Nevermore Game Club

Nevermore Game Club is a walk-in gaming club on University Avenue in Riverside, about a block from the University of California, Riverside. It is built around a library of more than 850 board games, with Dungeons & Dragons, escape rooms and trading card game nights alongside. Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokémon and Disney Lorcana are all played here, and the setting is a cozy Victorian-style space with themed private rooms. It suits players who want a place to sit down and play, newcomers who want to try a card game before buying in, and groups looking for a room to book.

How the card side works

Card play at Nevermore is a play-space model: visitors pay a day pass to get in, then play. Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokémon and Lorcana all have a home here, and loaner decks are available for new players, so there is no purchase needed to sit down and try a game. Pauper draft and Commander for Magic: The Gathering are favorites on many nights.

Weekly play

The Wednesday night runs from opening until the 10 PM close, and the Monday sessions pause for holidays and occasional breaks.

Passes and memberships

Admission is bought at the door as a day pass, which covers a whole day with in and out privileges and access to the full game library.

Monthly members get early access to many events, borrowing privileges from the game library and a free guest on Tuesday nights.

Rooms and private events

Beyond the main open gaming area, four themed rooms can be reserved: the Dungeon, the Courtyard, the Apothecary and the Tavern. They are first come, first served unless booked, though reservations are recommended because the club fills up. The Dungeon seats eight at its table, is comfortable for six, and books for $40 for four hours, including a play pass for up to eight players.

Larger groups can book the whole space, typically $500 to $1,000, or the back half (Courtyard, Apothecary, Tavern and Patio), typically $350 to $600. The club also hosts birthday parties, weddings, team-building events and club meetups. A private Dungeons & Dragons one-shot party with a hired game master costs $150 for up to six players.

Food and house rules

The in-house cafe sells low-priced snacks and drinks suited to the game table: chips and popcorn, cup noodles, burritos and other microwaveable items, candy, and a fridge of cold drinks, with hot cocoa and tea in cooler months. Outside food is welcome, as are lidded, non-alcoholic drinks. There is no liquor license, so alcohol is neither sold nor allowed, though a full venue buyout can arrange it in advance with conditions.

Hours and getting there

The club is open 6 PM to 10 PM Monday through Friday and 2 PM to 10 PM on Saturday and Sunday, and it stays open later when people are still playing. It sits at 1450 University Ave, Suite L, Riverside, with on-site parking and easy access from the 91 and 60 freeways, a few blocks from downtown Riverside.

The local scene

Several comic and game shops are within a short drive: Kemp's Comics (1.7 miles), Visionary Comics (1.9 miles), Sphinx Comics Cards & Collectables (3.8 miles), Colossus Comics (4.2 miles) and Flat Earth Games in Moreno Valley (4.2 miles). For a bigger floor, the Wolfpack Collectibles TCG Show, about 31 miles away, has dates on November 3, 10 and 17, and The Regional SoCal Cards & Collectibles Show, about 35 miles away, runs November 14. A Yu-Gi-Oh! Regional Qualifier in Los Angeles follows on December 5.