Blipsy Bar

Pretty divey and dark. Had a few games, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here.

Had a girls night out a couple weeks back. Went to some other spot and drove around before we ended up at Blipsy Bar. My sister recommend it so we went. I was honestly in the mood for some rump shaking lol. So I was hesitant at first. We got in not overly packed (yes!) And seats at the bar (Double yes!) Lol. There was a drink list with $ 5 and $ 7 drinks we had a few Malibu piñas, I think they were called (drink made with Malibu rum) they were pretty good. My girls and I were having a great time. The décor makes you want to reminisce on your childhood. A bunch of arcade games, I didn’t play because I was too busy talking. At one point I looked over my shoulder and saw a giant stuffed tiger… or lion? Either way rawwrrr! The bartender was great! The drinks were great! I asked for a greyhound (with grey goose, that’s my go to drink and vodka of choice) ¾ of those and I was at the jukebox selecting 2pac «To live and die in L.A.», GNR and Prince lol. Ended up dancing with my girls and some other ppl there that wanted to dance. Had a great time and we’ll definitely be going back. No entrance fee, we parked on the street. No A/​C but I’ll still give it 5 stars because I had a blast!

Video Game Bar right in K-​Town. Have about 25 old school games and pinball machines. Some are broken and some eat your quarters but most of them are still only $.25. Cheap drinks and a good time.

Came here on a Monday because eighty two was closed. Nice variety of classic games with a full bar. Will definitely go again.

Looking for something cool and inexpensive to do for a date night? You should try Blipsy… It was our first time visiting Blipsy on Friday, April 1, 2016. I have to say the PROS definitely outweighed the CONS. We had lots of fun and will more than likely go back again.
The Pros:
1. Time flies when you’re having fun. An hour and a half went by so fast.
2. They have several old school arcade games: We played Playboy and Terminator pinball, Donkey Kong, Asteroids, Galaxian, Paper Boy, Fight Night and a few other arcade games.
3. Friendly bartender.
4. Wasn’t overly crowded.
5. Great music.
6. Most games were 25 cents.
The Cons:
1. They didn’t have Pac Man or Ms. Pac Man.
2. Tiny space.
3. Dimly lit.
4. Parking — I’m not really sure about because we parked in the neighborhood around the corner.

Uhh unless you enjoy playing very old games without a place to put your drink that isn’t covered in a thick layer of grime, I’d stay away. $ 7 beers and the opportunity to play paper boy in the almost darkness is not my idea of a good divey arcade bar. Also, what a lot of reviews seem to fail to mention, is that the delicious fried chicken place next door also makes the arcade smell like chicken grease.
…yum?

If you’re looking for a place that’s dark, very dive bar-​y and low-​key casual, this is your place. It’s a small space with a bar to your right once you enter, and the floors are unfinished. There are old arcade games around the room, and by old, I mean Paperboy, Asteroid, and Rampage old. Haha Still tons of fun, though! The games all take quarters, and there’s a change machine if you need it.
You can order beers, and there are some house cocktails for $ 5, but the cocktails come in these small glasses, like half the size of a regular glass. I don’t think it’s a fully stocked bar, but I also didn’t ask for any drinks other than what they offered. Also, note this place is **cash only**.
This is cool to go to if you wanna go out but don’t wanna dress up, and you’re looking for a really chill place to be and hang out with a friend or two.

A nice niche bar in the northern parts of Koreatown. Situated in a pretty shady neighborhood, Blipsy bar tries to offer something it’d be better off doing in Silverlake. Blipsy is really no different than any other bar and the games it has are pretty generic, and as a matter of fact: the number of arcade games here are pretty lacking. Bartenders were pretty horrible with customer service and looked like they didn’t want to be there, but I liked the concept.

So my husband & I like old video games & pinball machines & found Blipsy online while searching for them & it is pretty cool that it’s an adult bar & arcade! Good drinks & arcade, good combo. The only reason I’d give it 4 stars is because it was hot as hell in there until someone came in & put the air on! Otherwise with pinball machines, drinks & music it’s all good!

This is my local – I love this place. They have great drink specials (particularly on Sundays), an amazing juke box, and a cool dive bar ambiance. Be nice to the bartenders and they will welcome you with open arms!

