Reddit used to live up to its subtitle, “The Front Page of the Internet,” but there’s really only one part that’s worth a minute anymore, and that’s the Ask Science Fiction subreddit. It is not what you might think.
That is, it’s not a group of science-fiction nerds giving ponderous answers about science-fiction nerddom to other science-fiction nerds. No, these words are grouped the other way around: It is a version of the “Ask Science” community, in which real-live scientists answer oddball questions about what a ground-ozone warning really means or why don’t humans have retractable fingernails like cat claws, only with people giving excessively researched and infinitely plausible answers to questions about fictional universes. Did James Bond ever work for George Smiley? Is Superman a naturalized citizen? Why doesn’t Jack Reacher get a car? In “Parks and Rec,” why hasn’t the city of Pawnee been abandoned? It is Ask-Science (Fiction), and it is, if nothing else, persuasive proof in the power of imaginary worlds, those things that are not but yet could be, maybe, if we try hard enough to think through the details.
Everything people build – cities like Miami, boats out on Biscayne Bay, and, yes, bars in the Biscayne Corridor – all started as something imaginary. What if we…? Why don’t I…? Could I have another…? Art, engineering, design, tending bar, all start with the same mindset. If this be nerddom, then a wide-eyed and wondering Biscayne tippler can raise the nerd pennant with pride.
(Bar Kaiju)
Derek Stilmann created a cocktail menu that’s a playable card game like Magic: The Gathering … with booze.
Luckily, there are plenty of places around here to lift a glass with our fellow nerds in surroundings that are not entirely of this world.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
One of the biggest contributors to the Miami nerd-bar scene is the suitably named Bar Kaiju. (“Kaiju,” if you’re not among the initiated, is the Japanese word for any of the truly gigantic monsters: Godzilla, but also Mothra, Rodan, Ghidora, and, honorarily, King Kong, and all the unearthly creatures in Pacific Rim.) It’s not a huge space, but it does have a loyal fanbase.
Shortly after opening, Bar Kaiju got national attention – not for stomping the skyline, but for earning a Best New Bars in America award from “Bon Appétit.” It earned its plaudits through good, old-fashioned creativity and a down-to-earth sense of fun.
One recent example: a drink menu that’s not a book or a brochure, but a set of cards. Playable cards. The menu makes up a game, like Magic: The Gathering or Yu-Gi-Oh. You can play, you can order, you can do both. The drinks are characters with abilities, and with the right combo (and equal parts strategy and luck), you can defeat your drinking buddies.
(Photo: Bar Kaiju)
The crystal-clear non-dairy espresso martini is named Maskinganna for an illusion-casting Italian trickster-spirit.
“The Pocket Monsters menu was originally inspired by Pokémon’s ‘Gigantamax’ forms — those massive evolutions instantly reminded me of classic kaiju monsters, and that spark set the whole concept in motion,” said Bar Kaiju’s founder Derek Stilmann. “I started imagining a world where mythical creatures from around the globe were reimagined as cocktail-powered kaiju, each with their own lore, abilities, and elemental types.”
He spent six months studying game mechanics and mixing drinks to design a system that was totally interactive and pretty darn fun.
“The final result is a fully playable menu: every drink is a ‘monster,’ complete with custom trading cards, support and trainer cards, collectible booster packs, and battle mechanics. We even hold live tournaments at the bar, with the next one coming up this August,” he said.
“It’s not just a cocktail list — it’s an immersive, nostalgic experience that invites guests to sip, strategize, and explore a whole new universe.”
That’s cool and all, but what about the drinks? Stilmann stays true to the heart of what makes a bar a bar: the alchemy of a good drink.
(Photo: Naruto 88)
Cosplayers get free Thai donuts at Naruto 88.
“One of the most talked-about cocktails on the Pocket Monsters menu is Maskinganna — our crystal-clear espresso martini,” he said. The name comes from an Italian folkloric creature known for illusion and trickery.
“Maskinganna is a deceptive force both in the glass and in the game,” says Stilmann. “Unlike traditional espresso martinis, this version contains no milk, cream, or fat. Instead, we developed a custom technique that extracts multiple coffees while isolating and removing pigmentation — resulting in a perfectly clear drink that still delivers the full-roasted depth of coffee. We then rebuild the profile using amaro, sherry, and Milagro Cristalino tequila to bring back those bitter, nutty, and earthy espresso-like notes — without sacrificing clarity.
“In gameplay, Maskinganna stays true to its myth: a shape-shifter that copies other monsters in your deck, disrupting strategies and keeping opponents guessing. Both the drink and the card are all about misdirection — clean in appearance, but packed with hidden power.”
Another hangout based on Japanese pop culture prefers its power worn more on its patron’s sleeves. Naruto 88, with locations in Kendall and Hialeah, doesn’t serve anything stronger than a decent selection of sake (and spicy ramen), but does offer free Thai donuts to anyone who comes in and orders a meal in full cosplay. Preference is given, of course, to those wearing the likeness of the martial artists of the Naruto manga and anime. (That’s “comics” and “cartoons” for the non-initiated.)
CREATIVE SPIRITS
(Photo: Niño Gordo)
Pedro Peña infused Dekotora and Niño Gordo with the sensory saturation of Asian pop culture.
