The promise of cocktails, grilled cheeses, and pinball games draws the kid within us to this retro speakeasy located on the other side of a freezer door at the back of Roxy's Grilled Cheese in Cambridge. The creative minds behind Area Four operate the space, which is filled with a rotating selection of ’80s pinball classics, such as "Galaga," "Ms. Pacman," "Mario Kart," and "Big Buck Hunter."
The vibe: Like your best friend's birthday party, in the ’80s and ’90s—but with booze! Games beep and boop in the background while you gulp down oozy grilled cheeses and fruity cocktails that come in an imaginative collection of glassware.
The food: Around seven varieties of grilled cheeses are served on crunchy sourdough. The Classic Three Cheese showcases the house cheese blend that appears on all sandwiches: Vermont cheddar, Wisconsin brick cheese, and Monterey Jack. More complex options, such as the "Hot Honey Bacon," add applewood-smoked bacon and Mike's Hot Honey. You can also get a couple of varieties of fried chicken, several burgers and dogs, and shareable items like fried pickles or poutine.
The drink: A scan down the Roxy's Arcade cocktail menu is a trip down memory lane in itself. Drinks, such as "Threat Level Midnight" and "The Clash at Demonhead," shout out old-school pop culture references and come in quirky vessels—from a Millennium Falcon mug to a ceramic glass in the shape of Tina Belcher from Bob's Burgers. The flavor profile is tiki-ish, with several rum- and fruit juice-based drinks. There's also a creative menu of shots and zero-proof options. Thirteen beers are available in bottles and cans, plus they have Lamplighter and Night Shift on tap.
Time Out tip: Food is served until 11pm most nights, with a condensed late-night menu available on Fridays and Saturdays from 11pm to 12:30am. For those 18 and over looking for daytime fun, the arcade is open on Saturdays from noon to 7pm. Tokens for games can be purchased onsite using cash, card, or Apple Pay.