Board game culture in DFW is strong. Here's where to play.
Dedicated board game cafes:
- Common Ground Games (Dallas) — 1,000+ games library. $5 table fee, play all day. Drinks and snacks available. The staff will teach you any game. Source: commongroundgames.com
- Madness Games & Comics (Plano) — massive game library, weekly events, Magic: The Gathering tournaments. Free to browse, games for sale. Source: madnessgames.com
- Collected Comics & Games (Fort Worth) — Fort Worth's best. Game nights weekly. Source: collectedfw.com
Bars with games:
- Cidercade (Deep Ellum) — 180+ arcade games, $12 unlimited play, BYOB. Not board games but adjacent. Source: cidercade.com
- Free Play (Richardson, Denton, Arlington) — retro arcade bar. $12/day, full bar. Source: freeplayinc.com
- The Nines (Deep Ellum) — ping pong, games, cocktails. Source: thenines.com
Weekly game nights:
- Common Ground Games hosts themed nights (D&D Tuesdays, board game Wednesdays)
- Half Price Books (multiple) — some locations host free board game meetups. Check individual stores.
- Local breweries — many host game nights. Community Beer Co, Peticolas, Deep Ellum Brewing.
D&D and tabletop RPG:
- Roll20 online groups for DFW players
- Madness Games runs Adventurers League weekly
- DFW D&D Facebook group has 3,000+ members finding tables
Sources:
- Venue websites
- Meetup.com — DFW board game groups
What's your game night spot?
Common Ground Games is the best board game cafe in Texas. 1,000+ games, knowledgeable staff, and the $5 all-day fee is a steal.