Inside: Peacock Room

Photos:

Maybe you’re new in town and you’re scratching your head wondering where to find some Orlando coolness. downtown, Winter Park, or (heaven forbid) Sanford? Where does one start? The Peacock Room at 1321 N. Mills Avenue in the increasingly happening Colonialtown neighborhood in downtown Orlando, may be just dipping your toes into the waters of hip art bars, but it’s a good judge the temperature of everywhere else in town.

Décor: Located in a truncated strip mall, Peacock expands into a billowing lounge despite the small quarters suggested by its exterior. There’s a fairly large bar in the middle that can seat about twenty people, and the walls are flush with cushy couches and tables for groups. A small room just off to the side is also lined with comfortable furniture while a secluded third room does double duty as a cut-off space for heavy petting and a stage for bands. Smoking is welcome and omnipresent, especially during band gigs, so keep a clear path to the door if you’re of weak lungs. The decorations change constantly, mostly depending on the theme of the season (and which local artist has been chosen to have their art on the walls), with their Halloween decorations being both the most extravagant and most inviting. Seriously, you’ll get creeped out by the latex monsters cozying up next to you at the bar.

The Bar: Though Peacock Room screams “indie” from the tops of its hipstery lungs, you don’t need to be worried about exclusiveness at the bar. The PBR is plentiful and willingly offered, with a tallboy going for a spare $2.50 while most other domestics are a very affordable $3.50 or so. But Peacock has also snagged a coveted liquor license and earned a reputation as one of Orlando’s best martini bars (despite it being a rock ‘n roll art bar at heart). If the $9 and up martini prices get you down, try the happy hour Monday through Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., where you can get their spin on cosmos, classic, chocolate kiss, apple, French, and woo woo martinis for a paltry $4.75. Happy hour also offers $3 import beer, $2.50 domestics and $4.75 margaritas, though you can also challenge the bartenders’ mixology skills with $4.75 Jose Cuervo, Bacardi, Beefeater, and Svedka mixed drinks.

Knowing that not everyone can hit the bar at 4:30 p.m. (some of us have jobs, you know), Peacock has arranged nightly specials most nights of the week. Sundays have $4 Three Olives drinks, $4 Jager shots, $4.50 Jager bombs, $4 Sauza, and $2 Coronas; Mondays have $2 select domestics and $3 select imports (ask your bartender); Tuesdays go Irish with $3 Guinness and Harp; Wednesday has $5 appletinis and cosmos, $4 select premium liquors, and $5 coffee Patron shots; and Thursdays have $5 Three Olives martinis and $4 Three Olives drinks.

Service: The bartenders are mostly indie and cheeky, which is a great change of pace from your typical martini bar. That indie cred also makes it less embarrassing to switch from a martini to a PBR if you notice your wallet’s a bit thin.

Sounds: Live bands come in primarily on the weekends (and usually have a cover), but you can catch random local acts on the odd weeknight.

Crowd: Ripped jeans, snappy suits, clever retro T-shirts – they’re all attracted by the plume of the Peacock. It’s a young and amiable crowd that appreciates a good martini and a different place to sip it in.

Maybe you’re new in town and you’re scratching your head wondering where to find some Orlando coolness. Downtown, Winter Park, or (heaven forbid) Sanford? Where does one start? The Peacock Room at 1321 North Mills Avenue in the increasingly happening Colonialtown neighborhood in downtown Orlando, may be just dipping your toes into the waters of hip art bars, but it’s a good judge the temperature of everywhere else in town.

Décor: Located in a truncated strip mall, Peacock expands into a billowing lounge despite the small quarters suggested by its exterior. There’s a fairly large bar in the middle that can seat about twenty people, and the walls are flush with cushy couches and tables for groups. A small room just off to the side is also lined with comfortable furniture while a secluded third room does double duty as a cut-off space for heavy petting and a stage for bands. Smoking is welcome and omnipresent, especially during band gigs, so keep a clear path to the door if you’re of weak lungs. The decorations change constantly, mostly depending on the theme of the season (and which local artist has been chosen to have their art on the walls), with their Halloween decorations being both the most extravagant and most inviting. Seriously, you’ll get creeped out by the latex monsters cozying up next to you at the bar.

The Bar: Though Peacock Room screams “indie” from the tops of its hipstery lungs, you don’t need to be worried about exclusiveness at the bar. The PBR is plentiful and willingly offered, with a tallboy going for a spare $2.50 while most other domestics are a very affordable $3.50 or so. But Peacock has also snagged a coveted liquor license and earned a reputation as one of Orlando’s best martini bars (despite it being a rock ‘n roll art bar at heart). If the $9 and up martini prices get you down, try the happy hour Monday through Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., where you can get their spin on cosmos, classic, chocolate kiss, apple, French, and woo woo martinis for a paltry $4.75. Happy hour also offers $3 import beer, $2.50 domestics and $4.75 margaritas, though you can also challenge the bartenders’ mixology skills with $4.75 Jose Cuervo, Bacardi, Beefeater, and Svedka mixed drinks.

Knowing that not everyone can hit the bar at 4:30 p.m. (some of us have jobs, you know), Peacock has arranged nightly specials most nights of the week. Sundays have $4 Three Olives drinks, $4 Jager shots, $4.50 Jager bombs, $4 Sauza, and $2 Coronas; Mondays have $2 select domestics and $3 select imports (ask your bartender); Tuesdays go Irish with $3 Guinness and Harp; Wednesday has $5 appletinis and cosmos, $4 select premium liquors, and $5 coffee Patron shots; and Thursdays have $5 Three Olives martinis and $4 Three Olives drinks.

Service: The bartenders are mostly indie and cheeky, which is a great change of pace from your typical martini bar. That indie cred also makes it less embarrassing to switch from a martini to a PBR if you notice your wallet’s a bit thin.

Sounds: Live bands come in primarily on the weekends (and usually have a cover), but you can catch random local acts on the odd weeknight.

Crowd: Ripped jeans, snappy suits, clever retro T-shirts – they’re all attracted by the plume of the Peacock. It’s a young and amiable crowd that appreciates a good martini and a different place to sip it in.

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