Cheap drinks, 25 cent arcade games, brilliantly random DJs & amazing fried chicken next door.
This is a classic hole in the wall & it’s made even better by an excellent selection of old arcade games. DJ MARK OF THE VALLEY ON WEDNESDAYS IF YOURE LUCKY
ALL 80S VINYL!

Fun little place, though apparently I suck at Asteroids (highly confusing!). Owned by my husband’s friend, who plays in a great band with his brother, who also plays bartender. A pour of Jameson and a bottle of Stella cost the same $ 6, and the pinball machines and video games seem to attract equal amounts of attention from folks who came of age long after most had already forgotten about Pinball Wizard and Ms Packman. Comestibles may be had, not in the bar itself, but in the many late-​night eateries that surround Blipsy. One night after my hubby finished a brilliant job as DJ, we took a three-​minute walk to a pretty good phở place and celebrated with a magical midnight meal.

Have been here twice thus far, and both times the bar tenders have been rude. Although the games are neat, the times I’ve gone many were out of order. I’ve gone on a weekday and a weekend, and on the weekend the music was fitting. However, during the week it was like the bartenders wanted to play the most depressing music they could find. Drinks are slightly over priced for the atmosphere, it’s okay to check out once but I don’t recommend making it a regular spot.

Cheap drinks, 25 cent arcade games, brilliantly random DJs & amazing fried chicken next door.
This is a classic hole in the wall & it’s made even better by an excellent selection of old arcade games. I’ve tried the arcade bar in Downtown & found it completely soulless.
Blipsy’s is the original & by far the best.

What a cute little place! Blipsy Bar is a fun «dive-​y» small arcade bar with fairly inexpensive drinks and several arcade games. The selection of games isn’t super extensive but it’s a fun little bar if you want a more intimate small bar experience.
I can’t really comment on the parking situation since I walked from my apartment to the bar, but it seems like there is some street parking. The staff was friendly enough and the well drink I ordered was decent.

I went with my friend on a Wednesday night and we were barcade hopping. We came back from Bar 82 and that place was bumping. I remember my brother telling me of this place so i thought we should check it out. This place just had a feeling it was only a week away from shutting down. The bartender wasn’t even at the bar. They don’t accept card, half of the games are broken. Bathrooms are gross. and they were having a birthday party for a bunch of gamers who weren’t drinking. Had such a weird vibe. I like dive bars as much as the next guy but this was just strange

I don’t like arcade games, and I don’t remember much of the 80’s, but this bar is pretty close to what I’m looking for in a watering hole. Video game sounds didn’t annoy but added a cool ambiance when they weren’t drowned out by the jukebox (I heard Black Flag and The Smiths when I was there tonight). I stopped here 2 nights in a row, Saturday and Sunday, and neither night was packed. Bottles of Redstripe were $ 6 so I’ll probably check for a cheaper beer the next time I drink here.

There is so much to complain about this place. It is practically hidden with no posted hours of operation. No parking. I am pretty sure that women of ill repute frequent this establishment. It is stuffy, dank, and seedy as hell. I would not recommend this place to a vast majority of people that I know. I went with my brother, and he ordered a double Jameson on the rocks. It cost him $ 28. The bathrooms are dirty and separate from the building and God only knows what has taken place inside of them.
And this magnificent place can only exist in K-​town. There are a bunch of old video games and a bar. A DJ was spinning «Madness — Uncle Sam» (a new wave British 80s song that got absolutely no air time in the United States). The DJ was dancing and this guy (by total coincidence) who I ate across from at Castle BBQ thirty minutes ago began hopping from one foot to another in front of the DJ in time to the beat. It was one of those surreal experiences that I live for.
Do not go here on a first date. Do not go here with your parents. Do not go here if you are looking for anyplace «classy». That’s what SoDoSoPa* is for.
This place is for degenerates, and for degenerates, it simply does not get any better.
*Can I please have a badge?

It was just okay. Much smaller than I expected and a few machines were not working. Joysticks on some games stuck too. Chill place to drink though.

