Plenty of places have pinball in San Diego, you can find a lone machine in a restaurant, bowling alley, or laundromat…but these locations have a cluster of well working games with vibes to match whatever you’re looking for – be it a dark hole in the wall or a well decorated city center barcade. If you plan your trip right, you can even leave your quarters at home and have a night of free play!
+Harbor Town Pub
You could visit this beloved local bar, eat, drink, be merry – and never notice the great pinball room hidden away in the back.
That’s great, because keeps this amazing spot a little bit quieter. In fact, it was quite quiet during the day, so these new machines in great working condition were pretty much deserted.
Other perks include a popcorn machine, plenty of board games to choose from, and on certain nights they have live music, karaoke, and trivia.
Located in the Point Loma neighborhood, there is a small parking lot and free street parking available in the vicinity.
+Brewskis Bar Arcade
This is a hidden gem in the truest of sense, literally no sight of it from the main road and well off the beaten path from the heart of San Diego.
Inside this hole in the wall there are over half a dozen pinball machines in mint condition, some of the newest on the market. On top of that, there are many classic arcade games on free play, including Ms Pacman, Rampage, and Mortal Kombat – along with pool tables & air hockey.
Easy parking in a large strip mall and very low key during the daytime.
+Coin-Op Gaslamp
Right in the middle of a bustling downtown neighborhood this popular barcade was actually calm early in the day.
If you happen to be visiting on the first Sunday of the month, you will find that there is free play all day long! Almost a dozen pinballs including newer machines and time honored classics in excellent order, but also over 50 arcade games overall. 
Enjoy a round of skeeball, see how far you can get in the Simpsons, or have fortune teller print your future.
Parking can be a bit difficult in this busy area, but it comes with the atmosphere.
+Coin-Op Northpark
The first barcade in San Diego is a cozy spot not too far from Balboa Park. If you are in town on the last Sunday of the month there is free play for the entire day. At night it was extremely busy, but that is to be expected for the neighborhood. Find 25 games on site including the most premiere pinball machines. 
Out back there is a little patio with connect four and giant jenga, where you can catch some fresh air.