My family was so excited to visit Level 257 at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, the new Pac-Man inspired restaurant and entertainment venue by NAMCO Entertainment. We were definitely not disappointed. Here’s the inside scoop.
It’s a theme restaurant, but not overly done so
We were surprised there wasn’t more Pac-Man inspired paraphernalia. Instead, we found subtle hints of the famous legend strewn throughout the venue, which played nicely with the theme. For instance, there are splashes of yellow all around the venue in Pantone Color C — Pac-Man’s color — and a ginormous Pac-Man game in the bar area.
There’s a great vibe
From the retro bowling alley and collectibles to the modern orb light fixtures, the atmosphere is a mashup of elegance with old-school touches.
The food rocks
We were quite blown away with the quality of the food. Think gourmet food meets Pac-Man. There are a ton of choices from fresh sushi to FiletMig-nom. My husband had the best steak tartare he’s ever had, the sushi was fresh, and I devoured my scallops. We couldn’t think of a better way to end our dinner than with Power Pellets, mini powder donuts with chocolate ganache inside and topped with none other than pop rocks. Yes, pop rocks.
A kids menu with more than chicken nuggets
We were very impressed with the kid’s menu that offered more than the typical kiddie fare. How often do you see marinated tofu and seared trout on a kids menu?
Friendly service
A big shout out to our waiter Mike who took care of us. Refills were given without being asked, multiple questions were answered about the menu, and hot towels were provided to wipe chocolate off our kids’ faces. We even caught other staff members entertaining our little ones while we waited for our food. In the gaming area, they also have a few staff personnel roaming about to help in any way.
Games, games and more games
So not only do they have arcade games everywhere you turn, but there is a dedicated gaming lounge. We lounged on comfy, dark chocolate executive chairs and took advantage of some of the retro games lying around then proceeded to enjoy the arcade games to their full capacity which included Super Mario Kart and Pac-Man air hockey. So fun!
Ultra-cool shop
Need any Pac-Man memorabilia? Their gift shop has really cool items including key chains, glassware, and bags that sport the Pac-Man/Level 257 logo.
Bring the kids. Or don’t.
With bowling and arcade games, the young will definitely have fun (mine had a blast!) But I really think that those parents who are young at heart will have an even better time. Did someone say date night?
The addition of Level 257 is a welcome addition to Schaumburg, and Woodfield dining/entertainment scene. If you’ve ever wanted to find a place where you can eat a delicious meal, reminisce about old school games and then play arcade games or challenge friends and family to a round of bowling, Level 257 surely fits the bill!
If you go
Level 257
Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg
