Broadway’s Newest Bar Is a Real Adventure, Starring Mad Scientist-Style Drinks

Broadway’s bar scene has always boasted spots that echo the street’s funky, offbeat vibes. In 2024, an ’80s-themed watering hole, the Delorean, made its debut. Soon, Good Luck Club will open, bringing Y2K nostalgia. And this week, a different kind of retro-inspired bar, Adventure Time, will welcome its first guests.

Have you ever eaten a gin fizz off a plate? Or sipped mole out of a skull? Or tried a French onion martini topped with charred Parmesan cheese? You can — and should — at this new bar, which opens Thursday, January 15, at 101 Broadway.

But Adventure Time isn’t the kind of place you can just stop by for a drink. “We always went to pop-ups, we love pop-ups,” says Laura Wood, who co-owns the spot with her husband, Sam. “But that’s only a temporary thing, so Sam was like, what if there was a permanent place where we actually invested, so we could take the decor up, take the drinks up, and make it really like you went into another world?”

“I was a writer for a long time, and I like creating worlds,” Sam adds. “So I was like, I just want to create worlds.” In real life, that is: worlds that could be shared with others.

Adventure Time is the result of that dream, and it’s been a labor of love for the couple, who have transformed a long-vacant space in Baker into an immersive experience that will host rotating themes throughout the year. Tickets, priced at $20 per person for the 90-minute experience, must be purchased in advance; a welcome cocktail is included, but other drinks and bites are ordered à la carte.

“It feels surreal,” Laura says of finally opening — the couple had searched for a space for eighteen months, and then spent five months creating the bar. “I just hope people like it. It’s nerve-wracking, but I feel like it’s such a fun date-night spot, it’s a fun girl’s night spot, bachelorette parties, it’s great for groups.”

Neon City

The bar is kicking off as Neon City, a futuristic, cyberpunk world inspired by works such as Blade Runner, Akira andThe Matrix. “Laura’s in the entertainment industry. I was in the entertainment industry for a decade, comics for a decade, so it’s like countless hours on set, countless days at conventions. So I’m like, obsessive,” Sam says of creating the immersive sets for each rotating theme, which were made with the help of Laura’s brother and sister-in-law.

The goal was to “make sure every inch has texture or something on the wall,” he adds, from the large collection of neon signs to a laser cube that projects designs onto a wall to areas built for photo ops. Anime plays on the television screens behind the bar, which itself is covered in glitter, as is the floor.

But this spot isn’t just an Instagram photo opp. It’s got serious substance, in the form of very fun and very delicious cocktails.

What’s on the menu

The Woods brought in some high-tech equipment for their cocktail program, along with tools not typically found behind the bar, like a cotton candy machine and a cheese grater, which is used for the Parmesan that tops the Corpo-tini ($19), a French onion soup-inspired spin on a martini made with bouillon buttermilk-washed vodka, savory herb-infused dry vermouth and umami bitters. It’s topped with brioche foam, and the Parm gets a quick cook with a torch, creating a cheesy aroma that hits before you even take a sip. The drink is garnished with balsamic-soaked pearl onions, an essential component — take a bite for an acidic punch that balances out the unexpected sweetness of the drink.

The Electric Sheep ($18) is a play on carrot cake in the form of a spritz, combining Outfitters Vodka, carrot, pineapple, house-made spiced syrup, Madagascar vanilla and La Marca Prosecco, with cheesecake cotton candy topped with electric blue buzz-button dust as the cloud-like garnish.

Inspired by the halo-halo Sam enjoyed while living in Hawaii, the Tinfoil Unicorn ($18) is made with hand-cranked Hawaiian shaved ice flavored with ube liqueur, toasted coconut milk rum, salted crème de plantain and anko liqueur (all made in-house) and topped with boozy popping boba.

The gin fizz variation, Lucy’s Dream ($22), combines St. George Valley Gin, house-made cinnamon graham cracker syrup, cream and egg white, and is served on a plate with a spoon because it’s flash-frozen into a cloud-like solid form reminiscent of cold meringue, making it easy to share.

There’s the Loco Choco ($16), a hot chocolate made with chef Charles Rivera’s mole, topped with red masa ancho whipped cream and served in a skull mug. The Cuatro Crazy ($16) is a fruity delight that smells like Pez and is made with Grape Jolly Rancher essence’d vodka, while the Liquid Lace ($17) is a crystal clear version of an espresso martini, served in a very tall martini glass. The vessel for the mezcal-based, pineapple, ginger and miso-spiked Cyberpunk Punch ($16) is a whimsical squiggly shape.

Most of the sixteen cocktails on offer can be made booze-free as well, without sacrificing flavor or the fun of the presentations. And a lot of thought went into making sure these cocktails can be served efficiently, thanks to smart behind-the-scenes prep work.

There are a few snacks as well, because no one should drink on an empty stomach. Options include a charcuterie spread ($25), served on custom-made t-rex wooden boards; a jumbo pretzel ($10) with beer cheese and whole-grain mustard; and chicken strips with a choice of ranch, barbecue, honey mustard or buffalo sauce.

Adventures to come

Neon City will run through May 2 before the next theme is introduced. The team plans to close for just a week to completely transform the space once again. Though they’re not spilling the exact plans, expect a completely new experience once the swap takes place, including a fully revamped cocktail lineup.

“Right now, money is so tight, the world is in such a state of disaster all the time, that it’s like, when you do get a babysitter, when you do have the money to go somewhere, you want it to be different — a total escape,” Laura says. “That’s why we came up with ‘Escape with us.’ Escape from reality, for these ninety minutes, let us fully wow you.”

“We want it to be worth your time,” Sam concludes, explaining an ethos sparked by general manager Jordan McMahan. “Not just the time you spent to get in the car and drive here, and the time you spend with us, but the time it took for you to make the money you’re going to spend with us. You can make a theoretical infinite amount of money, but you’ve only got so much time.”

And based on our introduction to Adventure Time, yours will be well spent here.

Adventure Time is located at 101 Broadway (look for the dinosaur skull above the door) and will be open from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday and from 6 to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, starting January 15. Pre-paid reservations are required and available via OpenTable. For more information, visit adventuretimebar.com.