I rarely ever win in board games and stuff. I'm really terrible at them. But with the right game and the right company, I think they're pretty fun. Today I went to a board game cafe for the first time!

We spent around five hours playing different games. It was so much fun that we didn't even notice the time. We came in after lunch and next thing we knew it was already dark outside. Probably because it's Saturday, but Kings and Pawns seems rather popular in the evening. There were some people waiting outside for a table when we left.

Of course the place gets really noisy when it's crowded. Everyone's playing their own games on their own tables with their own groups. Lots of chatting and laughing can't be helped. I think it's not so bad. It's nice if people are having fun, right?

The food was admittedly average and pricey. What you really pay for is the place and the games, I suppose. The stuff on their menu are mostly food like nachos and fries. There are sandwiches and pasta and a bunch of different drinks, but they don't have cakes and pastries, which is kind of a shame. I was hoping for a sweet snack since we came after lunch.

If you're wondering, they have a restroom. It's kept clean, too. Sure, it's probably part of the requirements when opening places like a cafe, but they definitely should have one even if it wasn't, considering half of their menu is lemonades and sweet iced teas and stuff, and they keep the place rather cool. Having to pee is inevitable!

The place itself is rather small with only a few wooden square tables that a big group can push together and two rectangular ones that are higher. I can't say much about the selection of the games on their shelf because I'm not familiar with board games in general, but they had enough to entertain us for five hours straight, so I think that's not so bad!

I really like their tables. I wish there was a cafe at home that has the kind of tables they have. I don't know how else to explain it other than it was a pleasure to draw on them. There was enough room on our table for me to paint and play King of Tokyo or Politricks. Then again there were only four of us on a table that can seat six at most, so maybe that wasn't very fair.

In the end I won only twice and miserably lost in all the others. But I definitely had a lot of fun. I laughed so much that my throat is sore the way it only ever is after a day hanging out with friends. We don't really get to spend time like this as a family so it was kind of nice. I recommend experiencing it even just once! Take your nerdy friends with you. I was with my brothers and our mom, and we didn't feel the time pass at all.

Kings and Pawns is apparently open until 11pm or midnight, depending on the day. This is the kind of night life my friends and I would enjoy. Unfortunately I don't think we have anything like it back home!

Kings and Pawns Cafe

2 Ditchoy Corner, Beta St., Midtown Subd.,

San Roque, Marikina City

Twitter: @kingsnpawnscafe

Instagram: @kingsnpawnscafe

Facebook: /kingsnpawns