7 Awesome Places to Play Pinball Around Baltimore

It’s true that Baltimore’s reputation as a gritty city inspired David Simon to write The Wire, Jon Waters to write Pink Flamingos, and Edgar Allen Poe to write his early short stories. 

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Baltimore’s revolutionary spirit also inspired Frances Ellen Watkins Harper and Frederick Douglass to pen our nation’s most powerful anti-slavery writing, Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois to write two books focused on issues of peace and African independence from European colonizers, and Ta-Nehisi Coates to write the #1 New York Times bestseller Between the World and Me.

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If you’re wondering how the Baltimore of today stacks up to the Baltimore depicted in The Wire, take it from the locals. There’s plenty to love and lots to do in “The Charm City.”

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Pinball often finds its way into the hearts of people who root for the underdog, so it is no surprise that Baltimore, Maryland, is home to some truly great pinball parlors. Step into one of these establishments and see if Baltimore inspires you:    

Where to Find Pinball in Baltimore, Maryland

Holy Frijoles

• Address: 908 W 36th St. Baltimore, MD 21211
• Pinball machines: 19

Holy Frijoles in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore is a Tex-Mex restaurant full of pinball fanatics – for good reason. Grab a margarita and flip on an excellent and well-maintained pinball machine collection spanning multiple eras of games from classics like Alien Poker to modern titles like Stern's James Bond 007. This lively community of pinheads hosts lots of events, including Pinbaltimore – three days of free play pinball, music, and pinball competitions featuring over 60 pinball machines provided by local collectors and enthusiasts.

Peabody Heights Brewery

• Address: 401 East 30th St. Baltimore, MD 21218
• Pinball machines: 7

Peabody Heights Brewery in the Abell neighborhood of Baltimore is a locally owned brewer of excellent, independent craft beers. Their decor proudly represents the site’s roots as home to Terrapin Park from 1914-1944, a wooden stadium that hosted a variety of teams, including the Negro American League Baltimore Elite Giants, Federal League Baltimore Terrapins, and minor league Baltimore Orioles. Next to their taproom, you’ll find a small arcade with free video games and a pinball machine lineup, including Godzilla, Deadpool, Ghostbusters, Demolition Man, and Swords of Fury. 

Spinners Pinball Arcade

• Address: 919 North East St. Frederick, MD 21701
• Pinball machines: 46

Spinners Pinball Arcade is worth the hour drive to Frederick, MD any day of the week to play all the games you want on freeplay for $15 or less. Spinners is a classic arcade with a mission: to provide the arcade experience to people with different abilities through its nonprofit, Pinball EDU. You’ll find pinball games from each era with electromechanical machines, Solid State System 9 and System 11, and some current favorites – plus an enthusiastic gaggle of pinheads around who would be happy to chat about these distinctions any time! There are also arcade games, air hockey, Dance Dance Revolution, skeeball, foosball, and TVs set up with gaming systems from Atari to Nintendo. Check their website for current events and specials. Beer, cider, and seltzers are available, and you are welcome to bring in food. Spinners also hosts pinball tournaments, skeeball leagues, and classes to have kids learn restoration and repair of coin-operated games at this arcade and education center.

Wico Street Beer Co.

• Address: 1100 Wicomico St. Baltimore, MD 21230
• Pinball machines: 6

Baltimore’s newest lineup of new popular pins is at Wico Street Beer Co., a brewery with an arcade theme where you can sample some great ales and lagers over a tall drink of nostalgia. Get ready to blow on a Nintendo cartridge to play Super Mario the original way. Pinball is celebrated here with happy hours on Fridays and Pinball Madness tournaments on the first and last Thursdays of the month. There’s also a great lineup of live local music to round out your entertainment options.

Round1 (Towson)

• Address: 825 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, MD 21204
• Pinball machines: 5

Round1 in Towson, MD at the Towson Town Center mall offers bowling, karaoke, arcade games, billiards, darts, ping pong, and pinball. Round1 originated in Japan back in 1980 and expanded into the US in 2010, so there are Japanese arcade games, crane games with lots of cute stuffed animals, and both Dance Dance Revolution and the Japanese version, Dance Rush Stardom. Pinball includes popular modern Sterns. Round1 also serves pizza and has a full bar. 

Merriweather Post Pavilion (Music Pinball Hall of Fame)

• Address: 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044
• Pinball machines: 9

Taking in a concert at the Merriweather Post Pavilion? Be sure to stop in to see the music pinball hall of fame arcade with pins like Dolly Parton, Heavy Metal Meltdown, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. The machines get plenty of use and some playfield paint wear, but are maintained and play well. 

Crabtowne USA

• Address: 1500 Crain Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 21061
• Pinball machines: 28

Double down on classic Maryland nostalgia by visiting a pinball arcade in a crabshack! At Crabtowne USA in Glen Burnie, MD you can enjoy heaps of steamed and fried crab, shrimp, and the best crabcakes you’ve ever eaten. Wash it down with a cold beer and head into the arcade where you’ll find all of your vintage video game favorites from the 80’s and 90’s, from Frogger and Pac-Man to Tekken and Mortal Kombat. Their pinball collection also spans the eras with Pinbot, Dr. Dude, Deadpool – they’re all here. The crab will cost you, but the games run from 25 to 75 cents. You can’t afford to miss Crabtowne!

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Baltimore pinball players - did we miss anything good? Drop us a line and let us know!