Otto’s High Dive is a vibrant blend of 1950s Cuban nostalgia and modern Florida charm, crafted to offer a neighbourhood rum bar experience with a deep connection to its cultural roots. Housed in one of downtown Orlando’s oldest brick buildings, Otto’s preserves the structure’s historic integrity while adding subtle, rustic touches like climbing plants and vintage neon signs. As guests approach, they’ll pass through the patio, where the “La Glorieta” mobile bar welcomes passers by for quick cocktails and oysters.

Upon entering, guests are greeted by a restored diamond-patterned wooden door, salvaged from a historic Puerto Rican bar, which opens into the café area. The café’s classic Cuban white hex tile flooring, open rafters painted green, and hanging plants provide a nod to 1950s Havana. 

The bar itself is a centrepiece of Otto’s, designed with cherrywood arches accented by brass, housing an extensive selection of cane spirits. The focal point is the green onyx bar top, backlit to highlight its unique texture. Guests sit on peach leather stools and are served cocktails crafted with a culinary focus on Cuban, Caribbean, and Floridian flavours. Drinks are designed to be approachable yet inventive, often sparking conversation and providing a personalised experience. Otto’s takes pride in fostering dialogue around its rum selection, with staff offering tableside service to discuss rum styles and origins.

The back bar showcases a wide range of rums from different regions, including rare antique bottles and barrel selects, emphasising ethical sourcing and family-run distilleries. Additionally, Otto’s offers agave spirits, including a house-made Florida-inspired Pechuga Mezcal, created by the team in Mexico using local ingredients like alligator, orange blossoms, and roasted bananas, capturing the bar’s spirit of creativity and cultural fusion.

Otto’s drink menu is designed to be accessible to everyone, focusing on rum styles and regions rather than specific brands to inspire curiosity and conversation. Alongside cocktails, Otto’s offers wines with a Latin American backbone, beers featuring crushable Latin lagers, and highball options such as fresh coconut water, Materva, and Coco Rico.

The bar’s music is heavily rooted in Latin culture, featuring Cuban classics, salsa, merengue, bachata, and underground Afro-Cuban beats, mixed with modern tropical sounds and indie tropical music to create an ever-evolving soundscape.

Otto’s is a fully inclusive business – predominantly female run – and being situated in an LGBTQIA+ hot spot of Orlando, are avid supporters of the Orlando Pride Festival each year. The team is made up of an incredibly diverse group of people and welcomes anyone with a strong work ethic and a desire to learn. One of their longest standing members of staff is deaf and accommodations have been seamlessly made to ensure a positive working environment for them.  

As a neighbourhood staple – they offer discounts to locals, hospitality professionals and first responder medical personnel. They also host a Milk Mart every few months, as an opportunity for small businesses and start-ups to get together and help support each other’s customer base and they donate their services to pop up at great Orlando events such as Cows and Cabs, Orlando Weekly Brunch in The Park, and Orlando Puerto Rican festival – just to name a few.