Pac-Man Entertainment
Pac-Man Entertainment, formerly known as Level 257, is a contemporary American restaurant and video arcade located at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Illinois.[2] The restaurant and entertainment destination is inspired by Pac-Man and the name refers to the famous kill screen, which occurs when the player reaches the 256th level of the original Pac-Man game, meaning "the next level of dining and entertainment".[3][4] It is owned by Bandai Namco, which also owns all Pac-Man-related intellectual property.[5] The restaurant celebrated its soft opening on March 2, 2015, and its grand opening in April 2015.[6]
Pac-Man Entertainment | |
---|---|
Restaurant information | |
Established | 2015 |
Owner(s) | Namco Entertainment |
Head chef | Aaron Whitcomb[1] |
Food type | Contemporary American |
Street address | 2 Woodfield Mall |
City | Schaumburg (village) |
State | Illinois |
Postal/ZIP Code | 60173 |
Country | United States |
Seating capacity | 1,000[2] |
Reservations | OpenTable |
Website | www.pacmanentertainment.com/ |
Style
It sits on 42,000 square feet which was previously used as a warehouse for a Sears department store.[7] In addition, the restaurant also features sixteen boutique bowling lanes, table tennis and social sports, as well as video and board games in the Lost & Found Game Lounge.[8] The interior decor is up-scale modern urban-chic in style and includes levels of references to the video game character Pac-Man.[4] The menu also features references to well-known video game terms of the 1980s, such as "1-UP", chocolate "power pellets", and "Game Over".[9]
History
The restaurant was first conceived as a prototype in 2013, when Namco announced that the restaurant (codenamed Level 256 at the time) was being developed in partnership with a restaurateur in Kansas City, saying that were eyeing the Chicago area for possible locations.[10] The restaurant celebrated its soft opening on March 2, 2015.[4]
Events
The restaurant celebrated the 35th anniversary of Pac-Man on Friday, May 22, 2015. It featured a live performance of "Pac-Man Fever" by Jerry Buckner of Buckner & Garcia.[11]
References
- "The makers of Pac-Man bank on nostalgia to fuel themed eatery". December 16, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- "Pac-Man-inspired restaurant opens at Woodfield". Retrieved February 27, 2015.
- "Pac-Man Restaurant Now Open, Looks Amazing". Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- "Pac-Man the star of new eatery, entertainment complex in Woodfield Mall". Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- "Pac-Man-themed eatery opening soon at Woodfield". December 30, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- "Quality Time with Level 257". March 1, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- "Official Pac-Man Restaurant Coming To Chicago Next Month". December 19, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
- "Pac-Man-themed restaurant coming to Sears' Woodfield space". January 20, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- "Opening Alert: Look Inside Pac-Man Creators' Cavernous Restaurant and Entertainment Complex". Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- "Namco planning prototype upscale entertainment restaurant to expand arcade business". January 3, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- "Celebrate the 35th PAC-MAN™ Birthday Bash". May 22, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2015.