Best of Boston

Fancy activity bars are cool and all, but sometimes all you want to do is slap an old machine. That’s where Pop’s Pinball Parlor, a cozy coin-operated arcade tucked away in Somerville’s Bow Market, comes in. Operators Daniel Radin and Ty Ueda have worked hard to showcase a rotating collection of 11 spectacularly restored titles, a range of classics like Bally’s Addams Family (1992) and Eight Ball Deluxe (1981) that wow hardcore pinheads and new players alike. With paint-by-numbers art, cup holders on the games, and repurposed bowling-alley furniture, the welcoming atmosphere extends to special community events, like tournaments and a recent one-day course on the art of pinball-machine repair.