1. The Uncommons
8.8
230 Thompson St (at W 3rd St), New York, NY
Gaming Cafe · Greenwich Village · 86 tips and reviews
Rachel C: Awesome selection if board games, adorkable staff, nice selection of yea and coffee. Also, delicious soup.
Ronni: It's a great place to try different board games! They have a large wall full of them 😊 get there to grab a table
Gajtana Simonovska: Board games, candy from my childhood, sweet staff and top notch coffee.
3. Union Square Park
9.0
Union Sq E/W & Broadway (btwn E 14th & E 17th St), New York, NY
Park · Union Square · 568 tips and reviews
Gerardo Valerdi: Play chess wth the locals, great games!
AFAR Media: Usually bustling with markets, street performers, skateboarders, sidewalk chess, food trucks, and not a moment of silence or peace… until you take a quiet walk with Gandhi through the magnolia trees. Read more.
Natalia Baker: Especially great at night when all corners of New York come together to hang out, dance, play chess, skate, perform...
4. Chess Forum
7.9
219 Thompson St (btwn Bleecker & W 3rd St), New York, NY
Hobby Store · Greenwich Village · 18 tips and reviews
Alan Cordova: Definitely worth checking out for its old-school charm and rivalry with the other chess establishments on Thompson Street. Read more.
Berk Kapicioglu: A decades old chess store that was originally owned by a Russian grandmaster. Great for hanging out with chess enthusiasts, buying chess pieces, or learning how to play from world-class players.
Ailie Chang: Check out the huge variety of chess sets! So beautiful. My favorites are the Egyptian ones.
6. Washington Square Park
9.5
W 4th St (btwn MacDougal St & University Pl), New York, NY
Park · Greenwich Village · 708 tips and reviews
EchoDA: the newly renovated Park, you will see a lot wacko's (sorry creative's!), and also NYU students hanging, chess tables, a fun place to lounge outdoors
EchoDA: The newly renovated Park, you will see a lot wacko's (sorry creative's!), and also NYU students hanging, chess tables, a fun place to lounge outdoors
Compass: Defined by its giant white arch, the park is best known for its chess games, gorgeous fountain, and live musicians. It acts as a meeting ground for NYU students, artists, and neighborhood regulars.
7. At the Wallace
7.5
3612 Broadway (btwn W 148th & W 149th St), New York, NY
Dive Bar · West Harlem · 48 tips and reviews
Mary Doyle: My favorite bar in Harlem. A real jukebox (no touch screen!), giant Jenga, shuffleboard, and big buck hunter. Plus beers are cheap.
Ladii Dimplezzz: Love, love this place. Great atmosphere, service, drinks and a giant jenga in the middle of the backroom!
Nathan Reeves: Really chill place. Giant Jenga is a blast.
8. Molly's Cupcakes
8.9
228 Bleecker St (at Carmine St), New York, NY
Cupcake Shop · West Village · 254 tips and reviews
Jamay Liu: Really cute spot with swingset chairs by the bar, board games, books, and of course, delicious cupcakes.
Cupcakes Take The Cake: Great for groups. Has board games, too.
Chris Hough: outstanding coffee, chilled environment, free wifi, board games
9. Bryant Park
9.5
W 42nd St (btwn 5th & 6th Ave), New York, NY
Park · Midtown East · 1226 tips and reviews
Charles Pixley: great place to have lunch or post work cool out, out door library, yoga classes on the lawn, chess clubs, restaurants and just plain beautiful place to hang.
Lisa Garcia: Come for the free yoga and dance classes during the week. It's also the best place to spend an afternoon playing ping pong or chess (or just reading while eating a sandwich from 'wichcraft).
Nicole: Great place to go with kids in the summer...enjoy the library, carousel, chess, movies etc.! Good fun!
10. Pioneers Bar
7.0
138 W 29th St (btwn 6th & 7th Ave), New York, NY
Bar · Chelsea · 88 tips and reviews
Evan Allen: This bar is badass. They have game consoles like N64 and Wii, as well as big Jenga, and other various board games. Most importantly, the drinks are cheap
Hien Ly: Pinball machines, giant Jenga and giant connect four... Super comfy couches in the back and huge tvs connected to Netflix and game consoles. I want to live here!
Theresa Roldan: Giant Jenga, giant connect four, AND foosball topped with a great selection of beer? This place is awesome. The crowd, the vibe, the fun
12. Marshall Chess Club
8.7
23 W 10th St (btw 5th & 6th), New York, NY
Gaming Cafe · Greenwich Village · 3 tips and reviews
The Negotiation Institute (TNI): Masters of chess & negotiation are always sharply aware, prepared several moves ahead, with logical extrapolations other side's response--with contingencies in case things don’t go as expected.
Mark Pollard: This place blows me away. An incredible chess history, always hosting events and teaching. Thank you and thank you.
Willy Gissen: Wednesday night tournament, U2000, rounds start at 7 PM, 30/90 then G60
14. Whiskey Tavern
7.9
79 Baxter St (btwn Bayard & Walker St), New York, NY
Whisky Bar · Chinatown · 179 tips and reviews
Sarit M: Always at Whiskey Tavern: great music, friendly bartenders, pickleback shots, mini screw top champagne bottles, a photobooth, and JENGA.
Compass: Pickleback shots and boxes of Jenga make this humble joint on Baxter Street a favorite among locals.
💎T: get a table and play Jenga! Also they make strong drinks.
15. Columbus Park
7.4
67 Mulberry St (btwn Bayard & Worth St), New York, NY
Park · Chinatown · 47 tips and reviews
The Standard: NY (See) You don’t need to go to China to experience the Chinese culture. Come take a stroll in the park and experience everything from martial arts to little old men playing chess. Read more.
G Wong: The amount of Chinese people lounging, singing, playing chess, whatever in this park is a serious glimpse into Chinese culture. Also, there's a soccer field in this park if you fancy.
Compass: Enjoy the soccer fields and chess tables, but don’t be surprised if a live dance troupe or chorus takes over Chinatown’s most popular park.