friends. So, grab a glass, press start, and let yourself get lost...

You walk into Cidercade Dallas and immediately understand something fundamental about American longing. This isn't just another bar with some dusty arcade cabinets shoved in the corner like an afterthought. No, this is something else entirely. This is a cathedral to the games that raised us, the quarters we fed into hungry machines while our parents weren't looking, the sticky joysticks and glowing screens that taught us about winning and losing long before life did.

Adam behind the bar isn't just mixing ciders. He's conducting a symphony of flavors that would make you weep if you weren't too busy trying to remember the last time anything tasted this honest. These aren't ciders designed by some committee of marketing executives. These are liquid memories, each one a love letter to ingredients that actually matter. The man should quit his day job and open a distillery. Hell, he should run for office.

And then there's Olivia. In a world full of servers who treat hospitality like a four letter word, she reminds you why people used to actually enjoy going out. She moves through the space like she owns it, because in a way, she does. This is her domain, and you're not just a customer here. You're a guest. There's a difference, and it matters more than you think.

The Design District location feels intentional. Tucked away from the strip mall mediocrity that plagues most of this city, Cidercade exists in its own pocket universe where time moves differently. Where a first date doesn't have to involve small talk over overpriced drinks, and where marriages that have gone stale can remember what it felt like to play together.

I've been to a lot of places that try to capture nostalgia. Most of them fail because they're trying too hard, slapping vintage signage over the same tired concept. But Cidercade gets it right because it doesn't feel like a museum. It feels alive. It feels like the place you wish existed when you were twelve, and somehow, miraculously, still exists now that you're old enough to appreciate it.

This was my first time, but it won't be my last. Some places you visit. Others...

My favorite game at this location of Cidercade is POLE POSITION. If this game should stop working, I have my hopes held high that it will get repaired as a top priority, or have another well working unit just like it ready to take its place right away. Also hope it will not get taken away to another location or offered for sale. I will not take it very well if this should happen. POLE POSITION is a very hard game to find at a vintage video game arcade. The last arcade that once had this game happens to be a Cidercade competitor that I don't care to ever go back to. There are other reasons I will not go back to this other vintage arcade, but will not get into that here. This Cidercade has 2 other games I like. I would be delighted if they had POLE POSITION 2, SMOKEY JOE from 1978, HANG ON, the original red motorcycle ride on cabinet design from 1985, Wave Runner from 1996 fully functional by a commercial air compression system, or MOTORCROSS GO, a dirt bike riding cabinet simulating riding on a dirt trail making laps within a time limit. Another of my favorites is KENTUCKY DERBY, a mechanical galloping horse racing game with a realistic english padded saddle for the game player to sit in. I am being unreasonable, and unrealistic, because these games are either hard to find, or difficult and expensive to maintain and repair. Just want to be heard by the owner what my dream arcade would have. Cidercade is my favorite vintage arcade game place, especially since the incentive of earning points on every visit, that can add up to a free admission someday, or other incentives. Again, PLEASE DON'T TAKE POLE...