Loading Bar in Brighton and Hove

Popped in as we were on the seafront and it looked interesting - it’s got a really cool vibe with retro video games and loads of free boardgames to play. The nice guy in a baseball cap explained how everything worked, and suggested a couple of games which were good fun. Cocktails were a bit pricey, but tasty. Had a really fun time.

Honestly an absolute gem of a place! We ended up here after a reservation at another place didn't work out and honestly am so glad we did. The place itself is super clean, cosy and full of different games and video games you can play. The service was good, relaxed and friendly. They have game reference cocktails which were actually really nice mixes. All of this and then on top, the food was phenomenal! A good mix of meat and vegan options, really well cooked and some great sharing or personal options. I cannot recommend this place enough, whether your a game nerd or just someone who likes a more relaxed place to eat or have a drink it doesn't matter, get down there.

not a gamer - but was surprisingly good fun, clean, friendly and helpful service. Recommend; perfect place to spend a chilly Sunday evening

Service was very helpful after a very inconvenient booking issue on their side. Games are great and would go again.

Super great spot to chill, play games, and share some snacks! The staff are welcoming and friendly. There’s a solid board game selection to choose from!

Didn’t let my girlfriend use the toilet, it was end of the day and they had no customers in. Not very friendly

Controllers are broken/have the worst stick drift and some buttons don’t work, step it up guys

Such a cool, cosy, and fun place. Only downfall is the booking system isn’t clear on what games are available. It would be helpful to know when booking if you can reserve PlayStation games, or Nintendo games, etc… rather than being given one you might not enjoy, then not being allowed to change it.

We were outside the whole time we were here, which ended up as several hours. We had some hot drinks and some beers and also some small snacks. The service was excellent and it is just beside the beach side. The bar has a great selection of board games to entertain both the children and adults, which is a nice extra touch. The service is very good and the staff are very polite. Overall great relaxing place to drink or eat or both!

Thanks Harry and Joe, we had a great time playing retro games over a delicious and exquisitely presented brunch. Will definitely be back!

Stumbled upon this place looking for a drink by the pier late at night, to find that there’s tables with retro and modern gaming consoles - all you have to do is purchase a drink and you can play! We got the table with the Super Nintendo and spent our time playing Street Fighter. We didn’t try the food, but staff were super friendly and the drinks were lovely. They provide takeaway cups also! Will definitely be coming back to this place when we’re back in Brighton. Thank you for having us.

Some nice beers/ciders in a video game and board atmosphere. Pleasant services. Great times to spend.

Amazing place to hang out with great vegan food! The deus mex vegan chilli chips bowl is so great, I get it every time! Plenty of thick cheese, flavorful, hearty and pretty healthy tasting chili to balance out the chip mountain and avocado smash to round it out. Delish!

used to come here 6-7 years ago, alot has gone downhill it seems. used to be able to come and chill with friends, but now you have a choice of either consoles or board games and no choice on just chilling. the main concern as someone with an extreme allergy is that there is no allergen menu anywhere, and when asked i get told that they "assure" me only one thing has nuts. we tried 2 card games out of the selection and both had parts missing, one had only half of the rules in the box. i wanted to go up to the bar but was told that you can only order the specific menu only drinks, that as someone with a nut allergy i cant have alot of them and cant even check. settled on a lemonade each, but even that had little black bits in a glass and tasted watered down. first time bringing my fiance here, wont be back in a hurry

This place used to be great, but the prices have gone through the roof - £9.90 for two soft drinks (on tap). The cleanliness is quite bad, too. The outside tables are covered in bird poo (clearly never cleaned). The smoothies are also really expensive but just powder from a packet so you just end up with a glass of odd tasting water with some residue at the bottom. The food can be alright, but inconsistent.

Despite it being decently busy when we visited on Saturday the service was incredibly quick. As we were sitting outside we ended up being disturbed by a drunk guy, but the staff were incredibly quick to deal with it and over all very helpful. Next time we visit Brighton we're definitely going to go for a full meal!

Burgers and cocktails were both great, it was really cool that they have consoles you can play

Great place to take the kids while being a tourist😊. Kids play Tekken and you can enjoy a pint!

The staff are so friendly and always explain how the place works, and the food and cocktails are delicious. We came here twice on our two day trip to Brighton it's just nice and fun! Its also a great place to hang out if the weather turns bad, with loads of consoles and boardgames!

