Reviews of Draughts - Waterloo. (Pub) in London (London).

Draughts - Waterloo

876 Reviews

371 Comments

Pub

Bar

Arch 16 Leake St, London SE1 7NN, United Kingdom

Description

Information of Draughts - Waterloo, Pub in London (London)

On this page you’ll find the address, open hours, more popular times, the contact, photos and real reviews of this business.

This business has received very good reviews from their customers, so probably it’s a place you should try if you are looking for this kind of services.

Map

Open hours of Draughts - Waterloo

Popular times

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Reviews of Draughts - Waterloo

T. S.

Loved it so much we came back a second time on our trip to London! Staff were friendly and there's a really good range of board games - you pay £6 each to play. The food was good also!

D. J. M. L.

Super friendly stuff and very knowledgeable about games! Great for a date or a group of friends! They have tons of different games from party games to proper strategy boardgames. They also offer coffee, tea, cocktails and a full food menu with mac and cheese, nachos or churros

K. P.

Nice place, good choice of games, food was very nice, surprisingly good halloumi bites with jalapeño jam. We had a booking for 3 hours (I believe longer booking was not available) but this was not enough to choose, learn and play even one game. Also it got too busy and way too loud in minutes (we have visited on Saturday morning). Coffee machine was not working and the place was understaffed so we didn’t manage to place orders by our table. I will only come back when I want to try a new game and will take a day off on a weekday. Otherwise I won’t be visiting this place again.

T. W.

Way too noisy inside during peak times. I think some sort of reasonable volume policy would be helpful? It can be too boisterous of an environment, especially when you consider many games shelved are more in-depth and require focus. That being said — a good selection of boardgames although not all are in great condition, including missing rulebooks. Drinks and food are reasonably good. Service fairly good.

O. C.

Great place to socialise and play board games. There are two levels with tables to play on and a great selection of games. Also shoutout to the staff who are very knowledgeable and are able to explain the rules of a game if needed! Made a booking online which required a £40 deposit. They had good 2 for £14 cocktails and an array of food options to snack on while playing. Will be back.

L. 4.

☝🏻| Buffalo Chicken Bites Tucked away in the Banksy Tunnel, this is one for the game enthusiasts… People packed in on a Friday night playing everything from Monopoly to Connect 4 for #GameOn We only popped in for a beer and a snack but will definitely be back for a bit of gaming in the future, it looked so much fun. 🤩 We at London4Two are big Buffalo Chicken Wing fans… and these beauts were a right treat! All the flavour and texture of wings without those pesky bones getting in the way… we could have eaten about 4 plates easy!! 🐔 Our fave things | The location, we sat outside and got to drink and eat whilst taking in the graffiti and the artists hard at work 🎨 📍🚇 Just a short walk from Waterloo, Lambeth North and Westminster tube stations @draughtslondon

C. K.

Really lovely food and great staff. The staff are also very knowledgeable about the games on offer (of which there are lots). One lovely man gave myself and my date some great suggestions and even talked us through all the rules. The café has very nice location as well of course, being in the famous Leak Street Arches. Big thumbs up to the team there 👍.

L. E.

Good beer, great atmosphere and super friendly staff. One member of staff brought over two new, related and fun games for us to try as we finished what we were playing! The only downside is the food, it’s best to eat beforehand.

S. A.

Excellent indoors ambiance (although the outside is dirty and shady and the entrance is hard to find). Great collection of games available and categorized in terms of number of players and complexity of games etc. The fees for playing the games is 6 pound per person and the food is also overpriced at lower quantity (ordered a 8 pound squid and had like 6/7 pieces)

A. G.

Overall this was a wonderful experience, unfortunately we did have a problem, the kitchen is apparently too small for them to not be able to guarantee no cross contamination for allergens. Although after discussing things with the staff, they apologised, offered to take the food we had ordered AND the drinks we already received off of our bill! We left and came back after we'd eaten elsewhere and had a wonderful time, the staff were very nice and friendly, the location was very cool and atmospheric and the Cafe itself is a great place if you enjoy board games!

H. S. (.

such a great atmosphere! there's an amazing selection of games & the table designs are simple but genius for a board game cafe! table service was quick, booking timings were punctual & it was easy to find this place and generally had a brilliant time here!

J. M.

Fantastic venue with snacks and drinks delivered to your table. When I went, the fee covered a table for three hours, and that time flew by. Delicious nacho platter and a wide selection of board games. The location is in a tunnel where graffiti artists can freely spray, so if you're early you can have a little wander.

R.

Although this is for gamers, board game players etc, the vibe is so nice that we popped in just for a few drinks and just really enjoyed ourselves. The staff were friendly and everyone pretty much is involved in their own games too. The artwork outside was awesome.

N. W.

AMAZING!!! Loved everything about this place (...almost! If they had hand sanitizers on every table I'd be much happier 😊 )

O.

A 2 floor venue where you come to play some boardgames and be served with food, snacks, alcohol and soft drinks! A very organized shelf of games, hand sanitisers in each corners, social distancing markings on the floors to guide you through, games on sell if wanted (ask staff for price) £6 to play unlimited of games, no adds on unless you order food or beverages. I've rated them a 4 because when we played a new game, the instructions was missing another part to it and we couldn't understand the game so just gave it a pass unfortunately and the piles of jenga were a mixture of different sizes which toke us a little longer to assemble as it wasn't straight but more wonky during our session.

I. O.

Great selection of games. Tasty food and fairly priced drinks. The staff are great too! If you're not sure what to play ask the staff and they are super helpful to guide.

B. R.

Cosy! It's located on Leake street (which in itself a must visit) which gives it a cool underground vibe with some pretty impressive artwork (graffiti) surrounding it. They have a wide assortment of games which are all super fun and engaging. The staff are super super friendly! I'm fact one of the gave us a game suggestion at some point (the chameleon game) which was really fun and got the whole group much more engaged! I'm terms or drinks, it's pretty standard prices. The tacos were quite small for the price, but the mouth watering taste made me forget about that pretty quick! The nachos are definitely a must get for the table, they don't shy off from giving you the right amount of guac, salsa and sour cream! Enough for every bite! All I'm all, a very cool place to visit

J. T.

Draughts have a fantastic selection of games and nice big tables to play them on. We visited two nights in a row and thoroughly enjoyed both. Reasonable food at reasonable prices and a nice atmosphere combine to make this a great evening out.

M. Z.

Really good staff both friendly and knowledgeable. Great atmosphere and great collection of card games. Food prices feel too expensive with smaller than expected portions.

K. 1.

Came here for a bite to eat and some games, absolutely LOVED it. The staff were really friendly, our own waiter was just amazing. Really welcoming helpful and when a slight hiccup happened he went out of his way to make sure we were OK. Can not wait to come back here will be telling everybody about this place!!

L.

I've been to other board game cafes and the people working were able to advise on types of games we'd enjoy and explain how they work. Here they didn't have time to speak or explain and it was difficult to get their attention to order drinks. I think it would be a much better experience if those working could make suggestions and give guidance.

B. S.

Fantastic boardgame cafe in the graffiti strewn underpass near The Vaults. Amazing amount of boardgames, super food, great drinks and very friendly and knowledgeable staff. We go every trip we make to London!

D. H.

Nice place, good food but when our timed session was up, the staff insist we leave. There were plenty of tables open and we’d have continued buying drinks and food and played more but they said we had to leave because we hadn’t booked longer. A pity that policy isn’t more flexible.

S. D.

For everyone who loves board games and a pint, this place is a must see! Located in the graffiti tunnel near Waterloo, draughts boasts the biggest selection of board games I’ve ever seen in a place like this. It’s almost like you’ve walked into Hamley’s board game section. The staff here are also unbelievably friendly, doing all they can to make sure you have the best time possible. Truly a perfect place for a date or even just to beat your mates at monopoly over a freshly pulled pint!

M. G.

Great food and service. Got assistance picking out various board games and our server actually taught us how to play one. Super fun time!!!

C. L.

Absolutely fabulous concept for a restaurant. Very friendly staff and a reasonable selection of food. Has a young and trendy feel and a unique atmosphere with a board game theme where you actually get to play the board games. This is a must for visitors and and party groups looking for that something special that you will talk about for ages. Please note that this restaurant is young and trendy and squirrelled away under a tunnel full of artist who spray can in to express themselves. It has to be seen to be believed.

Y. H. C.

Definitely worth your £6! Hands down one of the best board game cafes in London. It's located in a very shady place, a tunnel filled with graffiti, but look past that and you enter a new world of joy and wonder. Coffee is pretty good and vast selection of food and drinks to fill you up during your 2-3 hour board game session, but the food is just alright, nothing to rave about, then again, we didn't really go there for the food.

