Beauty + Fashion
Ashley Joy Parker
Party With Aliens: Earth's Coolest Space-Themed Bars
- By: Ashley Joy Parker
- August 1, 2023
Blast off to intergalactic imbibing….
What kind of sci-fi blockbuster are we living in right now?
A former military intelligence officer just told Congress that there is a top-secret government program that he believes has proof of alien intelligence on Earth
David Grusch served for 14 years as an intelligence officer in the Air Force and said he worked on the Department of Defense’s Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force with a high level of security clearance until leaving last March, according to CBS News. On July 26, he appeared before the House Oversight Committee’s National Security Subcommittee alongside two former fighter pilots who claimed to have firsthand experience with UAPs (aka UFOs).
Grush testified that he was informed of “a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program” during the course of his work examining classified government programs. He claims he was denied access to those top-secret programs when he requested it, however he said he had interviewed officials who had direct knowledge of mysterious “biologics” recovered from a craft.
Under direct questioning by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Grusch testified some of the “remains” of pilots discovered at crash sites were “non-human” origins. (Say whaaaaat?!)
The shocking news that aliens may have really crashed landed on Earth quickly went viral, with social media blowing up with wild theories and hilarious memes. But there’s only one real one question we have: Are the aliens down to party with us earthlings?
In case that answer turns out to be yes, hop in their UFO and cruise your way into one of these out-of-this-world space-themed bars.
Rosewell’s Saloon (Houston, Texas)
Houston, we have party. Named after the site in New Mexico where an alleged UFO sighting took place in 1947, Roswell’s Saloon in Houston, Texas is a trippy black-lit bar with a cool cosmic vibe. The neon decor features vibrant planets hanging from the ceiling, intergalactic artwork and projection mapping on the walls, including an active UFO. On the menu, stellar sippers include the Mercury in Retrograde made with gin, grapefruit shrub, Bergamot liqueur, Szechuan simple syrup, lemon juice, Topo Chico and topped with a “glowing galaxy,” the Fire In Sky made with mezcal, chile liqueur, almond syrup, fresh lime juice and hellfire bitters and more.
1417 Westheimer Rd, Houston, Texas
@roswellssaloon
Cosmos At The Viaduct (London, U.K.)
One of the three spaces that make up London’s The Viaduct, Cosmos is self-described as a “beautifully illuminated hedonistic cocktail lounge” with a luxe blue and gold color scheme. Located in the city’s ultra-hip Shoreditch neighborhood, the bar embodies the wonder of the cosmos and boasts plenty of mesmerizing planetary art on the walls. At Cosmos, order their signature rum-based Cosmic Punch and enjoy with some East-Asian-inspired nibbles.
83 Rivington St., London, U.K
@theviaductshoreditch
Mothership (San Diego, California)
Up for a tropical space adventure? Mothership flew into San Diego’s South Park neighborhood last summer and remains one of the buzziest spots in SoCal. The dark decor tells the story of a ship that crash landed into a “Lost Of Lost”-like planet with cool cave elements. The bar area is even designed as if it were the ship’s console. Other on-theme elements include an interactive electronics panel between the bathrooms, a “new species” of plants that seem to be infecting the ship and an original Mothership soundtrack, featuring over eight hours of space rock tunes. On this mission, vegan eats and Tiki cocktails are served, like the Self Destruct Sequence, made with Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum, West Indies Spiced Rum Aged Caribbean Rum, grapefruit, lime, cinnamon, cardamom, angostura bitters and absinthe, served in a command-center glass beaker and The Saturn made with MOTHERSHIP Saturnalia Gin, Ship Formula Falernum, passion fruit, lemon and piloncillo orgeat.
2310 30th St. San Diego, California
@intothevoidinc
Sphere Rooftop Bar (Penang, Malaysia)
Located on the rooftop of Chulia Mansion Hotel, the UFO-themed Sphere Rooftop Bar in Malaysia seems straight out of a summer sci-fi blockbuster. Hovering among the stars, this luminescent sky bar features steel decorations, glass furnishing and bold neon lights. Sphere also features a massive (and totally Instagramable) sculpting of a realistic moon, complete with craters, pits and a pulsing halo glow. Signature drinks include the Sphere’s Oddity made with whiskey, plum wine, yuzu, lime, honey and wasabi and the Gravi-Tea made with Earl Grey-infused gin, elderflower liquor, honey and salty milky foam.
413, Chulia St., Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
@sphererooftopbar
Scum and Villainy Cantina (Los Angeles, California)
In a galaxy not so far far away, aka Hollywood, Scum and Villainy Cantina is an intergalactic bar that combimes cosplay and cocktails. Inspired by the best drinking establishments from your favorite sci-fi and fantasy movies (particularly the “wretched hive of scum and villainy” Obi-Wan Kenobi describes in 1977’s “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope”) Scum and Villainy prides itself on being “the geek bar you’ve been looking for.” Although commonly known to locals as simply the “Star Wars bar,” S&V also incorporates elements from other sci-fi and fantasy fandoms like Marvel and Harry Potter. On any given night, guests will find costumed bartenders mixing up cocktails in a futuristic, neon-lit setting. Theme drinks include the tequila and aperol-based The Mind Trick, the gin-based Forest Moon and rye-based Wakanda Forever.
6377 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California
@scumandvillainycantina
Space 220 Restaurant (Orlando, Florida)
Space 220 Restaurant is a theme restaurant at EPCOT, one of the four main parks at Walt Disney World in Florida. Set adjacent to the park’s attraction Mission: Space, the restaurant is literally modeled after a space station. Before entering, guests are handed boarding passes and later enter the restaurant through a simulated journey 220 miles up to the Centauri Space Station through a space elevator called the Stellarvator. The elevator features a circular viewing screen in the middle of the floor and ceiling. Though it does not actually leave the ground, the elevator allows guests to look through the viewing screens to see themselves lift off from EPCOT in the bottom screen and into the space station on the top screen.
After exiting the elevator, guests walk into a long neon hallway with a circular rotating vegetable garden called the Growth Zone, which contains items from the menu. It is based on the vegetable-production systems found in real space stations. The hallway leads guests into the dining area with several floor-to-ceiling windows lined up across the exterior wall of the dining room. Daytime and nighttime simulated views of the Earth can be seen through the windows alongside floating astronauts, flying dogs, other space stations, an X-wing, a lightsaber fight between two astronauts, the ride vehicle for “Guardians of the Galaxy” and more.
The restaurant contains more than 350 seats, and the chairs, tables, and booths are colored a utilitarian gray, with the table settings as black. The bathroom signs are marked with figures in space suits, and other signs warn of the danger of the loss of gravity. Guests exit the restaurant through the same path by which they entered, but while leaving, they instead see themselves descend from the space station back to the theme park.
The menu is stacked with themed dishes including the Starry Calamari, Big Bang Burrata and Neptune Tartare. The restaurant serves Atmospheric Spirits, aka alcoholic beverages with out of this world names like the vodka-based Celestial Cosmopolitan and the gin-based Jupiter Fizz and non-alcoholic beverages called Zero-Proof Cocktails including The Milky Way, Moon Rocks and Lightyear Lemonade.
*Theme park ticket required for entry
1382 Ave. of the Stars, Orlando, Florida
@space220fla
OffWorld (Toronto, Canada)
Escape your Earthly routine for a night of drinking and dining at OffWorld in Toronto. Inside, the space features giant virtual windows, 3D holograms and projections of galaxies on the walls, transporting you to a wild alien world.
Extravagant extraterrestrial cocktails include standouts like the Alien Secretion made with La Delizia Pinot Grigio, melon liqueur, cointreau, lime, lychee, pineapple, sprite, the Gas Giant made with True Theory vodka, apricot brandy, ginger peach tea, maple syrup, lemon and the Tikinaut made with Wray & Nephew and Goslings rum blend, Coconut Crème, housemade sugar cane syrup, guava strawberry and watermelon blend, pineapple juice blend, lime juice, Angostura bitters in our custom astronaut mug. For an immersive imbibing experience, order the Black Hole, a cocktail made with El Dorado 12 Year Aged Rum, Briottet Creme De Cacao, Frangelico, Espresso Ice Cream, Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and comes with sound cancelling headphones, pre-programmed with the horrifying sounds of a real Black Hole captured by NASA from the terrain solar area. (Whoa!)
For those hungry cosmic travelers, try noshing on Galileo’s Bruschetta, Neptune’s Nachos or the Spicy Jackfruit Nanoburgers.
739 Queen St. W, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
@offworldbar
Space Karaoke (New York, New York)
Cue up David Bowie‘s “Space Oddity.” Drawing in some of Earth’s biggest celebs, including Pete Davidson, Kal Penn and Robert Pattinson, Space Karaoke is New York City’s go-to-spot for karaoke. Located one black away from the Empire State Building in midtown Manhattan, the sleek, colorfully-lit singing spot boasts 11 private rooms to accommodate guests, including a VIP lounge which can hold up to 90 earthlings.
34 West 32nd St., Floor 11, New York, New York
@spacekaraoke11
The Space Pad (Oceanside, California)
The Space Pad in Oceanside, Calif. is self-described as a “1950’s Atomic Era Intergalactic Spaceport Speakeasy.” Nestled in the space behind Kilowatt Brewing’s tasting room, the bar’s decor is heavily influenced by the blacklight works of late Ocean Beach artist Clint Cary, better known as the “Spaceman of OB.” He earned the cosmic nickname in the 1950s when he claimed to have been abducted by aliens and transported to a planet called Rillispore.
Upon entry through a hidden passageway, guests enter a “space elevator” which to take them to the top of the tower The Space Pad is perched upon. When the door opens, they will find crystal-and fossil-laced rock said to be mined from Rillispore’s surface. Glass portals are embedded in the floor, further showcasing the Rillisporians’ technology, while plants, animals and works of art from the planet are displayed throughout the lounge, along with a large observation window behind the bar to view the planet.
