Nostalgia-Happy Retro Game Bar Will Open This Spring on MLK

A new video game bar for nostalgic millennials and gen x-ers is opening this spring. Retro Game Bar, a new video game bar opening on MLK, will serve game-themed beers, cocktails named for ‘90s references, and an extensive collection of old-school video games.

Co-owners Shira Yovu and Jason Yovu are stocking the bar with their personal collection of cartridges and discs to play on 19 consoles, from Atari to Nintendo. “I’ve been a collector since my early 20s, and it was more fun when friends would come over to play,” Jason Yovu says. “A collector will want to spend $200 on a game... I want to make them more accessible to people who don’t want to spend that kind of money.”

But Retro Game Bar won’t feel like an arcade — The two are designing the bar to feel very late-20th-century vintage, with old posters, toys, and several old-school, bulky TVs Jason Yovu hacked to improve video quality. “We’re doing a full remodel, with some nicer, cleaner finishes,” Shira Yovu says. “We wanted a bar community that’s more intimate, so you can play a video game at a table where you can drink with friends.”

The actual bar menu will be loaded with references to ‘90s and ‘80s tv, movies, and video games, and the two hope to stack the beer list with some of Portland’s video-game-themed beers. The food menu will consist of tricked-out hot dogs, plus bar classics like Frito pie and nachos.

While the bar is primarily 21+, specifically designed for adults to casually drink and play games, the two have also talked about “Saturday Morning Cartoons” on weekend mornings, when the bar becomes all-ages with family-friendly games and a cereal bar. Still, things remain very much in development; stay tuned for more information about Retro Game Bar.

• Retro Game Bar [Official]