When long-time friends Murphy Michaels and Ken Bretschneider conceived a new restaurant for the Valley, they decided to pay homage to old-school arcade games by naming it The One Up, a term used when a player gains an extra life needed to win the game. It’s not just the name of the Sherman Oaks eatery that pays tribute to gamers. The restaurant features walls lined with consoles known as multicades, which each contain dozens of classic arcade games, such as Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac Man and Millipede. “We want to create a great customer experience,” said Bretschneider, 47, a prominent Salt Lake City developer and entrepreneur. “We didn’t want to charge everybody for everything, we (want) everyone to have fun and stick around.” There is no cover charge to enter the restaurant or play the games. Revenues accrue solely from drinks and an eclectic menu featuring small plate dishes such as Captain Crunch Chicken Wings, Goat Cheese Tots and Wild Salmon. Prices range from $6 to $25. At the grand opening on Sept. 26, the line to enter The One Up stretched outside and dozens of people crowded the bar. The restaurant was jam-packed with gamers ranging from their 20s to their 50s, every table and machine occupied. In many cases, the patrons play games while eating. “I didn’t expect that it would be so busy immediately,” said Murphy, 43, a Sherman Oaks resident who worked in game development for more than a decade. “We’re very different in the sense that in other restaurants, most people sit, eat and then leave. Here we have the same thing, but (instead of leaving) they go play games.” Arcade Classics, a New York maker of arcade machines, installed 15 consoles along the back of the restaurant, including several standup consoles flanked by counters for food and drink. So far Bretschneider, the main investor, has invested nearly $1 million in the project. Barbara Barnard, president of FMH Co. restaurant consultancy in Lake Elsinore, said she believes the arcade is the draw, not the restaurant. “It will appeal to young people who are in their teens as well as young parents,” she said. “There are a lot of young people around that area and restaurants do flourish.” For now, the restaurateurs are focusing on the young adult demographic. Evenings between 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. are designated for the adults ages 21 and up, with the bar open. But Michaels and Bretschneider are planning to schedule a family brunch time so parents can bring their children in for a meal and free games. – Champaign Williams
