NQ64 is a bustling bar packed with the classic arcades from your childhood along with cocktails themed around your favourite games – it’s a retro fan's dream.
The new Shoreditch arcade bar is located in Old Street and is a 9000 square foot “neon splattered drinking den” that features over 50 classic arcade games and consoles such as Pac-Man, Mario Kart, Guitar Hero, Time Crisis and Point Blank.
NQ64 is perfect for a unique date night or for an evening of battling your friends and getting a little bit too competitive.
I’ve been to a few gaming bar venues that feel a little lacklustre and that do not really pull off that late evening vibe – but this place managed to perfectly grasp that ambience of a real high-energy cocktail bar.
All of the NQ64 bars are over 18s only so you are never in a situation where you are fighting a 10-year-old for a quick go on House of The Dead.
The atmosphere is fascinating and really pumps you for the gaming session – with its old-school hip-hop music and vibrant graffiti-style wall art.
I must say that this place is massive, and I never felt like I had to wait too long to get on a machine – there was a real mix of arcades for gamers of every taste and skill with everything from dance machines, driving sims to your typical shooters.
You also entered the venue via a curly slide which is probably the most “Shoreditch thing” I’ve ever seen in my whole life.
Me and my partner spent many tokens on Time Crisis trying to get as far as we could in the game – it’s such a great two-player experience and can get quite competitive.
There were also Classic SNES, MegaDrive, Gamecube, Xbox and PlayStation games dotted around that you could play without using any tickets and I was surprised to even see a Dreamcast.
My favourite thing about the venue had to be the stylised cocktails which were appropriately named after different games.
These included the ‘Power Star Martini’, ‘Lake Springfield’, ‘Mega Daisy’, ‘Mad Max’ and ‘Kong Island Iced Tea’ which all had a unique and Instagramable appearance.
The Kirby-themed cocktail had a little light-up rainbow cube in the middle which made the drink glow – looking brilliant against the dimly lit room and shining arcade screens.
The staff were friendly and very personable – and these cocktails clearly take some effort to make and aren’t just premade juices.
There were also plenty of beer options and other bottled beverages to wet your whistle if you did not fancy one of their dramatic cocktails.
This is also the first NQ64 venue to serve food, and it certainly did not disappoint.
The brand has teamed up with Manchester’s Burgerism, which is known for its smashed patty and fried chicken burgers, chicken wings and seasoned skin-on fries.
The chicken burgers had a real spicy kick to them and were overall just great comfort food perfect for fuelling a gaming session.
If you are looking to have a drink somewhere a little different or want to remember the best of your childhood days – NQ64 has everything you are looking for.
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