In Wynwood, the Argentinian/Asian fusion restaurant Niño Gordo has made a bit of a splash with its anime-inspired vibe. The coolest part is a little less flashy, though. Check out the vintage cigarette machine and you might notice that it’s actually a secret door. Step through and you’ll find yourself in Dekotora, a sushi speakeasy.
Explained co-owner Pedro Peña: “Dekotora and Niño Gordo use nostalgia as aesthetic fuel – from 1970s Maoist propaganda to anime figures – but the execution looks to the future: experimental cocktails, modern techniques, and a soundtrack built to defy predictability. It’s a clash of eras and cultures that doesn’t ask for permission.”
The clash is why Peña said he thinks the place fits Miami so well.
“When I traveled through Asia, I didn’t come back with recipes – I came back with stimuli. Night markets, neon lights, all kinds of restaurants, 7-Eleven runs, street noise. We wanted to capture that sensory saturation. Asian pop culture isn’t just decor – it’s part of the creative pulse that powers the entire concept. We want Wynwood to feel like we belong to the scene – but also like a jolt to the system.”
Celebrated mixologist Christine Wiseman helped shape the vibe in ways that become obvious only after you take your first sip.
“The aesthetic was already in place when Christine Wiseman joined the project – Dekotora was envisioned as a sushi bar inside a tricked-out Japanese truck, complete with neon lights, cab-style seating, and digital projections,” Peña explained. “But it was Christine who injected the liquid soul. Her cocktail menu didn’t just complement the visual concept; it expanded it. Each drink was crafted as a scene in a movie, playing with unexpected textures, ingredients from Asia and Latin America, and a theatricality that elevates the entire experience.”
When asked for his favorite drink on the menu, Peña took a surprising tack.
“I’m obsessed with piña coladas,” he said. “Wherever I go in the world, I order one – and if it’s not on the menu, they’ll improvise something. At Dekotora, Christine makes one called Turbo Mirage with Planterey Pineapple, Brugal 1888, matcha, pandan, coconut, and pineapple that is beautifully elegant and flavorful. Also ask for the chef’s special sake – it’s anise-forward and brings back memories of home.”
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT
(Photo: Arcade Odyssey)
Arcade Odyssey has, among its collection, the world’s rarest video game (and a few hundred more to play all night long).
One of the best ways to get your geek on is at Nerd Nite Miami, a long-running series of mini-lectures (they’re about 15 minutes each) that alternate with trivia contests. This summer they’re running at Gramps in Wynwood.
Farther afield, though, is one of Greater Miami’s most celebrated spots for friendly competition based on eye-hand coordination. Arcade Odyssey has been recognized as the county’s best place to take a date, and one of South Florida’s best bars for craft beer lovers. For downtowners, it’s worth the trek out to Kendall – and has been for years.
(Photo: Arcade Odyssey)
The Pokémon-themed cocktails are one thing, but Arcade Odyssey’s real draw – besides the games – is the rotating craft beer selection.
“This is our 14th year – we’ve been around for a little bit,” said Rick Medina, who runs the place with his wife, Stacy, “The Hot One.” Where most successful entertainment hotspots look for new locations over time, Medina has focused on expanding; what started as 1,500 square feet of game- and bar-space is now 5,000 square feet, housing 170-plus games from throughout history.
It’s important to point out that this is not an arcade in the way Dave & Busters is – this is a celebration of the history of arcades.
“The difference between us and Dave & Busters … we call places like that kiddie casinos,” said Medina. “Their games are built to be over in a minute, minute and half, no matter how quick you are, then it gives tickets for dopamine blast. We don’t give tickets. You play to enjoy yourself and you keep playing, for hours on the single swipe of a card. You can put a dollar on a card, and you can be there two or three hours on that buck.”
They’ve got pinball, air hockey, Battle Zone, Dragon’s Lair (look that one up), the world’s oldest Duck Hunt, and the world’s rarest arcade game: a nuclear-themed game called U235 Meltdown that had the bad luck to be released shortly before the Chernobyl incident. After public outcry, the company recalled every machine and smashed them with sledgehammers in a show of contrition.
“About four or five partially survived,” said Medina. “I got two of them, and pieced together one working cabinet … the only one in the world.”
And they’ve also got a great little bar that serves cocktails like alcoholic bubble teas named for Pokémon characters.
“We’ve got a lot of people who work for us who love Pokémon, and they said those drinks looked like Pokémon.”
There are sakes and wines, too. But Medina takes even more pride in the collection of brews.
“We have about 60 to 70 craft beers that we rotate every week,” said Medina. “Not a Miller or a Coors – we are strictly craft beers. We love to be different.”
SIDEBAR
To experience nerd culture in the bar scene, check out these spots.
Arcade Odyssey
12045 SW 117 Ave.
Miami
Bar Kaiju
8300 NE 2 Ave, 2nd Floor
Miami
Gramps (Nerd Nite Miami)
176 NW 24 St.
Wynwood
Nino Gordo/Dekotora
112 NW28 St.
Wynwood
Naruto 88 (2 Locations)
10471 N. Kendall Dr.
Kendall
18514 NW 67 Ave
Hialeah
Grant Balfour is a Miami Beach native, writer, editor, traveler, musician, bon vivant and our official Biscayne Tippler
