# FLIP SIDE MEMPHIS **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2022-12-17 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2022/12/17/flip-side-memphis --- ## Analysis Flip Side Memphis is a barcade venue opened in March 2022 combining elevated Mexican dining, craft cocktails, and a curated pinball collection. The venue features 16-20 rotating machines from collector David Yopp's 70+ machine collection, hosts weekly Thursday tournaments and monthly IFPA-sanctioned events, and includes pinball-themed cocktails and local craft beer partnerships. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] David Yopp owns over seventy pinball machines and rotates 16-20 through the venue every two weeks — _Direct quote from Yopp about his collection size and rotation frequency_ - [HIGH] The oldest machine in Yopp's collection dates back to 1964, newest released summer 2022 (Cactus Canyon remake) — _Article states collection span from 1964 to summer 2022_ - [HIGH] Flip Side hosts weekly Thursday pinball tournaments and monthly IFPA-sanctioned events — _Explicit statement about tournament schedule_ - [HIGH] Games cost 2-5 credits per game, with 5 credits for newest games — _Specific pricing information provided_ - [HIGH] Executive Chef Jordan Beatty, 28, provides elevated lunch and dinner menus with Mexican cuisine — _Chef details and menu descriptions provided_ ### Notable Quotes > "There is only space for 16-20 here, so I will be rotating them out" > — **David Yopp** > _Explains rotation strategy for extensive personal collection at venue_ > "Is Flip Side Memphis a barcade or a great dining destination? As you may have guessed, it's both!" > — **Article author** > _Establishes the venue's dual identity as primary theme_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Flip Side Memphis | organization | Barcade venue in Memphis, TN opened March 2022 combining restaurant, bar, and pinball arcade | | David Yopp | person | Pinball collector and co-owner of Flip Side Memphis; owns 70+ pinball machines | | Michael Muhlert | person | Pinball aficionado and co-owner of Flip Side Memphis | | Tony Westmoreland | person | Restaurant entrepreneur and owner of Tandem Restaurant Partners; co-owner of Flip Side Memphis | | Stephanie Westmoreland | person | Restaurant entrepreneur and co-owner of Tandem Restaurant Partners; co-owner of Flip Side Memphis | | Jordan Beatty | person | Executive Chef at Flip Side Memphis, age 28, Memphis native with experience at Caritas Village, Tamboli's Pasta & Pizza, and The Vault | | Cactus Canyon Remake | game | Chicago Gaming 2022 game; newest machine in Yopp's collection as of summer 2022 | | AC/DC Pro Vault Edition | game | Stern 2017 pinball machine at Flip Side Memphis | | Black Knight: Sword of Rage Pro | game | Stern 2019 pinball machine at Flip Side Memphis | | Godzilla Premium | game | Stern 2021 pinball machine at Flip Side Memphis | | Deadpool Pro | game | Stern 2018 pinball machine at Flip Side Memphis | | Led Zeppelin Pro | game | Stern 2020 pinball machine at Flip Side Memphis | | Star Wars Pro | game | Stern 2017 pinball machine at Flip Side Memphis | | Future Spa | game | Bally 1979 pinball machine at Flip Side Memphis; also name of pinball-themed cocktail (gin, triple sec, blood orange) | | Tandem Restaurant Partners | company | Restaurant group owned by Tony and Stephanie Westmoreland that also owns Zinnie's, Ben Yay's, and Side Car Cafe | | Crosstown Brewing Company | company | Local Memphis brewery that created 'Flip Side Wizard Mode' IPA special for the venue | | IFPA | organization | International Federation of Pinball Players; sanctions monthly tournaments at Flip Side | ### Topics - **Primary:** Barcade venue design and operation, Pinball machine collection curation and rotation, Tournament hosting and competitive pinball, Food and beverage service at pinball venues - **Secondary:** Pinball-themed cocktails and branding, Vintage pinball restoration and preservation ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.85) — Review article is consistently positive about venue's execution, food quality, game selection, and atmosphere. Uses superlatives like 'exceptional' and 'well-curated'. Concludes with enthusiastic recommendation. ### Signals - **[event_signal]** Flip Side Memphis hosts weekly Thursday pinball tournaments and monthly IFPA-sanctioned competitive events with live gallery monitors (confidence: high) — Every Thursday night the pub hosts a weekly pinball tournament, while IFPA-sanctioned events are held monthly - **[market_signal]** Established barcade venue with professional infrastructure (live monitors, token systems, tournament hosting) demonstrates sustained market viability for pinball venues in secondary markets (confidence: high) — Flip Side Memphis opened March 2022 with full tournament infrastructure and maintains active IFPA sanctioning - **[technology_signal]** Adoption of custom 'gallery monitors' for live shot display above each pinball machine as venue innovation (confidence: medium) — Yopp designed 'gallery monitors' that display live shot action above machines for tournament spectating --- ## Transcript **Date:** December 2022 **Location:** 1349 Autumn Ave., Memphis, TN 38104, USA **Games (changing every two weeks or so):** * ***AC/DC*** Pro Vault Edition (Stern 2017) * ***The Amazing Spider-Man*** (Gottlieb 1980) * ***Black Knight: Sword of Rage*** Pro (Stern 2019) * ***Blackout*** (Williams 1980) * ***Cactus Canyon Remake*** Special (Chicago Gaming 2022) * ***Deadpool*** Pro (Stern 2018) * ***Firepower*** (Williams 1980) * ***Flash*** (Williams 1979) * ***Future Spa*** (Bally 1979) two games side by side * ***Godzilla*** Premium (Stern 2021) * ***Hotdoggin’*** (Bally 1979) * ***Led Zeppelin*** Pro (Stern 2020) * ***Mata Hari*** SS (Bally 1978) * ***Mystic*** (Bally 1979) * ***The Six Million Dollar Man*** (Bally 1978) * ***Skateball*** (Bally 1980) * ***Star Wars*** Pro (Stern 2017) Many years ago, NBC television’s *Saturday Night Live* (in those halcyon days when the show was actually clever and entertaining) aired a spoof advert where comedian Chevy Chase posed the question “*Is it a floor wax or a dessert topping?