LEGO Revisits Bikini Bottom With a Nostalgia-Filled SpongeBob Build for Adults

Set #11386 delivers the most detailed version of Bikini Bottom yet.

For anyone who grew up in the 1990s, SpongeBob SquarePants arrived right at the tail end of a standout cartoon era. More than 25 years later, the series remains one of the most beloved animated shows ever made, with well over 300 episodes and no sign of slowing down.

LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom

LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom is now available exclusively through the LEGO Store. It is the first SpongeBob-themed set released in years and the first one designed specifically for adults, carrying an 18+ label. Packed with callbacks and jokes from the series, it is a strong build for longtime fans.

The original Bikini Bottom set debuted in 2006 with 579 pieces and included the homes and residents of the underwater town, along with a rather unsettling Squidward minifigure. This newer version has been fully reworked for an older audience and expands to 1,794 pieces, more than three times the size of the original. It is also, by a wide margin, the largest LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants set to date.

Building LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom

The large box is divided into 14 bags. This was the second set I have assembled using LEGO's newer eco-friendly paper packaging, which replaced the clear polyethylene bags introduced in 2021. The environmental benefits are welcome, but the paper seams can trap small parts, so it is worth checking each bag carefully if anything seems missing.

One of the best parts of this set is the minifigure design. Each character has been updated with more accurate colors and improved molds. SpongeBob looks especially good, with the right shade of yellow and proper printed pants instead of the odd brown-leg look from older versions. He also comes with his jellyfish net.

Patrick has received a major redesign as well. His head and stomach now form a single large piece that slips over the torso like a reverse cape, giving him a shape that better matches his food-loving build. He also includes one of his favorite snacks: a Neapolitan ice cream cone.

Squidward gets perhaps the biggest improvement over earlier versions. Even though later releases corrected some of the old issues, this version has a much more accurate face, better coloring, and tiny tentacles printed on the feet.

Beyond the minifigures, the set also includes a buildable DoodleBob with the Magic Pencil and a buildable Gary the Snail. Gary is not dramatically different from earlier LEGO versions aside from improved coloring, but he still does not have eyes.

The build is split into two instruction books. The first covers Patrick and Squidward's homes, while the second focuses entirely on SpongeBob's iconic Pineapple Under the Sea, which uses some clever techniques to capture its shape. Smaller side builds add more of Bikini Bottom, including the crooked town sign, a Boatmobile, SpongeBob's Bubblestand, and a small Jellyfish Fields scene with a rotating base so the jellyfish can appear to swim.

Patrick's house is quick to assemble because everything fits in one bag. Since it is basically a giant rock covering a hole in the ground, the build is simple, but LEGO still packed it with details. The lid opens to reveal his sand furniture, including a chair, lamp, rug, and CRT television. There is even room for Patrick to sleep under the lid.

Squidward's home is more involved, spread across six bags and built over four floors. The lower level contains his clarinet and sheet music. Above that is his canopy bed, followed by a bathroom with a toilet, shower, and bubble bath. The shower curtain includes what looks like SpongeBob's silhouette, a nod to the episode where Squidward becomes paranoid after leaving him in charge of the Krusty Krab. The top floor includes Squidward's tanning bed, plus a mirror and a flower-topped cocktail.

The interior also makes clever use of LEGO parts, such as a pink crown repurposed as a sea anemone and an upside-down cupcake piece used as the lampshades for Squidward's nightstands.

LEGO has done an excellent job with the outside of Squidward's house. The dark blue bricks look great, and the exaggerated nose, ears, and heavy brow all translate well. The window eyes are also printed pieces, and the set includes a surprising number of those overall. I was happy to see that there were only two small sticker sheets in the box.

The real standout, though, is SpongeBob's pineapple house, which is built from the remaining seven bags. The lower floor is filled with references to the show, including a hidden Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy Easter egg inside the television, the shell phone, a photo of Gary on the wall, and even SpongeBob's friends Penny, Chip, and Used Napkin.

Upstairs, SpongeBob's bedroom includes his bed, complete with a ladder and diving board, along with his alarm clock and Gary's dessert in the corner.

To recreate the pineapple's rounded shell and diamond pattern, LEGO used a very clever construction method. The pineapple panels attach to a rigid internal Technic frame, which lets them sit at an angle and bend slightly into shape. The separate exterior panels leave thin gaps around the edges to form the pattern. The fit is not perfect, but the final result looks excellent.

Putting all three houses together to recreate Bikini Bottom is a lot of fun. The bases can be connected to save space, or displayed separately. The set has so much personality and so many scenes to recreate that it feels like a must-have for SpongeBob SquarePants fans.

LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom, Set #11386, costs $219.99 and includes 1,794 pieces. It is sold exclusively through the LEGO Store.