The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe — Restaurant in Burlington

For what it's worth, I don't stop and review businesses idly, not because I don't wish them well or anything, but more because I never get around to it.

I'd like to make an exception to that and give an enthusiastic thumbs-up to our local board game cafe, The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe in Burlington (literally just across the river from Winooski, at the Chace Mill). Lots of metro areas have boardgame cafes where you can drop in, play a game, get a bite to eat, and hang out, but mysteriously, Chittenden County didn't until seven weeks ago.

The staff (Kerry, Preston, and Justin are the folks we've interacted with) are super friendly and super knowledgeable -- if you walk in and say "I want a game that involves livestock and aliens that can be played in under an hour and that takes less than ten minutes to learn" their eyes will unfocus for a second and then they'll go "Right!" and lead you right to said game. And then they'll helpfully explain the rules to whatever extent you need help. Apparently they know all the rules for every game ever created and many that don't. They have, literally, hundreds of games, for every age and skill level.

The food there is very good also -- they have giant pretzels, plates of pickles, sammiches of all kinds, drinks, coffee, you name it. At the end of every session, they bring you complementary cotton candy. What's not to like?

I do not own stock in The Board Room nor do I expect to gain materially by posting this over-the-top review. I just want them to stay open and prosper so I can hang out there...

I can't say enough about this place! We enjoyed the board room from open to close on a Thursday evening. The food is delicious and the menu has a lot to offer. Hoagies, grilled cheeses, brunch menu, appetizers, and drinks for anyones tastes. Wine, beer, hard cider, soft drinks, shakes, ect... The prices were reasonable, the staff is very friendly and willing help anyone out who has questions, and I haven't even mentioned the board game selection yet! They have over 700 games to choose from that you can grab and play at your table. All for just $6 as long as they are open for the day. If you have a game that you aren't sure to buy or if you will like it you can try it out here. They also have a great big selection of games you can purchase and take home, or they can order you the game you want as well. Lastly I will say the atmosphere in this board game cafe just feels wonderful. The exposed wood beams in the ceiling the open staircase to the lower level, the many tables to choose from and even a more comfy area with couches and coffee tables. If your looking for a great place to relax with friends or family this is your spot! 😁 They even give a discount to first responders and the military. join in on their weekly events meet new friends, and support local businesses, this is one of the best! Thanks for such an enjoyable experience. I will always remember where I learned to play teraforming mars at for the...

Hands down the worst game cafe/restaurant I've ever been to. There's no vibe. No decorations, no theme, no music, plain boring tables, uncomfortable chairs. Take away the people and you have a plain, boring space with a bunch of bookshelves. But less cozy than a library. There's no written list of all the games, they showcase games you can't actually play, and categorize things alphabetically. They expect you to walk around, sort through every single game and pick it out yourself. Why would it be categorized alphabetically and not by game category? If there's no list or description of games, how are you expected to know and remember all of the offerings? If you're pulling games off the shelves and touching everything, how do you know everything is kept in order, and how would you know what's already been taken if there isn't a list? How do you know what games you're missing? How do you know the game has been cleaned?

It's like they bought a space, stuffed games on shelves, put no effort into anything else, and called it a business. Two stars because the food offering was good. Random and not many snack...