Virtual Reality 'Bar' Pop-Up Opens In BoCoCa

BOCOCA, BROOKLYN — A virtual reality pop-up "bar" has set up shop in BoCoCa after a four-month stint in Park Slope as it looks for a full-time location.

VR Bar offers passersby a chance to strap on a top-of-the-line virtual reality headset and play games, fly around the Earth or paint pictures in 3D.

Contrary to the name, though, alcohol is not served — for now.

“For a permanent location, we hope to have alcohol service. Maybe just beer and wine after 5 or 6 p.m.," owner Kishore Doddi told Patch when we stopped by the new location. "So we can be kid friendly during the day and drive some of the bar traffic at night.”

Indeed, his clientele skews toward the 18-and-under range and kids looking to have fun in a 2017-style arcade. But while Doddi hosts kids birthday parties and visits local schools to show off the new technology, he also does demos at corporate events.

His new location is in a much busier spot, at 261 Smith St., sandwiched between Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Beorum Hill.

Doddi charges $10 for 10 minutes, with discounts for people who play longer. His pop-up is open from 12 to 8 p.m. every day, though he is considering staying open later on weekends.

After Patch interviewed Doddi for this article, he let us strap on the headset and controllers for a couple of minutes, and we had a surprisingly fun time shooting virtual aliens, cooking virtual pizza and flying through the virtual Roman Coliseum.

Doddi isn't sure how long he'll stay at 261 Smith St. but hopes his permanent location is somewhere in the Park Slope/Gowanus/BoCoCa area.

For more information, check out VR Bar's website here.

Image via Marc Torrence Patch