Toronto residents are spoilt for choice when it comes to nightlife and entertainment. The city is renowned for its great selection of bars and restaurants, and there are plenty of popular nightspots where you can party into the early hours.
But some people’s entertainment requirements are more niche than others and gamers fall into that category. So, if you prefer to spend your evenings playing arcade games, flipping on pinball machines or trying your luck on casino games, here are just a few options in Toronto.
Retro gaming
Retro gaming is all the rage right now and Zed80 is one of Toronto’s newest and most popular retro arcade bars. Located in Danforth, the bar was created by the same group who run the equally popular Tilt bar on Dundas Street West. Tilt is the biggest retro gaming bar in the city but we prefer the slightly more intimate atmosphere of the newer joint.
The focus here is on old-school arcade and pinball gaming. The venue attracts older customers seeking a nostalgic trip down memory lane and new gamers experiencing the games for the very first time. There is a good choice of arcade and console games from the golden age of gaming in the 1980s and 1990s.
Casino & bingo gaming
Toronto is not a big casino city so you will have to head about 30 minutes out of town to the Woodbine racetrack and casino if you want to play table games in a physical casino setting. There are a few other casinos even further away such as the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort if you have a car and don’t mind a drive. However, this is the age of the internet and there are plenty of online casinos that accept local players. And there are great websites where you can find daily deals on the best casino bonuses in Canada. Many of the casinos feature live dealers as well as a mind-boggling choice of slot games. So, your best option for casino gaming in Toronto is probably to jump online.
If you watched Season 1 Episode 10 of the TV show Better Call Saul, you might imagine bingo to be played exclusively by senior citizens in care homes but that is not the case. Toronto has a choice of bingo halls including Delts Bingo on St Clair Avenue, Dolphin Gaming on Eglington Avenue and Rama Gaming House on Kennedy Road. All of them offer a similar experience although Dolphin Gaming is our personal favourite with its combination of cool atmosphere, game choice and a good selection of food and drink. It attracts lots of young people and knocks bingo’s sometimes stuffy image out of the park.
Other games
Last but not least, there has been an explosion of board game bars and cafes in Toronto. Top venues include Snakes and Lattes, A-Game Café, Sea-Scape, Time Capsule and our personal favourite, For The Win with its library of over 1000 board games and fun drinks including the Nutella latte and a selection of bubble teas! Located at Yonge Street, it is well worth the trip. And did we mention? The snacks are delicious too!
This is just a small glimpse of what Toronto has to offer gaming fans. There are plenty more options to keep you and your gaming buddies powered-up for hours.