Bagels and coffee are tasty, you can play retro games for free and it's at the beach. Enjoy

Its a lovely spot for some board games and some beers

This is amazing! All types of games going down to games in the 1988! And recent ones, highly recommend 100%

In the midst of soulless beachfront places, loading bar is a great place with character, lots of games to play and great friendly service

Great place for a retro fueled company outing. I recently attended as part of West Piers Summer party and had a great time from the retro games, the good food and great bar staff specifically Bradly who looked after us all night.

Nice bar with plenty of seating outside, and inside ( although always busy), food options and drinks aren’t too expensive. The staff was nice and friendly too and great atmosphere. I had a good time here.

Brilliant! The loveliest service, the lady serving us was so thoughtful and kind.

Exceptional service, really lovely bar and nice board game vibe!

A wonderful place to play boardgames while enjoying some great food and drinks!

Amazing menu, great boardgame selection and wonderful staff. Even great drink options for non-drinkers. My perfect boardgame pub!

Great vibes but understaffed. 2 people working Saturday! Great service by 2 people though!

Me and my girl went for a day out. We ate and had 2 drinks here. The food was really fresh and delicious, and the drinks were nicely done, not being over baring or too strong. Overall, it was a nice fish and chips place by the seaside.

Really excellent board game cafe! Has tables for retro console gaming (free if you're buying food/drinks) or board games. Great selection of games, I've been with just my partner and found multiple for 2 people, but also been with a group of friends and they have a great range from simple party games to more in-depth roleplaying/strategy games. The videogame-inspired cocktails are excellent and very inventive. All the staff we've met there have been incredibly friendly and welcoming!

I went inside as I was looking for a place to rest while having a drink. I was surprised to discover many games and video games next to tables where you can play. I don't know if they were free or if you needed to pay a fee. I ordered a pint and some loaded fries. The fries cost £9, which felt very pricey for what I received. It's definitely an expensive place. On top of that, they add a 10% service charge. Sorry, but although the staff was friendly, I don't see any benefit to justify those prices for what I got. By the way, I discovered the place is dog-friendly.

A nice venue with excellent food and drinks, let down by some of the worst customer service. The bar/floor staff were standing around ignoring everyone and eating at the bar. The waitress was very rude/aggressive and when we finally got served our less than full pints which had been sat at the bar for 20 minutes, the glasses were covered in greasy hand prints because the staff didn’t wash their hands between eating and serving. We noticed several other guests complaining too, which gave a really uneasy vibe to the place. My fair review, food is a definite 5/5 and so is the whole idea behind the place. Unfortunately the service is 0/5. I will give the place a second chance but if it’s the same people working on the day, I won’t bother.

Brilliant place for a drink right or some food on the seafront right in the centre of Brighton. Reasonable prices for the location. Big indoors and outdoors seating areas.

Normally we like this place with the boardgames and beach views. But today the kitchen was closed, which is fine as we were sat outside with our drinks and ordered some chips from next door. Until a jobsworth told us we had to leave even though it was their failure to provide a service.

Always fun. Food is usually good but can vary. A go to place for us.

Great place with plenty of boardgames

GREAT selection of beverages and meals game's views wonderful 😊

Don't get me wrong, they have nice games to play, analogue and digital but the service wasn't friendly and the drinks were really expensive so we moved after playing 2 card games.

Great combination of food, drink and boardgames. A fantastic evening in a relaxed and lively atmosphere. Decent gluten free and vegan options too on the menu

Fun little gaming bar with a good variety of games to play. It's not blaring music like a lot of gaming bars, which I prefer. Not tried to food, but good variety of cocktails. 5 stars cause we got a bit too tipsy and had a riot playing Fall Flat

Had an awful experience here on Saturday a couple of weeks ago and was disgusted with a staff member. I had booked a table for me and my 7 year old son who was super excited for the idea of food and computer games. We arrived 15 mins late which I apologised for and was totally on us. The guy who was front of desk said no problem and started to show us to a standard table, I asked if there was a table with a games console free and was told “No” I said that it was the sole reason that I’d booked for my son and was told “it wasn’t on my booking notes” on reflection I don’t know how he would have known as he didn’t verify a name and I didn’t see a section on the booking form to select this. He said we could wait but he had no idea how long it would take. I asked if there was anything else he could do as this was the whole reason we’d book and he started to get defensive and escalate the situation by telling me that “I’ve give your table away to someone else because you were 15 mins late” and then kept repeating “it’s a business, this is how a business works” bless him I wish I had his business sense - I would never come again or recommend to friends - ruined our day and al it needed was a bit of customer service if he’d been friendly and told us there were plenty of board games to play whilst we waited I’d have been happy.