Do NOT come here during hot weather.
I am in completely agreement with Eric M. Re: his observations and why the hell there are so many positive reviews for this joint.
My first impression is that Blipsy is a big hot steaming dump.
Pro:
good selection of video games
Con’s:
Disgusting dirty «was the last time this place as cleaned in the 80’s?» feeling
Video game consoles are pretty banged up
No place to put your drink
POOR ventilation esp on a hot summer night. I stood in one spot under a grimy vent to keep cool
Great concept poorly executed. Clean the grime up and fix the AC problem — I will be back but doubtful this will happen.

Back in 2010, i was riding my bike late at night. The streets of LA were full of gangs and pigs (cops) who all wanted to kill me. I had a 3 pack of tecate tallboys before i set sail into my endless journey. Trying to stay alive in a city that can make you feel like you dont exist, i began to look for holes in the wall to make a rest stop. As i was going down western i saw this neon Pacman Ghost sign at a blacked out location. My curiosity got the best of me. I tied my bike up, pounded my last tallcan and opened those big black side doors as if i had entered a room in Resident Evil 1. I could feel the blood rush all over my body as i stared into the light. I could not comprehend what was happening so i took a deep breathe, closed the doors and stepped foot inside. I was instantly in love with the place. At the time there was no door man to check ID and they didnt have a liquor license. It was straight beer only but thats ok because i was loaded already. It was pitch black, wrapped around like a maze with nothing but retro arcade machines and a had small bar with a stage towards the back. I could see light particles everywhere like when you turn on a flashlight in a dusty place. There was about three people max in there so i magined this place was super secretive or not a banging place. I didnt care, it was right for me. I stayed and played donkey kong, rampage, paper boy etc until i ran out of quarters. Flash forward to present time and now everything has changed. The interior, to the bar and vibe are no longer reminiscent of that ancient barcade i stumbled upon back in 2010. If you go on Saturday night it no longer is that quiet, gamer barcade it used to be. That’s not entirely a bad thing. You can socialize with people that share a common interest, video games and alcohol. Just have a good time as it is still better then going to an over hype, very crowded club.
Up-​Up-​Down-​Down-​Left-​Right-​Left-​Right-​B-​A-​Start
Thank me later

I LOVE hanging out playing old school arcade games with my pals while simultaneously getting tipsy at Blipsy! They have quarter machines at the back heading towards the restroom so you don’t have to ask the bartenders. Every night I’ve been there they have a variety of drink specials that have been as low as $ 5! The ONE complaint I would have is that it’s a cash only joint. But maybe they have good reason for that… The vibe is awesome and a few times they’ve had a DJ! I’ve met some cool peeps there too. CHEERS!

8.00 for ketal and cran. In a mall glass, really!
That is sh8not a dive price at a very divfe bar. I love dive bars, the locals are always nice, sorry i didnt stay longer at those prices. I went to a place with a i4jj on melrose for the same price and biggijger glashdsexs. The bartender was nice thought. I would have stayed but I ran out of quarters.

While many other establishments combine old school arcade games with alcohol, Blipsy Bar has perfected the concoction. One part dive bar, one part 80s punk, one part sexy nerd, shake vigorously and pour into a frosted collins glass of amazingness. Garnish with low prices and friendly service.
Prejudicial me thought for sure that an arcade in Koreatown would be rife with Koreans and/​or males, but this place was super white although much less male than I expected.
A great, friendly vibe. Hop on your flying ostrich and q*bert jump your way to Blipsy Bar now because elf needs food badly.

I always live finding dive bars! This is like a cheaper older barcade, because the only other barcade I know of is in downtown and is much more expensive in terms of drinks.
Cheap drinks and old school pinball machines and arcade games.
Only downside is the bar is CASH ONLY and it can get a bit hot in there, seems like there is not great air circulation.

