Dogpatch Games — Local services in San Francisco

My partner and I had an incredible experience at Dogpatch Games this past Friday. We are from out of town but were in the neighborhood and were excited to discover a board game shop nearby. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the most wonderful and friendliest employee who made us feel right at home. They went above and beyond to not only enthusiastically share a few of their favorite games, but also graciously took the time to explain the different dynamics and flows in detail of the board games, as well as recommending more intricate games to embark on after we got started. We went from being complete game noobs to rushing home excited to play Fluxx (OBSESSED, you were right, it’s a winner and new favorite!) and eager to watch gameplay videos for many more future game purchases! Just wanted to extend our gratitude and thank Gir, they were amazing and their passion was contagious. Hope we can have the pleasure of living in this city one day so we can take part in the awesome events...

I want to write two reviews...

5 Stars - The store is great with a fun atmosphere, a friendly helpful staff full of recommendations for those of us less versed in games and what seem to me like reasonable prices for products. They have nice outdoor seating for sunny days.

1 Star - Actually playing at the store or in one of their game events is very expensive. Other game stores seem to charge $5 to get in on a game of D&D when they are available but here a session cost $15. If I wanted to meet friends here then we have to pay an hourly rate to sit at an outdoor table or we could become members for a monthly fee and only get a couple hours of free table time. And god forbid it's cold outside or you want to play past sunset, then you are paying to play in the cold.

I'm looking for a place to DM and play in in-person D&D games but I don't think this is it. Berkley Games looks promising if a big of a commute and an extra...

Ever since it opened DPG has been my favorite place in the neighborhood. The staff and community here are incredible, as is the selection of games. I highly recommend checking the website for events (especially Learn to Plays, which are a great way to dip your feet in) and the Discord server to find people to play with. The weekly League is also fantastic as a way to meet people and learn new games, so keep an eye out for when the next season is starting! No matter what games you're interested in or what your experience level is, there's something...