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The team behind the now-closed Will Ferrell-themed bar Stay Classy is preying even further on rabid pop culture fans. Now softly open in the same Lower East Side space as Stay Classy (174 Rivington Street) is GB85, a bar built around all things ’80s.
The bar goes hard on the decade, with Ghostbusters, Madonna, and David Bowie murals, as well as drinks inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” The Breakfast Club, E.T., and more. Every month will bring a new topic, though the first month seems to be more generally themed, based on the drinks menu. Titles like Kevin’s Bacon (a salt-rimmed shot glass lined with maple syrup, filled with maple bourbon, and garnished with candied bacon) and Mr. Miyagi-tini (a martini made with sake, agave nectar syrup, and muddled cucumbers) give you an idea of what to expect.
As Gothamist points out, it’s not strictly all ’80s references, as a Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie (1970s) and Crystal Pepsi (1990s) demonstrate. But, we get it: The idea is nostalgia, something that has become owner Zach Neil’s specialty. He’s also opened the Tim Burton-dedicated spot Beetle House, as well as the also now-closed ’Merica, an American-stereotype restaurant in the East Village.
