custom machines, nice!

there's finally a legitimate reason for someone to want to go to Pittsburgh

I've never been myself, but a bunch of the Pittsburgh guys and gals frequent there quite often.

Coming from a guy who lives in Tennessee!

Last I heard they were never open during posted hours. It seems if they are open but don't feel like being there any more then they just close. I know a few people from league have vowed to never go there again. This was after making the trek (for some people this was 45 minutes) out when they were posted or said they would be open to find they were closed...

This has been going on for 3 months afaik.

Has anyone been to Kickback recently? Have they opened up the top floor? I posted these questions on their FB page without any answers. Heading to Pittsburgh in a few weeks and hoping to check out the place...pictures look good. Plus I want my boys to finally play an Addams.

Yes, they are open.

And MouseHugger, if you are going to be in Pittsburgh in a few weeks, then you would easily find an Addams Family, and about four hundred others, at PAPA;

http://papa.org/index.php

Thanks LEE...would love to check out PAPA but unfortunately will be in town a week later. Kickback will have to do.

There will be a tournament at The New Great Valley Lanes the week after PAPA, so if you are in town you should definitely check it out.

We are in the process of moving games to New Great Valley as early as possible to encourage practice for the tournament. Check out Pinbash.com for details. The list of games are as followed: FT, MB, Twister, WW, JM, JP, RR, DM, Jungle EM, WCS, NF, RFM. Those titles are currently in. The games that will be moved there this week are: TAF, Close Encounters, FH, PF, HG, and a few more that will be getting shopped out and brought up as they are complete. Hope you can stop by!

Oops, almost forgot, IJ The Pinball Adventure. Should be a great time, tournament is the 15-17th.

Kickback Cafe is a great little joint but I, for one, have no desire to play the custom machines. Aside from those on the lower floor they had T2 and The Addams Family. Upstairs was not open the last time I went but, as you can read above, it now is. Going to make a day of it tomorrow by going to Kickback and Pinball Perfection, while also stopping off to check out a Bally Cybernaut that is for sale on the way up...

I'm actually thinking about going there sometime whenever I get a chance to stop by at Pittsburgh. I hear there are some great pins there

Kickback is pretty nice. Especially to stop in for a coffee while you play. Usually they have about 10 machines working at any given time (including some rarer titles like Banzai Run).

If you're heading into the Pittsburgh area, you should also check out the Bradish Street Pinball Parlor (http://www.pinbash.com/bspp.html). It's got about 13-16 games up and running flawlessly at any given time. Plus it's 'pay-for-time' instead of quarters, which can be great if you're playing Whirlwind or Genie. I'd prefer quarters on Star Trek or TZ. Still, the owner takes immaculate care of the games, and I really suggest going there as well!

I'll have to check it out as well. Thank you!

Question is if I'll have time and if they'll let me into the Parlor. If so, then TZ's going to punish me

Seeing as how I am there every other weekend, I can give a fairly good ranking of where to play in Pittsburgh on a regular basis:

1. Stopping in to see Chris at Bradish Street Pinball Parlor would be first on the list. As alichino said, the games are flawlessly maintained, Chris is great to hang out with and talk pinball and the whole experience is overall just great.

2. Kickback would be my second choice. It's almost a little too "trendy" for a guy like me, but the people are great and there are some nice machines there. Worth it just to go in, go up and play Monaco.

3. Pinball Perfection would be my third stop...but only if it is above 60 degrees outside. Over 200 machines with about half of them working on a rotating basis. TONS of obscure titles that you are not going to see anywhere else 'locally in the field'". Granted, not every one works, but it's still worth it to bang out games on the likes of Butterfly, Faces, Car Hop, Beat Time, Centigrade 37, Star Race and all of the other exotic titles that are in there. Friday nights and Saturday afternoons are your only options here.

4. Ace's Breakaway downtown. WOZ, Avengers, Metallica, X-Men, Sopranos, Family Guy, Attack From Mars and an eighth I can't remember off the top of my head.

5. After that, you get into the local establishments that have a machine or two (Doublewide Grill, Rowdy Bucks and others). Of these, my favorite is Hambone's (right down the street from Kickback), mainly because you get WOZ, STTNG and POTC.

And since I live in Fairmont, you can play unlimited on my three machines on the way up or back after you pick me up! Enjoy you visit to the 'burgh!!!

Thank you for the advice, SkeebWilcox! I'm looking at going to the Parlour (if they let the younger ones in) and Kickback this weekend.

Sent you a message via your inbox!!!

Stopped by Kickback at the last operating hour. And man, did I enjoy being there! Got some good scores on some of the games, despite not being "high score worthy" and for playing for the first time.

Banzai Run: 3,308,890. This was officially my first Williams pinball game played.

Indiana Jones: 713,420,530

Addams Family: Tanked the first game, but became more consistent on the 2nd! 157,949,730

Theatre of Magic: ~539 million. Replay was 538 or something like that.

Didn't stop by the Parlour, but I'll do so on another trip.

EDIT: More thorough and detailed experience:

http://pinballarcadefans.com/entry.php/146-Kickback-Pinball-Cafe-My-first-Williams-Bally-experience

Can't wait to stop by Pittsburgh to play pinball again! I hope I have the chance to play some TZ (finally)!

Going up next week! Not sure when I'll be able to visit during my stay.

If anyone visited recently, remind me of the current line-up.

I really loved Ace's Breakaway downtown. Best day is Sunday due to parking cost/hastle. Most machines give 5 balls! Great value and staff was very friendly.