Oct 23, 2022

1Up Bar and Cocktails and Screams Delivers 80's Nostalgia and Horror Goodness to Orlando

By Jaimz Dillman

Bar None Creations struck gold with the only all-year Halloween bar in Orlando, Cocktails & Screams. Tiktok videos and influencers visiting for loads of photos have made the downtown spot go viral causing lines to form along the sidewalk outside. Addie and James Monroe are the main forces behind CNS, and lovers of all things nostalgia, so bringing their next concept to life was definitely a passion project. Creepy Kingdom was invited to media night and got a sneak peek of some upcoming events as well as their latest location.

1Up Bar Orlando is right around the corner from its sister bar and features the neon punch of the 80s and 90s in all the best ways. Stepping inside off Church Street, you're greeted by bartenders backed by a wall of vintage TVs playing Max Headroom and a giant Moonman of MTV Award fame. Drinks are all themed to coordinate with icons of the past decades including the very blue Malibu Barbie and The Spaceman, which is served with freeze-dried astronaut ice cream garnish. Mocktails are also available on request and kool-aid served as the base for one I tried.

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Walls are just covered from floor to ceiling in sections highlighting pop culture from movies, music, and tv. A small side cove is Goonies inspired- complete with One-Eyed Willie. Cafe tables and chairs right out of Saved By the Bell are next to a real relic- a payphone mounted on the bar's wall. And further back, you can order custom personal pizzas from a truck direct from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Options include both sweet and savory making it the perfect bar food in an arcade environment. Oh, didn't I mention that? Yep! Classic video games are sprinkled through the space like Pac-Man and Asteroids- and they're FREE to play!!

Head upstairs to a full-size Barbie Dreamhouse loft filled with as much pink as you can cram in one space. Attention has been paid to every detail as seen when you open the fridge and see the doll is stocked with bubbly and her closet is full of the latest fashions. A photo in the bubble bath is a must-do and don't worry, much like Barbie, the bubbles are plastic.

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Residing over everything, a massive Optimus Prime plays the throwback tunes of the night- and he actually does transform into a DJ booth for special events. Take a trip down the hallway to the bathrooms to see how many of the multitude of celebrity photos you can name. I can't speak for the men's room, but the ladies' room has been decked out in homage to favorite 80's/90's ladies. So much more fun than your usual set of stalls and sinks.

If you can't find something is 1Up to make you smile and have a good time- then stay tuned cause Bar None has several more concepts on the way including Star Wars-inspired Outer Rim Orlando, tearoom, and nighttime speakeasy High T Orlando, drag bar Gogo's Disco, and more. And CNS is gearing up for their annual 13 days of Halloween so there are loads of themed nights coming up to enjoy. Different entertainment will be featured each night including singers' karaoke, danger acts, burlesque, and boylesque. Yes, on Halloween Night all of your favorite baddies with hot bodies will take over the stage. The rest of the lineup features 3 different Rocky Horror happenings, Pirate Night, Little Shop LIVE, a night of 1,000 BJ's, and more! For a complete listing of all horror happenings check out Cocktails & Screams - Orlando, FL | Tock (exploretock.com)