CHICAGO AREA PINBALL SITES 2018

Each year, just prior to Pinball Expo, Dan Marquardt updates his report on the best pinball sites in the Chicagoland area for those visiting the metropolis.  Here is his look at the pinball scene in the Windy City for 2018.

It only gets better and better to go out and play pinball machines in the Chicago area. Mostly due to the continued popularity of barcades, there are numerous locations all over the Chicago area with fun pinball machines available to play.

Here is a list of the locations I have enjoyed visiting so far.  Some of the sites articles referenced are by M.G. Brown. Pinball Map has many more locations listed on their website. They very kindly gave me permission to use information from their excellent website for some of my updates.

1. Logan Arcade – Chicago See report Update: All the latest Stern pins are in their collection.

2. Replay (Lincoln Park) – Chicago See previous report Fourteen pinball machines available to play.

3. Emporium Arcade Bar (Wicker Park) – Chicago See previous report Update: Guardians of the Galaxy and Triple Play: Chicago Cubs have been rotated into their line-up.

4. Lemming’s Tavern – Chicago See previous report Update: Iron Maiden Premium and Road Show with a Color DMD are the current pins.

5. Brixie’s – Brookfield See previous report Update: An awesome wall of five super clean pins. Iron Maiden Premium, Star Wars Premium, Game of Thrones Premium, Ghostbusters Premium and Total Nuclear Annihilation are the current titles.

6. Galloping Ghost Arcade – Brookfield See previous report Update: They have four pins now.

7. Game Works – Schaumburg See previous report Update: Three pins from Stern are there now.

8. Level 257 – Schaumburg See previous report Update: The new Houdini pin has been added. A dozen pinballs to play there now.

9. Chicago Street Pinball Arcade – Joliet See previous report Update: Rob Zombie’s Spookshow International LE has been added.

10. Bottom Lounge – Chicago Pinball list courtesy of Gavin Miller: Bobby Orr Power Play x 2, Seawitch, The Addams Family, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Funhouse, Gilligan’s Island, The Champion Pub, Metallica and Bugs Bunny’s Birthday Ball.

12. Headquarters Beercade (River North) – Chicago Headquarters’ second location features over twenty top pins which are listed on their website. Update: Houdini, Guardians of the Galaxy Pro, Iron Maiden Pro and a Bally Eight Ball from 1977 have been rotated in.

13. Emporium Arcade Bar (Logan Square) – Chicago A second Emporium location with a few pins.

14. Brauer House – Lombard Update: Six pins, including Iron Maiden Pro, Total Nuclear Annihilation and The Who’s Tommy.

15. Five & Dime – Evanston See previous report.

17. FTW – Chicago Update: Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead and Medieval Madness are the current pins.

18. Replay (Lakeview) – Chicago See previous report

20. Rock Island Public House – Blue Island See previous report Update: A wall of seven well-maintained pins.