N. P.

Really friendly and helpful staff. Food was great and reasonably priced and a huge board game selection. They are flexible about the number of people on a booking, which was helpful as a lot of people had to cancel at the last minute.

D. M.

Staff were helpful and drinks were good but pricey. There's a large selection of games but they have seen better days. Tried 3 different games and they all had pieces missing and were generally in a bad state. The fact you pay £6pp to play games would make you think they would renew games? Maybe they do it on a rolling basis and we were just unlucky.

L.

I've been to other board game cafes and the people working were able to advise on types of games we'd enjoy and explain how they work. Here they didn't have time to speak or explain and it was difficult to get their attention to order …

S. A.

Excellent indoors ambiance (although the outside is dirty and shady and the entrance is hard to find). Great collection of games available and categorized in terms of number of players and complexity of games etc. The fees for playing the …

R. G.

Love this place. Nice food, great atmosphere, great service and lovely clientele. Highly recommended.

c. e.

Great place. Great idea. Top board games. Bit pricey but the overall experience superb

S. C.

Draughts has started to become a favourite destination for after work socialising. Playing games with a good drink and food menu. Definitely recommend.

A. W.

Great place, had a grand old time catching up with old work colleagues. Staff were very friendly and ill definitely come back!

A. S.

Table service, helpful staff, good food and drink selection. Super comfy for a group hang out.

L. M.

If I had to choose a spot in the world which would be my "the world is ending, you need to shelter in 1 place" it would be Draughts in Waterloo. It's the best.

Y. H. C.

Definitely worth your £6! Hands down one of the best board game cafes in London. It's located in a very shady place, a tunnel filled with graffiti, but look past that and you enter a new …

J. S.

So much fun! We're not even gamers, but we played with some childhood classics, have some very tasty food and drinks (which came out pretty quick) and honestly the staff were just amazing - so helpful, polite and accommodating. And the setting itself is just really cool - they've decorated in a really nice way with exposed brick/neon light and all round trendiness. Really recommend!

S. E.

I love this place, it's a great social spot. This is my 3rd time at the Waterloo branch over the years and I always recommend it as it's great fun being able to play games whilst eating good food/drinks. Always a good option to avoid awkward silences too as everyone is engaged in the game- so I would not only recommend you come here with friends but also people you don't know well like new colleagues, dates...etc. Theres a range of board game options (£6 per person for whole session), good food range including vegan options where I tried the vegan fish and chips and it exceeded my expectations was so tasty and the chips were very crispy too- I wish I had complimented the chef on the dish! Great atmosphere and staff very friendly. Only thing I wish we had a longer session but like most restaurants now you have 2hrs for a table but still great fun! Note that the location is within a tunnel with art sprayed all over- very cool!

K. K.

Great selection of games, you can never really run out of options. The games are maintained pretty well, although some games like Carcassonne had lots of elements mixed and missing. The staff is very knowledgeable and keen to help, one of them brilliantly explained us the game and brought some of his recommendations. The food was very tasty, sufficient selection of drinks. £40 deposit required to book, table for 3hrs, £6per person to play.

E. A.

I’ve been to both this Draughts and the Hackney branch and I love them both. They are really nice, relaxed environments, the people who work there are lovely and happy to talk you through a new game, the range of games is great and the food and drink selection is really good quality too. I can’t recommend enough for those who like or would like to get into games.

R. G.

Love this place. Nice food, great atmosphere, great service and lovely clientele. Highly recommended.

J. D.

Really nice atmosphere, plenty of space to stretch out and go with big groups (which is way more fun!). Food is a bit overpriced for what it is and, apart from the undisclosed 12.5% service charge, it’s a very pleasant and fun place to go with friends, a date or just because! Will be back :)

M. L.

Great atmosphere, really nice location too, it fits well. Was a bit surprised they didn't have some of the more popular games such as Villainous. My main issue is the prices of food, they are just too high. I understand the rent is high here but charging £14 for nachos with a little sour cream is crazy. Not a single one of their 'light bites' costs less than £7. All of us were hungry but we opted to eat elsewhere for our actual dinner. However, we got some nachos and guac, a hot drink and cokes because we felt like we needed to buy something to support a smaller business. Will be eating first before our next visit but will 100% be returning.

D. A.

Stumbled across this today after a new visit to the Leake St graffiti. What a great concept in a fantastic spot. A cafe with a bar and shelves of games to play with others. We had some very good Belgian waffles with honeycomb ice-cream. Highly recommended. Friendly service.

P. V.

Good atmosphere. Good selection of games. Offered food and drinks as well which was a plus. Staff was nice too. Overall enjoyed ourselves

T. I.

Really good vegan burger and fruit crumble. Staff were really enthusiastic about our game choices, extended our booking and were helpful with my receipt. Recommended!

G. D.

The hosts were very friendly and knowledgeable and always available to help with setting up the games and teaching the rules. Had a great 4 hours as time flew. Food London prices.

C. T.

Went with my wife and teenage daughter. We all had a great time. Food was nice, and prices were reasonable. We would like to especially thank Francesco for the great service and for taking the time to help us with our game

c. e.

Great place. Great idea. Top board games. Bit pricey but the overall experience superb

F. S.

Nice spot for table games and drinks. They charge around £6 per person for the games, so I recommend going early. Huge selection of games available.

S. R.

A lovely place for some fun with friends or date night! The drinks were served a little slow, but they were really busy when I went on a Saturday night. Would definitely go back

A. S.

Table service, helpful staff, good food and drink selection. Super comfy for a group hang out.

H. H.

Lots and lots of board games, generally decent quality. Food was ok too. Staff were a bit awkward and it's pretty loud but it is an open board game café!

T.

Had such a good time here! The staff are so amazing and welcoming and very helpful in recommending games. The food is ok but you're really here to have a drink, hang with friends and play some games! Also £6 pp is pretty reasonable for the selection of games on offer. Already looking forward to going back.

Y. Y.

It's got a lot of games and is quite fun. But the waiters were not good at all... we were almost done with our entire time there before being asked for drinks... and when we tracked someone down to get drinks. He only took 1 person's order and ran away literally ran. We had to track him down again to take the order of the remaining 4 of us

N. P.

Really enjoyed the venue experience. One of the waiters specially Antonio made our experience really pleasant with his service and charm:) he’s the best!!!

T. A.

We had a lot of fun and the food was great. Just bare in mind it's a lot noiser than their venue in Hackney, so of you go at a peak time or weekend, you're going to have to talk a lot louder if you're playing the kind of game that needs a lot of chat.

R. “. C.

Perfect retreat with a group of friends to share board games and refreshments. Food and drink are good quality and very reasonably priced, and the selection of board games was more than generous.

S. P.

Awesome staff very helpful and friendly. It’s a fun place to go on a date or with a group of friends.

C. B.

Brilliant place. Great selection of games ranging from the very simple to extremely complex. Good for two people, great for groups. Fantastic food, vegan friendly. Great selection of beverages hot and cold. Full recommendation.

L. M.

If I had to choose a spot in the world which would be my "the world is ending, you need to shelter in 1 place" it would be Draughts in Waterloo. It's the best.

A. H.

They have a good selection of games, I can't comment on the food as I didn't have any. They messed up our booking but managed to seat us anyway and gave us an extra hour for free as a result.

B. H.

Really great games cafe. Has a good selection of games, food, drinks all combined with in a very nice atmosphere in a unique location! The railway tunnel that leads to the space can look a bit intimidating (because of all of the graffiti - which is worth exploring in its own right) but the cafe itself is really very pleasant/respectable.

R.

Love going here. Great games, great atmosphere, good food and beer. Not cheap but it never will be in central London.

M. K.

Draughts can be a hit and miss. I think people go there with big expectations to play as many boardgames as they want and actually the place has many restrictions on time you can stay and space is super limited so you end up rubbing shoulders with other people. It's definitely not a place where you can walk in either. I find myself excited when we arrive and drained from all the noise and discomfort when I leave. That being said, they do have an amazing collection of games and awesome food and drink. If only they could make it a more comfortable experience.....

T. D.

Great place to play modern board games and a full kitchen for nice food while you play. You book the table in 4 hour slots with a flat cover charge. Will defiantly go again.

C.

Amazing place with variety of good food and drinks, staff extremely friendly. Great place for beer and board games with the bois. Highly recommended this place!

C. V.

Awesome place, we had so much fun! The food and service were really good, Dee was a star. We will come again!

