Nowon board game café with arcade machines: Hero Board Game Cafe

Lately it's been raining a lot and the weather's been so up and down that plenty of days aren't great for hanging out outside, so my boyfriend and I went looking for somewhere good to spend indoor time and ended up at Hero Board Game Cafe Nowon Branch. Bottom line up front: I really think we made a great choice!! 100% intend to come back.

How to walk to Hero Board Game Cafe from Nowon Station

First off, the location is close to Nowon Station, so accessibility is great. Coming out of the subway, it took less than 5 minutes on foot to get there. There's basically no chance of getting lost, and the sign is easy to spot, so it should be easy to find even for first-timers. Since it's near Nowon Station, there are lots of restaurants and cafés around too, which makes it easy to plan a date course.

How many board games does Hero Board Game Cafe have?

My first impression walking into Hero Board Game Cafe Nowon Branch was, "They really have a ton of board games here?" The walls are packed with games on display, and the variety is huge too. Everything from light beginner games to more serious strategy games, so there was plenty of choice.

One of the perks of a board game café is being able to try out games you've wanted to buy before actually buying them, and true to that, the selection here was really great!!

Weekend rates and how the cafe works

We visited on a weekend, and the rate at Hero Board Game Cafe Nowon Branch was ₩3,000 per hour, with one drink per person required. The staff were also kind about explaining how to use the café, which was nice.

The info tablet has detailed listings of recommended games by difficulty level and which ones work for two players, so it saved us time picking games and let us dive right in.

Board games and arcade machines in one space

Another thing I liked was that Hero Board Game Cafe Nowon Branch isn't just board games — there are arcade machines too. So it felt like a combined Nowon arcade-and-board-game space, which made it even more fun.

When we got bored of board games, we'd go play the arcade machines, then go back to board games, and so on, mixing it up so much that we lost track of time. The arcade machines had plenty of newer games too, which was fun.

Seating and atmosphere at the Nowon branch

The space was pleasant too. The tables were spaced well apart and the chairs were comfortable, so sitting for a long time wasn't uncomfortable. Especially since it can hold anywhere from 2 people up to around 10 depending on the group, it's good to come with friends and just as good for couples. I thought it'd be fun no matter who you came with. The lighting was also just right — not too dark or too bright — which made for a good atmosphere.

Drinks, snacks and bingsu (shaved ice) menu

There's also a drink and snack menu, which is handy if you get hungry. Unfortunately we'd already eaten before coming, so we didn't order any snacks separately, but the prices seemed reasonable, and there were plenty of items that seemed perfect for nibbling on one by one while gaming. But apparently they've started selling bingsu (shaved ice dessert) lately, since there were so many bingsu items on the menu — so next time we're planning to skip the meal beforehand...

Why Hero Board Game Cafe works as an indoor date in Nowon

Winter's coming soon, so outdoor dates will start feeling like too much of a hassle and I imagine we'll be using board game cafés a lot more — the pricing is by time so it's low-pressure, and you can play unlimited games, which makes it great value. 100% would revisit. Next time I might even bring other friends or a group along.

I'd strongly recommend this to anyone who wants to have fun indoors with a partner or friends. Playing games with my boyfriend, laughing and chatting, time flew by without us noticing. Watching his competitive streak come out during the games was fun too.

Another nice thing was being able to enjoy it without any time limit, so we didn't have to rush. Usually at indoor cafés you can feel time pressure, but there was none of that here — we could relax and enjoy ourselves. So we ended up staying longer and playing more.

Next time we come, I want to try other games too. There were a lot we didn't get to this time, so I'm already thinking about what to play next. My boyfriend said, "Let's come again next time," so I guess that settles it.

This place is perfect for bad-weather days or just when you want to hang out quietly indoors. If you live near Nowon or have a date planned near Nowon Station, I don't think you'll regret checking this place out at least once!! For anyone weighing options for things to do in Nowon as an indoor date course, I really recommend this place. It's a space you can enjoy whether or not you're into board games, which makes it even better. Even if you're not great at games, the tablet videos explain everything kindly, so you can enjoy it without any pressure.