Bonus Round at MGM Grand - *Free* Arcade Games & Drink Deals

Bonus Round is a new bar + arcade concept at MGM Grand that lets food & drink customers play their collection of arcade games for free.

The new 21+ venue is located in the former International Smoke space in The District.

Offerings like this are a great rebuttal to those who claim “Vegas is a ripoff”, especially if you visit during their happy hour or all-you-can-drink deal windows.

Bonus Round Drink Deals

I swung into Bonus Round during their daily happy hour recently, which runs from 4-7 pm and features $3 12oz. Pacifico drafts.

They also offer an all-you-can-drink Power Hour from 9-11 pm on Monday and Thursday (they’re closed Tuesday & Wednesday) for $45, which lets you knock back as many well cocktails and as much draft beer as you can handle.

They don’t seem overly concerned about folks spilling drinks on the games, which is wild. They do, however, sprinkle small drink tables around the venue, which come in handy.

Bar at Bonus Round, with stools lined up and TVs hanging above.

A draft beer, sitting on a ledge with arcade games in the background. — $3 – I can live with that.

If you visit outside of the happy hour or Power Hour windows, drinks aren’t exactly cheap, but keep in mind, you’re playing games for free.

It’s how I justify overpriced beers at places like Ole Red or The Piano Bar at Harrah’s: You’re slightly overpaying for beer for a free show.

Here’s the standard drink menu, which pegs cocktails at $17, 12oz drafts at $11, and 32oz drafts at $16.

A picture of Bonus Round's drink menu, which pegs cocktails at $17 and a 32oz draft beer at $16.

Bonus Round Arcade Games

Armed with a $3 Pacifico in my right hand, I wandered around to survey the games, which ranged from pop-a-shot, air hockey, and skee-ball to bangers like Galaga, Golden Tee, Big Buck Hunter, Halo, and Mario Kart.

For a free arcade, I was surprised at the quality of the collection. My forearm is still sore from Galaga.

Here’s a photo dump of the games you’ll find inside Bonus Round:

Arcade area with a blue Track & Field game cabinet, a wooden bar counter, and a man standing at the counter under colorful lights.

Row of arcade game machines with bright screens showing Golden Tee and Halo/Fireteam Raven titles in a dim, neon-lit arcade.

Two players in red Mario Kart DX arcade racing seats, facing bright screens with tropical track visuals.

Row of vintage arcade cabinets with colorful side art in an arcade setting.

Pac-Man Battle Royale arcade setup with a large illuminated sign and a glowing blue maze screen in the foreground, players and other machines in the background.

Street Fighter II arcade cabinet with colorful buttons and joystick in a dim arcade area.

Row of vintage arcade cabinets with colorful panels: Donkey Kong on the left, Centipede in the middle, and Tekken 3 on the right, in a neon-lit arcade.

Pac-Man arcade cabinet in a shopping mall arcade, with game screen visible and people walking in the background

Row of colorful vintage arcade cabinets in an arcade, with screens showing gameplay and retro artwork around each cabinet.

Arcade Missile Command machine in a mall, colorful cabinet and glowing screens amid other storefronts and people nearby.

Retro arcade cabinet with bright neon graphics in a dimly lit bar, joystick controls and a large screen displaying bold 1980s-style typography.","Colorful arcade machine titled 'ABDOTRON 204' (or similar) with neon blue/pink accents, standing next to a wooden table in a neon-lit arcade bar.","Classic arcade game cabinet in a busy bar environment, featuring a large CRT screen and joystick controls amid blue LED lighting.","Slot of a retro arcade game on a tall machine in a bar, with vivid yellow, red, and blue artwork and a wooden table nearby.","Old-school arcade cabinet with neon artwork and a numeric screen, set in a lively bar with colorful wall panels and seating area."

Arcade skee-ball lanes with glowing scoreboards and colorful wall panels in red, yellow, and orange hues.

Row of vintage arcade machines with colorful side panels in a dimly lit arcade room.

Row of classic arcade game cabinets in a dimly lit arcade, featuring Gauntlet Legends and Jurassic Park, with colorful tiled wall behind.

Bonus Round has a limited food menu with items like pizza, wings, and pretzels. Some of the tables even have a mounted TV, Nintendo 64, and 4 controllers, which I thought was a fun touch.

A restaurant booth with a TV mounted on the wall equipped wiith an N64.

While I really like the venue, they legitimately provided the worst PR images in their “we’re open” press release. But here’s a sampling of available food items.

A collection of snack foods like pizza, wings, and a giant pretzel set on a black background. — Courtesy of Bonus Round

My Take on Bonus Round

Man, this place is really cool, and I hope it makes it. I feel being closed two days per week is an ominous sign, but it’s possible the market has yet to be educated on its existence.

I visited during happy hour on a Saturday afternoon and pretty much had the place to myself.

If you’re even remotely into arcade games, or visiting Vegas with a group, visiting during happy hour ($3 drafts) and free games is a no-brainer.

Grab a drink and get the competitive juices flowing.

Borderline alcoholic? Me too. Take advantage of the AYCD Power Hour on Monday and/or Thursday. $45 for 2 hours of binging is one hell of a bargain.

Bonus Round is a creative concept and a lot of fun. Give it a shot.

Related Articles:

AYCD Deals in Las Vegas

Arcades in Vegas

Strip Happy Hour Deals

Jake Hoffman

I’m a former software salesman turned Vegas aficionado. While the craps table is my preferred habitat, I pull myself away to explore new attractions, shows, restaurants, and outdoor activities around Las Vegas with the intent of sharing my experiences.

Ultimately, I just want to help folks plan a better trip and save a few bucks in the process.

More about me, here.