One of my favourite bars in Brighton! I love coming here with friends and playing board games or on the consoles. The food is great and I usually have chips and they also have an amazing selection of drinks (including mocktails). If you want a fun drink I recommend the G&T virus which comes with two syringes you inject into the drink or assassins mead which comes with golden coin chocolate. Awkward is a great game to play with friends to get to know them better and it's my go to!

Came here lasts time, nice and quiet and friendly, this time. It was bit too nosy for my hearing. Shame though, food was good and drinks.

Little disappointed they closed an hour early and didn’t tell us until we’d sat down for our booking as we had specifically picked somewhere open till 11, but still a great experience, cocktails are expensive but worth it!

Wow. What a place! If you're a geek you'll be in your element. Very friendly service, street fighter 2 arcade game (WHAAAAT) and many games - playstation, Xbox, SNES (old school) and board games too. We whiled away many happy hours in here. Must go back!

Had a very fun time playing codenames duet and having some drinks. Great atmosphere. We were looking forward to playing pandemic - could have been that someone else was playing or they didn’t have it but hope to be back soon and maybe play that.

One of my favourite bars in Brighton. I love the little retro systems they have in there for customers to play on. Lots of board games also! I always visit when I'm in Brighton:)

Service was awful. My friend had to order his drink twice and it was still forgotten about until he just went to the bar to get it himself. But great place to play board games/video games.

Such a cute place to spend a winter weekday evening in Brighton. Very cosy with a good selection of games and formats. Seems very inclusive. There could be slightly better service and attention to customers as sometimes you need pens, paper, or other assistance. I also think it would be good if there were more small quick games for a couple of players, and maybe some playing cards too. Otherwise great and I'll be back for sure.

Always a good atmosphere, i really suggest for people who dont like really loud bars or pubs this is a great alternative.

Great service, good selection of drinks and games. Big like!!!!

Made a visit here recently and had a really wonderful time. We were having a bit of a struggle deciding upon a game and almost went for trusty scrabble. However a kind member of staff asked us what sort of game we were looking for and we explained that we were two tired souls looking for a really easy game that was easy to pick up. The staff member picked out the perfect game for us (Geistes Blitz) and we had a fantastic hour or so. There was a good drinks selection, including low alcohol and the atmosphere was welcoming. I highly recommend this lovely bar and hope to visit again next time I visit Brighton. I will also be buying a trickier version of Geistes Blitz as we loved it so much!

over priced drinks and lady who worked there with glasses and pinky purple hair was rude with her lack of customer service. The other staff seemed professional. The atmosphere was OK yet got told 3 times to move due to people booking In which wasn't ideal as we were playing a game that involved alot of items on the table. The drinks were also nothing to talk about as you could make them yourself at home for half the price made at the bar. Won't be coming back. Shame.

Great breakfast, tasty tea, and the most important thing, very accommodating to us and 2 todlers.

I'll start saying I'm so dissappointed. I brought my friends and promised them a lovely place, but we had such a horrible experience. The lovely staff told me I could keep my table for 1 hour and a half so I thought that was great. First of all, we got 4 expensive hot chocolates that were not up to standards, not even hot. We didn't complain about it and just continued playing our game, that we brought ourselves. After a few minutes, the woman who seemed to be the supervisor came to try to sell us more drinks. I said no because I was planning to get some more drinks and food later on and basically space my spends. She went back to the bar straight away and started to gossip about my party, looking at us while doing so. I felt so uncomfortable straight away. That same woman collected our empty cups with no tray and in a very incorrect, abrupt and unsafe way (I've been managing coffee shops for 7 years so I know what I'm talking about). 20 minutes before our time ran out, the venue got quite empty and, since I have experience being a host and receptionist in London restaurants, I thought we could work the bookings around so we could keep our table. We were told to move to another one because the people who booked wanted our table specifically, but then told if someone wanted to use the console on our new table we would have to move again, even if we were playing monopoly. Once again asked to buy more drinks (which again I was planning to do anyay). So, after all these situations and the fear of being jumbled around, which would ruin my gaming experience and coffee shop time in general, we decided to leave to never come back. Very sad, since I was looking forward to visit Loading for days.

