Remi’s Arcade and Bistro serves tasty food for a cocktail bar
Take some 80s-themed nostalgia, add a full cocktail bar and finish off with a twist of elevated pub food and what do you have? Why, Remi’s Arcade, of course, Bartlesville’s newest restaurant and entertainment venue.
Remi’s manager, Jared Ferree, remarked to our table, “We’re actually a bar with an arcade, not a restaurant, something I keep telling people.”
You could have fooled me, as our delicious food came out of the kitchen surprisingly speedily for a crowded venue whose specialty is drinks, not food.
Remi’s kitschy interior boasts several banks of vintage arcade games plus a wall of pinball machines. All arcade games are set on free-play after a cover charge of $12, while each pinball machine takes a 50-cent pay-for-play.
Remi’s boasts a full bar with a specialty menu of house creations, including a blackberry mule, a smoked Old Fashioned that my husband greatly enjoyed, and an expertly made Singapore Sling, among other libations.
“Our blackberry mule is the best in the area,” boasts Ferree. I can affirm that it is indeed tasty.
The blackberry flavor comes through nicely, and a shot of rum mixed with the drink’s usual vodka base gives it a nice dimension. While sweeter than other mules I’ve had, it is nonetheless refreshing.
Remi’s food fits its atmosphere, a small menu of American favorites, each with an elevated twist. My husband and our two friends tried the tequila queso dip and the special fries as appetizers, both of which were delicious. I can heartily recommend the tequila queso dip, which makes a fun addition to any gaming party.
The “Oh, so… You want special fries” are a twist on the classic loaded fry (one of my favorite food items when I plan to indulge myself), with a generous amount of tequila queso drizzled over crispy steak fries, topped by a smattering of crumbled bacon and chopped green onions.
We tried the cheddar bacon jam burger, the Remi dog, and the marinated pork tacos for our entrees. Of these three entrees, the bacon jam burger was the standout.
Tender, juicy, with a hint of sweetness, the bacon jam burger reminded me of craft burgers I’ve tried at exclusive restaurants.
The Remi dog, an all-beef hotdog wrapped in bacon, then covered in bourbon baked beans, pico de gallo and crowned with slices of avocado and a lime cream sauce, is the most unusual hotdog I have ever personally tried.
It may not be to every hotdog fan’s taste, but it is worth trying for the experience. The pork tacos were decent but slightly over-salted on the night we visited. Mr. Ferree assured me that was not their usual state.
I would probably not get them again, but I would definitely return to have more of the tequila queso dip on the special fries or with chips.
Remi’s is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weeknights and 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, respectively. Up until 8 p.m. is family time at Remi’s, but after 8 p.m., the arcade leans into its bar status and is restricted to adults only.
My husband and I agreed afterward that Remi’s would make a fun date-night venue to grab a couple of drinks, some special fries, and (badly) take turns playing pinball together.
The hot new thing, Remi’s, is packed on the weekend, so if you want a calmer experience, I recommend trying it out on a weeknight. We chose a Wednesday, which was still quite bustling.
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Remi’s Arcade and Bistro serves tasty food for a cocktail bar
