Get your quarters ready; Unkle Munkey’s Coin Club opens doors Saturday, July 12 at 1027 Century Drive in Edwardsville. Owner Ryan O’Day renovated the 3,200-square-foot space into a restaurant/bar/arcade just a few doors down from his other restaurant, Wang Gang, which serves Asian fusion cuisine.
O’Day said he was inspired to open an arcade and restaurant about eight months ago after seeing similar venues in Chicago and New York City. “I thought it was pretty interesting with the dynamic of not only are you out with your friends, but you also have a nice and friendly competitive thing going on with the games and the pinball,” he said. “It provides a little more fun stuff to do.”
O’Day hunted down more than 40 classic arcade games such as Ms. Pacman, 1972’s Pong and a Jurassic Park pinball machine now installed at Unkle Munkey’s. With the wide variety of games, he hopes to attract an equally wide range of clients, from gamer teens to baby boomers recalling their Pinball Wizard days. “The overall experience is (meant) to strengthen the bond between people of different generations,” O’Day said.
The restaurant, which seats about 64, will serve up classic bar fare with a twist like hot dogs topped with slaw, pineapple-jalapeno sauce or Korean barbecue; hot and cold sandwiches loaded with meats and cheeses between Companion bread; and sides including the pimento cheese potato salad made with russet potatoes, cheddar cheese, red and green onions and diced pimento.
Unkle Munkey’s beverage menu includes five draft beers, 15 to 20 bottled beers and a small selection of wine. Nine specialty cocktails are also available, including The Superman, a fruity mix of Malibu rum, peach schnapps, triple sec, pineapple juice and grenadine.
Unkle Munkey’s will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday. After 5 p.m., it’s 18 and older only, but don’t worry, baby gamers – Sunday is Kids’ Day, when everyone can play all day.
Can’t wait until Saturday to get your Pacman on? Unkle Munkey’s hosts a soft opening tomorrow, July 9, from 6 to 10 p.m. All ages are welcome for a $10 buffet of menu items and a cash bar, and proceeds benefit Partners for Pets.
This article appears in Readers’ Choice 2014.