*” In this case, the product ‘New Shimmer’ was both! In much the same way, we could ask: “*Is Flip Side Memphis a barcade or a great dining destination?*” As you may have guessed, it’s both! *Flip Side Memphis* is the latest restaurant and bar venture from Tony and Stephanie Westmoreland of Tandem Restaurant Partners, who also own restaurants such as *Zinnie’s*, *Ben Yay’s* and the *Side Car Cafe*. The couple partnered with pinball aficionados David Yopp and Michael Muhlert to open *Flip Side* in March 2022. Let’s talk about the dining and cover the arcade experience a bit later in this review. If not unique, then certainly exceptional for barcades is the fact that *Flip Side* has an Executive Chef, Vecennia Jordan Beatty, 28, on staff. Vecennia Jordan’s well-curated lunch menu includes tacos, burrito bowls, salads, quesadillas, house salsas, and quesos. [![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Flip-Side-Memphis-28.jpeg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Flip-Side-Memphis-28.jpeg) Tacos! Beatty, a Memphis native, was a sous chef at *Caritas Village*, sous chef and daytime chef at *Tamboli’s Pasta & Pizza*, and daytime chef/brunch chef at *The Vault*. *Flip Side* offers an elevated dinner menu available only from 5pm to 9pm. All dinner entrees come with Mexican rice, black beans, and house-made pickled taqueria salad with pickled jalapeños, carrots, radishes, and onions. *Flip Side* also has a good selection of vegetarian and gluten-free items, such as their rice bowls and salads. All this is well and good, but what about the barcade part of *The Flip Side*? *The Flip Side* features seventeen pinball machines, some of which are vintage machines that have been restored by collector David Yopp. Yopp said he owns over seventy pinball machines. “*There is only space for 16-20 here, so I will be rotating them out*”, he said. The oldest machine in his collection dates back to 1964, while the newest was released in the summer of 2022 (the *Cactus Canyon* remake). On top of each machine, Yopp has attached an information card listing the year it was made, the manufacturer, and how many of that title were manufactured. Every Thursday night the pub hosts a weekly pinball tournament, while IFPA-sanctioned events are held monthly. Guests can watch all the action at the tournaments and special events on screens above each machine. Yopp calls the live shot screens he designed ‘gallery monitors.’ *Flip Side* also has two electronic Soft Dart boards,  Super Chexx Bubble Hockey STL vs NSH, and a regulation-size pool table. Games use tokens only and vary in cost between 2 and 5 credits per game, with 5 credits for the very newest games. There’s a third element to *Flip Side* which I feel should be discussed, and that is the bar. [![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Flip-Side-Memphis-2-1024x768.jpeg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Flip-Side-Memphis-2-scaled.jpeg) Pinball Theme Bar Like certain barcades, they have pinball theme handcrafted cocktails such as *Future Spa* (gin, triple sec and blood orange), *The Roger Sharpe* (rye whiskey, bitters, and Meletti amaro), and *‘Bonus Ball*‘ *Old Fashioned* (bourbon, orange bitters, and bourbon cherry)to name a few. [![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Flip-Side-Memphis-25.jpeg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Flip-Side-Memphis-25.jpeg) Craft selects and Local Brews as well as Canned Cocktails *Flip Side* serves *Elvis Whiskey* by Grain and Barrel Spirits company which is a blend of corn, rye and malted barley spirits. Is beer your thing? *Flip Side* has a very good selection of craft beers both in bottles and on tap. Nearby Crosstown Brewing Company has made a special IPA called *Flip Side Wizard Mode* which is available at the bar in cans. [![](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Flip-Side-Memphis-23-1024x1024.jpeg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Flip-Side-Memphis-23.jpeg) Crosstown Brewing Company’s Wizard Mode “next level IPA” Here are some tips to help you enjoy your visit to *Flip Side*: Games are all token operated and there are two token dispensers available for use. Bartenders are happy to give change if you need it. If street parking is unavailable, you can park in the nearby Crosstown shopping center garage and walk over. You may want to call before you go. Tuesday is usually tournament night, and *Flip Side* is closed to the public. They also host other special and private events that require the entire facility. Trivia is on Wednesday nights, where you can test your memory and compete for prizes. *Flip Side* has a mobile unit that they have taken to such events as the Memphis Beer and Arcade Festival in September 2022 which featured craft beer, pinball, arcade machines, vendors, live music (*Bit Brigade* and *PXLS*), and movies. Terri and I had a great evening of entertainment at *Flip Side Memphis*. It seems to have the right blend of a welcoming vibe, great food and drink choices, as well as a well-curated collection of games. If you find yourself in the Memphis area, we would highly suggest that you pay *Flip Side* a visit. _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 2b003d0f-7447-4203-9587-462c039c42a5*