New Dave & Buster opening Monday | Entertainment

But Dave & Buster’s, the 30,000-plus-square-foot sports bar, arcade and restaurant complex, is ready.

“This town desperately needs a Dave & Buster’s, and we’re desperate to deliver it,” said Brad French, the store’s general manager, a week before it opened.

“This is going to be Bakersfield’s entertainment venue. We’re committed to customer service. We’ll do anything.”

The first is well-trained staff. Based on turnout — 7,000 applicants — the location employed 200 people, up from an initial estimate of 150 jobs.

“We have so many great applicants who are eager to serve our guests,” French said. “We just couldn’t pass them on.”

Staff trained this week on the menu and games will be ready next week, divided into a sports bar area with a capacity of 360 people and an arcade area with over 115 games.

While families are welcome and players of all ages can enjoy the game, Dave & Buster is more adult-oriented than similar local venues.

“It’s an adult place,” French said. “It’s a bar.”

There is a policy that no one under the age of 18 is allowed in without a guardian who is 25 or older.

French, who ran a shop near a mall in Indianapolis, said he’s used to teens trying to sneak in alone or parents trying to leave their kids playing.

“We have a security company and it (policy) will be strictly enforced.”

Based on this adult vibe, the chain’s target demographic is known as “entertainment-loving creators,” guests in their 20s or 30s who enjoy socializing with their peers.

“These people like to get together and have fun with friends,” French said.

He noted that many of the 100-plus games are multiplayer, including physical options such as Connect 4 Hoops, where players can connect their colors by shooting a basketball, and Hungry Hungry Hippos, where players can “chew” bullets while sitting on a hippo seat beads. their hiding place.

Others, like Halo Fireteam Raven, allow for cooperative play (in this case, battling the Alien Covenant Alliance), while also boosting individual scores.

Dave & Buster’s also has some games unique to the chain, including Wicked Tuna, Dodgeball and PAC-MAN Battle Royale Chompionship.

Regardless of the game, all games are tracked using the player’s power card, which can be purchased at one of the charging station kiosks or at the staff. Cards start at $10, plus a $3 activation fee. If you insist on using your card, even if you run out of gaming chips, you can reload it without an activation fee. (All new cards include fees.)

Players can maximize their stacks on Wednesdays when games are half price all day.

Some game tickets (also stored digitally on the card) can be redeemed at Winners Circle, the prize room has small prizes such as mini Frisbees (50 tickets) and candy (250), such as surprise football jerseys (40,000) or Icee Smoothie maker (18,000). Other electronics and other higher-end prizes will also be added later.

Those who would rather watch the game than play can head to the bar area, which, in addition to more than 30 standard TVs, features a 40-foot wide “WOW” HD screen wall for a stadium-like viewing experience.

French said the monitors can be split into different configurations to highlight a major event, like a UFC fight, or some events that still have large monitors.

With multiple happy hour options (see info box) and a variety of popular cocktails like Dangerous Waters Island Punch, Backwoods Berry Lemonade and Caribbean Luxe Long Island Tea, French says he hopes it will become a popular hangout.

While burgers and appetizers are popular, the menu also includes high-end items such as 25-day-old, 14-ounce rib eye, fire-roasted Atlantic salmon with Cajun butter and mushroom Manchego and Hennessy Madeira half-wine sauce.

The Frenchman said he expects Bakersfield to be busy, with Bakersfield coming to check out all the bells and whistles, with possibly the largest crowds on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

If you’re just here to play, you can walk right into the arcade without waiting. Diners will head to the hostess station to have a table in their name.

“For the first few weeks, we’ll be waiting (table seats),” French said. “We are the destination. People come here to celebrate.”