T. A.

Fantastic place to have a fun evening with friends. Staff is very helpful. Food and drinks are good. Highly recommended.

D.

Really nice staff. Loads of games to choose from; to play costs £6pp and we were there for like 3hours. Drinks were good too. Also great location, being really near Waterloo station. Definitely recommend for a nice day/night out.

A. B. (.

Great quite location next to graffiti tunnel. It's cool here during the hot days as well! Drinks and food are expensive, but I'm ok with it as it has great board game selection and very nice tables to play at.

A. G.

Had a great time here with the team from work. Food and drink were excellent, and Samuel took time to explain a couple of games to us. Fab evening

J. T.

Great place, great service, great atmosphere, great prices. One of my favourite hidden places in London. If you like board or card games this is the perfect place to while away a few hours with friends or family.

J. M. B.

Lovely board games bar. Great service and experience.

P. S.

Great place to spend some time in London, could use with a better drink selection especially the wine, great service and good selection of board games

A. S.

First time going here last week. Such a cool concept food, drinks and boardgames. Winner 🥇. So much selection of games and the staff as helpful as they can with the games and set up. Will visit definitely again.

F. A.

Beer, food and boarding games what's not to love. Great place with plenty of choice, from the classical boardgames to the more geeky ones. There's a lot of groups playing Jenga so be prepared to ear some random screams. Also the music is a bit too loud so be prepared to scream at your friends if you are in a big group.

A. N.

Great venue with lots of boardgames and surprisingly good burger and fast food menu. My burger was cooked perfectly medium. Wide drink selection but beer tends to be the more hoppy bubbly kind than easier to drink ales. The boardgame selection is large and grouped my game type and rule complexity which is very handy. The tables have a lower shelf which is handy for storing game cards and other things off the table. You will need to book in advance as it can get very busy some work nights. Also, book a downstairs table as upstairs is very loud and hot, super hot. Sweating playing boardgames haha. I also don't know why they play music as everyone in the venue is constantly talking explaining rules or actions to take so they really don't need to play music so loud or at all. Maybe turn it off or right down when the venue is busy. Games are in great condition and it costs £5 per person for four hours (if I recall correctly). Will be going again.

C.

Met friends here to play DnD. It's an easy meeting place, just around the corner from Waterloo station, tucked away beneath Banksy's graffiti tunnel. We paid £3.50 each for two hour time slot, which was pretty good. We'll book a four hour session next time. For games like Jenga however, a two hour time slot seems optimal. They have over 800 games you can play there, but we brought our own stuff for ours which is also allowed. Staff seemed quite abrupt: I went to the bar to order drinks and the person there just said, "Table service." That felt a bit flippant, but it was incredibly busy and loud in there to be fair. Speaking of noise, it was hard to hear each other at times since every table is playing something and chatting, but we were fine for the most part. Food and drink is reasonably priced. A pint of lemonade was £3 which, by London standards, seemed pretty good; smaller glasses of it elsewhere are usually similarly priced. They have a large selection of alcoholic drinks too. Overall, it was a great location to meet and play. Whether you have a campaign going or just want to try something different, Draughts is a fun way to kill time.

A. C.

The best place for board game lovers! Food and drinks are also nice, but all the games!!! And staff nembers are so helpful and caring, always ready to give an advice or share their experience. I love this place!!!

A. W.

Great place, had a grand old time catching up with old work colleagues. Staff were very friendly and ill definitely come back!

V. L.

Really fun with the right people. Food is great too. Only £6 for 4 hours which isn’t bad. So many games and staff were really nice. They even recommended a fun game.

B. H.

Really awesome pub with a huge collection of games, great place for groups and decent choice of drinks! Wouldn’t recommend the food though, it was very bland for the price.

R. S.

Good spot with decent food and drinks. Staff are also nice. However charged £6 for the "upkeep" of the games which clearly isnt the case. Lots of missing pieces and supplied with scrap paper.

P. R.

Super friendly staff, great atmosphere, fab food, Fantastic selection of games as well.

R. A.

Brilliant night here. Very busy when we got in (around 6.30 on a Saturday) but was able to play lots of games and love the last game chosen by one of the staff. Thanks Draughts!

L. M. (.

Lovely staff and great food. Wide selection of board games available and can play tabletop RPGs there if you provide your own dice and materials!

B.

Really cool selection of games to play and the staff are super friendly and attentive. We picked games we've never played before and they were happily explained by the staff. The food is expensive for what it is and there is a £6 entry fee, but makes sense considering how expensive some board games are.

K. A.

Great food and good board games but location's not easily recognizable

R. D.

A great venue, good food, I had the lobster Mac and cheese and was worthy of a main course. Nice beer selection and table service. A great selection of games and knowledgeable staff. Looking forward to go again.

A. C.

Loads of options and you can buy your fav at the end (brand new of course😄)

D. L.

A good selection of games; friendly, knowledge staff, and a decent selection of food and drink. Great stuff

C. C.

Nice place but no one says that you will have to pay 7£ per person for playing! Which is crazy, we were six so we could have bought most of the games twice for that price! The food is okay and the people was really kind. We had a nice time but we didn’t play which was a shame because there aren’t many options regarding food as the whole point is playing.

K. D.

We had so much fun here. Amazing selection of games. Feels safe and secure , and really great to be asked to actually wash your hands rather than just sanitise. The bookings were very much back to back, so we felt a bit pushed out as theyd clearly booked the table to be taken at exactly the time we had booked until. If there had been half an hour's grace period, we would have ordered another drink.

G. T.

Brilliant night, friendly staff, great service and so many games! A brilliant night to do something different!

R. D.

I wish we had such places in my country! People are coming to play, drink and eat - I find it a great evening with friends or family. Staff are nice, unfortunately I didn't have the chance to eat as I arrived at 23:00 and kitchen was closed. Must reserve in advanced.

E. W.

Great place for board gamers. Loads of variety, tables are especially made so you can put the game not on the table top. Great drinks choice (they have a stellar 0% beer by Brooklyn Brewery), nice staff. The only fault one can think of is that it is too busy - if you don't reserve in the weekends, you are hard pressed to get a place.... but you can hardly hold that against them!

R.

This cafe is so much fun and I cannot recommend it enough! You could go here hundreds of different times and still have a unique experience for each one due to the variety of board games offered. I would say that I was only familar with 5% of the games they had to offer. It is quite incredible how many board games there are out there and all of them so much fun! The food is nothing spectacular though it is good. You are going more so for the experience though and the experience is what will keep me coming back!

D. K.

It was great apart from the drinks being pretty much alcohol. Would have been nice if they had milkshakes or mocktails?

A. L.

Went there with my boyfriend tonight. It was excellent, there are many funny board games to play with friends or even alone. The atmosphere is great and the staff is awesome, mostly Francesco. He is great, his smile is charming, and he is absolutely friendly and lovely. Highly recommended

T. C. G.

Good food and awesome place :)

N. W.

A great place to go with friends. Just make sure you book a table a good few days in advance, or a week in advance if you want a Friday. The food is great, moderately priced for a London eatery. The selection of board games is amazing, they have so many. The staff can even recommend games for you based on what type of thing you're looking for! I've been twice and will definitely go again!

N. S.

Great business set in a unique location on Leake St in the magnificent graffiti tunnel under Waterloo. Excellent board game collection and friendly, knowledgeable staff. Nice selection of beers as well. I hope to be able to return soon!

P. C.

Amazing gamed and food. We even bought the Monopoly Stranger Things that we played at the cafe. I would definitely recommend it.

E. M.

Great fun, kind staff and good prices. I am not the best board gamer but still love Draughts. There are good games to play with any party size, the food and drinks are very good and perhaps above all is the staff that is very kind and welcoming.

P. T.

Had a couple of wonderful visits, as a couple and with the kid. Friendly team, lovely drinks and snacks and a great library. Happily played family games and got some heavy Euros in when just the two of us. Looking forward to returning after lockdown

S. D.

Great place for board game lovers! Geek out on their varied selection. At £6 a head, it turns out quite reasonable for the amount of time you spend. Their food menu could do with some variety but the usual bar snacks & nibbles are up for offer.

T. F.

This restaurant is brilliant for anyone who likes good food and play board games. The vegan burger was absolutely delicious!

s. m.

Great selection of games and friendly hosts - you can play however many games in your four hour slot for 6 pounds per person, which is pretty great imo. Lovely atmosphere, underground with the occasional tones of a passing train. Really enjoyable experience. Food was average quality. But we don't really come here for the food now do we.

