Eating as a family at Firefly restaurant in Charlottesville may have been more fun for us (mom & dad) than our kids. While we waxed nostalgic about the video games back in our childhoods, our kids managed to eat their burgers, coax more quarters out of our pockets, and still enjoy themselves… despite the games being different than today’s video game experience.
Firefly is located in the Belmont district. With a nice outdoor patio, right on the corner of Market & Meade, it’s hard to miss. Inside lies a casual, family-friendly eatery focused on game-based gatherings.
(And YES, that’s the original Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga in that photo above, if that gives you any idea as to why we loved it so much.)
In the past there have been board games available for diners, but that has changed during COVID and new safety protocols.
Pinball machines lined another wall, with a skee-ball game on another.
All the games are coin-operated, running 50-cents to 75-cents a game. There is a change machine for dollar bills. But BRING CASH and QUARTERS.
Truly, this was really fun for my husband and I. I, of course, couldn’t help but remember how going to Pizza Hut in high school because they had the only Ms. Pac-Man game in town was a big deal. Our kids, of course, shrugged, not understanding how truly different it was back then (‘in the snow, uphill both ways!’).
Interestingly, these games still held their attention, despite being technologically eons behind what they see today. It did make us laugh that we had to explain how to actually work the machines – they didn’t understand where to put the quarters.
Firefly isn’t a big space, meaning it is easy to keep an eye on kids when they are playing the games. It also means you may want to consider a reservation.
The menu is primarily tater-tot and burger-based, but they do have a robust vegetarian menu, as well. It wasn’t the cheapest place to eat in town (especially given the money spent on balls that went right through the dang middle on our pinball games). But it was a fun, special night for us.
There are a few beers on tap, with a focus on local beers, as well as many more in bottles and cans.
This is a place where kids of all ages are welcome – there is even a changing table in the restroom.
So go, have fun, reminiscence, and see if you are still as good at Galaga now as you were back then! And see if your kids are at all interested in the strategy behind beating a level in Ms. Pac-Man. Personally, I’ve listened to mine talk about Minecraft enough, I feel like 20 minutes on Ms. Pac-Man is fair play.
More on Firefly:
Raising Charlottesville is a website dedicated to highlighting fun & local activities for families living in the Charlottesville, VA area.