Brooklyn, New York

Sunshine Laundromat: Brooklyn's Secret Pinball Speakeasy

Brooklyn, New York, United States

By the Wicked Cool Places editors · Published Thu, Mar 19, 2026 · Updated Fri, Aug 28, 2026

Why it’s cool

This isn't just a place to wash your socks; it is a premier pinball destination hidden behind a stack of washing machines, featuring world-class tables and a legal bar.

Northeast Hidden Gem

The storefront of Sunshine Laundromat and Upright Coffee in Brooklyn with neon signs and a glimpse of pinball machines.

While locals might stop by this Greenpoint storefront to handle a load of whites, those in the know look past the soap dispensers toward a suspicious stack of appliances at the rear. Behind those faux dryer doors lies a neon-lit sanctuary dedicated to the silver ball.

What began as a neighborhood laundry with a quirky sense of humor, advertising "vegan dryers" and "gourmet washing machines", has evolved into a premier destination for competitive flipper enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike. The Echo Park Time Travel Mart is another retail space that uses a whimsical theme.

Why It Stands Out

The transformation is the work of Peter Rose and Michael Medovoy, two pinball devotees who turned a former storage room into a high-end arcade and bar. Since early 2016, it has held the distinction of being the city’s only laundromat licensed to serve beer and wine.

The collection isn't just a side attraction; it’s a curated gallery of elite machines. You’ll find rarities like "Big Bang Bar" and "Safe Cracker," maintained by Rose himself, who manages a massive personal collection of nearly 200 machines.

The atmosphere is intentionally designed as a shrine to the game that happens to have a tap list, rather than a standard bar that just happens to have a few games in the corner. Even the staff knows their way around a plunger; you might find yourself being served by a bartender ranked globally by the International Flipper Pinball Association.

Before You Go

The front of the house remains a fully operational business, so feel free to bring a basket of clothes if you actually need to do laundry. Once you navigate the secret entrance, keep an eye out for the fortune-telling chimpanzee that guards the transition into the backroom.

The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Store also uses a storefront to hide a secret space. While the washing machines are available from early morning until late night, the hidden bar follows its own schedule.

It typically opens in the late afternoon on weekdays and around noon on weekends. If you are looking to improve your game, don't be afraid to ask for tips; the experts behind the bar are often happy to share strategies for hitting high scores on the most challenging tables.

Questions worth answering

How do we find the pinball machines?

Walk past the soap and look for a pile of appliances at the back. A fake dryer door serves as the gateway to the arcade area.

Can we actually get a drink while doing laundry?

We consider this the only spot in the city where you can legally grab a beer while washing clothes. It has held a license for wine and suds since 2016.

When should we show up to play?

The machines stay dark until 5 p.m. on weekdays, though they start up at noon during the weekend. You can wash your whites as early as 7 a.m. regardless of the bar schedule.

Is the game selection any good?

Peter Rose keeps the floor stocked with elite titles like Safe Cracker and Big Bang Bar. The staff behind the tap handles are often ranked pinball experts who know how to handle a plunger.

Visit Snapshot

The laundromat itself is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. However, the pinball backroom has more limited hours: it opens at 5 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday, and at 12 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Location

Brooklyn, New York

Know before you go

The Laundromat is open 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. but the pinball backroom doesn't open until 12 p.m. Saturday and Sunday or 5 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday.

Editorial source

Sunshine Laundromat

Walking past Sunshine Laundromat, one might assume that unless they had a load of dirty laundry to do there would be no reason to wander inside. You would be mistaken.

As you pass a few classic pinball machines and go through the row of washing machines, you notice a strange stack of washing machines at the very back of the laundromat. Come closer and you realize that through those back washing machine doors, it's not laundry that you see but another world.

A world of pinball. For years the Sunshine Laundromat was simply a local laundromat with an odd sense of humor.

Signs outside read “Try our gourmet vegetarian washing machines and vegan dryers.” However when Peter Rose, a 42 year old lifelong New Yorker and pinball enthusiast, teamed up with the building owner's son Michael Medovoy the business began to transform. Sharing a deep love for mechanical devices in general and pinball in particular (both men had managed to cram pinball machines into their respective dorm rooms in college) they began to fill the laundromat with classic pinball machines.

As pinball machines threatened to outnumber washing machines, Peter began working towards his lifelong dream of owning a proper pinball venue and the next phase of Sunshine Laundromat was begun. It began by transforming a 1000 square foot storage room into a working bar with a glassed in atrium.

The next step was acquiring a beer and wine license. With their paperwork completed in early 2016 Sunshine became the only laundromat in New York City that can legally serve alcohol.

Lastly and most importantly Peter, who maintains a collection of nearly 200 pinball machines (and services pinball machines around the city), chose which of his collection would go into the bar. He chose only the best.

A pinball Valhalla was born. Those who push through those mysterious laundromat doors at the back of Sunshine will find themselves eyed by a fortune-telling chimp and surrounded by over 23 pinball machines, each one a classic.

As Peter has said the backroom is "a pinball place that serves beer, as opposed to a bar that has pinball.” Among the collection are some very rare machines including Safe Cracker and "Big Bang Bar" which sells on Ebay for around 20k. According to Francesco La Rocca , New York's rep from the International Flipper Pinball Association, Sunshine has "all the top titles and great machines” and is "the best public venue around.” A destination for any lover of pinball, even the bartenders are pinball pros.

Bartender Alberto Santana is ranked 88th in the world by the International Flipper Pinball Association and is happy to share some advice on how to up your score. Upfront the washing machines and dryers still spin, as the laundromat still fully functions.