For $25, you can buy a more advanced game with more pieces. That’s why Garneau and his team spent a lot of time hand-selecting staff for their roles.Of course, it helps that Garneau is also the events director for the “Eric is kind of this beloved figure in the Chicago gaming scene,” Temkin said, “because he’s such a friendly and inclusive, welcoming ambassador for tabletop, nerd culture, and all these things that I really like. I talked to the hostess stand twice. The second time I was apologized to and told my message would be handed directly to Joe. It’s a miniature town square with a giant, square-shaped bar dropped in the middle.The basement houses four private dining rooms, each decorated with a theme (a haunted office, for example). Condition - New.

Photography by Barry Brecheisen for Eater Got one drink and left. Restaurants are low-margin businesses, especially with claims of “I’m still working on convincing myself it’s a good idea,” McKay cracked.The chef’s most formative working experience came at McKay set out to create a fun menu of street foods that customers could enjoy without diverting attention away from the games. Perfect coffee, creamy beautiful cardamom ice cream, but the presentation completely ruined it. Add to cart.

The main dining room is surrounded by outdoor cafe-style seats that are more comfortable than they appear. We chose Hasbro's The Game of Life as our top pick. I can't wait to come back again. Definitely get the fries.

And he’ll need it, because running a restaurant is a mentally draining and physically challenging endeavor.Enter Aaron McKay, the cafe’s executive chef and Temkin’s business partner.

I joked that it was probably one of the last times we would be in a restaurant because of COVID. Queen Games .

And only $15 a person!Wow - these guys are great, and I haven't even been there yet!

They have office hours Tues-Sat 5pm to 9pm. But back to food and games. While the interior design was great, the food was delicious, and they had a great selection of games, the service was horrible and the food and drink were overpriced.
This is Chicago's first full-service board game cafe, from the creators of Cards Against Humanity. “They learn how to play, and there’s game designers there, and playtesters, and I just thought there should be a really world-class version of that in Chicago.”Temkin’s vision seems to be playing out fairly well. That's just imho, and not impacting the star rating. That support could push Chicago Board Game Cafe into new territory where it could become a linchpin for the city’s booming Bucktown and Logan Square neighborhoods. And walked around... but they were busy at night, and I was visiting from Los Angeles. Chicago Board Game Cafe boasts a collection of around 500 titles. Our waitress was so nice and friendly her name was Jenni (Jennifer) such a great…""We were here on a Tuesday night in late February. This guide will help you find the ideal board game for you and your friends or family and includes reviews of our favorites at the end. I decided to show up with my party of 8 and the wait was for 2 hours.

I can't wait to go there in person, but until then we will check out more of their menus: food and games!Super tasty small plate place (currently open for pick up only) that has gluten free and vegeterian options. Instead, they get a percentage of game sales from the retail store, McKay said.“We’re definitely not inventing anything new,” McKay said. I was not expecting it to be as delish as it was. They reduce eye strain for gaming, set the ambience, The service is attentive, in the same way Disney workers make sure customers know they’re at the happiest place on Earth. "My boyfriend brought me here for my 22 birthday yesterday because he knows I'm obsessed with this place. Definitely not the must-see experience all other reviews have noted.I would love to say I have been there but no one will return my calls for a reservation. Executive Summary:  Chicago Board Game Cafe--a generic name that really speaks to a salt-of-the-earth, working man's gaming cafe--should really be called Chicago Board Game Cafe for the Rich and Cultured. First off, the decor is beautiful. As I was walking home I noticed the lights were on in the building, so I dropped in to see if it was open. 2 days later and still no return call. We reserved a table ahead of time ($30/person before walking in the door.) If you don't know what you want to play, a friendly "game concierge" will help you pick a perfect game for you and your crew. Given that, these people were very professional while dealing w a crazy person calling the wrong restaurant. Delivery was perfectly on time; food was fab (loved the family style service too); and, their game directions and offer for a free online tutorial went above and beyond. I tried to do it online and didn't get a reply. I really would have given the place 5 stars before I had desert. You need people who are attentive but not overbearing. ChicagoDinnerAndGame.com, or GarneausTradingPost.com for a la carte games, drinks, etc. None of this made me or my friends want to come back.I really wanted to like this place. I would highly recommend this place if someone wants to check out a good time of food drinks and board games!I had the opportunity to have a game nigh at the Chicago Board Game Cafe during one of their soft launches. Here they bring a frozen dish with the scoop of custard (straight out of the freezer - the dish is frozen!)
But Chicago could just be the start.“Yeah, if things go well here, we’ll come see your friends in New York,” McKay said. Great Vietnamese bun and Exploding Kittens. My girlfriend raved about the Huaraches and I was blown away by the red curry (I ordered it with rib eye).

The verde rice was so flavorful, and the black beans were a perfect touch on top. We picked our scheduled time and they were prompt! Max eliminated his own salary at Cards Against Humanity and diverted it to the cafe payroll. I live down the road and wanted to like this place so much, but it was the worst customer service experience I have had in my 10 years living in Chicago. Another big part of the equation is finding the right games to pair with a great meal.