Short answer: The best family game table is your everyday table: one that seats everyone comfortably for hours, converts from a game surface to a dinner surface in seconds, and has a place to store the cards and pieces. The Barrel Game Table Set from Oak Wood Wine Barrels is built that way: a 55-inch round table with a green velvet game top, a removable dining top, and six memory-foam barrel chairs with storage under the seat. $7,875, with free shipping to the continental U.S.
Pick the table for the games you actually play
- Cards and poker: a soft padded surface and a place for each player’s chips and drink. Ours has a velvet top with chip spots laser-etched into it and built-in cup holders.
- Board games and puzzles: a flat, hard surface. Put on the removable dining top, one solid piece, not two.
- Homework and meals: the same dining top, so the table earns its floor space all week.
Chairs: where game night is won or lost
Game nights run long. Look for chairs with padded seats and backs that roll easily on a hard floor. All six of our barrel chairs are upholstered with memory foam, have a lift-out seat for storage (perfect for decks, dice and chips) and are on wheels.
Size: six around a round table
A round table puts everyone near the board and in the conversation. Ours is about 55.3 inches across and 30.7 inches high, near standard dining height. Each chair is roughly 28 inches wide and deep (sizes ±5–10%, as detailed on the product page).
Our recommendation: leave about 3 feet of clear floor space around the table, or 4 feet where people walk behind seated players. That’s about 11 × 11 to 13 × 13 feet.
How do you set up a game corner that gets used?
- Light it from above. Cards and small board game pieces are hard to read under one lamp across the room.
- Keep the games within reach. Decks and dice go in the chair seats. The boxed games are stored in a nearby bookshelf or cabinet.
- Make switching easy. Leave the dining top on during the week and remove it for game night. A one-piece top takes a minute to switch.
- Plan for drinks. The cup holders keep glasses off the velvet. If game night is also drinks night, the Barrel Bar Cabinet ($1,237.50) from Oak Wood Wine Barrels keeps the bottles and glasses in the same room.
How much does a game table with chairs cost?
It depends on what is in the box:
- whether or not chairs are provided and how comfortable they are;
- solid wood versus laminate;
- built-in features like cup holders and chip spots;
- whether it doubles as your dining table.
Ours is $7,875 for the table, the velvet game top, the dining top and six chairs. It can stand in for a dining set, so it is worth comparing with one.
Game table or dining set?
- Games most weeks: Barrel Game Table Set ($7,875, brown or blue denim).
- Dinner first: 6-Chair Barrel Dining Set ($7,515): a dining table with a lift-off top and six barrel chairs.
- For everything else, see Full Barrel Sets and Barrel Chairs.
Delivery
Most items are in stock and ship within 5 business days. Table sets are only delivered by appointment. Ordering for Christmas? Order by December 10.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best game table for home use?
One that fits your usual group nicely (six is the sweet spot), converts from a game surface to a dining surface, and keeps the game pieces stored nearby.
How much do gaming tables typically cost?
That depends on whether it includes chairs and a dining top. Our six-chair game table set is $7,875 with both tops.
Can a game table be a dining table?
Ours can. The removable dining top is one solid piece and covers the velvet game surface.
Where do I keep cards and chips?
Each chair’s seat lifts out for storage.
How is it delivered?
By appointment only. Most items are in stock and ship within five business days.