Up-Down KC is a retro barcade that has carved out a popular spot in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District. Set across two floors of classic arcade games, pinball machines, and skee-ball lanes, the venue blends vintage gaming with a full bar atmosphere that keeps visitors well into the early morning hours. It is one of the most recognizable arcade-bars in the metropolitan area and a recurring stop for anyone searching the find-an-arcade directory for a place to play and socialize.
The Crossroads neighborhood is itself a draw, with street art, galleries, and concert venues clustered around the same blocks as Up-Down. Sitting on Southwest Boulevard, the barcade fits the district’s casual, creative energy while offering something distinctly tangible: rows of glowing cabinets, skee-ball lanes, and a rooftop bar that reviews consistently call out. You can see where it sits on the interactive arcade map alongside neighboring venues like DoubleTap KC, Pawn and Pint, Rewind Video and Dive, and Ricochet.
At a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Address | 101 Southwest Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri |
| Phone | +1 816-982-9455 |
| Hours | Sun 11AM–3AM · Mon–Tue 3PM–3AM · Wed–Thu 12PM–3AM · Fri–Sat 11AM–3AM |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 from 4,300 Google reviews |
| Best For | Retro gaming nights, beer and pizza hangouts, group outings, late-night play |
What Players Say
The combination of strong games, affordable drinks, and a nostalgic atmosphere lifts Up-Down KC to a 4.6 rating across roughly 4,300 Google reviews. Visitors consistently praise the breadth of the game selection (“two stories of classic games, good music, rooftop bar immaculate vibe” — Google review), the beer list (“great beer selection, and always a fun stop” — Google review), and the food, with the giant pizza slices standing out as a signature (“the best pizza by the slice. The slides are hugeeeee and delicious!!!” — Google review). Staff earn consistent praise for being quick and attentive (“bartenders are all quick and attentive which i always notice” — Google review), and pricing is described as fair, with games running at roughly $0.25 per play (“Games are basically .25 a play” — Google review).
The atmosphere is the headline for most visitors, with one summary line capturing the mood well: “Nostalgic vibe, great for a night out! Retro games, friendly staff and outside seating” — Google review. That said, the review base is honest about the rough edges. Machine reliability is mixed across the floor, with several reviewers reporting that some cabinets malfunction or fail to register plays (“lots of machines that outright steal your money or are malfunctioning in 1 way or another” — Google review). Crowds spike on weekends, where one reviewer noted it can be “way to crowed to actually get to any of the games. No seating available” — Google review. Parking in the Crossroads area is a recurring complaint as well (“Virtually no parking though so park on the street somewhere a walk a couple of blocks” — Google review), and a small number of visitors wish the drink menu ran wider (“they are a bar and couldn’t make A white Russian or Jack and Coke” — Google review).
Games & Machines
Up-Down KC is built around two floors of classic arcade cabinets, pinball machines, and skee-ball lanes, which is how the venue positions itself and how visitors consistently report the layout. The mix leans nostalgic: vintage-style cabinets, modern pinball, and carnival-style skee-ball share the floor with a rooftop bar that lets you take a break between sessions. Per-play pricing is reported at roughly $0.25, in line with the kind of retro, quarter-fed arcade experience the Crossroads crowd expects. The venue’s own website is the most reliable source for a current machine list if you want to confirm a specific title before you go.
Visiting
Up-Down KC sits at 101 Southwest Boulevard in the Crossroads Arts District of Kansas City, Missouri. The opening pattern shifts through the week: a 3 PM start on Mondays and Tuesdays, a noon opening on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and an 11 AM opening from Friday through Sunday, with closing time consistently at 3 AM across all seven days. That makes it an easy choice for late-night gaming sessions or Saturday afternoon outings.
The bar side of the operation is well stocked, with a beer selection that regulars consistently rate highly, and the kitchen turns out the giant pizza slices that visitors cite as a signature feature. Sunday bundle deals and birthday perks are noted extras that can stretch a visit’s value. Service is friendly, and the rooftop bar plus outdoor patio spaces give the venue more room to spread out than the typical barcade footprint. For anyone planning a first visit, the strongest practical advice from the review base is to arrive early on weekend nights if you want a shot at the most popular machines, and to plan for street parking that may require a short walk.
If you want to find more spots like this one, the RetroArcade arcade finder indexes barcades and arcades across the country, and the interactive arcade map is a fast way to see what else is open nearby in the Crossroads. Operators who want to keep their listing accurate can update it through the claim your listing page.