Lovely staff and great location for adults with age 10+ children. Adults can chill out while children are having fun gaming 😂

A great experience, not just a place to eat. A wide range of popular modern board games and card games. From Connect4 to Ticket to Ride and Catan and other wonderful looking games I've not seen before , let alone played. Some games can take hours to play but there's no pressure to give up your table even if you're not eating , just having coffees or cocktails! Also has a few videogame consoles set up to large TVs and arcade games cabinets. Food is game themed and of the burger and chips variety but with Vege and vegan options as well. Has a bar and cocktail menu. Staff are great , friendly and attentive. Overall it lets you have a great afternoon or evening playing games with friends.

One of the best games cafes in Brighton. For causal gamers, dates or just chill vibes. Really nice atmosphere and friendly staff also great food and drinks

Will definitely be back here and I'll be sure to book a table next time

It's a relaxed and friendly game café. They have tables where you can play computer games and others for the huge array of boardgames they have. The staff are happy to recommend games and teach you the rules if wanted. There is no obligation to play anything, but why wouldn't you?! The food is a bit amateurish on occasion, but not too bad. The "salads" are more poke bowls, and they need to provide a dressing choice with them, rather than the clashing sprinkle of oregano on top. I meant to suggest this when I was there but didn't get the chance. The coffee was good (like many places they don't know what a long black is but they can be told). It's a great place and I would recommend going if you fancy meeting friends and spending a bit of time playing and eating and drinking. I will definitely go again, and offer constructive criticism, so hopefully it can be the success it deserves to be.

Fint sted hvor man udover mad og drikke også kan låne brædtspil. Borde både inde og ude. Tirsdag eftermiddag i oktober ikke ret mange mennesker.

Very nice gaming bar on the seafront. Service was very pleasant and there was plenty to do while you waited. Drinks and food options were well themed with good flavour combinations and not just gimmicky naming. The Skyrum was excellent. Good selection of games and games consoles with a friendly atmosphere.

Gaming delight, whether board games, card games or video games. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Amazing cocktails. Would recommend to fans of all games as a fun place to meet, drink, dine and play together. Love it!

The whole establishment is a great place to be be. But I have to say that Emily is an incredible hostess / waitress the reason me and my friends have come back so often is because of her and her amazing customer service. I’ve even recommended this space for our work Christmas event. Her as well as Lucas make this a really exiting place to be and I wish I could spend more more tipping here.

Great place. Love it. Smash bowls are well tasty. Staff are fun

We found this bar when we visited in May. Return when we came back in August. Great location and staff super friendly..please visit with in Brighton. Huge for retro gamers

Having been a regular at the Stoke Newington Loading, we decided to make a bank holiday trip to check out the Brighton version. The location is great, right on the beach-side but sadly the service didn't match. They ran out of food which meant we had to leave earlier than planned to get a meal elsewhere. Given that this was lunchtime in peak holiday season it seems odd they were not better prepared to feed their potential customers. The servers seemed strangely unhelpful about letting us know what was going on. I think we'll stick to Hackney from now on!

we came here whilst i was on a short holiday for some dinner & drinks, and it was nothing short of perfect! they had a large selection of games which you’re welcome to take opposite outside (as long as you keep an eye on game pieces!) and we played some new / favourite ones. the drinks were gorgeous, very punchy and flavoursome! the food was utterly yummy, cooked to perfection and we savoured every last bite. will definitely be coming back here & sitting inside next time to play the consoles! ✨

Nice stop over with a friendly greeting

Really fun place, lots of board games, great food and the pinball machine has a card reader!

Love this place, great selection of board games

Great bar , lovely food, good selection of Beers, friendly staff and very professional. Good selection of board games and great choice of video games. Would recommend this bar to everybody. Jim

This place was really cool. I love these types of places where you can play video games or board games whilst you order food and drink. My only issue was the prices. However, for the quality that you get I'd say its worth it. This place is good to bring a group of 4 to 6 friends and I'd definitely recommend.

