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HaHaHoHo Board Game Cafe

hahahoho

Jenny Conrad visits HaHaHoHo: Phnom Penh’s first Korean board game cafe.

One of the latest businesses to open its doors in Toul Tom Pong, HaHaHoHo Board Game Cafe is less of a cafe than a concept. This is a place where the menu you are handed when you arrive is filled with games from around the globe and the focus is on fun rather than food.

Board game cafes are a unique business that have fast become part of modern culture in South Korea. Social spaces to relax with friends, for an hourly rate they allow you to play as many games as you wish from a large selection. The owners of HaHaHoHo – a jolly name if ever I heard one – have now brought this phenomenon to Phnom Penh.

Now this is not the same as a pub offering a battered box of snakes and ladders or scrabble with half the letters missing. HaHaHoHo offers a staggering array of games of all shapes and sizes from around the globe, from childhood classics to epic strategy games.

Standards such as Uno, Rummikub, Monopoly and Clue (or Cluedo if you’re British) are well represented, as are a variety of card games. Seeing as we’re in Cambodia, there’s also a large mat labeled ‘Cambopoly’. For kids – or those who just want something silly – there’s Tumblin’ Monkeys, Pirate Roulette and something called Chicken Cha Cha Cha.

hahahoho2Those looking for more strategic games will find Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne and Ticket to Ride (the USA version). All in all, the owner says there are more than 43 games to choose from. As the café only opened a couple of months ago most are brand new and barely used, so there’s no worry that a vital piece will be missing. Great if you don’t want to invest in the game yourself―or can’t find it here in Cambodia. Staff are on hand to explain the rules if you are playing for the first time, making this a great place to try out something new.

It’s not just the many boxes on the shelf that make this cafe all about games, but the whole setup: décor, extras and all. In the air-conditioned interior, giant replicas of board game covers stare down at you from across the walls. The concrete outside space may seem a little bland at first but they’ve made an effort to brighten it up with a mural across one wall and giant playing cards on the other. And for serious gamers – or just groups who opt for a rowdier game – there is even a separate room with playing space for up to 10 people.

Wherever you end up playing, you needn’t fear having to walk far for your next challenge as all games are listed in a menu and tables even feature a handy button to press if you wish to summon a friendly staff member to delivery directly to you. Giant plastic hammers with which to beat the loser – apparently a staple of many Korean board game cafes – are on offer if you wish to humiliate your defeated opponent in style. There’s also an odd assortment of masks; I’m unsure whether these are meant to be a slightly freaky form of decor or are simply available to help maintain your poker face.

Food-wise, the menu is limited to a few Korean dishes― including ramen noodles ($2.50), kimchi fried rice ($4.50) and pork cutlet ($4). While not perhaps to the level of some of the other Korean options in the city, at $4 the vegetarian BiBimBap – a bowl of rice with carrots, mushrooms, beansprouts and green, topped with a fried egg and served with a spicy Korean sauce – is very flavourful. A handful of drinks – including fresh juice, frappucinos, coffee and smoothies – are available. However, they only offer soft drinks, making it a little different to the British version of playing games with friends which usually involves a long afternoon in a pub with a pint.

Now when I originally visited in December, HaHaHoHo was charging $3 per person per hour, which could add up pretty quickly for a large group wishing to launch into an epic strategy game. However, they have since changed their model and it now costs just $1.50 per person for unlimited game playing. This means that for less than the cost of a cuppa at an AC coffee shop you can catch up with a friend by challenging them to a battle of wits rather than sinking your money into yet another BKK Browns.

Jenny Conrad

HaHaHoHo Board Game Café is located at #74, St 456 (between St 155 and St 163)

4 thoughts on “HaHaHoHo Board Game Cafe

  • Sounds like a great concept and now reasonably priced. Hope it catches on beyond the Korean community.

    Reply
  • kimdohun

    This is an unique place to play varity board game in Phnom Penh.
    All area are Air-conditioned.
    It takes only 5 min. from Tultuompong market by walk.

    Reply
  • Janice

    I went there several days ago with my friends after reading this article. I haven’t played board games that much, but there were a bunch of games even novice players like me could enjoy. I was glad to see they added beer on their menu finally. And I also found out those masks that Janny mentioned above are for the penalty for those who lost the game. Anyway, I think this place would be a nice alternative to the riverside area or BKK coffe shops for your pleasant weekend.

    Reply
  • Tony Clark

    I am newly returned to Phnom Penh and looked for your shop. It looks like you are closed. If you still have a copy of Citizens of Catan I would be interested in purchasing it from you.
    Thank you
    Tony Clark

    Reply

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