Gotta Drank! EightyTwo

Tucked away downtown near the American Apparel factory and grocery direct wholesalers is a surprisingly happening pocket of night life.  I tried to go to the Wurstkuche next door years ago but the line was just ridiculous.  It's nice to see Downtown Los Angeles coming up a bit and I've been there more lately than I have in the last 10 years of living in California.  We got there around 8:00PM and the joint was already busy.  It's a nice set up; pinball on one side, a courtyard in the middle then arcade games, the bar and DJ on the other.  While waiting at the bar, Street Fighter: Championship Edition was projected on the walls.  They have a cocktail menu with video game inspired names like n00b and Zangief and tacos being slung out back.  By 9:00, my friends were telling me they were standing in line outside so this place was more than a barcade, it was like a club!  Complete with some random woman walking by saying it wasn't that great inside.  It's a little loud and a lot crowded inside so if you want to play a game you gotta go old school and put your quarter on the machine to call next.  There's a nice selection with Street Fighter, Double Dragon, Space Invaders, NBA Jam, The Simpsons, Gauntlet and the cockpit Star Wars game among many more.  I tried my hand at SF and whupped two random dudes' asses before having mine handed to me by a guy I had seen playing earlier who must spend a lot of time there.  I now realize I have a thing for sky-high dining and barcades as this is my 3rd visit to an establishment designed to bring in kids my age for drinking and socializing.  While it's the closest to me, I'd have to say it ranks behind Des Moines' Up-Down and Portland's Ground Kontrol.