“Hi Barbie! Hi Ken!” is what guests are greeted with as they walk into the Malibu Barbie Cafe, a pink-covered wonderland in Wynwood.
Entering the new pop-up dining space set up by Bucket Listers will have attendees feeling the “Kenergy.” Open now until April 21, visitors can reserve a ticket for 90-minutes from Wednesday-Sunday.
Visitors are instantly transported to Barbieland with an outside patio sporting a life-sized Barbie box, pink garden swing and Malibu Beach lifeguard tower.
Past the entrance lies the Impala skating rink, which is available to skate around in after donating at least one dollar to Girls, Inc., a nonprofit organization that hosts after-school programs for young girls in the area.
The Impala skating rink offers the ability to rent a pair of roller skates just like the ones from the movie. Iconic California tracks play in the background, giving the rink a retro feeling.
Across from the skating rink is the outside patio bar, which serves refreshing “Think Pink” Strawberry Margaritas and a “Groovy” Arnold Palmer, the latter of which can be served as a mocktail.
Next to the bar is the Barbie shop where guests can buy all sorts of exclusive Barbie merchandise.
Inside the restaurant and past the “sunsational” pink Barbie boombox is the entrance into the official diner where most of the seating is. A pink bar takes center stage while surfboards surround the walls above along with a mural that gives a history of Barbie.
Several photo ops with beach backgrounds transport visitors to the dreamhouse they might’ve had or dreamed of as a kid.
The menu was set up by Becky Brown, a skilled executive chef, restaurateur and culinary consultant who received national recognition as a finalist on FOX’s “Masterchef” in 2012. Since then, she has helped open up other culinary experiences including ones based on “Family Guy” and “Mean Girls.”
For as low as $29, the menu comes with a choice of an entrée, side item and cake pop. The 90-minute reservations give full access to the Malibu Barbie Cafe experience with additional drinks, shared plates and desserts available for purchase.
Attendees at the cafe’s opening were treated to a variety of options including Beach Burger sliders, Live Your Dreams grilled cheese, Good Vibes beet hummus, Follow The Sun fruit skewers, french fries and cake pops.
The sliders, fries and cake pops — especially the lemon one — are the way to go for a quality culinary experience.
The grilled cheese, hummus and skewers were either average or slightly above, and they all left more to be wanted from this experience.
The cafe is a must-try experience for everyone visiting the Wynwood area.
Malibu Barbie Cafe Miami is located at 301 NW 23rd St., Miami, FL 33127.