The 25 best themed bars in the Orlando area

By Orlando Weekly Staff on Tue, Sep 13, 2016 at 6:58 pm

Orlando is bursting at the seams with bars (trust us, we've done the "research"), and while they might start to blend together, there are a few that really stand out. Whether you like to sip your margaritas in a boat or down tequila shots while getting a tattoo, there's a watering hole for you. What we have here are 25 of the most outrageously themed bars that Orlando has to offer.

Scroll down to view images

Frosty’s Christmastime Lounge
50 E. Central Blvd., 407-969-0911
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Orlando, and there’s no telling when snow will fall down on this holiday-themed bar. This cozy cabin like bar is lined with snow-frosted windows. The craft snow-cone cocktails will leave your stomach feeling like they were hit by a blizzard. Don’t worry, Christmas music isn’t played all night long.

Photo via Frosty's Christmastime Lounge/Facebook

Aku Aku Tiki Bar
431 E. Central Blvd.; 407-839-0080
As an homage to a 1950s-'60s Hawaiian beach bar, Aku Aku strives to not be “just your average tiki bar” with throwback bamboo bar stools, leaning surf boards and vintage beach films playing on the TVs. Drinks like the Fu Manchu, made with a heavy dose of 94-proof Sailor Jerry Rum and a kick of ginger, and the Tiger Fucker, made with 44* North Huckleberry Vodka and housemade jalapeño-blackberry syrup, are sure to knock you off your chair.

Photo by Rob Bartlett

Shark Bar inside the T-Rex Cafe
1676 E. Buena Vista Drive
This bar may attract more tourists and their adventurous kids, with their animatronic dinosaurs and mammoths roaring and moving their heads, than single people. This bar is a sight to behold, with a massive saltwater fish tank tucked into the arms of a giant octopus. You may accidentally leave having purchased scuba gear on Amazon on your phone.

Photo by Rob Bartlett

Abracadabar
2101 Epcot Resorts Blvd
Disney Boardwalk’s new bar is where the magic happens. Enter and you’ll see enchanted magic show posters, mystifying mirrors, and vintage props reminiscent of the time when magicians performed across the world wooing crowds with all the tricks they had up their sleeves. With beers, wines and curiously concocted cocktails, there will always be something new to try.

Photo via savepointstu/Instagram

Herman’s Loan Office
22 W. Pine St., 407-649-0000
Featuring the kind of furniture you’d expect to find in a gentleman's club: dark wooden coffee tables, nicely upholstered couches and chairs and a white marble bar to tie the room together. If you don’t quite know what you want to drink, the bartenders can craft something for you; just give them your preferences from three categories: Light or Dark, Refreshing or Spirituous, Comforting or Adventurous.

Photo via Herman's Loan Office/Instagram

Player 1
8562 Palm Parkway; 407-504-7521
Geek out at Player 1 as you can hop from arcade games like Pacman to newer consoles like the PS4, Wii and all types of videogames. Oh, and of course there’s booze. You can get mead, sake or craft beers here, but no Bud Light and no liquor.

Photo via Player 1 Video Game Bar/Facebook

Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Cafe
205 E. First St., Sanford; 407-321-2204
Every day is Oktoberfest in this German bar and restaurant located in Sanford. After indulging in sauerkraut and all forms of the sausages Germans are famous for, drink some dark beer from a tall glass boot along with your new friends.

Photo via sylkelopez/Instagram

The Boathouse
1620 E. Buena Vista Drive; 407-939-2628
The Boathouse is stunning in its attention to detail, with rich mahogany displays that cover the interior walls and vintage boat motors adorning walls throughout. Not one but three crystal chandeliers dangle from the ceiling. Its upscale nautical-themed interior and exterior flow together seamlessly. There’s something new to look at anywhere you let your eye fall; the space never feels cluttered or chaotic.

Photo by Rob Bartlett

Hanson’s Shoe Repair
27 E. Pine St., 407-476-9446
Speakeasies are all over, but Hanson’s does it right: You have to call ahead to get a password and upon arrival, you will notice there’s a controlled amount of people allowed in the dim, beautiful space. They offer craft cocktails but none with vodka, considering it wasn’t a part of American drinking during the Prohibition era. They really stick to the theme.

Photo via jayvelez/Instagram

Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar
Disney Springs Marketplace, Lake Buena Vista, 407- 939-6244
Styled after an old airplane hangar, this bar is named for Jock Lindsey, who made his way to Florida after retiring from globetrotting the world (and oh yeah, flying Indiana Jones that one time). Adventure-themed drinks include the Fountain of Youth, Pancho’s Margarita and the Scottish Professor, not to mention thrilling bites likes Rolling Boulder Sliders and Lao Che’s Revenge.

Photo via coleditzel/Instagram