S. M.

Draughts is great. Massive selection of games to play, the vibe is great and the food is fantastic. We all had a lot of fun.

I. T.

Awesome place, lots of games, friendly and helpful staff

Z. C.

Loved it here. Service was good, food was average and it was reasonable priced. Being able to play any game and having to book your tables means your guaranteed the length of time you want to play. It is a small charge for the game playing but it is worth it. Staff were all really friendly and helpful whenever needed.

L. B.

Super fun place with a real chill vibe. Great selection of games. Staff are real helpful, and the mac and cheese is pretty good too!

R. P.

Went here midweek with a couple friends. Make sure you book, place gets quite busy. Board game selection is a bit limited to be honest. I've been to the other one in Hackney and it seemed like they had a much better selection. Food menu is quite decent, good selection of snack foods and burgers, however we had to wait over and hour for food.

l. h.

Had a great time. Really nice and helpful staff, well worth a visit

C. B.

An excellent selection of games, like Draughts in Hackney. The cover charge is reasonable, only £5 for several hours of free choice of board games is fair. The location is convenient, only 10 minutes from Waterloo Station and the place itself is nice and spacious. The food and drinks were the price you'd expect for where it is, and the burger was good albeit a little cold. It wasn't the fastest food to arrive, but considering having all sorts of board games to play in the interim, it's not an awful wait. As for service, everyone was decent. Food and drinks brought to the table, and the staff would check things were okay, getting new drinks, and telling you when your time was coming up. I preferred it to Draughts Hackney, as it's more spacious and local to Waterloo.

C.

This is such a great place for a group of friends or for a date! Very young and trendy feel. The food menu was pretty good and they have some cool drinks too (although that's not going to help you win!) At one point we weren't sure what to pick so we asked a staff member who picked out two really great games from the crazy selection on offer! Even if you know plenty of the games on offer I'd 100% suggest asking for a recommendation anyway!

G. O.

What a great place! Really chilled out, good collection of games, nice menu (with vegan options) and a good selection of drinks. It costs £5 to sit and play, which I think is fair enough considering you could spend the day there, but the cost of drinks and food is pretty reasonable. The staff are very friendly and helpful too. Played Lords of Waterdeep and Rivals of Catan if anyone's interested.

N. X.

Cool area and good atmosphere. Theres a lot games to pick from and new ones to find. Food and drinks was ok.

S. O.

I've been here a few times now and it's such a great place to spend time! Price is good and dome dishes are tasty. High recommend and the staff are great!

B. S.

A great place for fun with friends! You definitely don't need to be super interested in board games- the staff are very helpful and will help you pick out the right game for you as well as explain how to play. The food options are good, and table service is very quick and friendly. The location is pretty hard to find - it's in the Vaults underpass but there's no sign so we walked right past originally. For a £5 fee each you get 4 hours of time playing, and hundreds of games to choose from which seems fair to me! We booked on Sunday night for Monday evening and got a reservation just fine. I highly recommend it for a great night chatting and playing new games with friends!

D. B. K.

Probably the best place on earth. Tasty food, great beer selection and tonnes of Board Games makes this my happy place!

A. D.

Came here yesterday with a couple of friends to celebrate my birthday and it was SO much fun! We ended up staying for a good 3-4 hours, playing all these different games (personal favourites: Jenga, Cards Against Humanity, Fun Employed) while having drinks and food. Prices are super good too! Only a £5 for literally as many games as you want to play and big food portions (I got a small portion of crispy squid YUM and it was more than enough for 1 person). Definitely coming back soon!

J. B.

Cool place located in an equally cool place. An incredible selection of board games and the staff are really friendly. There's a good food and drink menu too, so it should keep most people happy! Book a table though, it gets very busy

T. B.

Not a bad place, needs a little refining. Once you get lots of people in there playing games it gets VERY loud, we were 8 people and couldn't talk to each other properly as it was too noisy (obviously we then became part of the problem!) - some acoustic absorption would do well in the space. I loved the variety and amount of games they have, however I felt the staff were a bit pushy - bringing a game to your table and suggesting you play it, before you even got the hang of the one they had previously brought to you. Overall, if you're a small group and you know what kind of thing you want to play then you'll have plenty of fun. Get some drinks in and get competitive!

S. D.

Good range of board games, although not the largest compared to other board games cafes. Small food menu, but well made with gluten free options. Very helpful and attentive staff. Extremely well placed a few minutes walk from Waterloo.

a. g.

Really good games library, all well looked after. The staff are knowledgeable and if one person doesn't know how to play a game they know who to go to to help you. I'd like a few more drinks choices (cocktails are effort but they make me feel good) but am happy with the selection available. I'll be coming back again and again as there are some games I really want to try out in the games library and the atmosphere was really really great! It's £5 per person for 4 hours which is more than reasonable considering the amount of games you have to choose from

B. D.

Had a splendid evening here with friends. Service can be a little hard to get at some points, but when you do, they’re unfailingly pleasant. The range of games available is great and food is very decent. The volume in the place makes it a little hard to sometimes hear people you’re at the same table at, and I was a little dispirited when our booking finished that we couldn’t continue despite lots of tables remaining empty.

M. P.

Great staff, good location, poor food and drinks. Do not order the nachos, horrible. Coffee was rubbish too.

S.

Friendly staff and very good food. Maybe a charging a little too much for the cover charge given a lot of the games were looking worse for wear and the collection didn't seem to be maintained that well. Our main complaint was the noise! There was a party going on at another table so loud that I had to shout the rules into my partner's ear! Shouldn't be as loud as a gig, and ended with us leaving early after being very excited to visit. Perhaps it's better in the daytime, perhaps we were just unlucky, but unfortunately we won't be going back.

A. H.

I ordered nachos with vegan cheese, no cheese sauce. They delivered nachos with conventional cheese. I'm lactose intolerant. Hence 3*. It's a clean venue with decent games.

F. A.

Loved the place. Two down sides here, 1/ the customers don’t take care of the games after using them. We spent a good hour of our time there wasted trying to set up games that were incomplete, or far too complicated to play and the instructions were missing or almost destroyed. 2/ The tables along the wall are too close together, we had tea spilt all over our table by the guys next to us as they moved their chair backwards causing our table to lift up, plus in order for me to get out of my seat my friend had to stand up each time, more space is needed, FYI the middle tables are the best. It is what it is, but some honest feedback. I think after a few visits, we will get to know what is best to play in the time frame you have. Still great food and staff and a wonderful atmosphere.

T. C.

Absolutely love it here: a true nerdvana! The friendly, knowledgeable staff help you navigate the breathtaking array of available games, helping you choose the best for you and your friends or date. The food and drink is nice and helps make this a great place to kick back for a few hours. The location is great too, be sure to have an explore of the surrounding graffiti art filled tunnels. Would absolutely recommend to anyone, regardless of gaming experience. There's something here for all levels of nerd! It's worth booking in advance to avoid disappointment, though I admit I have dropped in a couple of times without a reservation and had a beer at the bar waiting for a table.

C. C.

The location is killer, the games library is fairly expansive, and they'll make you a custom coffee (within reason) if you ask. The food was ok, but not fantastic... But you're not there for the food, probably. Service was a lot slow when I was there, and the £5 fee per person to play games seems a bit high to me. I did see toward the end of our stay one waiter who was very attentive and engaged - if he'd been there the whole time I'm sure we would have loved our visit. If you're interested in games but don't want to commit to buying right away, I'd recommend popping here for a while to play some games. But if you're already a fan of gaming, you'll probably be happier taking games you own to a pub that won't charge you a fee just for being there.

W. R.

Had a great date here. Staff were helpful even when rushed off their feet. Food was excellent. Cocktails were great too. Staff are very helpful with getting you to understand the boardgames too. Excellent place. Make sure you book a table even for 2

M. H.

Draughts was a really fun location. We didnt know that you could book tables ahead of time, however the staff were very accommodating and let us have a table until 7. We had nachos and the sweet potato fries and enjoyed both immensely. I'm happy that the location is popular, however it did mean that sometimes it was hard to hear each other. But that was a slight oversight. The place is well furnished, well stocked and well staffed. Looking forward to coming back!

T. Y.

Big selection of board games, with staff that are more than happy to point you in the direction of a suitable game if you're not sure what to play. They also have a decent selection of drinks and light food to eat while you play, although they're definitely charging a premium. Tables are massive so don't worry if you're coming with a big group!

A. L.

Friendly and attentive staff, great selection of board games. Fun, busy atmosphere with good variety of food and drinks. Would recommend booking a table at least 5 days in advance.

