Good place for a small group gathering for boisterous board game fun?

April 28, 2009 11:16 AM

Good place for a small group gathering for boisterous board game fun?

I have a small group I get together with on the weekends to play board games. We've recently swelled in number to 7 people and we're outgrowing our current meeting place (one of the players apartments). We're looking for a place to play that's open on Saturdays (and hopefully Sundays) and can tolerate at least 7 very boisterous and loud people playing games for several hours every other weekend or so. Cost is a big issue, it should be free or very cheap (as in a couple bucks a person or less). There needs to be a large enough seating area that all the players can sit down at the same table, room for the board, any papers/miscellanea for each player, etc.

None of us are affiliated with any churches or community organizations that would have meeting space. We're thinking we'd be a bit loud for the meeting rooms at the local library. None of us are in college so we can't meet in any empty classroom.

What places exist for this sort of gathering? General suggestions are greatly appreciated. Bonus points for any specific place suggestions that are in or easily accessible from Chicago.

posted by 1024x768 to sports, hobbies, & recreation (9 comments total)

Guthrie's Tavern in Lakeview offers board games for customers to play. I've never been there, but I assume they have enough space for your group and no one would look askance at people playing board games and/or being loud there.
posted by Meg_Murry at 11:22 AM on April 28

There are probably coffeeshops with slow hours that would appreciate the business, but unless you should be sure to purchase and tip to a degree proportionate to the business driven away by your boisterousness, they may discourage you from coming.

What about city parks with picnic tables and so forth?
posted by hermitosis at 11:24 AM on April 28

What about city parks with picnic tables and so forth?

I'm preferring to avoid outdoorsy settings as we often plays games that have papers that can get blown around by the wind. Good thought, though.
posted by 1024x768 at 12:24 PM on April 28

You might check Board Game Geek to see if anyone there has recommendations.

I know that here there are several buildings that civic organizations own, but will happily allow others use to during off times. I know of local board game groups that meet in a nearby nature center, knights of columbus building (though none are members) and library meeting rooms.

You might also check to see if any of your local game shops have space available.
posted by shesbookish at 12:28 PM on April 28

Just stopped in to recommend this thread at BoardGameGeek about gaming in resturants. Lots of positive feedback there.

Also, second local game shops. The nearest FLGS to me is over a hour away, so it doesn't benefit me to travel that far (plus I have plenty of room to host all my fellow nerds) but there are always a ton of people playing there when I do make it up there.
posted by JonnyRotten at 1:50 PM on April 28

A conference room at the workplace of someone in your group?
posted by SuperSquirrel at 1:51 PM on April 28

My son and his friends gamed for a long time at an Ikea. As long as they bought food, no one paid them any mind. This was an Ikea with a large restaurant area though, not just the little cafe or snack bar.
posted by jvilter at 2:31 PM on April 28

New York has several gaming centers (that often double as internet cafes) specifically for this type of thing, but geared more towards collectible card games & role playing games. The back rooms of local gaming stores are also often available for rent.

Contact your local gaming store(s) and see what they can tell you. You may also find a few cool new board games while you're there.
posted by MesoFilter at 9:56 PM on April 28

Thanks for the suggestions & information everyone, I'll mark best answers when we find a place.
posted by 1024x768 at 7:40 AM on May 2