Awesome place! So much fun playing the throwback games! The service is excellent. Highly recommend.

Perfect for a casual night out with your nerd friends. 2 cover, affordable drinks, and plenty of classic arcade and video games, as well as the option to "check out" board and card games from the bar.

We stumbled upon this place by accident when we were visiting Bloomington. We had a great time playing the games and the drinks were good too. We were charged a small cover and then were allowed to play all of the games for free. The only exception is the pinball games (which makes sense since they are mechanical and parts need to be replaced for those). It is a really cool place and I really liked the vibe inside.

The Cade has good drinks and so many arcade games to play and hangout with friends with. Cool little theme bar and they used to do comedy nights back in the day.

I think I have a new fave! My son told me about The Cade, & I have to say I wasn’t disappointed, in the least. All the games were free, except the pinball games. It is a bar, so you definitely have to be 21. On street fighter game, I do have bragging rights, because I actually beat my gamer son. Some pretty cool retro games from games I played back in the day. #GenXrules!

Do you like the old fashioned arcade games from when we were kids? Do you like to drink while playing them? Then this is the spot for you! This place has it all. If you can grab a table while you are there, you can even enjoy the classic N64 games! The service is great, they have themed nights during the week and all of the games are free to play! Who would want more??

I have only been to The Cade twice now, so while I can't speak to the experience every day, I can detail the absolute blast I have had there, even if it the quantity is few. To start, I think The Cade is clearly intended for a certain audience. In Bloomington, there are more than a fair few bars and social drinking areas. While one could go straight for a more dive-bar vibe with Kilroy's or all in on a more sophisticated venue like The Dunkirk Library, The Cade speaks to nerds, geeks, and those who intend to have a fun time all around. One of the strongest benefits is that, in my experience, the folks who go tend to be a bit fewer in quantity, and very friendly. Both times I have gone I've come out having made a few friends and having more than a blast with the friend I have gone with. For those curious, The Cade offers free arcade games. A mix of original arcade cabinets as well as the NeoGeo emulators that have a ton of games on one cabinet. N64 and PSmini games are available at the bar in exchange for an ID. Pinball machines are available too, but require some cash unlike the cabinets and consoles. The bartenders are always kind. Having objectively little experience in bars, I was nothing but nervous, but anytime I asked for a recommendation or to try something on or off the menu, they did their best to accommodate me. Conversations at least seem to be totally welcome at the bar. It was a lot of fun learning that the gentleman I've had as a bartender both times was a streamer really did make me feel more at home amongst the nerds I mention. Drinks are wonderful. If I might ponder a bit -- I often wonder whether it is better to enjoy the fruity mixed drinks that mask alcohol or to just get used to a neat drink. My preference is most definitely the former -- I want the effect of a buzz without the harshness of alcohol. If that is what you prefer, then the drinks here are wonderful. Most definitely effective and on the cheaper side. 6 for a single or 12 for a double, 5 for slushes, which are updated daily, and shots, of course. All of the drinks are themed around games, anime, so on and so forth. A total plus when you go in on the theme of a barcade called "The Cade," but it is nice to see the amount of effort and creativity that goes into them. Both times I have gone, the opening hours are quite relaxed -- you might see a group or two in from 7 to 8. Around 9:00 or 9:30, things seem to pick up significantly. Both have a benefit, but just a note for the folks who prefer either a relaxed experience or a lively one. Whatever it is worth, even when it is busy, I have never met someone unkind or untoward and have even shared a booth with a stranger because we just hit it off. There are not enough good things I can say about The Cade. If you're just passing through Bloomington, a student, or a long time resident this is one of the places I would always recommend based on my experience!

Super fun bar, great old school arcade games , pinball, and console games in a cool space. Custom drinks are fun, but also a standard bar option.