Esto es un lugar muy bien pensado ! Con lujo detalles La ubicación inmejorable a lado de la Costa principal. Muy bien ambientado, sillones , mesas con enchufes , Xbox , game boy, literalmente revivi mi infancia en este lugar . Y juegos de mesa. Literal si estas por aquí en grupo ir a pasarla bien. Mis más sinceras felicitaciones a los dueños de este negocio tan bien pensado. La comida espectacular, y sus cervezas de las mejores que probe en Brighton.

Very nice place at the sea front. Nice selection of videogames and table top games.

We love coming here when we visit Brighton, the staff are so lovely and friendly. The food is really good and tonnes of games to entertain you, highly recommend!

Really fun gameboard/ gaming restaurant! So many different options for games, good mixture of new and classic games! Also digital gaming like xbox, nintendo switch was available too. Service was quick, friendly staff and yummy food- would recommend!

Fabulous place with a wide selection of board games! My partner and I passed this place during our trip to Brighton and ended up spending most of the afternoon sitting outside with our dog, drinking and playing various games. Good selection of drinks. Only had chips as a snack (which were really nicely seasoned and delicious), and my dog had a sausage which she obviously loved. The staff were so friendly and welcoming. Inside there are some tables with an inbuilt console and screen to play retro games (however we didn’t try these- fab idea though!). Nice clean unisex toilets (yay). We will definitely come again next time we come to Brighton :)

Great selection of board games. Good drinks. Friendly staff.

Very poor customer service from their manager Lucas, he kicked me and my family out from sitting area while we were eating. We were about to place order for drinks and he came to us rudely and asked us to leave and didn’t apologise despite of knowing I was buying drinks from them. Very shocking behaviour, I would never come back to them again and will make sure all my mates know their service.

Always busy and the games are of variable condition but a great experience every time

Great seafront bar. Best selection of board games I’ve seen in any of these kind of Cafes. My friend’s food looked really good and the menu actually made us laugh

Such a great bar where you can play a board game while having a drink 🍸 There are computer games at some of the tables too, saw one table playing Mario cart , such a great vibe 👌 Good laugh 10/10

Enjoyable selection of board games for both friends and family. If board games do not suffice you are also met with an array of various consoles and games (if you are able to sit at a table which offers access to one). Would recommend for a larger group of people.

Takes them 15 mins to serve bottled beer.

Kids loved it, although food was expensive

A lot of great details and game references around the bar. In terms of food and drinks alone you don't get a bang for your buck, but if you want a bar simply to enjoy yourself then this is the place to go

Amazing concept and very fun. Reasonably priced. Some of the board games were very old and worn.

Visited as a group during a recent trip to Brighton. Loading Bar kept us all entertained for a couple hours over lunch. Fun place with a great theme, lots of gaming references everywhere! We enjoyed some of the food and drinks on offer during our visit. Some of the themed mocktails, and food from the brunch menu. One annoyance was the amount of board games with missing pieces. We had to swap to different games a few times because some of the core components were missing; they do have multiples of some of the popular titles, so you can make a full game up!

Great place on the beach front for food, drinks, and board games; alongside vegan options and mock drinks. Went as a group of four and had plenty to choose from and the staff were helpful and friendly. Our only gripe is that we found a fair few of the board games had missing pieces and broken instruction booklets or none at all, so choosing a game can sometimes be tricky!

This was a great discovery! A good selection of board games and consoles on offer for free. Tasty food - a good selection for brunch/lunch! We loved and appreciated that it was dog friendly too! :)

the chips are way over seasoned, chef really needs to chill out with the salt 🥵 otherwise great vibes all round

I arrived in a good mood and very hungry, I paid for drinks and food for myself and a friend. I waited for 40 minutes, at the end I found out that they forgot to place my order. moreover, they were not interested in correcting the situation in any way.

Bit of a shame we weren't aware it was reserved until we settled down as the reserved sign was placed after we arrived but was delightful smoothies as always !

Great place for board games and video games, or just to grab a coffee by the beach.

I love the gaming atmosphere. Great drinks and staff were super nice, friendly and fun

Always a great atmosphere! Super chilled out! Staff are always friendly and really nice! Lovely food, nice drinks...game themed throughout .. love this place

exceptionally friendly atmosphere and wonderful experience. particularly enjoyed the Street Fighter 2 Champion Edition arcade machine!