photos: jeff schear

Beer and free pinball at Headquarters' new expanded space. This is not a dream. It's in Lake View.

Headquarters is only seven months old, but already the Lake View beercade has outgrown its four walls, expanding into the adjacent 7,000 square-foot former Uncle Fatty’s space and adding around 20 shiny pinball machines (making it the Midwest’s largest pinball mecca).

A Friday night visit—one day after the expansion was revealed—saw a pack of youngish gamers tinkering intently on the (free!) new games, tipping back microbrews between rounds, and ordering drinks off menus designed to look like comic books. Behind the bar, mixologists crafted whimsical potions, such as the Cereal Killer with house-infused Cinnamon Toast Crunch whiskey, from the new cocktail list. 

It's a good place to enjoy the things you did as a kid, with a few adult beverages to go along with it.