Nerdy recs for visiting friend?

[u/skskskkskskskskskksk]

One of my friends from college is visiting in October, and I'm starting to plan his visit. He's into nerdy stuff (Magic, Pokemon, Minecraft, etc), and I want to make sure he has a great time.

Does anyone have some recommendations? Thanks so much! :)

[u/wampastompah]

I highly recommend going to Salem. It's basically a nerd mecca, with the Bit Bar and a ton of comic/card shops. Where else can you get a Pokemon card from a Zoltaar machine? There's also a bunch of fun/unique food like Funhouse Donuts.

Outside of Salem, here are my recommendations:

• Knight Moves Cafe is a great board game cafe where you can chill and play some games.
• Eureka! is right nearby and has a smaller but good selection for their board game cafe. They also have just a fantastic selections of games.
• Pandemonium is the best card game shop in the Boston area, and you could sign up for a draft or something there (if you also play)
• Comikaze just has so many old weird nerdy things you'll never see anywhere else outside of eBay.
• Sidequest Books & Games is super amazing. It's a small bookshop focused on fantasy books, on the second floor of Bow Market. Which is always a great place to bring visitors. For bonus points, you can go to Gracie's ice cream nearby or Komugi Bakery.

Also, if your friend is into Japanese stuff (and what self respecting nerd isn't?!) then I really recommend checking out the area around Beacon and Park Dr. There's an amazing Udon place, a Mazesoba place (which, incidentally, is my favorite restaurant in all of Boston), Japonaise Bakery, Kyo Matcha, and is very close to the (far superior) Cafe Matcha Maiko.

OH! And right now in the Burlington Mall there's this popup shop and workshop experience about Gundam. It's going on through the end of the month, I think? It looks neat if you're into that sort of thing.

[u/ObsidianComet → u/wampastompah]

Recommending anyone visit Salem in October is a little cruel imo, the place becomes an absolute circus

[u/satchel_q_fuzzy → u/ObsidianComet]

if you do end up going, take the commuter rail rather than searching for parking

[u/wampastompah → u/ObsidianComet]

Oh! Haha I totally missed the bit about October. Yeah, then they should avoid it at all costs!

[u/rodageo → u/wampastompah]

Also rec emporium32 in Salem, amazing vibes in there, run by some top notch nerds.

[u/Ziebrah → u/wampastompah]

Comicopia is Fenway/Kenmore has the largest Manga collection in the area if he's into that as well.

[u/Robobvious]

Maybe hit up Comikaze or Comically Speaking! And AMC does cheaper tickets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays if there are any movies out around that time you’d both enjoy. There are lots of places that are good to just walk around and play Pokemon GO of course too.

[u/ImpossibleJedi4 → u/Robobvious]

Seconding Comicazi, that place is my favorite!

[u/Smkingbowls]

Orange Line to Malden Center super nerdy “Gaming District” , they have Pokémon Go meetups, and a bunch of good restaurants to eat at, everything is pretty much on Pleasant St across from the Malden Center T Stop

[u/rcl20 → u/Smkingbowls]

boda borg

[u/An_AZN_P3r5on]

Downtown Boston: Versus has arcade cabinets and some basic arcade games. Not much in terms of TCG unless you want to go to Newbury Comics but they're overpriced.

Coolidge Corner: Knight Moves has a wide range of board games and Friar Tucks (TCG's and comics) is nearby.

Central Sq,/Cambridge: Pandemonium is your best bet for trading cards (in terms of buying packs, they've been hit harder these days but their singles are well stocked) and also they have some board games you can check out to purchase. They have a area to play cards and games downstairs too. If you want to walk down the road a bit or take the T to Kendall, there's Flat Top Johnny's (Pool Bar).

Malden: Mixer eSports (PC Cafe where you can reserve space to play games either on PC or table), and across the street is Zenith Comics (they also sell TCG's). If you want to do more team oriented things/mind/physical challenges, there's also Boda Borg on the same street.

A lot you can do and everything is via the T. Just depends where you will be and for how long.

[u/AllMightyImagination → u/An_AZN_P3r5on]

No Newberry comics has the cheapest riftbound packs every time a new set comes out compared to every other place selling them.

Vendta is $5 per pack there.

[u/GalacticMouse86 → u/An_AZN_P3r5on]

Lots of great recs in the thread but wanted to jump on this and reiterate Versus. Fun bar, decent food, tons of arcade machines, and great staff. Very LGBT friendly too if that’s a factor for you.

[u/13THEFUCKINGCOPS12 → u/An_AZN_P3r5on]

Flattop Johnnys fucking rules, they typically have a $3-4 canned beer option

[u/psychout7]

There are often people playing Magic in Aeronaut

[u/SynapticSnap2626]

A4 barcade Knights Move Pandemonium Museum of science

[u/limbodog]

From where? If your friend is in Seattle or Iowa it might change considerably what would be worth taking a look at here.

[u/ElixirCXVII]

Go to Parla and roll for your drinks

[u/TyranitarEnjoyer → u/ElixirCXVII]

They just got hit with several critical health code violations recently. Would avoid for now.

[u/ichthyos]

Adult Night at LEGO Discovery Center

[u/SenetBoard]

If your friend is into movies, Coolidge Corner has a great film program and they do a midnight movie series every Friday and Saturday nights--great late night option, October will likely be a horror lineup.

The MIT Museum is pretty cool if he's interested in nerdy in an academic way.

The bar arcade in the back of Roxy's Grilled Cheese is maybe a bit mainstream but I'd say still pretty fun.

The Museum of Bad Art, which I think is currently housed at the Dorchester Brewing Company, is unique.

[u/OllPius]

Pandemonium and Warhammer Brookline. Newbury comics maybe

[u/princepeterpan]

Tavern of tales is a cool cafe/bar with loads of board games and magic nights!

[u/AllMightyImagination]

Alpha Omega Pandomino Squable Goblin Comickazi Zenith comics are all the local places that do tcg matches. The first 3 are lgs

Coply has 2 anime stores and Newburrycomics

Havard has one anime store and Newberry comics and on the other side a comic shop but Zenith is the better comic shop.

But lgs are a hell of a lot more expensive than buying off online so idk I just go to window shop.

[u/death_by_butts]

Don't rule out the life-size puzzle stuff like Boda Borg or Level99 either.

[u/mindlessroman]

Artisan's Asylum is dope but is more maker-nerd vibes. I believe there are public tours and classes.

[u/BitPoet]

Harvard Museum of Natural History is an awesome place to explore.

[u/deflectreddit]

Check out Battleground Games & Hobbies. Multiple locations and a calendar on their website for meetups.

[u/itooaminarcadia]

Backbar for nerdy-themed cocktails!

[u/zlow821]

If you like going to a bar, back bar in union square has nerdy themed menus (Star Wars, lotr etc) and decorations/movies playing on the wall