NQ64 opens its biggest-ever retro gaming arcade cocktail bar in the heart of Soho
NQ64 has gone big for its latest London opening, bringing two floors of retro gaming, themed cocktails and augmented-reality darts to Soho.
The NQ64 team, the brains behind London’s top retro-gaming themed bars packed with old-school arcade machines, must have been munching on the Mario Super Mushrooms when putting together its latest venue.
NQ64 has opened the doors to its biggest spot yet at Orange Yard on Manette Street in Soho, bringing two floors of neon-soaked arcade gaming and bar-room distractions to one of the capital’s busiest night spots.
The new venue officially opens today (11th September) and expands on the retro arcade bar group’s familiar formula, with a larger collection of games alongside several new experiences that go beyond the traditional arcade cabinet.
For starters, there’s an expanded line-up of classic arcade machines, including Guitar Hero, PAC-MAN Battle Royale, Mario Kart Arcade GP and pinball machines — a pair themed around Jaws and the Marvel movies. There’s also a serious selection of free-play consoles, covering multiple generations from the Nintendo 64 and original PlayStation through to the GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360.
It’s a surefire nostalgia hit for anyone who remembers cramming four people around a telly for a ‘Slappers Only’ GoldenEye session.
The real gems though are among the lovingly-restored stand-up arcade cabinets of yesteryear. Four player Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Check. Four player Outrun SP? Check. There’s even a super-rare version of The Simpsons beat-em-up (again in its four player variant) in a lavish large-scale cabinet that mimics the Simpsons’ family’s own CRT telly. It’s like the heady days of the Trocadero never ended.
High scoring cocktails
But the Soho venue isn’t just about retro gaming. NQ64 has UV pool tables and augmented-reality darts, claw machines and an extensive cocktail list.
NQ64’s arcade-inspired cocktail menu includes the Quick Revive No.5, inspired by the Call of Duty perk and described as the existing venues’ best-selling cocktail, alongside the Frozen Deadshot Daiquiri. There are alcohol-free options too, including CBD-infused Hits From The Pong, as well as craft beers and spirits.
Visually, it sticks firmly to the NQ64 playbook: expect neon artwork, graffiti-covered walls, immersive lighting and a Hip Hop and R&B soundtrack. We may be about to out ourselves as older than some of the retro games on show but, having attended opening night, hopefully the soundsystem volume… gets turned down a little? It was a shame not being able to hear all the charming chiptunes, bleeps and bloops of these classic games under the bass-heavy boom.
The new Soho site is the latest expansion for NQ64, which was founded in Manchester’s Northern Quarter in 2019 and now has venues across the UK, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, Nottingham and Newcastle.
According to co-founders Andy Haygarth and Matt Robson, the Soho site is designed to give visitors even more reasons to stick around for “one more round” — which, as anyone who has ever played Mario Kart with friends knows, is an extremely dangerous promise to make.
If the thought of another round of ‘Three Small Plates’ at Wetherspoons or the sight of a chin-stroking real-ale fanatic fills you with dread, NQ64 Soho makes for a great score-chasing night out.
You’ll find NQ64 Soho at Orange Yard, Manette Street, London, W1D 4JB, a couple of minutes walk from Tottenham Court Road station. It’s walk-in friendly, but if there’s a big gang of you looking for a table or to secure a round on the dart boards, you can make a booking here.
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