NQ64 review: Quirky cocktail critiques

By Adriana Newbury and Ellen Bowen

Like Lane7’s edgier sister, NQ64 is a retro arcade gaming bar just off of Grey Street. If you’re looking for a night out that’s different, then this is the place for you; boasting a gaming themed cocktail menu, retro games and neon graffiti interior, NQ64 is the perfect place to change up the usual bar setting. Pro: the perfect setting for a date night.

Con: don’t go if you’re single because everyone else there seemed to be a couple … not that Ell and I were complaining about a cheeky Wednesday night date!

Our favourite cocktail was ‘Power Star Martini’, a Mario Kart take on the pornstar martini. Served with a shot of Pink Hooch to change up the usual, this cocktail was fruity and had serious foam game, plus it looked super cute with the star decoration! 

Adriana’s rating: 9. Ell’s rating: 8. 

Next up was the ‘Lara Lost’ cocktail. A winter spritz served with a fun snow effect on top, we enjoyed this one but perhaps slightly on the sweet side, with strong berry notes. And beware, the blackberry on top is frozen, so don’t bite in (Ell learnt the hard way). 

Adriana’s rating: 6. Ell’s rating: 9. 

Onto the ‘Full Tilt’, our least favourite of the night… but nonetheless still delicious! Tasting of strong fruit juice, this cocktail had a fun touch of sherbet added in. The sticker on the glass was a very nice touch but this one was just somewhat too sweet for us. 

Adriana’s rating: 5. Ell’s rating: 5. 

Lastly, we were treated to the most popular cocktail on the menu, the ‘Aku Aku Fruit Punch’. Obsessed with the neon feather that glows in the dark with the interior of the bar, this cocktail was reminiscent of foamy bananas (if you know, you know) and accompanied Ell to her win at the pinball machine. 

Adriana’s rating: 7. Ell’s rating 7.5. 

Arcade games at NQ64: Pac Man and Top Skater. Image Source: Adriana Newbury,

Overall, NQ64 is such a fun, quirky experience. The themed cocktail menu was totally amusing and made the bar more unique. We won’t tell anyone how bad we were at PacMan, so our only critique is that we need a couple of cocktails that aren’t so sweet (an espresso martini wouldn’t hurt). However, these cocktails are only 2 for £10 before 7pm, Monday-Friday, which is a deal you just can’t miss. So get trotting down there after a hard day at the Robbo!