Pub Review - Barcadia

Barcadia

It really is an ingenious concept...open a restaurant...stock a decent selection of beers....then add in a butt load of video games from the golden age of video games...and they will come.  "Who will come?" you ask.  Well, apparently every freak in Dallas, that's who.
Our intent was to have dinner, play some games and drink a few beers while enjoying a nice evening on the extensive patio.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) I went to the restroom first and saw the sorry state that it was in and changed my mind about the meal.  If the bathroom is that gross can the kitchen be any better?  So after a delcious, albiet overpriced pizza at Louie's (two doors down to the east) we returned to Barcadia to continue with our plans.  Defender, Qbert, PacMan, Frogger, Spy Hunter, my goodness, where to start?  Well, the sounds of crashing..something..and laughter from the patio led us out to begin where we intended to end, enjoying some brews on the patio.  The beer selection was rather nice, with 24 beers on tap ranging from Maredsous, to Old Speckled Hen, to Franziskaner to Ciders and an extensive array on choices in bottles.  Unfortunately they had Stella Artois on tap, too, which brings them down in my estimation.  But to be fair I did see a couple of dipshits wearing Ed Hardy(esque) shirts and they need something to drink, too.
On the patio are several stacks of sized 2 x 4's which are to be used as a redneck version of Jenga...which was hugely popular and the source of the crashing sounds and laughter.  Low tech trumps high tech, I'll be damned.
But the best thing about Barcadia comes from a source that I am sure was not planned by the ownership and that is the freak show of humanity walking past on the sidewalks, or drinking on the patio, or driving by in their cars...oh...my...god.  Included were pregnant girls walking past drinking and smoking with their "so what if my kids are tards" attitude.  The 70 year old white businessman with the 20 year old black hooker was less interesting than the limo dropping off their load of strippers (from the Spearmint Rhino the doorman assured me) with outfits that barely covered their unmentionables.  The gang of sweaty, shirtless Mexican kids looking for trouble, the toothless bag lady, the meat heads straight from the gym......on and on goes the parade and their we sit, drinking it in as we drink our beers, stunned into silence.  Damn, we never did get to the video games, well, maybe next time.
Skip the food, enjoy the beer and feel good about yourself as you sit gawking at the dregs of humanity passing by Barcadia. 

Barcadia Dallas
1917 N. Henderson Ave
Dallas, TX 75206
214.821.7300
http://www.barcadiadallas.com/