The -ist List: Where to board game

We at Houstonist spend more time playing board games than we’d like to admit. In fact, a few staffers have ongoing games of Scrabble, Sorry and 90’s Trivial Pursuit (and on occasion Literary Trivial Pursuit, the hardest game ever). In order to get out of our apartments we’ll often go to local shops and restaurants to get our game on. The following is a list of our favorite and least favorite spots.

FAVORITES

1. Dessert Gallery - Both locations offer a selection of well-worn classics and delectable treats. They’re always happy to let you play (even if you just ordered a cookie and water) and the environment is always game friendly. The only negative factor is the lighting at the Kirby location, which is just a touch dark for sight-intensive games.

2. Diedrich Coffee - Not only is the coffee delicious and fair-trade, but the gaming is good. Both locations are relatively quiet with excellent lighting and a no-nuisance staff. The Westheimer location is often packed with med students, so finding a table can be a challenge. Also, bring a coat, as the a/c is dialed sub-arctic most of the day. The game selection isn’t great, but they’ve got Scrabble!

3. The Daily Grind – The most forgotten spot in the Heights is a good place to play if you want a snack as they offer a decent menu along with normal coffee fair. Large tables, quite guests and decent lighting contribute to good game playing for a big crowd (Risk or Trivial Pursuit). The parking lot is small, but you can park on the street. This place closes between 11 p.m. and midnight, so make sure you can finish your game by then.

4. IHOP – When we were trapped in a suburban existence the only place to play games at night was IHOP. Though we branch out now, we have to admit that IHOP still provides good game play. Comfortable seats, bright lighting and booth-style dining all enhances the gaming experience. The only negative incident we’ve ever experienced while playing at IHOP was a waitress that wanted to participate. Of course, PANCAKE is worth 16 points.

LEAST FAVORITE

House of Pies - Will let you smoke, curse, cavort and conspire for the reasonable price of $2.50 per person, per hour; however, if you bring in a board game they will say “Sorry, we’ve got a no game playing policy.” It’s a ridiculous affront to polite game players (who tend to be excellent tippers) who would happily pay the minimum just like everyone else. We’d call for a full-scale boycott if we could not get through Life without Bayou Goo Pie.

If you've got a favorite gaming place let everyone know by dropping us a comment.