Chance & Counters (Christmas Steps)
BEST FOR
Up to age 14
ENTRY
from £2.50
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Bristol
What it’s like
A café with a library of 850 board games and staff on hand to teach the rules, free for under-15s to play.
The point of the place is the wall of games, more than 850 of them, and the gaming gurus who'll come and sit with you if you fancy something you've never played before. Tell them what sort of thing you're after and how many of you there are, and they'll pick something and talk you through the rules, which beats the usual family row over instructions nobody's read properly.
Kids up to 14 play free, which is the detail that matters if you've got more than one of them in tow. The adults pay a gaming admission fee instead, £2.50 an hour off-peak or £3.50 an hour if you're going Friday evening through the weekend, and it's charged per person per hour so a long session with a big group does add up. There's food and drink on the go too, with vegan and gluten-free options on the all-day menu, so you can make an afternoon of it without having to go and find lunch somewhere else.
You do not need to book for a casual walk-in, but Friday and Saturday nights get busy and they say larger groups should book ahead if they want to be sure of a table. It's an old city building on Christmas Steps, and while it is wheelchair accessible, there's a step at the front door so you will want to give staff a shout for a hand with that. Dogs are welcome too if that is part of your afternoon out.
Group bookings of ten or more can get a package from £23 a head that bundles two hours of gaming with food, and there is a back room set aside for parties, which is worth knowing if you are planning a birthday for a board-game-obsessed teenager rather than another soft play trip.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Ages up to 14, older kids who fancy a proper game
- Booking
- Walk-ins welcome but booking recommended for Friday and Saturday nights or larger groups to avoid disappointment
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair accessible. Ask staff for assistance with the front door step
- Dogs
- Allowed. Well-behaved four-legged friends are very welcome
- Parties
- Group bookings for 10+ with packages from £23pp including 2-hour gaming fee and food
- Under-15s play free, adults pay the hourly gaming fee
- Peak pricing kicks in from Friday 5pm through the weekend
- Dogs are welcome throughout the venue
- There's a step at the front door, so ask staff for help if you need it
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Kids aged 14 and under play free. Adults pay a gaming admission fee, £2.50 per hour off-peak (Sunday 5pm to Friday 5pm) or £3.50 per hour at peak times (Friday 5pm to Sunday 5pm).
Do we need to book?
Walk-ins are welcome any time. For Friday or Saturday nights, or if you're a larger group, they recommend booking ahead.
Is it suitable for young kids?
The site lists ages up to 14, so it suits kids old enough to get stuck into a board game with a bit of help from staff rather than toddlers.
What's there to eat?
There's an all-day menu with vegan and gluten-free options, and staff will help with any other dietary needs if you ask when you arrive.
Can staff teach us how to play?
Yes. Their gaming gurus will pick a game to suit your group and walk you through the rules.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
It is, though there's a step at the front door, so ask staff for a hand getting in.
Can you book it for a birthday party?
Group bookings of 10 or more get packages from £23 a head including two hours of gaming and food, with a back room set aside for parties.
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