# JUPITER BAR **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2018-07-12 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/07/12/jupiter-bar --- ## Analysis Pinball News visits Jupiter Bar, a newly opened 'artcade' in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood (June 2018). The venue combines art installations, food/drinks, and an impressive selection of pinball machines spanning decades, hosting weekly Tuesday night three-strikes tournaments. The location emphasizes aesthetic experience alongside gaming, with a diverse game selection and strong community tournament culture. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Jupiter bills itself as an 'Artcade' with art, games, food & drinks as core offerings — _Jupiter location description in article; confirmed by venue branding and interior design focus_ - [HIGH] Jupiter hosts a weekly 'three-strikes' tournament every Tuesday evening at 9pm — _Directly stated in article with author participation in tournament_ - [HIGH] All machines at Jupiter were in great condition during June 2018 visit — _Author's direct observation and assessment_ - [HIGH] Jupiter is located one block east of Shorty's on the same street (2nd Ave, Seattle) — _Explicit location comparison and address provided_ - [HIGH] Food options at Jupiter consist of three salads, soup, sliders, and eight grilled sandwiches — _Direct menu description by reviewer_ ### Notable Quotes > "Jupiter bills itself as having 'art, games, food & drinks' and there's no doubt they heavily push the art angle, even calling themselves an 'Artcade'." > — **Pinball News Author**, Introduction section > _Defines the venue's unique positioning and branding strategy in the arcade market_ > "We really enjoyed playing at Jupiter. The food choice isn't the best and the beer selection soon gets narrowed down to one decent brew (Black Raven), but the vibe of the place, the wonderful art and the equally wonderful game selection more than makes up for that." > — **Pinball News Author**, Conclusion > _Summarizes the venue's strengths and weaknesses; emphasizes that art/game quality compensates for food/drink shortcomings_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Jupiter Bar | location | Artcade venue in Seattle's Belltown (2126 2nd Ave A), opened by June 2018; hosts pinball, video games, food/drinks, and weekly tournaments | | Seattle, WA | location | City location for Jupiter Bar and other pinball venues referenced (Shorty's) | | Shorty's | location | Established pinball location in Seattle; visited by Pinball News on multiple trips; located on 2nd Ave, one block west of Jupiter | | Belltown | location | Seattle neighborhood where Jupiter Bar is located; described as having local character and culture | | Pinball News | organization | Content creator/publication reviewing pinball venues; conducted June 2018 location visit to Jupiter Bar | | Medieval Madness | game | Classic Bally pinball machine at Jupiter Bar; was undergoing maintenance during Pinball News visit | | Killer Queen | game | Video game present at Jupiter Bar; described as 'almost obligatory' in modern arcade venues | | Slugfest | game | Williams-manufactured mechanical game at Jupiter Bar | | Ice Cold Beer | game | Rainier-branded mechanical game at Jupiter Bar | | Black Raven | product | Local Seattle brewery; identified as the best beer option available at Jupiter Bar | ### Topics - **Primary:** Venue design and aesthetics (artcade concept), Pinball location infrastructure and community - **Secondary:** Tournament organization and competitive play, Food and beverage offerings at arcades, Game collection curation and maintenance - **Mentioned:** Seattle pinball scene and venue ecosystem ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.85) — Author expresses clear appreciation for Jupiter Bar's vibe, art, and game selection despite noting weaknesses in food variety and beer selection. Tone is enthusiastic and encouraging about the venue as a destination. ### Signals - **[event_signal]** Jupiter Bar hosts weekly 'three-strikes' tournament every Tuesday at 9pm with sponsor support and prize pool, indicating active competitive pinball community in Seattle (confidence: high) — Direct statement: 'there is a weekly three-strikes tournament at Jupiter, held every Tuesday evening at 9pm' with photo documentation of tournament play and prize announcements - **[event_signal]** Pinball News location review from June 2018 covering newly opened Seattle venue with established tournament infrastructure (confidence: high) — Entire article is a venue review with photographic documentation of machines, tournament setup, and venue amenities --- ## Transcript **Date:** June, 2018 **Location:** Jupiter Bar, 2126 2nd Ave A, Seattle, WA 98121, USA In June we had another opportunity to visit Seattle and check out a very small selection of the city’s many great pinball locations. We always pay [Shorty’s](https://shortydog.com/) a visit on every trip to pump some quarters into their games, but we were told about a new location which had opened in Belltown just a block East on the same street. [![Jupiter on 2nd Avenue in Seattle](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/001-jupiter-1024x650.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/001-jupiter.jpg) Jupiter on 2nd Avenue in Seattle Jupiter bills itself as having “art, games, food & drinks” and there’s no doubt they heavily push the art angle, even calling themselves an “Artcade”. [![We've had arcades, barcades and now artcades](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/022-jupiter-676x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/022-jupiter.jpg) We’ve had arcades, barcades and now artcades As you walk inside the art references are revealed, with huge murals painted on many of the interior walls. [![Some of the mural art at Jupiter](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/014-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/014-jupiter.jpg) Some of the mural art at Jupiter [![More of the mural art at Jupiter](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/013-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/013-jupiter.jpg) More of the mural art at Jupiter [![More of the mural art at Jupiter](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/015-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/015-jupiter.jpg) More of the mural art at Jupiter There are also numerous pictures and paintings on the other walls from well over a dozen different artists. At the front of the building is the food preparation area and seating, while to the right is the bar. [![The bar at Jupiter](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/002-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/002-jupiter.jpg) The bar at Jupiter We say “food preparation area” rather than “kitchen” as the food options are relatively modest, consisting of three salads (house/Caesar/Italian), soup, sliders and a selection of eight grilled sandwiches.  