Tilt

The people of Belfast are becoming spoilt when it comes to the choice of bars in their city.  Tilt, on the Ormeau Road, is one of the latest arrivals, having opened its doors for the first time at the end of 2012.  It bills itself as a "Brooklyn style arcade bar" or "barcade" if you want to adopt its Stateside label. The building itself has had several reincarnations in recent years, but hopefully Tilt is here to stay. Several tables sit beneath the outside canopy, giving smokers somewhere to congregate in rain or hail, but when the sun shines it's the leisurely afternoon drinkers that take up residence, soaking up the last of the rays well into the evening.  Inside, drinkers are bombarded with references to the 1980s, with multiple television screens showing classic Brat Pack movies while the cocktails borrow their names from retro arcade games (many of which can be played upstairs in the loft bar area, along with pool, table football and air hockey). The atmosphere is relaxed.  It's hip without being overly trendy. The background music is 'eclectic retro' and refreshingly free of 1980s cheese.  Drinks aren't overly priced, with cocktails costing less than a fiver, and a welcome addition to the bar this summer has been the arrival of Chalco's downstairs, offering an 'All You Can Eat Mexican Buffet' for £10.95 or the Express Menu with cheap and cheerful Burritos and Tacos. So far Tilt has proved popular with the locals, but word is getting out about Belfast's latest arrival and it's starting to attract punters from across the city.