Six spots to play games — like ping pong, bowling, bocce and minigolf — between a round of drinks

High-tech ax-throwing stalls and state-of-the-art golf simulators have taken over the sprawling third floor of what was once an air traffic control tower for Stapleton airport.

Over Flyte — which opened earlier this summer — is the newest addition to the former aviation-themed eatertainment complex. The adjoining FlyteCo Tower is a brewery, coffee bar and restaurant that’s furnished with bowling lanes and putt-putt golf greens, pinball machines and dart boards.

“Eat, drink, and have a good time; that’s the idea,” said Vinay Patidar, owner of Over Flyte. “You could spend a whole day here and never get bored.”

Eatertainment venues continue to spring up around Denver and the ‘burbs, catering to the Chuck E. Cheese kids who have grown up and are today’s bar-goers.

In Lafayette, the new Bounce Empire has 50 or so inflatables and attractions, with obstacle courses and towering slides plus an on-site restaurant called Bison Bistro that serves gourmet dishes like bison ribs with guava barbecue sauce and ahi tuna with yuzu avocado mousse.

Down in Littleton, at The Basketball Social House, you can rent a court or take shots at the “wall of hoops” to see how many baskets you can make with a single jumper and then chow down on “street ball tacos” or Korean steam buns. And a spate of new gaming spaces are drawing crowds in Denver to play putt-putt and throw darts, letting high-tech trackers take on the scorekeeping duties.

Eatertainment is clearly on a hot streak.

Those going out to bars and restaurants want a memorable experience that they can share on Instagram, explained Kiyan Shafieizadeh, an assistant professor in the School of Hospitality at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

“It’s an experience economy,” Shafieizadeh said.

Plus, people are placing higher priorities on social interactions, which eatertainment spots and barcades give way to, he said. As for restaurants and bars, the gaming component translates to customers spending more money, a much-welcomed revenue power-up coming out of the pandemic.

Here are six more Denver spots where you can play games in between a meal or round of drinks.

Flight Club Denver

Darts in a bar are hardly anything new, as anyone who frequents dives knows. But Flight Club Denver, which opened this summer in the Union Station area, deviates from the status quo and hits the mark as a high-tech dart bar with automatic scoring systems and a dozen semi-private playing areas. Dark leather banquettes, artistic wallpaper, glossy tiles and antiques fill the space, creating a vibe that’s British pub meets Victorian fairgrounds. Craft cocktails, shareable snacks like lobster elote dip and flatbreads, plus a rotating selection of cotton candy poufs are all on the menu. Up to 12 people can play at each oche (i.e., the lane or line where you stand to throw darts); the cost is $15 per person for 90 minutes. 1959 16th Street Mall, Denver; flightclubdartsusa.com/denver

Puttshack

This neon-lit indoor putting playground in RiNo reinvents the popular golf game by adding moving targets, weaving in trivia questions and reformatting one of the holes to be like Beer Pong set-up, with ramps that lead to oversized red plastic cups. Balls have “Trackaball technology” so no one in your group is stuck penciling in scores. The space is anchored by a bar where you can sip on a cold brew espresso martini or a spiced pineapple mezcal margarita that comes with a jalapeño popsicle and candied pineapple wafer. Flatbreads and globally inspired items are on the menu, with headliners like Korean bao buns, chorizo and cheese empanadas and Thai fried chicken. It’s $14 for adults and $9 for juniors (12 and under) to play a nine-hole round at Puttshack, with weekday discounts. 2813 Blake St, Denver; puttshack.com/locations/denver

Punch Bowl Social

A popular date night spot and gathering place for friends, Punch Bowl Social is a pioneer in the eatertainment industry. Go bowling, play ping-pong, belt out some karaoke tunes, wax nostalgic while playing vintage arcade games — there are endless ways to have fun at this Broadway bar. The food menu is diner-inspired with dishes like a bison patty melt and chicken and waffles, and the cocktails run the gamut from classics to large-format punches. Coming this fall, Punch Bowl Social is adding a Lebowski League that switches up the rules and scoring of bowling. 65 Broadway, Denver; punchbowlsocial.com/location/denver/

Ace, Eat, Serve

Bring your A-game to Ace, Eat, Serve, the Uptown Asian-fusion eatery with a pong room. How about the loser buys the next round of seasonal slushies or carafe of sake? There’s something happening every day at this convivial spot, from live music or DJs providing the soundtrack to Wings and Whiskey on Wednesday nights and Peking Duck experiences on Sunday and Thursday. Ping pong reservations are $25 per hour for the table. 501 E 17th Ave, Denver; aceeatserve.com

Rhein Haus

Put brats, bocce and beer on your weekend agenda. Located in LoDo, Rhein Haus is a Bavarian-themed beer hall complete with four bocce courts. It’s $5 per person per hour to play and there are bar rails to put down your pilsner while you roll your ball with precision toward the pallino. Game rules are provided for those who are new to the game (or need a refresher); measuring tapes are provided for astute scorekeepers. After you’ve worked up an appetite, order a Rhein Brat wrapped in applewood smoked bacon with caramelized onions and cabbage-apple slaw piled on top. 1415 Market St., Denver; rheinhausdenver.com

RiNo Country Club

Mini golf meets dive bar at RiNo Country Club. For $10, you can get a lifetime membership to the club, where you can play unlimited mini-golf. The 1970s-inspired clubhouse serves mini hot dogs, smash burgers, wings and waffle fries. Grab a beer and perfect your short game on the nine-hole course. The country club is a 21-and-up spot. 3763 Wynkoop St., Denver; rinocc.com

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