13 board game cafes to play Catan and DnD in NYC

There are more than 500 games at this Court Street gaming hub, which is generous with its tables: you get four hours of play for just $15. You’ll need those four hours because its games span genres from ancient and modern strategy games to adventure-, mystery- and sports-themed games, from family/parlor/party games and military/historical games to word games and card games, as well as role playing and miniature games. 

The staff is ready to teach hands on and regularly hosts events, leagues and tournaments for those who want to get their friends together to battle it out on a map or board. Kids also have space here during after-school programs, camps, weekend classes and more.

And of course, there’s a cafe to keep you fueled along the way with tea, coffee, cookies and snacks.

If you’re inspired by the generous selection of rental games, you can purchase a title from the cafe’s shop.

Pro-tip: If you’re making a visit during the warm-weather months, arrive early to score a spot in the cozy backyard area. 

In the heart of Greenpoint, this gaming hub is filled with a curated but extensive selection of 600+ board games to play and a retail shop to purchase your own copies, from classics to newer titles. Additionally, this spot hosts Dungeons & Dragons nights for adults, teens/tweens, kids, LGBTQ+ folks, BIPOC, women and more, where you can either learn how to play or enjoy a playthrough with new friends.

Pair your game night with a snack, dessert or drink and it's a unique date night or memorable friend outing. Owner Whitney Wolfe says her goal is to create a space where people can find friendship and community. 

New York City’s original board game cafe is nestled a few blocks from Washington Square Park and within the NYU campus, The Uncommons continues to draw a crowd week after week. Specializing in just about anything you can imagine—card games, cooperative play and family games, to name a few—The Uncommons will keep you entertained for hours on end. Our advice? Head there if you like playing Magic: The Gathering (and if you enjoy snacking on pastries, hot chocolate and other bites).

Chaotic Good Cafe is run by New Yorkers passionate about gaming and a good cup of coffee. This third space on the Upper West Side pours joe from NYC and its sweets and cafe menu, as well as some of its games and furniture are sourced from the city.

With a current growing list of about 500 games, this spot provides a safe and cozy space to play both classic and recently released board and card games, as well as tabletop role playing games, including Dungeons & Dragons. Check out its One Shot nights led by local dungeon masters, who'll take you on a new adventure with your neighbors.

"We're lucky enough to have a cafe where the players can connect with the space they're playing in," says Andrew Panos. "This is the spot, the table, where they get to go on their missions full of imagination and creativity, but they also experience emotions that they can't get all the time in their day-to-day life. I think people want to have those moments and experiences, and share them with others, and they can be hard to find amidst the stress and mundane."

Head uptown for match against your pals at Hex & Co.’s flagship. With over 1,000 games to choose from, it claims the title of Manhattan’s largest board game cafe at 4,000 square feet.

It serves fresh espresso, coffee, hot food, desserts, draft beers, and complimentary wi-fi as many of the city’s cafes do, but it also has an abundant events calendar (including Dungeons & Dragons games for all levels, Lorcana League and Commander Night).

Open now for more than 45 years, The Compleat Strategist is a serious gamer’s paradise. It boasts a large in-store inventory of board games, roleplaying game systems and accessories like minis, and a knowledgeable staff to help pin down that game you’re searching for if you can’t find it among the shelves piled high with the latest releases.

It also hosts ticketed tabletop gaming events including for Magic: The Gathering, Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited.

Sip & Play is a spot for both board game gurus and coffee fiends to hang out. Just $15 dollars will buy you three hours of play whether its classics like Monopoly and Yahtzee or much-loved board game favorites like Settlers of Catan, Arkham Horror, Dominion and Codenames.

For those who don’t know the first thing about games, Sip & Play staffers are happy to teach customers how to play, especially gateway games like Splendor, Ticket to Ride and Cockroach Poker, Li said.

Sip & Play has a full cafe that whips up coffee and specialty drinks, including boba tea, and tasty bites like chicken tenders, fries, avocado toast and bagels mostly priced under $10.

This spot isn’t just for gamers, though. It’s for everyone who needs place to get their morning coffee or to just sit and read, study or work, its owner says.

