Six adults seated around a curved card table in a dimly lit lounge, with chips, drinks and colorful wall patterns behind them. — Guests play cards at Showdown Social in Alpharetta, where hosts guide the game and keep the evening moving.

The fathers behind Showdown Social knew how easily a family outing could become another job for the parent who organized it. Getting everyone out the door was only part of the work. Once there, someone still had to explain the activity and keep everyone involved.

They wanted a chance to play, too.

“The idea came from our own family,” Andrew Winton, who handles community outreach for Showdown Social, told North Atlanta Star. “Showdown is family-owned, and the fathers on our team wanted a night where parents could participate instead of manage.”

Father-and-son team Manish and Maanit Madan built the Alpharetta business with co-founder Daniel Weinman. At its game tables, guests can eat, drink and play cards while a host teaches the rules and guides the group through each game.

Two men stand in front of a Showdown backdrop on a red carpet. — Showdown Social co-founder Maanit Madan, left, stands with Daniel Weinman at the Alpharetta venue.

Maanit’s interest in creating the business came partly from his own evenings out with friends. He enjoyed cards and competition and wanted somewhere those interests could be part of the evening. Dinner alone did not offer the shared activity he was looking for, according to Showdown’s account of its beginnings.

The business they developed accommodates people who know their way around a deck and those who need help getting started. A host selects games for the group, explains how they work and stays involved as play unfolds.

“No experience is needed,” Winton said. “Our Game Hosts explain the rules and keep play moving.”

The cards are accompanied by technology that tracks cards and chips, triggering lights, sound effects and screens in response to the game. Pool, darts and arcade games offer other ways to spend time at the venue, which also has a kitchen and bar.

A card table sits empty in a dark, neon-lit room with lounge seating and screens in the background. — Showdown Social pairs hosted card games with a lounge setting, screens and other entertainment options.

Family Game Night grew from the team’s experience as parents. Winton described the question behind it as how working parents could get everyone together on a normal weeknight without having to plan and run the whole activity.

Having a host changes what is required of the adults at the table. They can learn a game alongside their children, rather than being the person everyone turns to for instructions. The activity keeps the family together, with food and drinks available during play.

A busy bar and dining area with patrons seated at tables under large TV screens and hanging lights. — The venue also offers food, drinks and other ways to spend a night out between games.

Showdown chose a weekday schedule with busy family weekends in mind. Sports, birthdays and errands can fill Saturdays and Sundays; the team wanted the program to fit into an ordinary evening during the week. Family Game Night runs Monday through Friday, and children 16 and younger play free.

The same hosted format extends to outings with friends and other groups. Guests do not need to bring their own games or agree on one before arriving. For Winton, that shared activity is the starting point for the business.

“Card games give people something to do together and a natural reason to start talking,” he said.

Showdown Social is at 7955 North Point Parkway in Alpharetta. Standard hosted gameplay starts at $15 per person per hour. Reservations are recommended, and walk-ins are accommodated based on availability. Current offers and reservations are available through Showdown Social.