Kernersville now has its own arcade bar.
Game On Brewpub opened Friday at 727 E. Mountain St.
Game On is owned by Joe Campbell, Andy Kennedy, Layton Johnston and Jason Goodman.
Campbell, who currently works in the software business, said that he and Kennedy, who owns Brewer's Kettle down the street, had been planning this for years until this spot - which had been a succession of pool halls and bars, including Time Out Sports Bar and Kvegas Cues and Brews - became available.
About the time Campbell and Kennedy found the spot, they happened to meet Goodman, who had the same idea for an arcade bar. Johnston, the owner of DreamGreens turf company, came on board after working on Game On's patio.
"We wanted to bring to Kernersville something different, where you have something to do besides just drink," Campbell said.
Game On has lots of space for arcade games, including foosball, Guitar Hero, Walking Dead, JetPong, MotoGP, NBA Hoops and more. There's a private "retro room" filled with pinball machines.
Campbell said the place is also part sports bar. It has 17 TVs, and Campbell said they have an NFL Sunday Ticket package to stream football games.
Campbell said he hopes to use the expansive back patio to host live music, comedy and maybe even TV-watching parties. "We might get a screen for something like 'Love Island,'" he said.
Campbell said it took about three years to get Game On open, partly because they had to build a kitchen from scratch.
The partners hired chef Zak Phillips, who has previously worked at Liberty Oak, Finnegan's Wake and Smitty's Grill. Michelle Kennedy, Andy Kennedy's wife, will serve as bar manager. And Campbell said he will the primary on-site partner.
The food menu is short and sweet. "Our focus is on burgers and hot dogs. We'll do some rotating specials as we go," Campbell said.
You can get a classic Carolina dog - here called a Red Rocket - for $3.50. "But we also had the idea to do some outlandish dogs," Campbell said.
So the Twelfth Man ($7) is Seattle-style, a Nathan's beef dog with whipped cream cheese, caramelized onion, kraut, pickled jalapeno and Lusty Monk mustard.
There's also Game On's take on a Chicago dog and a Philly-inspired dog, too.
There are four burgers using American wagyu beef from Circle H Ranch in Alamance County. "They breed wagyu with black Angus. We visited the farm and got to see the bulls and everything," Campbell said.
Game On's burgers ($13 to $15) feature a variety of toppings, including pineapple jalapeno jelly, chili and smoked Gouda pimento cheese.
Sides include beef-tallow fries and tots, plus onion "petals" and housemade slaw.
The fries, tots and petals are available in larger appetizer portions, and the kitchen also offers chicken tenders and pretzel sticks.
At the bar, there are about a dozen draft choices including everything from PBR to Blue Moon Belgian Wheat to Wicked Weed Pernicious IPA. There are seven wines to choose from - four white and three red.
Cocktail curator Su Jin Johnson - whom some people may know from Rec Billiards and other places - said that the cocktails have a bit of an '80s and '90s theme, featuring such drinks as cosmos. Drinks are made with all fresh juices, no sour mixes, she said. There also a handful of specialty martinis ($7.50 to $9.50), including a Barbie Tini (with raspberry) and Nerds Tini (blue Curacao, melon liqueur).
"We also have a lot of fun shooters," she said.
Shooters ($6.50 to $9.50) include On the Green, with midori, Malibu rum and pineapple, and Mind Eraser, with vodka, Kahlua and soda water.
(336) 727-7394
@mhastingswsj
Game On Brewpub
Address: 727 E. Mountain St., Kernersville, N.C. 27284
Hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Kitchen closes at 9 p.m. daily.
Facebook: Game On
Instagram: @game_on_brew_pub
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