By Yasmene Warren
Are you tired anxiously waiting for your 21st birthday so you can order your first cocktail at a bar? Or maybe you love going out for drinks but can’t hold your liquor. Whatever the case may be, once again, Orlando has the perfect place for you: The BANDBOX.
All About The BANDBOX - Orlando
The BANDBOX is located on North Orange Avenue in Orlando and is the city’s first-ever spirit-free speakeasy tasting lounge and bottle shop. This speakeasy is, as its website describes, “an escape to a 1920s Art Deco-inspired speakeasy where you can dodge the Buttons and skip the Hooch with a robust menu of non-alcoholic craft cocktails, beer & wine along with elixirs, tonics, shrubs and CBD beverages for a night you won’t have to forget.”
Although it doesn’t serve alcohol, you will still need to present your I.D. in order to be granted entry as The BANDBOX doesn’t allow patrons under the age of 18 inside.
You don’t need a reservation to get into The BANDBOX, but it’s highly recommended as the limited space doesn’t make walking in easy. There are two tables, and the lounge has a maximum capacity of 10 people. If there is no room inside, you’re welcome to come in and look at the menu to order a drink and sip outside.
Guests are also limited to only an hour of seating time in order to allow for multiple reservations. The BANDBOX is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. (last seating is at 10 p.m.) and Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. (last seating is at 11 a.m.).
The Tasting Menu
For a non-alcoholic speakeasy, The BANDBOX certainly has an extensive drink menu. There are classic craft cocktails such as “fire in the engine,” “trouble in paradise,” “high-hat,” and “baby it’s cold outside” with lots of fruity flavors and spirit-free tequila, whiskey, rum and gin.
There are also signature craft cocktails like “blueberry bombshell,” which is a blueberry ginger mint CBD cocktail, as well as “sheba’s stinger,” which is a tequila spiced cinnamon maple coffee cocktail.
As you peruse the tasting menu in its entirety, you’ll find sections showing you alternative cocktails, aperitifs, CBD beverages, wine, bitter, shrub and tonic flights, train shots, non-alcoholic craft beer, and there are even a few bar snacks to choose from. The BANDBOX also sells full-size bottles and cans of all their cocktails, aperitifs, CBD beverages, etc.
The Ambiance
You’ll truly feel like you were transported back in time when you step foot into this speakeasy. The ultra-dim lighting is reminiscent of an old theater and really sets the mood for the early 1920s vibe The BANDBOX seeks to give off. The two tables are clad in a red velvet tablecloth with softly lit candles and card games on top, and the walls are lined with photos straight out of a time capsule.
There isn’t much room to explore, but there’s certainly plenty to observe. There are an assortment of old knickknacks, goods, and even a small, working piano inside. Despite the little amount of roaming space inside, you can still bring a friend or two to share the experience with and capture the moment with using The BANDBOX’s built-in photobooth!
Overall
If you’re searching for a live, thriving bar to bring all of your friends, then this isn’t the place for you, but if you’re looking for an intimate, laid-back environment that will make you feel like you’ve been blasted to the past, then The BANDBOX is the perfect spot!
Ivanhoe Village
Known as Orlando’s “indie side,” Ivanhoe Village is a Main Street district located on North Orange Avenue between Mills 50 and Downtown Orlando. This neighborhood is centered by its namesake, Lake Ivanhoe, and is a community that offers a little everything for everyone. There are loads of small, local shops, cultural venues, street art, and “indie flair” in this district.
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