The main thing you need to know about this new West Loop gaming and booze castle before you go? It’s enormous. Like, stupid big. Like, “welcome to the Ikea of bars, here’s a map, it was nice knowing you,” big. On Saturday night, within its 30,000 square feet and two floors, we saw people doing all of the following:
- Shooting pool
- Bowling
- Throwing darts
- Killing zombies in VR
- Playing bocce
- Playing cornhole
- Playing Scrabble on a giant wall-mounted board
- Sitting at the bar
- Sitting at another bar
- Riding a bicycle that charges your phone
- Piling into the photo booth
- Taking selfies in front of faux-vintage washing machines
- Drinking an old-fashioned soda float
- Sitting at another bar
- Playing on a giant foosball table
- Building a giant Jenga tower
- Sitting at yet another bar
We also heard what sounded like karaoke drifting from a closed off room. And, oh yea, they serve food, too.
Basically, Punch Bowl Social is the opposite of your neighborhood bar. But from entrance to bar (to bar, to bar, to bar), it certainly keeps the excitement coming.