S. A.

What a place! Draughts Waterloo is in an easy to reach location, just a stone's throw from Waterloo station. The staff are, in my experience, all very friendly and genuinely interested and excited about board games, with each more than happy to give recommendations and discuss games in general. This gives the interactions with staff a genuinely warm quality that allows it to be an experience as well as a service. Furthermore, they are larger than many other board game cafés I have visited, which allows them to give you a generous 4 hours for your stay. Make sure to bring friends, though. They don't rent those out.

M. T.

This is the kind of place that you'll enjoy if you come with good friends that enjoy games. The waitstaff weren't super attentive when it came to ordering drinks and food but helped out when we asked for explanation on one of the games. I felt the lack of the on site games masters that the Hackney site offers. Not a necessity but good help when trying new games. Will definitely return as the game selection trumps all and it's much closer to home than Hackney.

D. L.

Fantastic place to hunker down with a board game with friends. Whether trying so.ething now or settling in to a game you've played before this is the perfect spot to relax m, unwind and geek out. Reasonably priced drinks, simple food, awesome games. 5* fun.

C. G.

Really great idea if you enjoy a board game - huge selection and a member of staff recommended a game we'd never heard of - we loved it! You can order drinks and food too so can make a whole morning/afternoon of it. Bear in mind you should book in advance to get a table. Will definitely return!

S. B.

Pro: great selection of board games, really knowledgeable staff, tasty food, good selection of drinks. Table size was good for playing most games, they have booths for 6+ tables which works well for larger games Cons: I really wanted to give this place 5 stars, but some of the games are dirty and smell musty, they don't sleeve the cards so they get grubby after a while. I went in the winter and was a little chilly on the ground floor as the door kept opening and letting in a breeze. If they could solve those issues, definitely 5 stars.

C.

A great place with lovely staff. Loads of games to choose from, however food is VERY expensive for what are small portions of cheap, essentially microwave looking meals. Good atmosphere though, even if the trains passing over get super loud and often.

K. D.

Draughts Waterloo is great! We had a group of 7 and had an excellent time. Really good menu choices and drinks options, a massive selection of games, and incredibly friendly and helpful staff who are always happy to be asked questions. In particular we were helped by Rafa who stayed after his shift ended just to teach us how to play a game, and was very patient with us. Thank you to everyone at Draughts and we will definitely be back!

K. B.

Really lovely place in such a unique location. Staff are wonderfully attentive and knowledgeable. Great selection of games and plenty of space on the tables and undershelf to accommodate all of your playing needs. Can't wait to go back.

W. Z.

Whether you're a boardgame aficionado or occasional gamer, this venue is a must for fun family or competitive time with friends. The selection of games is vast so you can play a new game with each visit. Highly recommended.

S. G.

Amazing games selection, great food and drinks

T. Y.

Beautiful facilities, knowledgeable staff. Great place to spend way more time than you planned to! The food is good too. If I had one thing they could improve, it is quite loud when it is busy - it could do with the space being broken up a little more or even just something to dampen the echo in the vaulted ceiling.

K. T.

A really nice and quirky place! They have a great selection of games for all tastes and a really helpful staff. Delicious deserts as well at reasonable prices. I highly recommend for all types of events - birthdays, team building events, just hanging out, etc. :)

T. V.

Wonderful location, a good selection of board games and good food, what else are you gonna need for a delightful evening

S. M.

Spacious games cafe in Waterloo that's open late. Service is quite slow but the place has a good atmosphere. It's a bit more upmarket than some other games cafes I've been to. Oh, and there's a good selection of games to play, I didn't have any trouble disks a few good ones.

C. B.

Nice idea to play board games whilst at a cafe. Nice, large selection of games. Really nice venue with a brick arched ceiling, however, it makes the room very noisy and you have to really raise your voice to hear the people you are with. Almost impossible to hear others if you are in a large group. Also, you end up spending a lot of time trying to workout how to play the different games if no one has played them before. At other board game cafes the staff know how to play all of the games and walk you through on how to play. Would be nice if Draughts could incorporate that here too.

S. J.

Food was pretty good, the service was quite slow. Had difficulty flagging down our server but the host was absolutely delightful and helped out to take orders. Not a big fan of the cocktail selections, didn't really enjoy the 'Dead of Winter' hot chocolate. Pretty standard games were available to play, not a lot of two player options.

C. B.

Excellent games selection, and good food. Unfortunately it's too loud inside - a result of no attempt being made to soundproof the arch, coupled with actively making it worse by playing music. If you want an evening with friends who can put up with the noise, where you happen to play short/silly games where you don't have to explain rules, then Draughts will be fine. If you don't want to spend all evening shouting, or will be playing anything with a lot of rules to explain, Draughts isn't the games cafe for you.

N. C.

Loads of fun, good food and a cool space

L. S.

Despite not making a booking beforehand (I highly recommend you do this!), they squeezed my group of 5 in using no-show slots. The service was great, the food delicious, the games choice exceptional. However, they need to work on the acoustics. Perhaps the use of carpet. It was noisier than it should have been, I could barely hear my table - which isn't ideal when you are trying to play articulate!

L. K.

I would give this place 10 stars if I could. Staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Wide range of board games to choose from. Food and drinks were also fabulous and the ambience is second to none. I will definitely be returning again.

S. O.

Fun afternoon with friends but there are better boardgame cafes out there. It is overpriced for play and food. Also time limitations mean you can't get that much gameplay in. If you are going to play a big meaty game it's best just to buy it and play at home.

R. W.

Great venue. Great selection of normal to heavier board games. Decent food too, better than the haggerston branch (last time i was there). EDIT: Sorry I didn't mean the quality of the food, I meant the type and choices. I preferred the menu at Waterloo to Haggerston, that's all

S. B.

Epic place if you love board games. The variety is crazy! Only wish some of them were a bit cleaner but understand this is no fault of the staff but of other people who dont have any respect. The food was amazing!

S.

One of my favourites place to play boardgame. There are a lot of games and the games are well maintained. Food and drink quality is good as well. It would be nice if I can choose the game session of longer than 4 hours...

N. M.

Great fun idea board games snax and drinks!!!

O. T.

This place is amazing! Great games, very easy to book and change the booking. The staff are very helpful - great with birthdays and helping keep a secret! Really recommend for large parties or small.

B. W.

I really love this place. I had enjoyed the Haggerston branch previously, but it was always a long way for me to travel, often to be disappointed by having to wait a long time for a table or not getting one at all. So I was very excited when I found out about the Waterloo branch. I think the staff deserve a mention firstly, they are always friendly and welcoming, and happy to help out, without being overbearing or patronising. On my most recent visit, the lady who served my friend and I was incredibly helpful, while at the same time knew when to let us get on with it, which I feel is probably not an easy balance to strike. She made an excellent suggestion based on our criteria, and we discovered a game we now love (Timeline)! The game selection should of course be mentioned. I am definitely an amateur when it comes to board games, and my preference is for trivia based or party games, so I can’t speak to the more ‘serious’ games, but from what I could tell, everyone’s needs are well met in the selection on offer. The setting is also lovely, bright and airy and tastefully designed, with plenty of space for lots of guests. The tables can fit smaller to larger groups. There are good food and drink (including good beer) options which I’ve enjoyed during both my visits. The quality and speed of service are great. My only complaint might be that there is no ‘breakfast food’ or at least there wasn’t on the Sunday morning I visited last. This is a small and specific complaint,but I just really fancied some toast, eggs or pancakes on that day! I’m sure I’ll be back many times to Draughts, not least because of the ease of the online booking system which ensures no waiting around and allows for planning. I’ve also recommended it to several friends!

J.

I liked the lively atmosphere and other people kept to themselves. The staff were friendly and helpful. They have a large selection of games but they could be kept in a cleaner condition. Enjoyed the food. Shared bathrooms.

S. F.

Really good concept and has a wide range of games. I will definitely be back with a group friends. It has a great vibe and the food and drinks menu is good too. I would suggest making a reservation as it gets booked up quickly.

C. M.

Great place. Friendly staff and amazing food! Very clean and high ceiling with good lighting makes the place light and airy

E. G.

A place to go for all board game lovers. They have a huge selection of games to try and a pretty decent menu. During the weekends it gets pretty busy, thus I would recommend reserving well in advance.

R. L.

Great place, hidden under the Leake Street arches by Waterloo. A huge collection of board games to choose from. Food menu is good. I'd recommend the mac 'n cheese. The beer and cocktail selection is also decent. I went during the day and worked from there with my laptop using their WiFi connection. Have booked a table for a meetup with some mates thus weekend so will get to try out some of their boardgames as well as other fudges from their menu.

l.

