Bar Review - Bite me!

Plenty of drinkers are accustomed to headaches; they come with the territory. But how many expect brainfreeze with their alcoholic beverages? At Frost Bite Daiquiri Bar in Underground Atlanta, “gimme a cold one” takes on new meaning.

With its curved bar, robin’s-egg blue walls, crown of colorful fountains and array of Technicolor slushee machines, Frost Bite has the vibe of an ice cream parlor for the young-at-heart but 21-and-up. The treats, however, provide a warm, tingly feeling that nostalgia can’t match.

Twelve flavors from the most obvious strawberry and piña colada to creative grape and orange crush concoctions of vodka, tequila and rum come in kindergarten shades of reds, blues and yellows that pack a not-so-innocent punch. Just like the slurpees of your formative years, Frost Bite indulges your desire to mix and match flavors. Layer strawberry, banana and coconut for your own banana split.

Those who’d prefer their brain swimming in flavors instead of thinking them up have several potent pre-made choices. The signature Frostbite is guaranteed to leave parts numb with vodka, 151 rum and blue Curacao, all in a Kool-Aid shade that leaves its mark on the tongue, teeth and lips. To avoid the men in blue with a mouth equally blue, however, a second round featuring bright-red strawberry should change incriminating evidence back to its correct shade of pink.

Eight-ounce ($5) and 16-ounce ($7) cups are available, but the large is a bargain. It’s just $2 more than the small but twice the size. For those who consider daiquiri sweetness a bad trip down memory lane, Frost Bite also offers a full array of mixed drinks, as well as beer and wine for grown-up hangovers at ice cream shop prices.

Frost Bite Daiquiri Bar. 50 Upper Alabama, Suite 008. Hours: Mon.-Sat. noon-midnight; Sun. noon-10 p.m. Drinks: Daiquiris $5 (small), $7 (large); beer $3-$4; wine $4; mixed drinks $5. 404-586-0262.