Ad | Cardiff has yet another brand-new entertainment and gaming venue. Here’s all you need to know about Roxy Lanes Cardiff, the home of booze and ball games.
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Let the Fun Begin!
There have been so many exciting new venues opening in Cardiff City Centre. I recently visited Golf Fang Cardiff, an insane crazy golf venue. Alongside NQ64, Boom Battle Bar and Flight Club, there’s now Roxy Lanes. Here you can play American pool, air hockey, arcade games, basketball, beer pong, bank shot shuffleboard, ice free curling, duck pin and ten pin bowling.
Now, if you’re as old as me, you’ll remember The Food Theatre in the Queens West Shopping Centre. It looked like a 50s diner and even had a Cadillac coming out of the wall. If social media were around in the 1990s, it would have been an Instagrammable location in Cardiff. Afterwards, it became DW Sports. For those who don’t need a walk down memory lane, it’s located on Queen Street and The Friary, above Superdrug. It’s here you’ll find Roxy Lanes at 242 Queen Street.
Roxy Lanes Cardiff Reviews
The opening has undoubtedly created a buzz across Cardiff.
So, what can you expect? Roxy Lanes is the home of booze and ball games. It is huge! All of the games are on one floor. There’s also live sport on the giant TVs, including Sky and BT Sports, and karaoke in Cardiff. Does anyone want to hear me sing? (Trust me, you don’t!)
The staff were helpful and attentive, patiently showing me how to use the games or explaining the rules. I’m sure I can now play for Team GB in ice-free curling; it was the one game I was “good” at. The aim is to slide your puck on the target; the winner is whoever gets closest to the centre.
I enjoyed the basketball game; I even made a few hoops! Before playing a couple of rounds on the bowling alley. Of course, I choose the lightest ball and didn’t get one strike or spare. Regardless of the lack of natural sporting ability, it was fun.
By the way… it’s open late! Until 1am Sunday to Thursday and 2am on Friday and Saturday nights.
How much are the games?
Roxy Lanes Cardiff Prices range from £9 for one game of ten-pin bowling to £24 for half an hour in the cricket batting cage, off-peak, which is Sunday to Wednesday. Or, £11 to £30 during peak times, Thursday to Saturday. Ice-free curling is £14/16 for half an hour; shuffleboard is £18/20 for an hour or American pool for £14/16 for an hour.
If you’d like to play one of the games, booking in advance is highly recommended. They also have gift vouchers if you intend to be a regular user.
Food at Roxy Lanes
You can expect American-style food. There are hand-pulled Italian pizzas, including margherita, pepperoni, buffalo chicken and meat feast between £10-13. Gluten-free bases and vegan cheese is also available. If you don’t want a whole one, you can buy a slice with some fries for £5. Roxy Dogs are also on the Roxy Lanes Cardiff menu; a classic bratwurst with fried onions, ketchup and mustard or a baller with pepperoni, jalapenos, fried onions, cheese, ketchup and mustard. Sides include garlic bread, chilli cheese bites, nachos and chicken strips.
Roxy Lanes Drinks Menu
There’s beer, cider, spirits, soft drinks, mocktails and cocktails. Classics include Long Island Ice Tea, Cosmopolitan and Pina Coladas, and signature cocktails. Regular readers know by now I judge how good a cocktail menu is by the number of rum ones you can find. (Not all girls drink gin!) There are only two to choose from; Californication with Koko Kanu Rum, Chilli liqueur, lime, sugar and ginger, and Dark and Stormy with Havana spiced, bitters, lime and ginger beer. I don’t like ginger!!!
It’s not the cheapest drinks menu in Cardiff. The cocktails are between £8.50 and £9.95. You can also get two shots for £6. So, your night out could become costly quite quickly.
Does Roxy Lanes allow children?
Under 18s are welcome in Roxy Cardiff, with an adult, until 5pm.
Is there a dress code?
As you’re playing games, I recommend wearing something comfortable. However, sportswear such as football shirts and tracksuit bottoms are not allowed. Fancy dress also has to be tasteful.
Roxy Lanes Cardiff Opening Times
Daily between 11am and 1am.
Roxy Lanes Cardiff Phone Number
There’s no listed contact number for Roxy Lanes Cardiff
Are there any other Roxy Lanes?
Roxy Leisure Group was founded by Matthew and Ben Jones in 2013. Roxy Lanes Cardiff is the first venue in Wales. Other Roxy Lanes and Roxy Ball Room sites across the country include Sheffield, Roxy Lanes Bristol, Roxy Lanes Birmingham, Roxy Lanes Leeds the Light, Nottingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Roxy Lanes Edinburgh. Planning permission has also been granted for Roxy Lanes Cheltenham.
How to get there
Transport for Wales now offers Multiflex, which gives you 12 journeys for the same price as 5 returns. Who doesn’t want to save money? With stops in Taffs Well, Radyr, Whitchurch, Llandaff North, Cathays, Cardiff Bay, plus two in the city centre. Queen Street is less than a 5-minute walk to Roxy Lanes, and Cardiff Central is about a 10-minute walk.
Pre-book your parking and save!
NCP Park Pass is an easy way to save money on parking. Not only do you access special parking deals, but you also don’t need to remember where you put the ticket collected at the barrier – mine always gets lost in the handbag. As payment is contact-free and cashless, you do it on your phone.
