Midnight Arcade, nestled in the heart of Kensington Market, serves up nostalgia in a big way with old-school games and retro arcade vibes.

Located behind a discreet door is a large bar on the second floor that looks like a video game itself. Neon blue, purple, and red lights welcome customers and transport them away into the space.

There are a lot of seating options, from high bar tables and more private deep-seated booths for groups to smaller tables for intimate conversations. 

Co-owner Christine Pham and her siblings are masters of cool vibes and good food, with Midnight Market and Big Trouble already in their portfolio of successful bars.

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All the games are free to play, making this a great spot for dates or large celebrations. (However, there is a cover charge on Fridays and Saturdays after 9 p.m.)

There are '90s classics like Tetris and three-player fighting games. You can even find hoops and an air hockey table here.

The kitchen is open until midnight, serving snacks and thick rectangular pizzas that are the perfect size for sharing. The entire menu has an Asian flair, and Pham tells us she wanted to keep all the offerings nostalgic to keep with the theme of the bar.

The snack menu is simple, ringing in at a total of just six items. Hashbrowns ($6) tossed in green chili salt come in easy-to-grab sticks to be dipped in yuzu mayo.

The Bonito Tofu ($9) is a different take on an okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake). Eight pieces of tofu are stuffed with shrimp and topped with mayo, okonomiyaki sauce, and bonito flakes.

This one is super fishy, so if that's not your thing I'd tread with caution. Jalapeno Poppers ($9) come breaded, fried, and stuffed with nem nướng sausage and cheese. This one is bound to be a crowd-pleaser.

A plate of Brussels Sprouts are done extra fancy using miso honey, a generous shaving of salted egg, and furikake for $8. 

Cob Corn ($7) is rolled in garlic cream and covered in toasted onion before being served on these handy handled skewers so you can keep your hands clean while playing games. 

Don't leave without trying one of their deep dish pizzas. They take about 30 minutes to make, so put your order in early when you arrive. 

The Red Curry Pizza ($25) is topped with chicken, onion, and red pepper and tastes like butter chicken. 

The Bacon Pizza ($24) has kernels of corn, melted brie, chopped jalapeño, and dallops of guacamole on each of the six slices. 

For a Vietnamese spin on a Hawaiian pizza, the Nem Nướng & Pineapple Pizza ($25) adds pickled red onions and peppercorn to cut through the heavy layers of cheese and pork. 

For drinks, all prices already include taxes. You'll find a variety of beers, soju, and mixed shooters, but only three cocktails. 

Born Pink ($15) combines gin, grapefruit vodka, Calpico, and green tea syrup for a slightly milky sweet drink.

Breath of the Wild ($15) is their most popular order. It has a pretty purple shade thanks to the butterfly pea infused Bombay Sapphire and St. Germain elderflower. Yuzu extract, chamomile syrup, and egg whites are shaken and served in a cute coupe glass. 

Bowzer's Love Song ($15) is a spicy margarita which, interestingly, uses calamansi juice and a green Vietnamese chili salt rim. 

The space is usually packed full on Fridays and weekends with students and people looking to get in touch with their inner child. 

"We're not just an arcade, which is why we don't charge for games," Pham explains. "We want people to have fun and feel like a kid again when here." 

Midnight Arcade is located at 158 Augusta Ave.