Eight is also the magic number when it comes to the choice of tap beers.  While that’s pretty good in many places, in a craft beer heavy city like Seattle it’s a relatively humble offering.  That said, the range was good and there’s nice selection of cans in the fridge, while the spirits, cocktails and winter warmers are some of the bar’s strong points. But we are mainly here for the pinball, and Jupiter certainly doesn’t disappoint in that regard. The arcade area is at the back of the building and under the subdued lighting they have an impressive selection of pinballs from across the decades. [![Some of the pinballs at Jupiter](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/003-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/003-jupiter.jpg) Some of the pinballs at Jupiter [![The Medieval Madness was being fixed when we visited](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/004-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/004-jupiter.jpg) The Medieval Madness was getting some attention when we visited [![This row of classic Bally games is a signature feature of Jupiter's arcade](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/005-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/005-jupiter.jpg) This row of classic Bally games is a signature feature of Jupiter’s arcade All the machines we played were in great condition. We were there on a Tuesday evening and it turned out there is a weekly “three-strikes” tournament at Jupiter, held every… Tuesday evening at 9pm. [![Playing in the Jupitourney](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/019-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/019-jupiter.jpg) Playing in the Jupitourney [![Along with the entry fees, a sponsor kicks in a nice boost to the prize pot](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/018-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/018-jupiter.jpg) Along with the entry fees, a sponsor kicks in a nice boost to the prize pot The pinballs have a second use familiar to many home owners – providing a safe, convenient storage space beneath the cabinets. [![No point wasting space](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/017-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/017-jupiter.jpg) No point wasting space It’s not all pinball in the arcade though.  There are plenty of video and mechanical games as well. [![It's almost obligatory to have a Killer Queen these days](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/007-jupiter-1024x630.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/007-jupiter.jpg) It’s almost obligatory to have a Killer Queen these days [![Slugfest from Williams](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/006-jupiter-562x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/006-jupiter.jpg) Slugfest from Williams [![Time for a Rainier-branded Ice Cold Beer](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/010-jupiter-652x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/010-jupiter.jpg) Time for a Rainier-branded Ice Cold Beer [![There is a long row of video games on the left side of the bar leading into the arcade](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/016-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/016-jupiter.jpg) There is a long row of video games on the left side of the bar leading into the arcade [![And more when you get inside](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/012-jupiter-640x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/012-jupiter.jpg) And more when you get inside There’s a well-stocked jukebox with an eclectic selection of CDs. [![From Ray Charles and Bowie to Wham! and ZZ Top, there's a lot of choice here](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/021-jupiter-1024x548.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/021-jupiter.jpg) From Ray Charles and Bowie to Wham! and ZZ Top, there’s a lot of choice here There’s also a pool table and a second bar inside the arcade which opens up when there is sufficient demand. [![The second bar](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/020-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/020-jupiter.jpg) The second bar Of course, with this being Belltown it wouldn’t be right without just a touch of gratuitous swearing and the opportunity for everyone to leave their mark. [![Well.... quite!](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/011-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/011-jupiter.jpg) Well…. quite! [![This way to the restrooms...](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/009-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/009-jupiter.jpg) This way to the restrooms… [![Let's just assume the women's restroom has similar decor, shall we?](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/023-jupiter-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/jupiter/023-jupiter.jpg) Let’s just assume the women’s restroom has similar decor, shall we? We really enjoyed playing at Jupiter.  The food choice isn’t the best and the beer selection soon gets narrowed down to one decent brew (Black Raven), but the vibe of the place, the wonderful art and the equally wonderful game selection more than makes up for that.  Being so close to Shorty’s and several other downtown location means it’s an easy Antonio Cruz around the area dropping in and sampling the best of each, while turning up on tourney night means you just might win enough cash to pay for the entire evening.  🙂 _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 36d2a78d-c0b8-4b6e-8441-f5948c1e2dc1*