Next Move Cafe is an intimate but comfortable space in Bensonhurst with a menu of bubble tea and snacks as well as a library of more than 300 board games you can play for just $10, Monday-Thursday, and for $12 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It also hosts game nights for major TCG games like One Piece, Pokémon and Digimon, as well as nights for Dungeons & Dragons. It's a fun thing to do on the cheap and the space can be rented out for parties! How about a game night birthday party?

Brooklyn couple Frank Szelwach and Sara Bender opened Brooklyn Game Knight in the fall of 2023 inside Industry City with more than 300 games, ranging from card games to dice-rolling games and more (role-playing games, too). A giant shelf of games spans the far wall and minis you can paint take up space near the front. You can also shop from indy game creators, pick out new dice sets and grab a game gift for a friend. It plays host to special event nights such as tutorial nights, Magic the Gathering events, miniature painting, wargaming, TTRPG nights and more. It is welcoming to all folks who just want to play some games.

“We aim to be as warm, welcoming and all-inclusive to everyone that walks through the door,” Szelwach says. “We truly believe there are games and space here for anyone and everyone to geek out together. And whether you are new to games or a long-time gamer, you are always welcome!”

To play, general admission is per player to sit and stay in the lounge to enjoy anything in the library for up to four hours; for the price of one general admission, there’s a smaller takeaway library that allows you to borrow games (one at a time) for up to four hours; and there are advanced table reservations you can make, as well as reservations for private parties and events.

Bringing its gaming adventures to the East Side, Hex & Co. has a full-service kitchen and cocktail bar, making it a great option to hang out any time, day or night. 

With board game play starting at $15 per person, Hex & Co. is an easy choice when you want to hang out on the east side of Manhattan. Better yet, there’s a $5 discount during the week (Monday-Thursday) for students.

While you munch on a panino, a grilled cheese, tater tots or fried chicken strips, you can play a number of board games from its inventory of hundreds of games, or you can opt into a trading card competition (Magic: The Gathering, Lorcana or Star Wars: Unlimited, for instance) learn how to play Dungeons & Dragons or play with new friends at its weekly Dungeons & Dragons sessions on Wednesday nights.

Filled with 500 games, Hex & Co.'s latest location is now open just south of Union Square at 801 Broadway (Broadway and East 11th in Greenwich Village) and ready for gamers of all fandoms. This is the third location for Hex & Co., joining fellow board game cafes in the Upper West Side and Upper East Side. It also joins sister stores The Uncommons in Greenwich Village and The Brooklyn Strategist in Carroll Gardens.

The new cafe is the first with a true private room, perfect for parties of all kinds. Visitors can choose from more than 500 games on the venue's massive game wall, everything from Taboo and Risk to Catan and Ticket to Ride. It costs $10/per person for walk-in gamers, which includes access to the board game library and no time limit, meaning you can stay as long as you like. Just keep in mind that you may have to wait if the cafe’s full. The other option is to make a reservation in advance for a specific time. Reservations cost $15/person with a time limit of three hours. 

You can order from the cafe while you're hanging out, which is stocked with La Colombe coffee, Harney and Sons Teas, smoothies and pastries.

In addition to regular gaming, the new venue also offers an extensive lineup of events, like Commander Night and Draft Night. Plus, it hosts school enrichment programs and summer camps. 

Hex & Co. is also known for having one of the largest board game and hobby retail selections in the city with board games, RPGs, and Pokemon/Magic: The Gathering. The Union Square location also offers a special focus on wargaming.

Come for a game, stay for the bubble tea—Squarrel Cafe’s specialty! This Brooklyn board game cafe, which has a wall of games to pick and play from, serves up delicious Peach Oolong, Goji Chrysanthemum and other unique flavors while visitors tackle a game of Catan, Sequence and other popular picks. 

Astoria’s own game shop, which specializes in board games, collectible card games, puzzles and roleplaying games, doesn’t have a cafe, but it has a back area where gamers can compete and play together. You can bring your own game or choose a game from its library for open play for $10 per person (this also gets you 10% off any other same-day purchases and any one free drink or snack). This area is also host to Dungeons & Dragons playthroughs, Magic: The Gathering competitions and other scheduled gaming events. If you’re in just to purchase a game, it has an entire wall of the most popular games out now as well as minis and cards for your gaming needs.