It was a Tuesday night when I tried this place out so I’m sure it’s usually not that busy. The vibe was whatever. I didn’t enjoy the music the DJ was playing. It almost seemed as if it was from the video games. The games are a quarter so I was so happy they’re cheap but let’s talk about what really mattered… The drinks and the bartender.
I ordered a sex on the beach because I love my fruity drinks and the bartender looked at me with a «wtf» face. Okay, I know that’s a little girl drink but he didn’t have to look at me that way. Lol. I didn’t want to leave him a good tip, but my boyfriends a bartender so of course he wanted to leave a good tip. That stupid bartender didn’t even say thank you and he continued his conversation with another pair. That aside, I noticed everyone was drinking beer and only my boyfriend and I had something else. That’s something to say about the vibe. Hahaha. The drinks were pretty strong. It’s a plus side if you’re just looking to get drunk. Lol.
Overall, this place was fun because of all the games but I did not enjoy the bartender’s attitude. The drinks were so so and my cup was kind of dirty.

Came on a Monday night for a friend’s birthday. The drinks are strong! Yes! Fair price, the games are cool and so nostalgic! Pin ball games was so fun and addicting! Set back?
Parking: street only
Music: it was great when I just walked in around 10 pm, the jukebox and it was Guns n Roses (Rick on!) but later a DJ came on and played unusual music, then Spanish music (nothing wrong with this music just didn’t fit the ambience of a dive arcade bar that’s set in the 80s) also this music was so LOUD, couldn’t hear the games nor people you were trying to talk to.
Might return…

I’m giving this a 4 star review because some of the pinball machines were having «issues». But besides that, this place is great and the drinks are cheap.
The cd juke box, which itself is a dying breed, was constantly being feed $ and while I didn’t look at what sort of selection there was, I was enjoying what was being played.
But the games. Oh the games. I got to play my late 20’s nephew in some Track n Field (he had no idea he was gonna get a work out :), Donkey Kong and one of my favorites, Spy Hunter. This wasn’t your normal Spy Hunter but one of the sit down style machines.
I’d definitely come back again. It’s a great place for smaller groups to hang out and chill.

I’m kind of shocked at all these great reviews for what I found to be mostly a dump. Read on…
PROS:
— It’s a dive bar with ~12 retro video games and 4 cool old pinball machines. Very cool idea (and trendy as hell right now).
— DJ who played great music with a mix of current stuff and not-​what-​you-​expect ‘80s music (Art of Noise! «Who’ll Stop the Rain» by Heaven 17!). LOVE that there was good music and a real person spinning (not an iPod on shuffle), even on a pretty dead Tuesday night.
— Good selection of classic arcade games (Joust, Robotron 2084, Defender, Galaxian, Pac Man, Ms Pac, Rampage, Donkey Kong, Spy Hunter, etc)… however, see below regarding the machines…
— My date’s Seven & Seven was REALLY strong, which led to some serious making out in a dark corner, so thank you for that heavy pour. ;-) This is what a dive bar is ALL about!
CONS:
— The bartender, while not exactly rude, wasn’t great. When I first walked in with my friend he greeted us and got our drinks– great. Then twice more that night I walked up to the bar to get something, and twice he was sitting on his phone, twice I just stood there like 2 feet from him (you know he knew I was standing there), twice I had to say something after standing there for a few minutes like a fool, twice he begrudgingly turned away from his phone and got me what I needed. (And yes, I took care of him with a good tip on the first round, as I have learned to always do…) EVEN THOUGH IT’S A DIVE BAR, THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS LIKE SHIT.
— The machines are in terrible shape. The Joust 2p joystick is wired to the 1p joystick so you can’t play two-​player mode (on one of the best two-​player cooperation games ever designed!). Lights were out and flippers were stuck on many of the pinball machines. Several of the machines ate my quarters. Robotron 2084 joystick didn’t work in some directions. Listen, if you’re selling the concept of drinking and playing video games, shouldn’t you make at least some effort for the games to work?
— Nowhere to set your drinks but on the floor (lame) or on top of the machines. (Hmmm, maybe that’s why the machines are jacked, people put their drinks on top and then they spill down into the electronics, or something?) Anyhow, it’d be nice to have little narrow tables between every 2^nd machine where you can put your glass. Not rocket science.
— It’s decorated… strangely. Big stuffed animals all over the place, which makes no sense (it’s an arcade/​bar, not a county fair) and ugh I can’t even imagine how gross/​sticky/​smelly those animals are. Weird sort of art thing hanging from the ceiling. A LOT of assorted crap behind the bar. It looks like a hoarder put it together. Again, even though it’s a dive bar, that doesn’t mean it has to be a dump. Look, call a friend with some taste and who gets the whole «dive bar» vibe to come in and spend a few hours just making it look right. (Hmmm I actually know exactly the right person who could make it amazing for you on the dirt dirt cheap, if you contact me.) Slap up some paint. Ditch the stupid/​gross stuffed animals. Again, you can still be a dark dive bar and a little seedy, but there’s a difference between seedy and GROSS.
— As many of the other reviewers have mentioned, it’s really, really hot in there because of all the machines (my date and I were literally dripping with sweat after an hour). And I’m sure it’s a lot worse when the place is busy. I realize this is probably a difficult problem to solve but I can’t help but think there must be something– anything– they could do to improve the situation… exhaust fans near the ceiling blowing hot air outside? Portable a/​c units? Ceiling fans? Something.
BOTTOM LINE: as I mentioned above, barcades are SUPER trendy right now… I was just in Denver and a big one there had a line literally down the block of folks queueing to get in. I dig the concept and location of Blipsy Bar, but the execution is pretty poor. It could be sooooo much better with just a tiny bit of effort.
I’m not suggesting it has to lose its status as a dive bar (in fact, that would suck), and I’m definitely not suggesting they put in big disco lights and jack up drink prices and attract a Westside crowd or whatever… but there are some basic issues that make this place much more shitty than it should be, and with SO little work/​money it could be twice as great… and much more dive-​y and cool and fun. And make me want to come back.