Amazing food and drinks selection and the staff were super friendly and nice. Oh and yeah - they have tons of games to play

G. B.

Lively atmosphere, good food and very friendly staff. Table service is available so the only reason to get up is to choose your board game. The staff are on hand to recommend.

G. F.

Such a unique cafe with so many board game choices, awesome locale (provided it's daytime - I'd avoid at nightime, not very well lit as it's a tunnel) good food and very helpful staff. Lovely atmosphere where everyone is communicating and bonding over a board game instead of being glued to a screen, which they subtlety discourage, no signal as it's in Leake Street Graffiti tunnel!

B. G.

Brilliant place-booked a table, and staff were amazingly helpful when we requested an extra hour. They really went out of their way. Seriously great range of games, and great food!

C. K.

A great place for an evening out, with a bit of a difference. The selection of board games isn't quite a grand as their Hackney brother, but it's still definitely very impressive. Only thing I would say is that it can get quite loud with the combinations of large parties, and the pumping music

j. h.

Love draughts! This one and the other. Personally I prefer the one in Hackney however this one is really accessible by public transport. It has a smaller games library and I more chilled vibe. It is still an awesome place to go. It has more complex games for gamers like me, I recommend food chain magnate and easy and fun games. Only £5 + whatever u spend on food and drinks!

J. R.

Good atmosphere, tasty food and a good selection of games. However I don't think the draughts board game cafe was intended to live up to its name! We were sat near the door and experienced a very unpleasant draught even when It was shut. There was also quite an unpleasant smell that kept wafting from an unknown location. The service was good but particularly for winter something needs to be done with the door, as many people were leaving it open and customers were having to get up to close it.

N. B.

Had a really good time here playing games and enjoying the company of friends. £5 pp for a table to play a variety of boardgames. Drinks and food available but prices DO NOT include VAT which wasn't clear plus a service charge. This left us with a bit of a soar taste in our mouths. Hence 4 stars instead of 5.

J. M.

Nice place! You can have lots of fun with your friends playing boardgames! Staff were really friendly and suggested a couple of games...

A.

Cool atmosphere, attentive staff and welll loads of board games. The food was good. Good place for a chilled night with friends.

J. H.

Loved it, good menu and an almost overwhelming selection of boardgames!

C. F.

Great games place with a vast variety of games that suit all kinds of taste. The drinks and food are very good and reasonably priced. The staff are also incredibly friendly!

L. G.

Great place! Loved the food, drinks and games. Although there seemed to be a problem with flies around our table, which was the first big booth on the right. Think the neon light was attracting them. Hopefully they get this sorted out soon, as it was the only negative point.

S. W.

Great setup and good tables for games. Chairs could be better and the food is unimpressive honestly considering how unadventurous the menu is. However, if you go for the games, I can't think of anywhere better.

L. M.

A great place to hang out, eat, drink and play games with friends. £6 to sit and play, then food and drinks on top. Theres a good menu of cocktails, coffees and small plates as well as sharing plates and meals. If you're going during evening or weekends then I'd recommend booking ahead.

C. L.

Lovely people, lush beer everyone should go!!! Play panda game!

P. G.

You must book, unless you turn up weekdays before 5. Otherwise it's always rammed and they don't take walk-ups. They recently changed the food menu, which is excellent. Lobster Mac&Cheese, sticky chilli chicken, and an awesome looking crab burger we didn't order. Nice selection of beers on tap and in cans/bottles. Decent London prices (£10 main meal). Can't be beat for location. This place is in the endlessly graffiti-ed Leake St tunnels under Waterloo station which are worth a visit anyway. Gaming-wise, there's a good selection and the place is well set up with big tables and good lighting. I didn't get the feeling that the staff were super into their gaming though. There was one guy who seemed like the expert, the others were just kinda waiting staff. Not like the Hackney branch of Draughts which is much more of a gamers' cafe, or the Ludoquist in Croydon, where everyone there is a wealth of knowledge. My main criticism is the place was full of flies! They covered the wall behind us and little fruit flies were buzzing around us all night. I mentioning it to one of the staff and they didn't give much of an answer. Go if you're in the area, but if you want a proper board game cafe it's worth travelling a bit further.

M. V.

Board game bar tucked away in a graffiti tunnel. Really cool location, great selection of games, food was nothing special.

A. L.

Great games and good food. We walked in and weren't told about the £5pp cover charge until after we had been sat down post waiting 20 mins for a table. The tax is also added on after as is 10% gratuity. Would have preferred a bit more transparency

J. W.

The staff were very helpful and knowledgeable. I asked one of the staff members for their recommendations for two player games, He returned with five games and instructed us how to play each one. I'll definitely be coming back it was great fun.

L. H.

Loads of boardgames to choose from, great burgers, tables are perfect for games with storage underneath and great service. You can also bring your own game which halves the price of the table.

S. L.

Pretty awesome place for food,drinks and board game play. Really yummy options for foodage & booze - the chicken quesadilla was yummo!! With the hectic board game selection- Gotta give self at least 4hours optimum game time- fit at least 2-3 games whilst scoffing down the feed & dranks inbetween.

A.

Had a great rainy afternoon here! Loads of games, (staff knew some not all), £5 per person to play, beers around £4/£5, food available but chef wasn’t in when we were there - don’t know if this is an every Sunday thing or one off - but meant you could bring your own hot food in (deliveroo) which was great

L. m.

Awesome location,super friendly and helpful staff. The food and game selection is brilliant! The only issue for us was the temperature... it was quite drafty and it's not too comfortable playing board games when wearing your winter jacket...

D. E.

First time at a board game cafe, it was a great place to meet with friends, but was a bit expensive if you have a drink, food and entry fee per person. Maybe deals would be a good idea where the fee is wavered if you buy a dinner and a drink ?

A. B.

Roll up, roll up, and get your Ticket to Ride on the Colt Express into Waterloo and spend some time in Draughts. It really should be one of the 7 Wonders! It's a place you'd be happy to spend the Dead of Winter in with some comfy seats and plenty to eat and drink but don't Risk not getting a table and book ahead. There is a cost of £6 per Lord of Waterdeep and Lady you come with so it can get quite costly, but if you're as frugal with your money as the Sheriff off Nottingham then this is a fun place to splurge. Additionally the amount of boardgames they have will Boggle your mind! It's a bit of a Labyrinth to find as the entrance is hidden in the graffiti tunnel under Waterloo but be sure to give it a go One Night!

K. H.

Imagine the noise level of an average pub, now imagine trying to play a game that requires conversation. Unfortunately there is no acoustic dampening added to the brick arches of the railway underpass (very cool location!), and some guests were very loud. Also, I had trouble spotting the sign outside, but that may be the graffiti everywhere. Maybe get a giant chess pawn and leave it outside. Food was <3

p. s.

Thank you so much for the wonderful warm welcome and attention we received at your cafe. It was our son's 15th birthday and along with 16 friends we had a really fun time. We and they look forward to returning to Draughts in the future.

B. K.

Loads of games and good food for a good price. You have to book in advance and the place does get very quiet so larger groups will have trouble understanding each other across bigger tables.

s. m.

Unique and quirky place. I'll definitely be back. Great location being under the underpass - we almost missed it as it's quite camoflouged with the surroundings. The food was reasonably priced and nice enough. The service was very good and we had great fun playing some old skool games

C. R.

Great atmosphere. Very helpful staff. Best board game cafe/bar I've ever been to.

B. C.

Great food, good beer, good fun! Staff were super helpful and knowledgeable about the games and happy to help. Local beer on tap was great and selection of games was huuuge. Great evening all round

C. N.

Great games selection and good craft beer

J. T.

Good fun and reasonably priced. Wide selection of games for 2 people got to 20! Also has good range for beginners. Located down a somewhat dsrk alley so don't be put off!

e. r.

Love it!!! Great games, good beer and decent snacks!!! Awesome for a luagh for some time to kill!

D.

I’ve been a few times now and have really enjoyed my visits to Draughts. There’s endless variety in the games library, friendly staff and also a great food & drinks menu! Especially keen on the Mac & Cheese...

H. K.

Went in arround a month ago, unfortunately had some issues with the timings and arrived too late for our table but the staff were lovely and accommodating, we were sat at the bar and given the next available table, Pipper especially was so helpful! The games were great as well as the food and we had a fantastic night!

S. W.

Good selection of games, but the place was dry on a lot of the beers they had on the menu. Food is decent - especially the sweet potato fries.

