You don’t need to be a high-scorin’ flipper wizard to have a good time at Tilt Pinball Bar in Minneapolis’ Whittier neighborhood. With 10 rotating taps and elevated bar food, Tilt is more than an arcade — it’s a fun place to grab a wallet-friendly dinner.
Pair a pint from Surly, Modist, or Bent Paddle with a premium hot dog from Peterson Craft Meats or a vegan sriracha brat from The Herbivorous Butcher. The dogs can be dressed with a battery of toppings, but it’s easier to choose from Tilt’s signature menu of so-weird-they-work specials such as the Rose Nylund (baked beans + potato salad + crushed kettle chips + celery salt), the No. 5 (kimchi + Kewpie mayo + sesame seeds), and the O.G.B. (melted gruyere + bacon + smoked onions).
Jasha Johnston and Carrie McCabe-Johnston, the husband-and-wife team behind Tilt, got their start making small plates and elegant cocktails at Nightingale; they also run the beloved dive bars Dusty’s and Mortimer’s. Their business partner, John Galvin of D&G Pinball, brings the arcade experience, ensuring that Tilt’s 22 machines are always in tip-top shape. (Out of order? Not if John has anything to say about it.)
The Tilt lineup has both rare and mainstream games, from Twilight Zone (15,235 machines produced nationwide) to the ridiculously limited-edition Batman ’66 (just 240). Other titles begging for your coinage include Star Trek, Indiana Jones, The Beatles Gold, The Munsters, and Deadpool. To make the most of your quarter stash, drop in Sunday through Thursday between 4 and 6 p.m. or 10 p.m. and midnight: That’s when all draft beers, rail drinks, and specialty dogs are $2 off.
Tilt Pinball Bar
113 E. 26th St., Ste. 110, Minneapolis, MN; 612-236-4089.