It’s 1984. 2 years before I was born. There are no cell phones, no computer games, but there’s this arcade bar right in koreatown where all the cool kids come to hang out.
Ok so it’s not 1984, it’s 2014 and there is an arcade bar located in Korea town, and it’s quite random.
So a friend of mine suggested that my girlfriend and I meet up with him at this spot. Upon arriving to the location it’s a bit deceiving as the exterior doesn’t have a sign but you will know you’ve arrived because It’s located next door to a fried chicken joint that I just bookmarked!
Once I entered through the dark black velvet curtains and into the murky dark and musty joint the bartender greets my girlfriend and I by asking for our Id’s. We proceeded to walk about 30 steps gazing at all the games and pinball machines and we were at the end of the arcade. Yah it’s that small.
The archaic arcade games brought back memories from my childhood that made me almost tear up. They were old, but oh how nostalgic and retro are the «in thing» now. We played a few arcade games but the pinball games took most of our money. We spent most of the time there.
After spending a good $ 5 on 25¢ games we made our way back to the bar and ordered up a few drinks. Ok so me personally I am not a drinker. I don’t drink beer and rarely drink mixed drinks but I do know what a good drink tastes like, and I have to say these were the worst drinks I have ever had in my life. My girlfriend along with my friend agreed. My cranberry and vodka tasted like rubbing alcohol and sour cranberry juice, and my girlfriends Tokyo tea was 90% liquor. Needless to say the bartender didn’t know how to bartend, and to top it off they only accept cash. So it really is 1984 here.
The nostalgic feel here is cool, it’s a great place to come and take a step back in time, but there are a few things that need to be improved. 1. Better ventilation. It’s hot as hell in there. 2. Better bartender. 3. Update and take cards. 4. Get some lighting in here it’s darker than Wesley snipes.

Went here after I got my korean bbq fix at Castle. This bar totally blew my mind. It’s pure genius! A dive bar meets 80’s arcade games and BAM! You got a barcade!
This dive bar is small, but it has a lot of character. The full stocked bar is impressive with their blue lights they use to make it stand out. Their drinks are cheap also, but to save on money you can also pre-​game! All you party people know what i’m talking about! :-P
The arcade games brings back old memories especially for 80’s kids! Who doesn’t love playing paperboy, rampage, donkey kong, double dragon, miss pacman, pacman, and knockout! You also have pinball games… ie: ‘Addams Family’. I sure love it!
If you have nothing to do, you can always eat at castle’s and walk to this barcade for some blooody fun!
Advice: Try playing punchout buzzed… You’ll have one H… E Double Hockey Sticks-​a fun!