Dave and Buster’s Atlantic City opened to the public on Thursday, and I stopped down on Friday to check the place out!
The entertainment, food and drink establishment is about 22,000 square feet and is reminiscent of the Dave and Busters in Gloucester Township NJ… but the newer AC location is smaller in square footage, but they pack a huge amount of gaming fun into the space, including the large bar and restaurant area.
Honestly it feels like Atlantic City packs in an equal amount of games as Blackwood, maybe by positioning the games a little closer together.
The Atlantic City facility features a large gaming area with the latest and most advanced arcade and points-award based games, a large bar which supports a sports and also the gaming side… and of course the massive signature Dave and Buster’s 40-foot wide television screen.
The location for Dave and Buster’s is the corner of Atlantic and Missouri Ave, directly next to the Caesars parking garage. When you enter Atlantic city from the Expressway, if you just continued straight you’d drive right to the Dave & Busters.
Some will remember the building as the 40/40 club which was owned by rapper Jay-Z. The 40/40 club opened in 2005 and closed in October of 2012 in preparation for Hurricane Sandy and then never reopened
Dave and Buster’s takes over the former nightclub space, as well as the area next to it which once housed a Melting Pot restaurant.
Dave and Buster’s Atlantic City does not have its own dedicated parking lot, but there are economical paid parking options in the area.
- Directly across Missouri Ave in front of the former Trump Plaza parking garage is a ground level parking area
- Bass Pro Shops Outpost across the intersection offers public parking (which could be free based on Bass Pro Shops purchases)
- The Wave/Arts parking garage is on the other side of Bass Pro Shops.
It would make for a fun Saturday afternoon in Atlantic City as you can walk to Dave and Buster’s, the Bass Pro Shops store, the Tangier outlets… and have a variety of amazing places to eat, including the Dave and Buster’s restaurant itself, the Wing Craft Kitchen & Beer Bar, or the Atlantic City Famous White House Subs or Angelo’s Fairmount Tavern. (Youtube video of my White House Subs Visit)
Dave & Busters Atlantic City – Dining and Bar
Dave and Buster’s was founded in 1982 in Little Rock Arkansas and today has 157 locations.
They have moved towards a more consistent pattern for their new locations, which is in place for Blackwood and Atlantic City… but the Philadelphia location with opened in 1994 is still a flagship location at 70,000 sq ft, and is over three times the size of Atlantic City’s new fun eatery location.
The modern Dave and Buster’s offers a high ceilinged space developed almost like a big box store, with maybe a 50/50 split between gaming and the restaurant/bar area. That split seems to vary per location.
For Atlantic City, the building entrance has been moved from the corner and down just a bit from the intersection, along Atlantic Ave
You enter the building directly at the dividing line between the gaming area (to the left) and the bar/restaurant area (to the right).
The large and attractive bar splits the dining area into two sections… on the side adjacent to the arcade area, the booths are open to the gaming space and there are a many hi-top tables, making it a perfect place for families to enjoy a delicious lunch, and then have a homebase as they head off for some fun and challenging games.
The others side of the bar is the “sports” side, and features a large area of hi-top dining tables and the television(s)
And at Dave & Busters, the televisions have become almost as iconic as the games! It is a 40 foot wide screen that can be utilized as one large display, or as typically is the case… they split it into three segments so that multiple sporting events can be watched at the same time!
These are sports stadium quality screens and the iPhone photo captures I have do not do justice to the displays, which are rich and vibrant with colors.
The food at Dave & Busters ranges from shareables; flatbread pizzas, garlic parmesan truffle fries, chicken cantina nachos… to amazing chicken wings, salads, burgers and other handheld sandwiches.
They also offer a variety of entrees including their signature Voodoo Pasta, Fire-Grilled Atlantic Salmon and even a 14 oz ribeye!
Like all Dave & Busters locations, Atlantic City is also participating in the $5 Happy Hour program! Check with the restaurant for details!
Dave & Busters Atlantic City – Gaming Area
The Dave & Busters gaming area is an explosion of lights, sounds and fun!
This is not your old-school Mall arcade where you simply stare at a screen with a controller.. at Dave & Busters most of the games are fully interactive, which gives you a gaming experience you just can’t get at home with a Playstation or Xbox console.
And I was happily surprised with the selection at the Atlantic City Dave & Busters where they really look to offer very interactive and inventive games.
An example large format game I had never seen before is Dodgeball, where it literally has small dodgeballs in the game and you get to throw at targets… in a fully immersive and hi-tech game cabinet.
There are several racing games and Need For Speed features two large screen television screens, to extend the racetrack to WIIIIDDDDEEEEEE view!
And of course they have basketball games and two air hockey tables (Flyers and Devil’s)…
But the stars of today’s arcade are simply the innovative and interactive games.
Dave & Busters uses a card-based system where point credits are purchased and applied to a D&B card, and different games require varying amounts of credits. A simple swipe of the card on each games sensor, and you are playing!
And most of the games award prize points for good (or great) scores, which are also automatically tracked with your D&B card. Those points can be redeemed at the Dave & Busters WIN! Store for fun prizes!
Dave & Busters Atlantic City is open until midnight weekdays, and until 1am on Saturday and Sunday
Links & Location
Dave & Busters Atlantic City
2120 Atlantic Ave
Suite 912
Atlantic City, NJ