Tweet

It’s been years since I have walked through Merle Hay Mall for anything other than the dine-in movie theater. I moved to Des Mones around 15 years ago, and since then I’ve seen Merle Hay Mall busy, under construction and, for the most part in a decline. It was surprising to hear that a new arcade sports bar and grill had opened in the upper section of the mall across from Flix Brewhouse. 

Eris La Clair, GameDay owner, said he hopes GameDay will take advantage of the situation and give people in the metro area an entertaining place to spend time. I arrived on a Saturday to see the arcade bar and grill myself and was quickly surprised at the new life GameDay brought to a dying shopping center. 

GameDay isn’t like other Des Moines arcades I’ve seen. Upon walking in, there is a large open room full of lights, prizes and people. There are roughly 30 different games. GameDay looked to be oriented for kids and their parents. With games like Crossy Road (a life-size version of the popular app), Mario Kart and a Nerf shooting game. They seemed to intentionally leave behind arcade classics that I’m used to seeing and replace them with kid-friendly games. Dino-Shooter instead of Terminator Salvation, and Bubble Blaster instead of Time Crisis, for example. The arcade’s prizes ranged from a PlayStation 4 to a Dyson vacuum, taking “fun for the family” to a whole new level. 

I took a few laps around the arcade and saw, young couples and families with small children. Everyone looked to be having a great time. I took a hallway to the restaurant section, which felt like a completely different building. The atmosphere shifted from lights, laughing, children and games to an uncompromising sports bar and grill with multiple TVs playing different games, a bar counter with seating all around, and tables scattered throughout the large building. Both sides of GameDay were busy.

When I sat at the bar to order, a friendly bartender quickly broke from the rush to greet us and offered us something to drink. The drink menu looked standard, but I appreciated its variety and readability. This carried over to the food menu as well, which had bold text with clearly sectioned dishes: appetizers, entrees, burgers, even alternative options all ranging from about $4–15. I ordered the shrimp and pita appetizer, which was comparable to the quality of Applebees or the Fletcher in Ankeny. Our food arrived promptly. The large shrimp pieces were grilled and spiced with lemon, ginger and a chipotle seasoning. They were neatly surrounded by two fresh pieces of lettuce that held a heaping pile of guacamole and small pita squares — the eating experience left me surprised with its quality and quick wait time, content with the portion size and impressed with the quick service. 

La Clair said he hopes GameDay will bring entertainment back to the metro area, and I believe he is well on his way. Young families and children continued walking through the doors over the entirety of my visit, and the restaurant had traffic even well after dining hours.

I’m eager to see this new attraction revitalize the Merle Hay Mall that I’ve watched shrink over the years. I would recommend this to anyone in search of family entertainment and a quick bite, and I am pleased to give GameDay a four-star review.