Get your game on at Ricochet

Most everyone loves a good night out, as it’s usually great to have dinner with friends and hit the bars for drinks. Inevitably, those drinks turn into several rounds and, hey, why not a round of shots for the table, too? At the risk of sounding like the classic MasterCard campaign, dinner can add up to $50 or more depending on where you eat, and drinks could be about the same price. By the end of the night, the old wallet might be $100 lighter, but the time spent with friends is priceless. Why can’t there be an in-between?

Ricochet offers a public, BYOB game room for adults, with Ping-Pong, foosball, darts and bags.

It can be difficult to make everyone agree on a bar that will satisfy all tastes, and, with cover charges, sometimes it’s just easier to pick one bar for the night. Most people seem to want the comfort of home with the atmosphere of a Des Moines bar. So where do you go?

One of Des Moines’ newer hot spots is vying to become the game room away from home. At Ricochet, a cool little place above Wooly’s in downtown Des Moines, visitors find an easygoing atmosphere and a welcoming environment. The only money you’ll be spending is the $10 at the door for unlimited game play. It’s a bring-your-own-beer club, so guests never have to worry about settling for a second- or third-favorite beer again. At Ricochet, everyone can bring a six-pack (or a 12-pack…) and hang out with their friends for a much smaller fee than they’d pay at most places with bar service.

Aside from the great price, Ricochet is a plain old great time. Chill out in the lounge with your friends or grab a paddle and play some Ping-Pong at the many Olympic-sized tables. Ricochet also has foosball tables, areas designated for playing bags, pool tables, darts and even shuffleboard. For those who are really into the games and the environment, Ricochet offers leagues, tournaments and memberships. Memberships are $35, so if you plan to visit more than twice, it’s a great deal. They include unlimited game play and league play. Leagues are three months long and available for each game.

Ping-Pong is on Thursdays from 6-11 p.m., and league usually starts at 8 p.m. The fall Ping-Pong league starts in October. Foosball currently doesn’t have a league, but the owners are working on gathering enough members to create one.

The open-style game room is the perfect answer to getting out when half the group wants to stay in. It’s a fun way to interact with friends, but also a great way to get to know new people in a comfortable, easy setting. The games make for good icebreakers and conversation starters that don’t exist in most other bars.

Ricochet turns the “same old, same old” weekend nights at the bar into an exciting, active experience with friends, both old and new. It’s something fresh and different, and the BYOB aspect is a nice change. Friendly competition with the group is a great way to liven up the night, and it will undoubtedly be full of laughs, because there’s always that one person in the group who just can’t play pool without hitting the cue ball in at least a couple times. But that’s all part of the experience. CV

Ricochet
Hours:
Thurs. 6-11 p.m.
Fri. 5 p.m. to midnight
Sat. 7 p.m. to midnight

Thursday – Saturday: All ages, noon to 6 p.m.

$10 entry for unlimited gameplay
$35 monthly membership

502 E. Locust St., Des Moines, Above Wooly’s