The Space Pad’s cocktail menu is curated by Cristian Diaz, a well-known bartender and mixologist in the Tiki community who’s been the Lead Bartender at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel for over ten years. Standouts include the frozen Beam Me Up and the Smoked Old Fashioned, which is a twist on the Earthly classic, using a special UFO flying saucer infuser to impart a smoky element. You can also ask for a dealer’s choice cocktail where the bartender comes to read your aura and ask your zodiac sign to come up with a perfect personalized drink.
406 Mission Ave., Oceanside, California
@spacepadbar
Space Box (Geylang, Singapore)
There are loads of themed bars in Singapore, but Space Box has to be one of the coolest. Located opposite the busy Aljunied MRT station, this cosmic space is adorned with neon lights, dangling planets and groovy astronaut figures. On the menu you’ll find hearty tze-char dishes starting at just $1 so you can dine under the stars without breaking the bank, as well as an assortment of booze, including the Special Space Cocktail.
60 Lor 23 Geylang, #01-01 D’Innova, Singapore
@spaceboxsg
Oga’s Cantina (Anaheim, California)
Opened in 2019, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is a themed area inspired by the Star Wars franchise, located in Disneyland Park. One of the area’s standout immersive experiences is Oga’s Cantina, catering to Jedis of all ages. Inspired by the iconic Batuu waterhole, Oga’s serves up an expansive menu of exotic concoctions, some with alcohol—like the Dantooine Tonic cocktail, Bad Motivator IPA or Toniray wine—or without like the Blue Bantha (aka blue milk) and the Jabba Juice. The cantina even has a resident DJ. Music at Oga’s is provided by R-3X, a droid that was first seen as RX-24 (a.k.a. Captain Rex) in Star Tours. Paul Reubens even returned to voice the character. Valid same day Disneyland Park admission required for entrance.
1313 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, California
@ogascantina
Outer Heaven (New York, New York)
Sleek and minimalistic, Outer Heaven is a “micro-club” in NYC’s Bowery district. A reverent love for otaku—the Japanese word describing “people with consuming interests, particularly in anime, manga, and video games”—appears throughout the space, in juxtaposition with its simple design. This manifests in the art adorning the walls, the arcade cabinets in the bathroom waiting area, where revelers can sneak in a game of Marvel vs. Capcom between boogies, and the fully-functional comic book stand, inner sanctum, located in the vestibule of the venue. The Monolith—the signature lighting feature of the space—is a fully-programmable led “skylight” that spans the dance floor, inspired by the works of artist James Turrell.
Open six days a week, Outer Heavens features a curated selection of vibey beats in the evening, interspersed with bartenders mixing in vinyl from our own collection at regular intervals through-out the night. Later in the night on weekends, DJs take the fore with a heady mix of house, disco, techno, and indie dance music. Monday evenings are DB^2 night, a love note to David Byrne and David Bowie, two of the club’s music heroes.
From a beverage program standpoint, Outer Heaven is founded upon three pillars: mezcal, sake and orange wine. The club’s cocktail program, designed by Alex Smith, features a bevy of beverages that scale upwards in ABV, from lite and floral fare to heartier savory cocktails and some zero-proof solutions. Look out for the ice cubes adorned with branded alien graphic.
191 Chrystie St., New York, New York
@outerheaven.nyc
Space Bar (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Space Bar is a fully immersive, cyber-punk and interstellar travel-themed “geek-easy,” in Knoxville, Tenn. offering unique bites and beverages aboard the spaceship “The Ark.” Guests are greeted in an “airlock” chamber, complete with a fog machine, before walking through a curtain and boarding the spacecraft. Keeping with the theme, the bathrooms at Space Bar are called escape pods, the kitchen is the hyperdrive reactor and the walls are even illuminated with interactive buttons.
The inflight menu includes dishes like the Galactic Gastronomy (which includes a Bavarian pretzel, skewered brat, jalapeno-pimento cheese and ground mustard) and the Quasi-Steallar Object (aka their version of a quesadilla) and cocktails like the rum-based That’s No Moon and the gin-based Pan Galactic Garglebaster, based on a drink featured in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Space Bar also serves up several lucid absinthe-based drinks (like the Hack The Code) and a selection of CBD enhanced cocktails (like the Aries Ascendent).
79 N. Seven Oaks Dr., Knoxville, Tennessee
@spacebar_knox
SeeScape (Toronto, Canada)
SeeScape is funky hangout in Toronto with a stellar sci-fi theme, offering craft beers, creative cocktails and Canadian eats, all in a geek-chic setting. Among the selection of specialty drinks is the Moon Prism Power made with vodka, triple sec, cotton candy, lime, cream soda and gold flakes and the Pan Galactic Blaster made with Jack Daniels, peach schnapps, blue curacao and orange juice. There is even one called Alien Urine made with Malibu rum, melon liqueur, peach schnapps, orange juice and lemon. While you’re there, choose from hundreds of board games and video games to play.
47 Keele St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
@Seescapeto
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Beauty + Fashion
Ashley Joy Parker
