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Sip + Play
Board game nights are a classic way to spend time with friends, especially when good food, refreshing drinks, and plenty of games are involved. Whether you’re looking for a lively bar, a local brewery, or a laid-back cafe, there are plenty of spots in Hoboken and Jersey City where you can grab a drink and settle in for a game. Read on for a complete list of places to play board games and grab a drink.
Hoboken
AKIHI Bubble Tea | 219 Washington Street
AKIHI Bubble Tea is a spot to grab a refreshing bubble tea while enjoying a selection of games with friends. The shop has games like Jenga, Kollide, Blokus, and Qwirkle available for customers to play. While there, enjoy some bubble tea favorites like the Mango Pomelo or the Taro Milk Tea.
Hoboken Board Games Meetup | 310 Washington Street
A Hoboken Board Games meetup group meets every Friday night at Panera Bread. This is a group of welcoming people sharing their love of board games with all comers. Gamers must RSVP and should plan to buy some game snacks from the host venue while playing.
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Play! Hoboken | 1012 Grand Street, Floor 3
The Game Lounge at Play! Hoboken is the star location for all things nerd, with Mah Jong every month, DnD twice weekly and once a week for kids, Commander every Sunday, Flesh & Blood on Wednesdays, and a Pokémon Swap every 2nd Sunday of the month with giveaways. There are hundreds of board games to explore. The lounge does not sell alcohol, but gamers can bring their own beer, wine, or seltzer.
Jersey City
902 Brewing Co. | 101 Pacific Avenue
902 Brewing Co. is a Jersey City brewery with a spacious taproom where visitors can enjoy craft beer alongside board games. The brewery also has a rooftop deck with Manhattan skyline views and regularly hosts live music, trivia, comedy, and other events.
Butler Cafe | 350 Warren Street
Butler Café is a coffee shop inside CoolVines Powerhouse that serves specialty coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and light bites, while CoolVines offers a selection of wine and other drinks. Visitors can also find board games to enjoy while they hang out and sip their drink.
Cafe Littles | 80 Mallory Avenue
Cafe Littles is a community-focused cafe that offers comfort food classics, speciality espresso drinks, and smoothies. While not gaming-centered, the shop has a selection of daily board games and other table activities that guests can enjoy alongside a delicious pastry.
Departed Soles Brewing Company | 150 Bay Street #2a
Nestled away on Bay Street but close to all of Jersey City’s public transportation, you’ll find the craft brewery Departed Soles. This brewery + tasting room offers a variety of beers brewed with 100% gluten-free ingredients, as well as many #DefinitelyNotGlutenFree options. Alongside your mini skateboard beer flight, have your pick of the atypical board games, such as Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots and Connect Four. Departed Soles also hosts Boardgames and Beers with the JC Board Games and Card Game group twice a month.
Four Winds | 591 Summit Avenue, Store 5
Four Winds is a trading card game and board game shop in the heart of Jersey City’s Journal Square, and features hundreds of board games to choose from. It also hosts community events every week, including Board Game Nights every Saturday and Board Game Meetups every Sunday. Four Winds is BYOB and outside food is welcome.
Lackawanna Coffee | 325 Warren Street
Lackawanna Coffee on Warren Street is a cozy cafe serving specialty coffee, espresso drinks, pastries, and light bites. The cafe also has board games available for visitors who want to grab a drink and settle in for a game.
McGinley Square Pub | 755 Montgomery Street
This dive bar in the McGinley Square neighborhood has rotating craft beers and games. No need to bring your own cards when the bar has its own decks, UNO, and the Never Have I Ever and What Do You Meme card games. The top of the barrels will hold your drinks and serve as the boards for chess + checkers.
Pet Shop | 193 Newark Avenue
Pet Shop is a vegetarian pub that also hosts live music performances and local events. Visitors can’t miss the bright neon birdcage on the back of the first floor, which leads to an assortment of board games tucked above the wall near the bathrooms. Jenga is best played on the high-top tables nearby for easy leverage and setup. Grab the Scrabble board and head downstairs to enjoy a game with a side of wine in the P.S. wine bar.
Snapdragon Coffee & Social | 190 Monticello Avenue
Snapdragon Coffee & Social is a local favorite among locals known for its homey, vintage-inspired atmosphere, quality coffee, and community-focused events. Along with a large selection of food and drinks, visitors can play some board games upstairs, where local events are also held.
Read More: A Guide to Sports Bars in Jersey City
Victory Point | 112 Brunswick Street
Victory Point is a top destination for tabletop gaming enthusiasts in Jersey City, with spacious tables perfect for any board game and a vast selection of games to choose from. Pricing is $10 per person, giving visitors unlimited time to fulfill their gaming desires. There are no food services available onsite, but it is BYOB and outside food is allowed.
Zeppelin Hall | 88 Liberty View Drive
NJ Boardgames, a community-driven hub for organizing tabletop gamers across the state, hosts monthly beer and board games at Zeppelin Hall. No RSVP is required, and interested gamers are encouraged to bring a game but are not needed to participate. Zeppelin Hall is a spacious German beer hall with plenty of tables and board games for visitors to enjoy.
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