S. G.

Great way to play board games with friends and try out new games without having to buy them first! The staff are always ready to help explain how to play games and the food is nice too

G. P.

Brilliant place to enjoy a round of your favourite tabtletop games with a good coffees, food and drinks.

D. D.

A bit loud but great selection of games and excellent foos

M. H.

Great location, and a fantastic array of games. Staff are friendly and helpful. Food is pretty good, and despite the loud trains overhead the atmosphere is still great.

B. Ó. N.

Great venue and game selection. The beer was warm and flat and the food pretty mediocre. Our bill was a bit confused with drinks we didn't order

C. B.

Great place and great games but service has been quite bad both times I went, first it was busy so put it down to that, second time we were the only people in there, orders were taken but did not come forcing you to go up and ask again. Other than that it is a good place.

S. C.

Great time here ..great food and perfectly sized tables for playing the great selection of games ..staff were really nice and made you feel welcome 👌🏻anyone giving this place a negative review really hasn’t a clue about how to assess fairly either that or they need to really try and be a happier person and not live life being one of “those” kind of people !!

M. C.

Great selection of games. Nice food. Good atmosphere. Really fun. There were some real gems on the shelves there.

L. N.

This place should be brilliant but each time I’ve been the service has been lacking. You can’t order at the bar but there aren’t enough staff serving tables. Hopefully it improves because I love the selection of games.

T. D.

Excellent board games cafe with a good food menu. Not cheap. But worth it. Staff are friendly and the beer varied.

V. P.

Good fun and a good selection of games. Food is overpriced for the portion size, and it has an echo so it's difficult to hear each other over the noise

P. J.

A literal library of games. Ale and cider on tap is fresh. Unashamedly cool. Hipster central

C. M.

A great place to hang out with friends! Something different 😁

s. r.

It was very loud. Luckily it didn't bother us too much but it would be a challenge for anyone who was hard of hearing. Otherwise a very enjoyable evening out, and the food and drinks were great.

R. S.

Great place to play games and relax. The staff are excellent and so was the food. Only downside is it being time limited, but I guess you could just pay more to stay.

T. B.

Love this place! Go to the haggeston location often, but wanted to try the new location and it's even better. Lots of room and tons of games for every group. And in a really cool location in the graffiti tunnels. Food is also very tasty!

F. S.

Great atmosphere, good selection of games. A bit dofficult to find the place. Some games had missing parts so please check them regularly but I guess it's people who use them and do not return

D.

Awesome place to play games and hang out with friends, it's very expensive though so it's not something I can see us doing very often. The selection of games was really good for us.

N. R.

Great atmosphere, many games very accommodating staff

N. Č.

Great place if you want to get some board gaming on. They do have some really amazing games there.

C. W.

Friendly fun atmosphere with great staff that really know their stuff! If you can go. DO GO!

H. K.

Love this games bar! They have every board game you can think off.

K. S.

So much fun! Be on time though, because in peak times once your time is up it is up!

A. R.

Was a bit difficult to find! But other than that a great place to hang out! Loads of board games, great craft beers, good table service and nice simple library style experience 😁

H. B.

We had a fun night this week, staff were very kind and helpful. Food was good too, there was a less than pleasant smell but that's my only criticism! I don't think the smell is a regular feature though!

J. H.

Pleasantly surprised in how big this place was. Good food and a large selection of games. A good place to go with a group. Highly recommended

C. M.

Great place to spend an evening enjoying board games and good food and drink with friends.

B. T.

Expect to spend a good four hours in this place. Food and drink is simple and the place can get a little warm in the heat. Great place for a rainy day though. Pre-booking is highly recommended.

N. W.

First time visiting and I loved it. Food was lovely, great selection of games and the staff were great; always making sure we were getting on okay.

L. V.

Great place for a fun evening out! Staff are friendly and helpful, wide selection of board games, good atmosphere and the food is good too

N. I.

Had a great time here on Saturday. The game selection is great and we all really enjoyed the food on offer.

A.

Really cool board game bar

E. s.

Came here on a rainy afternoon as we have been wanting to check it out. I was skeptical of the cover charge and therefore with it being quite expensive before you have even began but it was so much fun and we got to try out some games that we have been recommended. The waitress was very friendly, although we felt like we were disturbing the bar man a little bit when we went up to get drinks (but not enough to sour the experience) we will be back on the next rainy day!

J. T.

Board game heaven. I'm super not into games that take more than 5 min to learn, and there was TONS for me to enjoy here. Don't miss the kiwi cider + chickpea burger.

C. S.

This is such a cool place! If you're near Waterloo it's worth going to. I can see how it gets busy and is worth booking but really fun when you're there.

R. D.

Loved this place and I'm not a big board game fan, but I wanted to impress a girl that is. Really laid back place and a lot of fun.

R. B.

Knowledgeable staff, reasonable priced food and drinks... £6 per person table charge with 3* condition games (couple of pieces missing from each we tried).

N. W.

Fabtstatic. So impressed with the format . We looked at or played around 5 games and none had pieces missing and all were in good condition. . The food was decent and the service was very good.

O. S. K.

Perfectly located to get people together, good food/drink, games in good condition and well organised, staff are friendly and really attentive. For the centre of London it's pretty reasonable as well.

L. C.

The place itself is lovely, clean and modern, huge selection of games, great selection of drinks, food good if a little pricey. Only small gripe is the smell from the graffiti paint outside was giving me a headache!

S. G.

Nice atmosphere, 6£ per player to play games is a bit of a turn off for a 2h booking. Would love it if playing games was free....

J. v.

Awesome board game cafe. Well designed, lovely people, and a huuuuuuuuuge choice of games! Will definitely come back here, I had a really great time.

A. Z.

Love this place! The staff are friendly and the veggie burger was top notch

T. S.

Is this the place form No Rolls Barred? Not a review just a question

C. B.

Good place to have a casual pint and board games with friends. Best to book before hand but an amazing casual night out!

a. s.

Draughts is the perfect location for social gatherings, great games and service throughout the evening. Drinks and food is on the expensive side however in my opinion totally worth it

B. M.

Spacious place with a lot of fun games! Food is yummy too!

O. S.

Interesting food, many board games and friendly staff that know their stuff

R.

Great place for an afternoon of gaming! Amazing selection of board games, great food and friendly staff.

R. E.

I love it here! I take all my friends to this place it's so cool! I love how it's decorated, very modern as well as light and airy. Good spot for a date too!

A. F.

Had a great night. Fun atmosphere. Friendly and helpful staff. Great selection of games. Few teething issues with the menu (one person at our table ordered a vegan burger, it came with unasked for guac which she couldn't eat), wine prices are confusing, no desserts listed. As its vaulted the ambient noise can make it hard to hear ppl, (esp if hearing impairment) but staff helpful in turning down the music. Will go back soon.

c. m.

Book in advance on a Saturday as it gets busy.

W. J.

What a friendly place! Great atmosphere, loads of games & lovely staff. Food was meh, but it didn't matter!

R. R.

A great place to bring family, friends and even dates. Price is the same whether or not you book a table for 2 hours or more so i recommend staying for the max time to get the most out of your visit

A. C.

The games are fixed. My wife won all of them. Otherwise it was excellent. Service was brilliant and huge selection of games

H. W. (.

Love a board game café but can't get over the slow service / complete lack of attention when trying to order drinks/food, on top of the volume levels in such an echoey space

R. H.

Great selection of games, good food and nice beers, can be a little loud sometimes but otherwise it's highly enjoyable

J. M.

Great place to spend time. Board games, good and table service. The mezzanine shuts at 2200. Can be hard to find as there is no sign!

T. G.

Good food selection, nice assortment of games, kind of expensive. Some waiters are more friendly than others.

S. T. O.

Looks like a nice place. Pass there nearly every working day. Will have to visit with a friend or two to experience for myself. Besides I'm not a games person.

J.

Great place, great customer service will be coming back for a longer session.

A. S.

A bit loud and bright, and erratic service and billing, but I do like a board game cafe, and this is going to be more convenient for many than the nicer Croydon one.

B. C.

Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. Great range of games and friendly staff. But so ludicrously overpriced for food it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

M. I.

A massive fan of draughts and always have been being a frequent visitor of the east London branch however of late. I have been offered bad service being charged for items not ordered but other than this - great visit.

L. T.

£5 per person for the games fee. Drinks and food similarly price as anywhere else. Bright and clean interior. Reservations suggested for groups.

R. T.

Very cool place. Tried something new and now i am slightly obsessed with board games.

