Nostalgia is a word that gets tossed around a lot these days, and for good reason — since the world’s going up in flames, people naturally look at the past with rose-tinted lenses and yearn for a time when life was simpler. (Although we’d have to say, we can barely recall the time before social media and smartphones.)
Enter Nineteen80, a retro arcade bar that transports you back to the ’80s with old school games, funky fresh tunes, and playful cocktails. Neighbors with Kilo Lounge along the Tanjong Pagar Road stretch, the nostalgia nook is the brainchild of entertainment consultancy A Phat Cat Collective — founded by a trio formerly from CÉ LA VI — brought to life as a tribute to the Mohamed Sultan and Boat Quay nightclubs of yesteryear.
The moment you step through the neon-lit tunnel into the narrow space, designed by Tina Fung, you’re surrounded on all sides by elements of the ’80s, with video game consoles opposite the bar, original cassette tapes used as decor details, and a colossal piece of work by Singapore-based artist Mojoko on a feature wall inviting you to stare at it till you identify all the iconic arcade games referenced.
Speaking of video games, you’ll be entertained for hours on end — if you’ve got the coins to spare — by the solid selection of vintage titles such as PacMan, Space Invaders, Double Dragon, Metal Slug, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Golden Axe, and Puzzle Bobble. Just make sure you jostle your way to one of the tables with a screen — that way, you can sit tight and go through hundreds of games without sacrificing on comfort.
While you’re snug on your seat, you can fuel up on liquid calories from the bar, which serves boozy concoctions inspired by the days when the cocktail scene didn’t take itself too seriously. That means no experimental stuff here, just good old alcoholic blends.
Nineteen80’s renditions of classics include the Long Island Iced Tea (Ice-T “Hustler” Remix) with ginger ale ($20/glass, $70/jug), the Blue Lagoon (Super Disco Blend) with yuzu ($18/glass, $50/jug), and Vodka Ribena (Original Mix) with soda ($18/glass, $70/jug). They’re very much on the sweet side — be prepare for a little insulin spike there.
Alternatively, they’ve also got signature mixes made with fresh fruits like Donna Summer ($20/glass) of white rum with lime juice, strawberry purée, and sumac powder, or Club Tropicana ($20/glass), a blend of pineapple juices, coconut water, lime juice, white rum, and sour plum powder.
To pad your stomach, snacks such as truffle fries ($10), chicken tenders ($15), calamari ($17), cold cuts ($24), and pizzas ($20-26) are available, too.
Nineteen80 also has a lineup of resident DJs — Ollie’Des, YA5TH, Joshua P, Paulsilver, Suren, and Bobos — playing hip hop, R&B, disco, funk, soul, house, and urban classics. Weekly themed parties are in the pipeline, including a Wednesday ladies’ night called “Miss-Demeanor.” It’s still finalizing the details on events, so we’d recommend checking the venue’s Facebook page for updates.
Sure, it’s a similar concept to the sort-of nearby, more spacious Level Up, which opened last year at Clarke Quay, but we’re guessing the crowds at Nineteen80 will come from workplaces in the immediate surroundings, for those who want an intoxicating throwback to the past at a grown-up arcade.
FIND IT:
Nineteen80 is at #01-05, 21 Tanjong Pagar Rd.
9183-6073. Tues & Thurs 5:30pm-1am; Wed, Fri & Sat 5:30pm-3am.
MRT: Tanjong Pagar/Chinatown
