Family game night was once a treasured tradition in some households, but it seems like individual screens have taken over much of our family time. There is a spot in Omaha that shines a spotlight on the special experience of playing a real game, with real pieces, on a real table with real people.

When you think about it, there’s really nothing like playing a game face-to-face with friends or family. The other leisure activities we typically engage in - seeing a movie, going for drinks, eating a meal, shopping - don’t have the same level of interaction.

Spielbound Board Game Cafe, located at 3229 Harney Street, is a very special place for friends and family to gather and enjoy the experience of playing board games together. A day pass will cost you just $5 per person; annual and monthly memberships are also available. There’s no limit to the number of games you can play in a day.

Spielbound's library is comprised of more than 1500 board games of all descriptions. The old favorites are there - chess, checkers, Monopoly, Candy Land - but there are also some less mainstream selections. Then there are the extremely obscure games that you’ve definitely never heard of.

The cafe part of the establishment serves specialty coffee drinks and draft beers. But the place isn’t there to make a killing on memberships and drinks. In fact, Spielbound is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization. Two of their top missions are helping teachers understand how games can facilitate learning, and getting games into retirement homes to keep aging brains healthy.

That’s not to say Spielbound is all about serious business. This is a place where people can go to escape the relentless assault of screens. It’s a place to have a quiet bonding session over a glass or two of wine, or for a rowdy team trivia night over cups of coffee.

Nightly game demonstrations teach patrons how to play the games, particularly those extremely obscure titles which may be a little tough to figure out. Spielbound regularly holds charity events and conducts community outreach programs. Beyond just being a place to have fun, Spielbound is a community resource working to make the city and the world just a little better.

Visit Spielbound Board Game Cafe at 3229 Harney Street. They are open Sunday-Thursday 9am - 11am and Friday-Saturday 9am - 1am.