C. W.

So much fun. Do come down with a group of friends or work colleagues for a different type of night out. Food looks pretty good too

T. S.

Great place for games and snacks, a bit on the expansive side but makes sense to have a frequent turnover so your not hogging tables

J. H.

Great drinks, great food, great atmoshphere, great selection of board games. Just make sure you bring great company to complete the experience.

J. C.

Tasty food, great games. Quite noisy though

I.

Decent vibes but the games could have been arranged alphabetically or with more order

A. A.

Really lovely place with a great atmosphere - it gets very busy so I would recommend booking in advance. Me friend and I didn't do this and we had to wait 45mins for a table.

S. R.

Absolutely fun and chilled vibe.

M. A.

The foods is great plus the choices of the game, I invited my friends to try it with their family and they love it and they’re looking forward to come again.

J. B.

Nice idea, lots of games which is good. Quite noisy when we went though, made it hard to play.

D. G.

Had a really great time. Discovered how good Othello is! Helpful staff, relaxed atmosphere! Thanks guys. See you again!

I. K.

One of my favourite places to hang out!! Excellent games and very knowledgeable staff

B.

Good fun but.... All the games we had were not complete. When we Mentioned it were told sorry but we can’t check every game. Great fun though.

F. D.

First time here. Had a great time and will definitely come back again!! :)

G. M.

This was brilliant. Excellent food and thoughtful, responsive guidance on some new games for us. Loved it.

G. I.

Great place to hang out with friends and unwind over drinks, food and games. Buzzing atmosphere and friendly people - I didn't want to leave!

J. N.

Further reviewing needed guys. On it!

k. k.

Board games, beer and good times.

S. J.

A nice place with lots of board games. The service is okayish. But a great place to hangout with friends and play board games

J. “. T.

Incredible selection of games, good food, and a good selection of beers. Staff are friendly too.

I. M.

Booked full on our arrival. Make sure to reserve (even if there's only a few of you), even though it says 'if your party is 10+ please reserve'.

S. G.

Slow service, lack of expertise on the games and missing pieces replaced with paper in a couple of games we played Had a much better experience at the Hackney location

G. V.

Always a fun and friendly atmosphere. Some board games are a bit tired though and need replacing

N. B.

Nice place. They have all kinds of board games. And food was good too.

B. M.

Food was really nice. Great selection of games. Cracking pinot noir.

C. S. (.

Great atmosphere, lovely staff, amazing food, and better board game selection!

R. W.

Had a really good stag day here - choice of games is great and the food is top notch!

P. M.

Excellent to have a place that'll give you draft beer and superb snacks to enjoy your board games with.

P. L.

A really neat place with a great atmosphere, and friendly, attentive staff. I'll be back! The only complaint is that the food seemed quite poor for the price of it, which is a shame.

A. R. E.

Great service, fun games and a great venue. Had some spicey Korean chicken and fried squid which was excellent!

J. W.

Great staff. Especially Ben

N. B.

Cute game café with great selection of drinks. Great place for a date.

C. W.

Great place to hang out. Make sure to book during peak hours such as weekend evenings.

C. B.

Looked good, but didn't get a chance to enjoy it as you have to book in advance. Even on a Monday.

C. L. Y.

The place to be in London! More than average!

R. R.

Amazing staff and food, only reason I've given 4/5 is due to the price. Other than that it was great. Thanks!

G. D.

Great fun, excellent food - a very reasonable afternoon with friends!

M. C.

Great selection of games and big tables to play them at. Very friendly staff!

l. a.

It's great if you like board games, if you hate them then this is a nightmare.

N. I.

Very cool atmosphere, the concept of playing board games and eating is very enjoyable

J. S.

Hard to find, but once you're thete, really cool venue, great food, great games - really good time!

j. b.

If you like board games you'll love this place. Food was decent too.

J. M.

Really cool concepts with 500 board games available. Good and drinks are pretty good too.

M. S.

Good food and drink, great service and help with games suggestions and rules. Will be back at the first opportunity

M. M.

Place is nice but way too noisy to play storytelling games, when it's busy

H. A.

Very nice but gets very busy as its more central than its Hackney branch. Recommend booking before going.

S. B.

Lovely helpful staff, great selection of games. Food not so great so worth eating elsewhere

J. K.

Very conveniently situated in the arches beneath Waterloo station, Draughts second venue builds on the success of the first. Great selection of craft beers (bottled & draught) and a variety of food (burgers, cakes, etc.). The games collection is slightly narrower than their east end venue, but still worth checking out; and the staff are very knowledgable & helpful!

T. M.

Great place with fantastic games selection.

K. P.

This is a fun place to go to. Definitely worth a visit. I wasn't fond of the food in comparison to the Haggerston location.

V. S.

Poor service, food, drinks and decor but good selection of games

H. B.

Perfect spot for a fun relaxing evening, also great jalapeño jam!

S. V.

Great games, great staff. Quite expensive but I'll be back!

L.

Great selection of games

J. K.

It was so loud we had difficulty hearing each other and the kitchen closed extremely early so I wasn't able to order dinner.

S. B.

Great atmosphere with loads of fun games and easy going staff :)

C. B.

Fantastic place, great location, awesome staff

O. E.

Slightly more expensive than their other cafe but still a great evening.

T. T.

Very cool place, book a table, bring some friends and play some dang boardgames

F. C.

Make sure you book in advance but really fun place with table service!

M. E.

Good fun place to go with frined to do something different. Staff are super helpful and food is decent

t. M.

Really good service, fantastic range of board games!

P. H.

Great board games cafe. Food is excellent

E. S.

Lovely place - cracking fun idea for a date & we'll definitely be back :)

S. L.

A really pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff. Food was delicious too!!

G. J.

Awesome selection, cool location, excellent food and beer, great staff!

S. P.

Really cool quirky place

F. N.

Lovely place...to chill with friends.... the food was good too... service is good.

K. P.

The food isn't bad and theere are good selection of games too

t. e.

Never knew about this place but I like the idea of it. Drinks were a bit pricey though

L. A.

Loved the interior design. A bit expensive but nonetheless beautiful and fun.

O. P.

Great little spot

S. B.

I partook in this venue with my nerdlings a few months ago and it was pleasant. Word of warning though, some of the people do take it a little bit too seriously. There was a gentleman playing risk with a few of his friends and he kept referring to himself as Jeffgor the conqueror of realms (he obviously thought he was pretty good at Risk). At first some people thought it was quite funny but then he demanded that the waitresses (or Wenches as he kept referring to them as) bring him more broth (beer), to drink or he would lock them in the dungeon. He was being very rude to the Wenches (Waitresses). When somebody told him this he replied, "Jeffgor is the conqueror of all realms, he has no time for your feeble manners". After a few games of Risk one of Jeffgor's friends must have defeated him. Jeffgor was not happy at all and flipped the table in a sea of rage declaring that he would banish his conqueror and proclaiming that no one defeats Jeffgor and lives to tell the tale. He then proceeded to constantly challenge this poor gentleman to a dual and that "would determine the champion of champions", according to Jeffgor. When the gentleman refused Jeffgor was irate and had to be escorted from the premises. I asked the gentlemen playing Risk with Jeffgor, how they could be friends with someone like that, they said this was the first time they'd ever met and Jeffgor was never seen or heard of again. The food is also ace.

G. L.

Relaxed, sociable, different, fun! Great food too!

C. B.

A great place to play games, quite expensive though.

M. B.

This one is better than the one in Hackney. Amazing place! Wold spent all my nights out there.

A. A.

Amazing selection of games.... mediocre food though 🙄

M. A.

Good game and beer selection. It gets a bit loud sometimes.

M. C.

So LGBT friendly

T.

So many games to choose from, affordable and great food

a. M.

Great atmosphere, friendly staff, wide selection of games, a little expensive

M. 2.

Fun place to spend with friends

A. T.

very nice place, lots of fun, cool location, 10/10 would recommend

B. L.

Amazing fun, great setting

a. e.

Cool place cool location lots of games and ok food

A. R. F.

Prices don't include tax, becoming very expensive. Otherwise, a nice place.

S. T.

Love coming here. Tonnes of board games and a fun environment

D. C.

Great selection of games and friendly staff too!

E. J.

Great place for dates, but I think that might say more about me

S. A.

Great after work spot! Food and drinks and table service!

F. M.

Decent vibe, great with a partner of a group of friends, lots of fun

R. M.

Tons of fun, good food, spectacular staff

P. S.

good food and a wide selection of games

C. W.

Very nice staff and amazing food!

L. S.

Good food, good games, lovely staff

S. K.

Loads of fun games to play in a cool setting.

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