Looking for something to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I headed to Spielbound Board Game Cafe with my family.

This is only my second trip to Spielbound with the first being when they opened more than a decade ago. It’s a place I’ve been meaning to return for years now especially since we love playing board games during our family time.

Co-founded by Kaleb Michaud, the non-profit states on its website that it believes that “games inspire, motivate, and help us grow.” It continues: “In this positive space, we seek to provide all people the challenge, art, and fun unique to the world of board games.” According to Omaha Magazine, the University of Nebraska Medical Center professor started by hosting large game nights in his home and over the years amassed a collection of more than 2,200 board games.

He donated most of the games to Spielbound upon its opening in 2014. Some of its funding came by way of a Kickstarter campaign that raised more than $27,000 from 326 people. Of its unusual non-profit status, Michaud told the Omaha World-Herald that the venture isn’t about making money but instead: “It’s about getting people to play games. It’s about the analog gathering of people, getting them away from the computers and the TV screens.”

You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the one-story Tudor Revival-style building at the corner of 33rd and Harney Street. Upon entering, you’re greeted by the check-in counter/bar, a holdover from the building’s most recent run as a bar, first Jets All Sports Bar & Grill, briefly co-owned by Nebraska great Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers, before becoming the Attic Bar & Grill.

We made our way over to the counter where we purchased three day passes for $6 each (the website shows the price as $7 on Fri/Sat). The pass provides access to the entire catalog of games which numbers around 1,800. It includes everything from old-time favorites like Monopoly to newer games such as Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. If you only want to hang out, you can enter Sun-Thurs without having to pay. I should also mention that it is kid friendly, but they need to be supervised. The space, while a bit rough around the edges, still feels more like a bar and grill. The prime spots are the booths that sit next to the windows facing Harney Street on its north end.

While we held off on drinks and snacks until after we completed a round of Sorry Sliders, the menu includes coffee, beer, wine, cocktails, soda, smoothies, and other options. On the food menu, you’ll find pizza, chicken strips, tater tots, and a few pastries. In addition to the bar, the main room is the retail store where you can buy a game or shirt. We headed to the lower-level room on the left, which is where you grab a game to play. There’s no need to check it out; you just grab the game you want after perusing the shelves and then find a table to set up and play. You’ll find booths, tables, and chairs spread throughout the space, which includes the annex at the back of the establishment.

After I won Sorry, we ordered a snack and drinks, which consisted of a donut and hot chocolate for my son, an Ace Pineapple Cider for my wife, and a Founders All Day IPA for moi. Once you finish a game, rather than putting it back on the shelf from whence it came, you place it on a cart and pick a new one. This time we picked Monster Factory. I won both of those as well after creating the largest monster. We left after about an hour and a half and all agreed that we would make a return trip sooner than later.

Streetcar work didn’t seem particularly active on this stretch of midtown quite yet, but you’ll still see the familiar barricades. The parking garage across the street is a convenient option; otherwise, you can park along the street.

Originally built in 1926, the building certainly stands out from its peers. If you haven’t noticed it, it’s likely due to the fact that it sits on Harney Street which is one-way eastbound behind the large Midtown Crossing parking garage. Originally split into two storefronts, the eastern end at 3229 Harney served as a neighborhood grocery for decades starting with Garrop’s. It was also home to Marvin Gardens, an Italian restaurant. The corner storefront at 3231 was originally home to Kitty Lou’s confectionary shop followed by a series of bars.

Located at 3229 Harney Street, Spielbound is open from Sun-Thurs from 9 am to 11 pm and Fri-Sat from 9 am to 1 am. The shop offers monthly and annual memberships for both individuals and families. You can visit its website for more information: https://www.spielbound.com/.

Along the Streetcar Line spotlights businesses navigating construction along the streetcar route. Since July 2026, I’ve been dropping by some of these places to show some support. I hope these visits inspire you to do the same.

The article you just read was written by Omaha Exploration. If you enjoy what I do, consider signing up for email notifications on my website, where you’ll also find sources for this article and ways to support the project. Get out there and explore it for yourself!

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