This Kansas City ‘nerd culture’ lounge invites introverts to come inside and play
When thinking about Kansas City’s lounge and bar scene, one doesn’t often picture ‘power-ups’, extra lives, or consider what Pokemon cards they need to bring.
You may want to bring those along if you’re heading to this local hangout spot.
Nestled in the Crossroads Arts District at 640 E. 18th St., Otaku Lounge is a different type of lounge entirely.
Based on a Japanese word describing people with consuming interest in anime, video games, computers, and other highly enthusiastic hobbies, Otaku Lounge brings a vibe that is different than the usual KC hangout.
The lounge features wall-to-wall anime graffiti, video game character posters, manga–Japanese comic books and tons of other references to “nerd culture.” The goal for Otaku is to provide a space for those that are perhaps more introverted and/or interested in this culture, to have a place they can go for social interactions and fellowship.
Often, people that indulge in this type of culture are considered anti-social or withdrawn, a stereotype that has been passed around for years. Otaku is hoping to help change that image.
“I love cartoons. I’ve always loved meeting up with friends and playing video games on a weekend. I feel like this is that kinda cool, cousin [living in] Grandma’s basement, kinda vibe,” says Otaku’s bar manager, Matthew Simmons.
With video game emulators–hardware or software that can act like other systems–Otaku has nearly 30,000 games available to play in an arcade style setup from systems as old as Atari and Playstation 2 with classic games such as Galaga, Street Fighter, and Spyro. If you’re more into the new stuff, Otaku also has the most recent next generation consoles such as Xbox Series X and Playstation 5. They even have hookups that allow you to connect your own Nintendo Switch gaming system.
If you’re more of a traditionalist, they have several board games such as Settlers of Catan, Clue, Monopoly, and the Game of Life, plus decks and decks of trading cards such as Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Magic: The Gathering.
If gaming isn’t your cup of tea and you just want to come hang out solo or with friends, Otaku has several TVs near their full service bar that can be switched to whatever anime, cartoon series, or TV show you’re wanting to catch up on.
Perhaps one of the more unique things about Otaku Lounge: it’s free to the public. Outside the norm for places that allow access to games, Otaku doesn’t require that guests pay a fee for tokens and none of the machines take quarters. People are free to congregate and hang out without charge, with only the drinks requiring payment.
“It’s easier to go somewhere where there’s no stress of being bothered with having to purchase something. You can come here, be comfortable, be a nerd,” says Simmons.
Otaku Lounge is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. They open Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Having trouble seeing the video? Watch it here.
