A huge American restaurant chain aimed at children and families has opened its first doors in Australia.
Dave & Buster’s first launched in Texas all the way back in 1982, and there are now 160 restaurants dotted across the United States.
But NightOwl Entertainment, a Western Australian hospitality group, was keen to bring the chain across the Pacific Ocean to see if Aussie audiences would be keen on it.
The first store recently opened in Clarkson, Perth, and it can host around 800 people.
Aussies who have already gone to the location have nothing but rave reviews so far.
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“Went on opening night with family, including kids. Food was good, drinks were good, service was pretty good, and game machines were decent,” wrote one person.
“If you want to find a better steak in an arcade setting, you’re out of luck,” added another.
“Good range of arcade games, food was decent, and fairly priced for what it offers,” wrote a third.
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What is Dave & Buster’s?
Dave & Buster’s is an all-ages venue where Australians can watch their favourite sporting matches, drink beer, play more than 75 arcade games, and enjoy American-style food.
The key difference for the Perth location is that the chicken wings, pizzas, burgers, fish and chips, chicken parmigianas, and share plates are all made with Aussie ingredients.
It was a long process for NightOwl Entertainment to bring it to Australia.
The company’s CEO, David Heaton, “dropped into” a Dave & Buster’s “without much thought” while travelling through the US and thought it was incredible.
“It was loud. It was flashy. It was full of energy. But underneath all of that, something stood out. The room felt like home,” the company said on its website.
After that, David and his team took 20 trips across four countries to see how they could bring it to life in Australia.
“Getting that scale right mattered,” they said.
“Dave & Buster’s didn’t arrive in Clarkson by accident. It arrived because this is exactly the kind of place it belongs.”
It’s taken three years since that initial announcement that Dave & Buster’s would come to Australia and there were plans to open five restaurants Down Under.
What American food restaurants are in Australia?
Australia has seen many overseas chains try to break into the market in recent years.
Chuck E. Cheese, which is very similar to Dave and Buster’s with arcade games, live performances, and lots of pizza, opened its first Australian store in Perth in September 2025.
Bubba Gump Co, a seafood establishment inspired by the film Forest Gump, is set to open in Brisbane later this year.
Breakfast spot Egg Slut also opened in Perth in February 2026.
American burger chain Wendy’s opened two establishments in Queensland in 2025, and WingStop opened in Kings Cross and Penrith.
Five Guys has five stores – two in Melbourne and three in Sydney.
Pretzel chain Auntie Anne’s has opened two stores in Sydney: one at the Queen Victoria Building and one at Parramatta Westfield.
Shake Shack had a temporary pop-up at The Australian Open, and In-N-Out has had several pop-ups in Australia over the last few years.
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