Discover a Cambridge Speakeasy-Style Arcade Bar Hidden Behind a Freezer Door

During the Prohibition era, speakeasies were the places to go if you wanted to consume alcohol illegally. Today, the speakeasy concept has been adapted for another purpose at Roxy's Arcade, "hidden" behind a freezer door. The door is at the back of Roxy's, a Cambridge restaurant specializing in grilled cheese, fried chicken, and hamburgers.

According to a report by the foodie website The Takeout, the venue combines a legal bar with an adults-only video game arcade featuring games like Guitar Hero, Mario Kart, Ms. Pac-Man, and Tetris, as well as a claw machine and Skee-Ball. While the consoles are available for free, tokens are required for actual gameplay. The classic arcade experiences are enhanced by free access to Xbox/PlayStation setups.

Its nostalgia centers on the culture of the 1980s to the early 2000s. The venue regularly hosts events like Monday drag trivia, Wednesday karaoke, and weekend DJs to keep the energy lively.

The Roxy's Arcade dining options overlap those of Roxy's the restaurant, including seven grilled cheese varieties, fried chicken, burgers, hot dogs or tofu dogs, and a broad array of appetizers. Sides and treats from the kitchen — truffle fries, poutine, tomato soup, chicken tenders, fried pickles, onion rings, and pretzel bites — pair with soft-serve ice cream and milkshakes to round out the offerings.

Drinks range from bottled, canned, and draft beers to themed cocktails such as Princess Peach's Downfall and Temple of Bloom.

Customers praise the fusion of high-quality food with the unique freezer-door speakeasy at Roxy's. One TripAdvisor user called the experience otherworldly and appealing.

Roxy's is at 292 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge. It is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday.