Boxcar Bar + Arcade sits on Foster Street in downtown Durham, North Carolina, operating as a barcade where the drinks list and the game cabinets share the same room. The venue is listed in our directory under the Video arcade category and has built a sizable following among Durham players and after-work crowds. With more than 2,100 reviews averaging 4.5 stars, it ranks as one of the more established arcade-style stops in the Bull City.
The barcade format pairs a full bar with classic and modern arcade play, and Boxcar leans into that grown-up setup rather than positioning itself as a family entertainment center. Foster Street places it within easy reach of downtown Durham’s restaurant and entertainment strip, making it a natural detour for groups who want to mix pinball and cocktails on a single night out. Visitors planning a Durham arcade crawl can use the interactive arcade map to see where Boxcar fits alongside other nearby stops.
For anyone new to the city and searching for a place to start, the arcade finder can filter by venue type and hours so Boxcar Bar + Arcade comes up alongside the rest of the Durham roster.
At a Glance
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | 621 Foster St, Durham, NC |
| Phone | +1 984-377-2791 |
| Hours | Sun 12 PM–12 AM; Mon–Tue 5 PM–12 AM; Wed–Thu 5 PM–1 AM; Fri 4 PM–1 AM; Sat 12 PM–1 AM |
| Rating | 4.5 out of 5 from 2,100 Google reviews |
| Best For | Adults and small groups pairing drinks with arcade play |
The Scene
Because review summaries and highlights were not available at the time this directory entry was written, the editorial picture here is built from the venue record itself rather than aggregated guest commentary. What can be said with confidence is that Boxcar Bar + Arcade carries a 4.5-star average across roughly 2,100 reviews, a sample size that places it among the better-documented arcades in Durham and makes it a reasonable anchor stop for any downtown outing.
The same-city roster in our directory includes another Boxcar Bar + Arcade listing as well as Frankie’s of Raleigh, Xepher Arcade, and The Baxter Arcade, giving visitors a fairly tight cluster of options for a single evening of barcade and arcade hopping in Durham. Anyone planning that kind of crawl can plot the route with the arcade map and confirm which venues are open on the night in question through the arcade finder.
Games & Machines
No specific machine list was provided in the source data for this listing, so individual cabinets won’t be named here. What the venue type does tell us is that Boxcar Bar + Arcade is set up as a barcade, the format that layers video arcade games and pinball tables around a central bar. That typically means a mix of upright video cabinets, modern pinball, and the kind of relaxed, adult-friendly seating that pairs a drink with a credit or two on the glass.
If the current lineup is what you’re after, the venue’s own site at theboxcarbar.com/durham/ is the place to confirm which games are on the floor before heading out.
Visiting
Boxcar Bar + Arcade is at 621 Foster Street in downtown Durham, a short walk from the rest of the city’s main entertainment strip. Phone enquiries go to +1 984-377-2791, and the venue’s own page at theboxcarbar.com/durham/ covers any current specials or event nights.
Hours skew toward late afternoons and evenings during the work week — the doors open at 5 PM Monday through Thursday, with Friday opening an hour earlier at 4 PM. Weekends are the longest stretch, running from noon on Saturday and Sunday through to 1 AM on Saturday and midnight on Sunday. Wednesday and Thursday nights run an hour later than the early-week pair, closing at 1 AM, and Friday and Saturday stretch to that same 1 AM close.
As a barcade venue, Boxcar is built around a bar service model rather than a family-entertainment format, so guests should expect an adult-oriented environment. Food and drink specifics, group bookings, and any age policy details aren’t included in the source record, so the best move is to call ahead or check the venue’s own page before planning a visit with a larger party or with anyone under 21.
Owners who want to update the hours, phone number, or games list shown here can claim the listing directly. Readers comparing Boxcar against the rest of the Durham scene can also browse Frankie’s of Raleigh, the other Boxcar Bar + Arcade entry in our directory, or jump back to the full arcade finder to plan the night.