Game lovers rejoice: a new board game café has debuted in the neighborhood. Called Bonus Round Game Cafe, the newcomer is located at 3230 N. Clark St. (between W. Belmont Ave. & W. School St.) in Lakeview on the city's North Side.
The board game café—housed in a 1,700-square-foot space—started out as a Kickstarter project in 2016 and has a gaming library of 300 titles, reports Eater Chicago. Visitors say the café charges a $7 per-person fee to play, but it is currently being waived.
"We love board games and believe in their power to bring people together and want to share that with as many people as possible," owners Drew Lovell and Courtney Hartley explain on their website. "We strive to create a welcome environment for those not familiar to board games and to those who seek them out."
Featuring sandwiches, light bites and coffee, the new café promises to have something for everyone. Visit the owners' blog to see some of their top game picks, including Not Alone, a "tense game of space survival," and the family-friendly Cat Tower, in which players stack and topple cardboard cats.
Bonus Round Game Cafe appears to be a welcome addition to the neighborhood, with a five-star rating out of five reviews on Yelp thus far.
Matthew L., who was the first Yelper to review the new spot on March 26th, said, "We had our server choose a couple games for us and both of them were a lot of fun. The staff was very friendly and super attentive while also not interrupting our games too many times. ... They had plenty of games for pretty much every comfort level."
Yelper Marie B. added, "We need more cool hangout spots like Bonus Round in this city. Supported by crowdfunding and offering a great alternative to a typical night out, Bonus Round is the perfect mix of coffeeshop vibes and friendly group fun with games and delicious food/snacks."
Swing on by to take a peek for yourself: Bonus Round Game Cafe is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11am–midnight, and weekends from 10am–midnight. (It's closed on Tuesday.)
