Barcadia On 5th

One of my new favorite places to be. It’s not like Up-​Down in Des Moines but I’m looking forward to seeing how Barcadia on 5^th grows into its niche. The boy and I popped in to check it out and were greeted by the owner Anna. She is by far a very lovely woman who at first glance you would never assume owns an arcade bar. It wasn’t busy at the time so it was nice to have first dibs on whatever game we wanted to play. They’re in the process of getting a couple new games – one of which is Tron! There’s also darts and pool in addition. Great drink prices and friendly people.

Sometimes you hear «dive bar» and think good time. You may also associate «dive bar» with not in the best of areas and poor lighting. Barcadia hits all of these points. Bonus: If you use the Google Maps directions, you’ll be taken through a neighborhood and think you’ll be getting ready to party in someone’s basement.
When walking into Barcadia, I was immediately greeted by three pinball machines, Ms. Pac-​Man, Galaga, and could see Tekken 2 staring me down near the back of the room. Basically, it was my childhood arcade, but with beer and better music. Speaking of the beer selection, there aren’t any taps, but the bottle selection is pretty strong. And, I mean, it’s only $ 5 Tank 7’s.
Given the reaction the bartender had to the fairly sizable group I was with, I don’t think the place is typically busy… at all. This place is great for just relaxing, watching some sports, and passing time with old school video games. If you run out of quarters, don’t fret, there is a change machine next to the jukebox (which, oddly, takes cash — not quarters).
One other random event that I enjoyed while we were there were just the various groups of people coming together over random matches of Tekken, Mortal Kombat, or darts. Small crowds formed around each game and it just isn’t something I’m used to seeing at other bars. Then again, I might be going to the wrong places.
Give Barcadia a try and I guarantee you’ll want to go back again.

I’ve been getting my girlfriend into playing pinball games in digital format lately — up until a week or so ago, she had no idea the tables had actual plots/​points/​etc and weren’t just opportunities to watch the flashing lights and ringing sound effects. I suggested we finally make a trip into Strawberry Hill, KCK, then, for an evening of the real thing!
We arrived around 9pm on a Saturday night to the crushing sounds of Helmet’s «Meantime». YES! Barcadia has a few newer pinball machines (and one really old one that Granpa would probably pass on), a bunch of the old sit-​down table top games with Ms Pacman, 1942, and the lo-​fi games from the 80s. The back of the room has about 8 stand-​up arcade machines — Tekken, Mortal Kombat, a couple of other 80s-​compilation cabinets, that sort of thing. A pool table and darts round ou the room.
The drinks were strong and cheap, and the place filled up pretty nicely around 9:30. Even though we live a short 10 minute drive away, Strawberry Hill isn’t our normal hangout area — not to worry, we didn’t feel like tourists once. There was a good mix of younger-​ish hipster kids, locals, and people just there to drink. All in all, a really good expereince, and we’ll keep coming back when we’re struck with flipper fever!

This place may be my new favorite after-​work destination.
Luckily (?) I work in a very strange part of town (shhh, it’s a secret), and it affords me particularly easy access to Barcadia. When the subject came up at work about «Geez, I REALLY need to get out of the office before I smack someone!» I realized, «Hey! Barcadia just opened up, and it’s less than 5 minutes from here!» So, we went!
This place used to be the old 403 before they moved to a bigger location off of Central. I’m really glad the new ownership has taken such great care in not only keeping this great neighborhood destination open and inviting! You seriously cannot go wrong on a warm summer evening with the sundown streaming into the joint while you have a cold Victoria and play a console packed with every great video game from, like, ever.
(Xevious was my particular choice on this occasion, btw. You can see my high score, there, if you’re interested)
Anyhow, gonna get over there as often as I can to sit on the back patio, enjoy friends and drinks, and zap some invading hordes of invaders from space. You should to! Help the neighborhood by keeping it local, and help humanity by keeping those pesky aliens away from our planet! The latter only takes a quarter, so get on it!

Fantastic little bar located in Strawberry Hill. Staff was quite friendly and the vintage video games were a great touch.

This place would have been awesome. Being from California, I thought I finally found a place worth going to.
Sadly, they water down their well vodka. Never in my life has Barton tasted smooth and when it was brought to the attention of the bartender she just replied to my boyfriend, «you must just be an alcoholic.» Which was super uncalled for. I will not be back here and urge no one else to go here. If someone is willing to break the law to turn a profit, there’s no telling what they’ll do to their patrons.

Lovely staff, great private patio, arcade games, pool table, trivia, Strawberry Hill. I could go on and on.

Ever since my little View on the Hill was run into the ground by a new owner, I have been looking for a new place to have a weekend drink. And now, I have found it thanks to Anna Cole and her staff. Barcadia is a cute, friendly, clean, inexpensive place to have drinks with friends, listen to all kinds of music and play myriad video games. There are TVs for watching sports, etc. There is a little patio in the back. We had no trouble finding parking but it is street parking so there may be times when it isn’t as easy but it’s there. Some of you scaredy-​cats out in the ‘burbs like to dis KCK about being dangerous. Well, I have lived in this neighborhood for 22 years and I assure you, this area is completely safe. One always has to be on their toes in the city, no matter where you are but this is a well-​lit location in a quiet, residential neighborhood. I believe this is going to be my new neighborhood bar.