Have you ever gamed in an eating establishment?
What games do you play at a restaurant?
What restuarants (chains) have you had good experiences at?
What games (beside CCGs) are especially conductive to playing like this?
Any interesting/funny stories to tell?

You had better be prepared to tip very well if you intend on locking up some poor waiter/waitress table for an extended period of time.

I carry a deck of cards in my purse, and we play Euchre while waiting for our food at casual restaurants. One waitress stopped and asked us about it, as she was from the Midwest, and it made her think of home Waiters seem to like that we are relaxed and keeping ourselves amused, and not clamoring for our food.

And explain in advance that you will be tipping well so they know what to expect and have everyone in the party order food and drinks.

Yeah, I guess I should specify that I'm not talking about setting up a game of Descent or anything crazy like that, but perhaps a game of fluxx, or something else after the meal. I guess its not uncommon for us to sit around and talk for 30-45 minutes after everyone is done sometimes.

We usually game during very slow time periods like during the weekends. If the place is starting to get busy, we leave in order to give someone a chance. People are pretty cool about it and some people even ask us about our games too.

I lent my copy of Hannibal to a friend, and he and his girlfriend took it to borders and played it in the coffeetraunt.

They got a crowd quite interested - a couple of browsers kept checking on them to see how it was going.

My wife and I used to play Hangman while waiting for our food. If a resturaunt has paper napkins then all you need to provide is a pen.

Our gaming group meets in a restaurant called Cafe Express. We pick a slow night (Tues) and use a side area. It is a self-serve restaurant so we do not bother a waitress. They have been great at allowing us to play there. We all order food and try to keep the volumn low.

Whenever I play a game at a restaurant, I try to make sure it's a quick, small one, like Hive, Diam, Siam, or Quoridor. Or that it looks very very cool, like Axiom. I also avoid games with dice or cards that resemble a standard deck, so that the owners don't feel we may be gambling.

Years ago in college, during "parents' weekend", the mother of one of my buddies took us all out to the local Pizzeria for dinner. We'd all had a few beers, and the mom (they were quite the boardgaming family!) suggested we play "Up Jinks Down Jinks", and taught us the rules...

This game involves two teams sitting across from each other. Team A has a quarter which they pass back and forth under the table. When team B yells "Up Jinks!" everyones' hands come up in fists, someone holding the quarter. Team B gets to inspect the fists to try to see where the quarter is, then they yell "Down Jinks!", and everyone slams their hands, open palmed, down on the table. Team B listens and watches, and then try to guess where the quarter is.

Well, as you can imagine, we got kinda loud, and other customers complained (ooops!) The manager came over and asked us kindly to stop or he'd have to ask us to leave. We stopped, apologized to the nearby diners, finished up or beers, and left a big tip.

Jeeze, just goes to show you that you can "never trust anyone over 30". We thought it was pretty funny that it wasn't us wild college kids that got us all into trouble, but someone's mom, an older, wiser, responsible adult!

I've been asked to leave a restaurant when we were about to play a game. I guess they wanted the one table to match the rest in there, at the time...empty, because we left afterwards.

Long time ago played Lord of the Fries in a Denny's. Was quite appropriate!

I think it would be great to be able to play something like dominion at a decent quiet Pub. I think games and Pubs go hand in hand, I can picture a quiet corner to ourselves, good beer on tap, good music, a couple of random people playing darts etc.....

Being that I used to wait tables a lifetime ago, if you did this in a restaurant I could see you definatly making the people who work there mad without first passing it by management. Management would probally like it as long as you keep ordering drinks (not free soda refils) cause other patrons would see the establishment as laid back, fun and accomadating.

The only one I've played in restaurants is Hive. Great for a quick play before the food arrives, or while you're waiting for others in your party to arrive.

My group plays Tichu on Sundays at various local restaurants and Bridge Tuesdays at Chipotle or Firebowl. We've never had any problems. While I can't speak for the other members of my group, I tip an extra 5% for every hour after the first.

Will be playing Dominion tonight at Fiddler's Hearth, a pub near downtown Austin, TX. Will let you know how it goes

UGH!!! sooooo jealous..

- Yep
- Lots of different ones over the years... Euchre, Spades, Hearts, Hoss (ie traditional card games), and more recently Tichu, Battle Line, Hive, Lost Cities, Lunch Money, San Juan, Bohnanza, Ca$h 'n Gun$, Condottierre, Citadels, Quarto!, Settlers, Carcassonne, Entdecker (though not a fan of the game), Munchkin, Bang!, Jungle Speed (wee!), and, believe it or not, a five player game of Agricola -- in a German schnitzel house (Amadeus Cafe in Kingston, ON, for the record, is where we played Agricola -- they thought it very cool that we were playing a "German game" in their restaurant.)

- Never played a game other than a trad. card game at a "chain" restaurant, but I don't typically eat
at chains. I prefer local and independently owned.

- Obviously smaller, faster games are best, but if you're clear with your server that you're playing a longer game -- and buy food and drink accordingly -- there's absolutely no reason why you couldn't enjoy as long a game as you want, within reason. Just remember that loitering is NOT cool. Buy drinks and snacks at the very least, and tip well (assuming good, gracious service of course).

- I mean other than drawing spectators and whatnot, nothing truly noteworthy outside of just enjoying ourselves with games. The above anecdote on Agricola is probably the best... a good German game in a good German restaurant. Nice combo.

We also have a local pub -- The Iron Duke -- that we frequent after games nights both Wednesday and Sunday, and they've come to know us as a games crowd. One of the owners actually approached one of the owners here about setting up some kind of semi regular games event there... so we'll see what we can drum up!

I have found it easier and more pleasant to game at a bar or tavern or pub than at an actual restaurant. When I have done it at a restaurant, it is always off peak hours - they seem more tolerant then.

But at a bar, especially the kind of place where you get your own drinks, they don't give a tinker's damn what you are doing at your table as long as it isn't annoying the other patrons ... and isn't gambling for money, as that is often against the law. Just keep ordering drinks. They'll be happy.

Remember, many business friendly places (chain joints near airports or places that provide WiFi) are often very accomodating about you spending a long time there. They are mentally prepared for people bringing in a laptop and working for hours. As long as your game doesn't require lots of space or interfere with other patrons, they'd be delighted to have you there. Ordering another double mocha latte. At $8 each. All 7 of you.

I answered no to the "been kicked out question" but it isn't really true. Once I understood the rules, I never got kicked out.

The Nokia game group in Helsinki Finland plays in a hotel restaurant every week. I think its a known deal that they will bring business because many of the gamers eat dinner there before or during the session.

We've played Mr Jack and Lost Cities at pubs before in Saint Paul.

Sweeney's
Muddy Pig
Townhall Brewery
The Liffey
Granite City

We've played Hive while waiting for our food at a Pizza Hut.

While it's not a restaurant, my wife and I have played the Settlers of Catan Card Game at Starbucks on several occasions.

I think there are still spots open, you're welcome to join us. But, were I you, I'd approach a local pub and ask them if they mind. Dollars to donuts they won't at all and would probably welcome the change from the traditional bar games

That's ok, Starbucks is not coffee either! LOL

(dang, I've gotta run and slip out the back way now, the Washington State Citizenship Storm Troopers are busting my front door in!)