{"id":17177,"date":"2019-10-10T09:34:19","date_gmt":"2019-10-10T08:34:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/?p=17177"},"modified":"2019-11-25T09:07:29","modified_gmt":"2019-11-25T09:07:29","slug":"chicago-area-pinball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/2019\/10\/10\/chicago-area-pinball\/","title":{"rendered":"CHICAGO AREA PINBALL 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor’s note:<\/em>
Every year, just before Pinball Expo, our correspondent Dan Marquardt brings us his selection of the best places in the Chicago area to play the silver ball. This year is no different, so anyone visiting the Windy City for the world’s biggest pinball show who finds themselves in need of even more of a pinball fix might like to check out his recommendations below. <\/em>
Dan has made a change this year, ordering them so you can go from one location to the next closest, making it easier to find locations which are close to each other.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was twenty years ago Williams stopped making pinball machines. At that time I thought the days of playing pins on location were over for ever. It was bleak for finding a working pin on location for many years but now, due mostly to the popularity of barcades, pinball machines on location are plentiful in the Chicago area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to Pinball Map<\/a> for allowing me to use their awesome website to update some of the locations on my list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Logan Arcade<\/a><\/strong> – Chicago
See previous report<\/a>
Update: Many recent Stern pins, classic pins, and now the two pins from American Pinball (Houdini<\/em> and Oktoberfest<\/em>) are there too. <\/span><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Some<\/a>
Some of the games at Logan Arcade
(picture: October 2019)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
2. Emporium Arcade Bar (Logan Square)<\/a><\/strong> – Chicago
Eighteen pins here with Oktoberfest<\/em> being the most recent addition.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Machines<\/a>
Machines at Emporium Arcade Bar (Logan Square)
(picture: October 2019)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
3. Lemming’s Tavern<\/a><\/strong> – Chicago
See previous report<\/a>
Update: Jurassic Park<\/em> (Premium) and Creature from the Black Lagoon<\/em> with a ColorDMD are the current pins. <\/span><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
The two games at Lemming’s Tavern
(picture: October 2019)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
4. Emporium Arcade Bar (Wicker Park)<\/strong><\/a> – Chicago
See previous report<\/a>
Update: Deadpool<\/em> is the latest pin to be rotated into their line-up.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Emporium<\/a>
A previous line-up at Emporium Arcade Bar (Wicker Park)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
5. Lucky Strike Social<\/a><\/strong> – Chicago
<\/div>Seven very clean recent Stern pins all set on five balls per play.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
The seven games at Lucky Strike Social
(picture: October 2019)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
6. Replay (Lakeview)<\/a><\/strong> – Chicago
See previous report<\/a>
Update: Attack From Mars<\/em> (Bally) and The Rolling Stones<\/em> (Stern) are the current pins.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Games<\/a>
A previous line-up at Replay Beer & Bourbon<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
7. Uptown Arcade<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Chicago
<\/div>They now have ten pins including a Stern Star Wars<\/em> (Pro). <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Games<\/a>
Games at the Uptown Arcade
(picture: October 2019)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
8. Headquarters Beercade (River North)<\/a><\/strong> – Chicago
<\/div>Sixteen pins with The Munsters<\/em> (Pro) and Black Knight: Sword of Fury<\/em> being the most recent. <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Some<\/a>
Some of the games at Headquarters Beercade (River North)
(picture: October 2019)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
9. Replay (Lincoln Park)<\/a><\/strong> – Chicago
Update: No change since our last report<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Replay<\/a>
A previous line-up at Replay in Lincoln Park<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
10. Emporium (Fulton Market)<\/strong><\/a> – Chicago
See previous report<\/a>
Update: Star Wars<\/em> Pro (Stern) is the most recent pin added here.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a>
A previous line-up at Emporium (Fulton Market)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
11. Bottom Lounge<\/a><\/strong> – Chicago
See previous report<\/a>
Update: Ten pins there, with the The Munsters<\/em> (Pro) and The Beatles: Beatlemania Pinball<\/em> being the latest.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Bottom<\/a>
A previous line-up at Bottom Lounge in Chicago<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
12. Brixies<\/a><\/strong> – Brookfield <\/a><\/strong>
See previous report<\/a>
Update: An awesome wall of five super-clean top pins. Iron Maiden<\/em> (Premium), Jurassic Park<\/em> (Pro), Medieval Madnes<\/em>s, Monster Bash<\/em> and Star Wars<\/em> (Premium) are the current titles.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
A previous line-up at Brixies<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
13. Galloping Ghost Pinball<\/a><\/strong> – Brookfield
See previous report<\/a>
Update: The Munsters<\/em> (Premium) and Monster Bash<\/em> (Chicago Gaming) are the latest additions here.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Galloping<\/a>
Galloping Ghost Pinball in Brookfield<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
14. The Game Show<\/a><\/strong> – Lombard
See previous report<\/a>
Update: Many recent Stern pins and classic pins available to play here.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
The Game Show in Lombard<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
15. Brauer House<\/a><\/strong> – Lombard
Five very clean pins: The Beatles<\/em> (Stern), Funhouse<\/em> (Williams), Iron Maiden<\/em> Premium (Stern), Metallica<\/em> Pro (Stern) and Scared Stiff<\/em> (Bally).<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
An earlier line-up at Brauer House<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
16. Pac-Man Entertainment<\/a><\/strong> – Schaumburg (formerly Level 257)
See previous report<\/a>
Update: Deadpool<\/em> and Oktoberfest<\/em> are the latest pins added here.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Chicago<\/a>
A previous line-up at Pac-Man Entertainment<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
17. Game Works<\/strong><\/a> – Schaumburg
Update: No changes since our previous report<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
A previous line-up at Game Works<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
18. Round-1<\/a><\/strong> – Aurora
Four recent Stern pins. All four were unplayable when I visited there in August.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Round-1<\/a>
Round-1 in Aurora<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
19. Prince Arcades<\/strong><\/a> – Bolingbrook
Six well maintained pins: Austin Powers (Stern), Black Rose (Bally), Comet (Williams), F-14 Tomcat (Williams), Monster Bash (Chicago Gaming) and Total Nuclear Annihilation (Spooky).<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Two<\/a>
Two of the pinballs at Prince Arcades<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
20. Rock Island Public House<\/strong> – Blue Island
See previous report <\/a>
Update: The wall of well-maintained pins has increased to nine, with Batman 66<\/em> LE (Stern) being the latest addition.<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a>
A previous line-up at Rock Island Public House<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was twenty years ago Williams stopped making pinball machines. At that time I thought the days of playing pins on location were over for ever. It was bleak for finding a working pin on location for many years but now, due mostly to the popularity of barcades, pinball machines on location are plentiful in the Chicago area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":17179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[904,96,97,167],"class_list":["post-17177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sites","tag-barcade","tag-chicago","tag-illinois","tag-usa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17177"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17177\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18367,"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17177\/revisions\/18367"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17177"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}