Barcade — Restaurant in Philadelphia

So I have visited this spot a few times over the years and much like game addled Alzheimer's patient, my memory returns once I walk into those oddly placed doors. Barcade combines the best part of A Standard Dive ie Dark and low-key with a small but shockingly well put together Barfood/tapas style menu. Most of the menu is some level vegetarian/gluten free, and there are thankfully some meat options for those of us who like life in general, but EVERYTHING on the menu is flavourful so you aren't missing out if you decide to adventure into the Herbivore land. The Hummas of the week was particularly fun as it was a coconut curry and it ABSOLUTELY worked. The drink menu had a similar depth of favor and interest with an ability to have several pairing options for your food. But this while being fabulous isn't the reason why you came to Barcade. You came here for the Back half of the Bar.. That's right, half of the space is taken up with arcade cabinets. It's a impressive group of curated old school games. Like could emulations of all these games fit into your Cellphone right now, Yes.. Could you find most of these games available on a Next Gen system or computer.. Again yes and yes. However there is an intimacy that is lost having access to these machines at home. Like owning a Tiger vs seeing them out in the wild. These arcade cabinets take you back to when we couldn't afford the latest and greatest and we had to go out to a local spot. They were where we meet our friends and got to blow off the steam of the day /week.. Well those are back with Beer, and Unlike certain other locations the goal isn't to separate all of your money from your wallet, but a genuine chance to have a good time. The volumes of the machines are set up so you don't have to scream to be heard which take into It's also being a fabulous date location, Playing a competitive video game with some who's a little tipsy is great way to figure out exactly what type of Jackalope you are dealing with. It's a great spot to chill and now that I have written this, it's very clear that I need get out and over...

ZERO stars to this place. What a horrible first time experience. As a traveler and night life reviewer, this place was not it. I come in with my husband, who has been here before with no problems, sit at the bar, & right away the bartender looked miserable. I understand people go through things, but do not let that interfere with your chosen profession of working with people. I ignored it as we didn’t come just to sit at the bar, we wanted to play the games. My husband orders a tequila & ginger ale, the bartender proceeds to pour the house tequila and he kindly asks if he could have espolón instead. Right away, she rolls her eyes, huffs and puffs, and slams down the bottle of well tequila. Excuse me? Is this how you act in front of all your guests? Don’t know if it was because she was already miserable, mad to be working late on a Tuesday night, or she was racist. Who knows. Needless to say that was the start of a huge problem. Middle aged blonde haired bartender is a big red flag. DISRESPECTFUL is an understatement.. The manager with the beard & glasses was of no help either and just seemed to be assuming we were in the wrong because we were upset & he took her side, encouraging us to leave if we don’t like the bartender. What kind of establishment does this? For not asking for a specific tequila when ordering? Give me a break. Engage with your guests and maybe that request would’ve came out instead of rushing us to order a drink and pay. We could’ve stayed, but I would rather have spent my money somewhere where we are respected and treated kindly like any other human being would. These people made me extremely uncomfortable with how they chose to treat guests in this situation. You never know who you are serving. First and last time coming to this location. Do better with who you hire as employees and learn how to treat well-paying customers....

I was recently informed of an incident that occurred at Barcade Fishtown. My friend, an adult with diagnosed and federally protected special needs, was not initially allowed into the bar due to the symptoms of his disability. Not only was he not allowed in, but he was forcefully pushed out by a bouncer after the bouncer was clearly informed of the disability. This establishment has violated the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications, with Barcade being a public accommodation. Furthermore, ADA Title III covers businesses and nonprofit service providers that are public accommodations. Public accommodations are, as defined by Title III, private entities who own, lease, lease to, or operate facilities such as restaurants, retail stores, hotels, movie theaters, private schools, convention centers, doctors’ offices, homeless shelters, transportation depots, zoos, funeral homes, day care centers, and recreation facilities including sports stadiums and fitness clubs. Public accommodations must comply with basic nondiscrimination requirements that prohibit exclusion, segregation, and unequal treatment. They also must comply with specific requirements related to reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures; effective communication with people with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities; and other access requirements. Barcade is in violation of this act. The ADA allows for my friend to file his complaint of title III violations with the Department of Justice, and to protect his civil rights, I absolutely...