8-Bit: Game On For Beijing's Best Gaming Venue
Many of us were very excited about the opening of the new and enlarged 8-Bit. We didn’t quite expect the vast improvements that have been made and it took us a while to process. The new space at the top of Beiluogu Xiang is an ambitious gaming lounge, eatery, and cocktail bar that is playing diligently to appeal to everyone on at least three different levels, including a terrace.
On its way to becoming a Library of Alexandria for video games, 8-Bit is in our opinion the most dedicated venue for gameplay in the city. Adding five new gaming stations to the three they had previously at the old location on Jiaodaokou, they now boast every console worth having; Wii, PlayStation 4, Sega, Nintendo, and a pretty sick arcade console (though it would be dope to see a little Sega Saturn or Dreamcast in the ranks). This doesn’t even include all the hardcore gamers talking shop and looking up various secret move combinations on their laptops.
It’s an intense vibe that’s matched with a cool playlist, somewhere in between a Guy Ritchie or John Hughes movie soundtrack. The cocktails are also a dramatic improvement. Our favorites are the Perfect Dark (RMB 50), which has a nice caramel-flavored nectarness to it, and Yoshi’s Envy (RMB 50) reminiscent of the Hi-C Ectocooler from our youth that’s deliciously combined with basil. These are like big kid cocktails: flavors that are fun for your mouth andgive you a refined sugar high.
Break for a minute with their sushi burritos, burgers, and other snacks that totally match the vibe of this place. With three stories of fun to be had, 8-Bit mark II avoids the congestion of the previous location, not to mention there’s a bathroom on premises, which all too many hutong venues lack.
8-Bit
Tue-Sat 5pm-late, Sun 3pm-late, closed Monday. 13 Beilougu Xiang, Dongcheng District (134 8878 3848)
东城区北锣鼓巷13号
400m southwest of Andingmen (Line 2)
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Email: danielkippwhittaker@thebeijinger.com
Photos: Kipp Whittaker