You can always pre-book your parking online and save money if that’s not your thing. Find a car park, choose your date and time, enter your details and make your payment. Once you’ve booked your parking online, you will receive a booking confirmation email detailing your booking and how to enter and exit the car park.
Should you book?
Did I have fun? Yes! Would I go again? Yes, but it’s not somewhere I’d go for a night out regularly. I prefer an afternoon tea or a bottomless brunch so that I can be home in bed at a respectable time these days. Not being the best at sport, I’d prefer to pay a one-off fee on the door and be able to try different ones rather than having to pick a couple.
But it is the perfect night out for big groups of friends or hen and stag groups. It would also be an excellent team-building experience with colleagues as an alternative date night or bank holiday activity.
Other Entertainment Bars in Cardiff
Whether looking for an after-work drink with colleagues, a boy’s or girls’ night out surrounded by cocktails, or a date night spot, you’re always close to the best bars in Cardiff city centre.
- NQ64 Cardiff
- Flight Club Cardiff
- Golf Fang Cardiff
- Tonight Josephine Cardiff
- Rooftop Bars in Cardiff
- Cocktail Bars in Cardiff
- Best Bars in Cardiff
- Wetherspoons in Cardiff
- Quiz Nights in Cardiff
- Dog friendly pubs in Cardiff
Eat Out Before Playing
Cardiff is a foodie’s delight. From the quality of the produce to the level of cooking, at both the casual and cheap eats, Cardiff is staking a serious claim to being one of the most exciting places to eat in the UK.
- Afternoon tea in Cardiff
- Bottomless brunch in Cardiff
- Steak restaurants in Cardiff
- Vegan restaurants in Cardiff
- Thai restaurants in Cardiff
- Japanese restaurants in Cardiff
- Caribbean restaurants in Cardiff
- Chinese restaurants in Cardiff
- Burger restaurants in Cardiff
- Street food in Cardiff
- Welsh food in Cardiff
- Michelin restaurants in Cardiff
Get 50% off food in Cardiff
We all need to refuel and rehydrate. If you love food and drink, do you have a Tastecard? You get 50% off the food bill or two meals for the price of one. There are over six thousand participating restaurants across the UK. Get a 90-day free trial here:
Stay the night
If you know when you’d like to travel, try to book in advance and as soon as possible. Prices tend to rise the closer you get to the travel date. However, there is a vast array to accommodate all budgets.
easyHotel Cardiff
The easyHotel Cardiff has double rooms (with or without a window), accessible bedrooms and twin rooms. Found a short walk behind Cardiff Queen Street train station, the budget hotel has en-suite bathrooms, heated rooms in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. WiFi is free; pay and display and multi-storey car parks are nearby.
Radisson Cardiff
The Radisson Blue Hotel Cardiff is in the city centre. The 4-star hotel has smart TVs in the bedrooms, private bathrooms with complimentary toiletries, laptop-compatible safes, and limited onsite parking.
Radisson Hotel Discount Code
Get 15% off 3 or 4-night stays, 20% off 5 or 6-night stays, or 25% off for 7 or more nights in luxury rooms and suites. When you use the Radisson Hotel Promo Code LONGER, you’ll also receive complimentary high-speed WiFi on unlimited devices. More information
Dog friendly hotels in Cardiff
Your perfect dog-friendly escape in Cardiff awaits! Before I had my rescue dog, Ivan, I didn’t think Cardiff was very dog friendly. How wrong was I? The dog friendly hotels in Cardiff include national chain hotels, budget brands, pubs and country houses.
The Copthorne
The Copthorne, part of Millennium Hotels and Resorts, is a traditional 4-star hotel in Cardiff that is ideally located between the city centre and the coast of Barry Island. Ideal for business travellers, couples or families, it is a perfect base. You can expect free Wi-Fi, an indoor pool and modern in-room amenities. Book early and save up to 20% off:
The surrounding areas
Don’t be afraid of staying out of central Cardiff, either. Penarth, Barry, Caerphilly, Pontypridd, and Merthyr Tydfil are the surrounding areas connected by regular buses and trains. You can also plan with LastMinute.com. Stay at great hotels at a fraction of the price.
Cottages and Houses
The award-winning business, Sykes Cottages, has properties across the UK, and the ones near Cardiff are beautiful. From cosy lodges with traditional woodburning stoves to contemporary accommodation with a hot tub. With all the amenities you could need, including parking, WiFi and many dog-friendly places, check out Sykes Holiday Cottages.
National Trust Holidays
National Trust Holidays offers a selection of holiday cottages, campsites and bunkhouses set in spectacular locations. They have everything you need for a night away, from kitchen facilities to cosy gardens to relax in during warmer weather.
Get 15% off selected cottages for bookings made and taken by 31 May 2024. Use discount code NTAF.
Disclaimer: I was invited by The Relationship Co to the opening night of Roxy Lanes Cardiff. I had no obligation to write about my experience. My feedback is my honest, unbiased review.
FREE Visit Cardiff Checklist & Guide
Get your FREE Visting Cardiff Checklist and Guide with over 25 pages full of travel tips, how to get around, places to visit, food and drink, shopping, parks and green spaces, some Welsh phrases and a travel itinerary.
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