The Dave and Busters at 234 West 42nd Street sits in the thickest part of the tourist corridor, wedged between the Port Authority and the theater district. You're walking into a 40,000-square-foot space that fills fast after 7pm on weekends and stays loud until close. The arcade floor is bigger than most suburban locations, but it doesn't feel that way when three bachelor parties and a corporate outing are all trying to claim the basketball hoops at once.
Text Karpo before you head out and get live subway timing from your neighborhood, plus a backup plan if the wait's longer than an hour. It'll also check current promos so you're not guessing at the door.
What the Times Square location actually feels like
The games mix is what you'd expect—racing sims, ticket redemption games, a few VR pods, and the multi-player stuff that works for groups. Halo Fireteam Raven and the newer Mario Kart setup draw lines. If you're coming specifically for a game you saw online, check the floor map on the app before you leave; not every Dave and Busters carries the same roster, and this location rotates machines more often than the suburban stores because the traffic justifies it.
The bar and restaurant side runs full table service. The menu is the corporate standard—wings, burgers, flatbreads—and the kitchen keeps up better than you'd think given the volume. Prices are Manhattan prices: expect to pay $18 for a burger, $15 for wings, $12–$16 for cocktails. The food is fine, not the reason you're here, but it's hot and it comes out fast enough that you're not waiting 45 minutes between rounds of games.
How to get there without the transfer headache
The Times Square–42nd Street station is a maze. If you're coming from Brooklyn or Queens on the N, Q, R, or W, you'll surface close to the building. The 1, 2, 3, 7, A, C, and E all dump you into the same complex, but the walking tunnel from the 7 platform to the street exit near Dave and Busters takes longer than the map suggests—plan for an extra five minutes if you're meeting someone at a specific time.
Coming from Long Island City, the 7 is the direct shot, but after 10pm the headways stretch and you might wait twelve minutes for the next train. The E from Court Square is faster late-night if you're already on that side of the neighborhood, and the walk from the Eighth Avenue exit is two blocks. If you're driving, the Icon Parking at 300 West 42nd charges $30–$45 for evening hours; street parking does not exist.
Leaving after midnight, the subway runs but service changes kick in. The 7 goes local, the N and R skip stops, and the A runs express in ways that don't help you if you're headed to Astoria or Williamsburg. Check the MTA site or text Karpo for the actual last train that gets you home without a transfer that adds twenty minutes.
Dave and Busters deals and what they actually save you
Dave and Busters runs a rotating set of promotions, and the Times Square location honors most of them. Wednesday is historically the half-price games night, which means you load your power card and every swipe costs half the usual credits. That deal pulls a crowd—expect the floor to be busier on a Wednesday at 8pm than a Saturday at 6pm. If you're planning around it, show up before 7pm or after 10pm to avoid the worst of the line at the card-loading kiosks.
The Eat and Play combo packages give you a set amount of game credits and a food-and-drink credit for one price, usually in the $30–$50 range depending on the tier. These work if you were planning to eat there anyway and you know you'll burn through the credits. If you're just drinking and playing a few games, you'll spend less by loading your card separately and ordering off the menu. Check the current offers on the Dave and Busters website the day you're going—they change promos monthly and sometimes run limited-time boosts that double your first $20 load.
The rewards program, D&B Rewards, is free and worth signing up for if you go more than once. You accumulate points on every dollar of gameplay and food, and the app sometimes drops bonus-credit offers tied to your location. The Times Square store occasionally runs happy-hour pricing on select games between 4pm and 6pm on weekdays, but it's not advertised on the door—ask the front desk or check the app before you start loading credits.
Best timing and what to bring with you
The best time to walk into Dave and Busters Times Square is Sunday through Thursday before 6pm, or after 10pm any night if you don't mind the bar-heavy crowd. Friday and Saturday between 7pm and 11pm is when the floor is shoulder-to-shoulder, the popular games have waits, and the noise level makes conversation hard. If you're bringing a group for a birthday or a low-key hangout, aim for the early-evening window or accept that you're in the middle of the Friday-night energy.
Weekday afternoons are quieter, and if you can swing a late lunch or an early dinner, you'll have your pick of machines and open tables. The lunch menu runs until 4pm, and the kitchen doesn't get slammed until after 6pm. Matinee theater crowds sometimes fill the bar between 4:30pm and 6pm, but they clear out fast.
Bring a credit card or load your power card through the app before you arrive. The kiosks take cards and cash, but the cash-to-card machines are slower and there's often a line. If you're coming with more than four people, call ahead or check online to see if you need a reservation for a table—the restaurant side doesn't always hold walk-in space on weekend nights. Confirm current dave and busters games availability on the app if there's a specific machine you want; the floor layout changes and not every game is always active.
If you're drinking, plan your ride home before you start. The subway runs all night, but late-night service changes mean your usual route might take longer or require a transfer you didn't expect. Rideshares from Times Square after 11pm surge, and the pickup zones are chaotic—meet your car on a side street, not in front of the building. Have a backup plan, whether that's a different train line, a friend who's staying sober, or a later departure time that avoids the worst of the weekend subway gaps.
Practical notes
- Wednesday half-price games night draws the biggest crowds; arrive before 7pm or after 10pm.
- The 7 train from Long Island City is direct, but the E from Court Square is faster late-night.
- Parking near Times Square runs $30–$45 for evening hours; street parking is not realistic.
- Check current dave and busters deals on the website the day you go—promos change monthly.
- Plan a safe ride home before you drink; late-night subway service changes add time, and rideshares surge after 11pm.
- Load your power card through the app before you arrive to skip the kiosk line.
Tags: #karpo #daveandbusters #timessquare #nycarcade #sportssocial #nycnightlife #midtownmanhattan #nycsubway #longislandcity #nycgamenight #42ndstreet #nycdeals #arcadegames #nycplans #newyorkcity
Sources consulted: Dave & Busters official site · MTA subway service
Please drink responsibly. Must be of legal drinking age.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Ask Karpo first
Text Karpo to check live subway timing from your neighborhood and get a realistic route home that accounts for late-night service changes. It can also pull the current promos and tell you if the floor's slammed right now or if it's worth heading over.
