To spare you from a gusher rife with joystick-related double entendres, let's just say BART is genius. This friendly, casual watering hole serves wine and an array of craft beers made more delicious by the accompanying bleeps, pings and intoxicating jingles of classic stand-up arcade games from the 70s, 80s and 90s. While you wait for your designated Player 2 turn? Peruse the walls, as they're crammed full with the works of local artists.
Craft beers and wines pair brilliantly with 80s-era graphics. — Photo courtesy of BART
BART, billed as a bar/arcade/gallery, is a new kid on the block amid the growing bar scene on Mills in Orlando, the apparent product of one of those "wouldn't it be cool if there was a place where you could...?" moments shared between a few fond friends on a random afternoon. Here you'll find an astonishing line-up of old buddies: Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Centipede, Frogger and Missile Command among them. Games will rotate, as will the beer selection, which offers varieties from the likes of Abita, Lagunitas, Harpoon, Anchor, Terrapin and many, many more.
Gen-X Gamer Heaven: Asteroids to Galaga, Donkey Kong to Space Invaders. — Photo courtesy of BART
Incentives, like drink specials and other goodies, abound in the form of high-score contests. And while entering one's initials, or perhaps something cheeky and sophomoric, into the Top 10 list in an undeniable ego boost, the added carrot of a free craft beer is sweet, sweet icing that none of us would have expected in the days when change machines were rare and another game of Zaxxon or Tempest (with that cool rolly-ball controller) meant either weighing down your pockets with quarters from home or buying yourself more loitering time with another slice of pizza.
BART may well be the impetus of a new word: "artcade." — Photo courtesy of BART
Next Up