Shuffleboard isn’t usually the focus of the evening — or anything, really — but that’s the point: It’s unobtrusive enough to schedule just about any outing around it. Electric Shuffle, a bar and games venue out of London, is coming to Austin to hold that space and more this fall.
Electric Shuffle seems like a paradox, as shuffleboard is an antique activity, not really something people are racing to innovate. But the London bar did it, implementing custom-built “high-tech shuffleboard” with cameras to track and map each puck, keeping score for up to two dozen people, and making tournaments especially easy. Despite the arcade-ification of this classic bar game, it still seems to work the same mechanically, so analog experts need not worry.
“We are so excited for Austin to be the next spot we call home,” said Electric Shuffle USA CEO Gene Ball in a press release. “The city is a hub for innovation and hospitality with a deep love of good vibes and great music while being home to some of the coolest and weirdest concepts in the world. We cannot wait for Electric Shuffle to be a part of this community and culture while adding our own little piece of uniqueness to the city.”
The Austin bar will reside where an upscale, retro bar games spot gone high-tech makes sense: Rainey Street. It will be housed in The Quincy, a mixed-use complex between The Fairmont and the Hotel Van Zandt.
The bar itself is visually stunning — at least it is in Dallas, the closest and only other United States location — with an eclectic mix of art deco lighting, exposed brick, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and colorful velvet seating. While dive bars can be plenty of fun for late night games, this is not one. The Austin location is not just the second in Texas; it’s the fourth city in the entire chain, which is operating in London, Dallas, and Leeds coming this fall.
The elevation reaches through the decor and into the kitchen, which sends out a long list of snacks and even full meals to share, including roasted shishito peppers, sampling platters, seven types of pizza, and more.
It’s not just good for an evening hang, either. Electric Shuffle serves an over-the-top brunch with a bottle of prosecco for each guest (or a nonalcoholic alternative), other cocktails, live DJs, a charcuterie-like “Ultimate Brunch Board,” and bacon jam pizza. Huge parties are more than welcome, with reservations available for four to 24 guests, and opportunities for private events of up to 250.
More information about Electric Shuffle, including details on the Austin location, is available at electricshuffleusa.com.
The game tables by Electric Shuffleboard keep score with cameras, so tournaments have never been easier.
