1-Up Orlando

By Marissa Potts


Marty, we have to go back to 1-Up Orlando in Downtown! This is one of the coolest bars I’ve been to in Central Florida with theming from video games, pop culture, and especially the 80s! I could not believe all of the amazing details that were crafted into 1-Up Orlando, the newly revamped bar of the former Joysticks.


The Atmosphere

From the moment you step foot into 1-Up Orlando, you are setting off on an adventure. There is such amazing theming all around the bar, each area is so unique from the rest. On the left at the bar is all kinds of MTV theming, with TVs playing music videos from the 80s and 90s. There is also a huge astronaut with a TV inside of his helmet! On the right is The Goonies area, an entire room themed like the classic 80s movie.

The main room is filled with arcade games, air hockey, and Dance Dance Revolution! Most of these games are free to play, so grab a drink while trying for the new high score! 

My favorite room in the entire bar was upstairs, because it was a life size replica of the Malibu Barbie Dream House. I stepped inside and gasped because all of my childhood dreams had come true. You can journey through Barbie’s kitchen, complete with a fridge that opens to reveal Malibu rum and Blue Curaçao. Or, visit Barbie’s bathroom and jump into her bathtub filled with bubbles! 

I truly think that the creators of this bar were so innovative in their design, because everywhere you look there is color or hidden references. I went to the bathroom and saw Lisa Frank on the walls, and even the stalls were decorated for 80s-2000s movies!


The Food

It’s hard to find Downtown bars with food, so I was so excited to see that 1-Up Orlando serves pizza. Not just any pizza either, pizza inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! The actual area where the pizza is made is decorated like The Ninja Turtle van from the show! They have average toppings like pepperoni and mushrooms, or you can go wild and try their signature topping, pickles! We wanted to give it a try so we got mushrooms and pickles and believe it or not, it was surprisingly good! They also have options of thin crust or regular crust, or for dessert a cookie crust with Nutella and marshmallows!


The Drinks

Their drinks were out of this world delicious, and I’m not just saying that because of the astronaut. There were so many different ones to choose from, each themed after a different movie, show, or character.

Of course, I tried their most popular drink, the Malibu Barbie, which is an original drink from Joysticks. This cocktail is a blue martini with a pink sugar rim, with flavors of coconut, peach, and citrus!

We also tried the Flux Incapacitator, inspired by Back to the Future and served with dry ice and a glow stick. One of my favorites was the Leo Spaceman, which was served with astronaut ice cream on top!


Overall

Great Scott! You’ll be “Running Up That Hill” to grab a drink once you try 1-Up Orlando! I don’t have enough words to describe how much I love this place after our first visit. I’ve been recommending it to anyone who will listen! I can’t wait to go back and try more drinks (the Zenon inspired cocktail is at the top of my list) and spend the night on the Pac-Man machine.

Downtown Orlando

Downtown Orlando is the perfect place for anyone who loves the action of the city. Stadiums and Arenas in this area host soccer and basketball games for sports fans, and there are no shortage of restaurants to try. Pups Pub is one of my favorite places in Downtown, an indoor dog park and bar! Cocktails and Screams is another place that will get you into the Halloween spirit with Halloween themed cocktails all year long. Curious about homes in Downtown?

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