What I mean by "hidden" is that you wouldn't know at first glance that the place is a restaurant or bar. It could have a nondescript entrance or be an exclusive "members only" or reservation-only type of place.

Here are the two that I know of:





Criff Dogs / Please Don't Tell in St Marks Place, NYC


Criff Dogs is a small hot dog restaurant down a small set of stairs in St. Mark's Place. What some may not realize is that the restaurant serves as a "secret entrance" to a small pub, Please Don't Tell. It is open to the public, however reservations must be made.

Inside Criff Dogs is a telephone booth where guests go through to the bar. Inside the booth is an intercom where guests tell the hostess the name on the reservation and then another door opens allowing the guests to enter.

Guests of the pub can also order from the Criff Dogs' menu.





http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/JamesGrec/the-entrance_zpsmj8jcsny.jpg


http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/JamesGrec/best-nyc-hot-dog-crif-dogs-pdt_zpsf9fqvr76.jpg


http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/JamesGrec/Please-Dont-Tell-Phonebooth_zpsd5etl2wd.jpg


http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/JamesGrec/348402b0d363041b9457959bbe1deea3_zpsbtqmv829.jpg









Okatshe in Tropicana Resort - Atlantic City, NJ


Okatshe is a small imported Japanese snack shop in the Tropicana resort, but it is also the entrance to a sushi restaurant. It is open to the public as guests just have to tell the cashier that they want to go inside.

The cashier then opens a door hidden within the shelves to a modernized sushi establishment.





http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/JamesGrec/3fa31a62-090d-418d-a268-04a70cacd735_zpsexehjtwf.jpg


http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/JamesGrec/3b4c8b4d-45f4-4218-a74f-196a0a4b2013_zps51vkkxjp.jpg



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Circa 33 - Portland, OR. Is a prohibition themed bar, there's a second hidden bar (which is also their location for live music) that is hidden behind o book case.

http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af351/Torgo70/Ringu/fixedw_large_4x_zpsica4yjxf.jpg (http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/Torgo70/media/Ringu/fixedw_large_4x_zpsica4yjxf.jpg.html)

there is a neat bar/restaurant I've been to a couple times in Oxford OH (college town) where the main entrance is off the back alley down a stairway that is impossible to see until you are right up on it - no sign or anything, no idea what the place is called but good food.

a friend and I once stopped at some little hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant for what was supposed to be a casual late lunch, but the food was so awesome and the pitchers of margaritas were only $6 so it turned into a several hour party (back in college days) - this was just off an arterial road in an area that I thought I was kind of familiar with, but we had to park on a residential side road and walk about a block to get to it. Anyways, I looked for that restaurant for years but could never find it again - it had a really generic sounding name that I probably remembered wrong anyways, and anyone that I described it to would always confuse it with some other place. I honestly think it was in the Twilight Zone.

In West Hollywood. Laurel Hardware. It was a regular hardware store back in the day. Now it is a bar/restaurant and they kept the name and exterior the exact same !!! ;)

https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/aa/7e/93/street-view.jpg


Hip farm-to-table restaurant in former hardware store serving New American fare & fancy cocktails.
Address: 7984 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

In West Hollywood. Laurel Hardware. It was a regular hardware store back in the day. Now it is a bar/restaurant and they kept the name and exterior the exact same !!! ;)

https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/aa/7e/93/street-view.jpg


Hip farm-to-table restaurant in former hardware store serving New American fare & fancy cocktails.
Address: 7984 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

That reminded me of Paymaster Lounge, which kept the original Paymaster sign.

http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af351/Torgo70/Ringu/c3494e6a1636e6d932497c117cccf399_zpsg7u8tpww.jpg (http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/Torgo70/media/Ringu/c3494e6a1636e6d932497c117cccf399_zpsg7u8tpww.jpg.html)

That reminded me of Paymaster Lounge, which kept the original Paymaster sign.

http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af351/Torgo70/Ringu/c3494e6a1636e6d932497c117cccf399_zpsg7u8tpww.jpg (http://s1023.photobucket.com/user/Torgo70/media/Ringu/c3494e6a1636e6d932497c117cccf399_zpsg7u8tpww.jpg.html)


:) ;) :wave:


Yeah this Laurel Hardware you would NEVER even know it is a bar! I've seen it many times and of course just assumed it was a hardware store till one day my friend was in the car with me and she pointed it out and said 'Did you know that is a bar"! I was like "What? Really"? I wonder how many people aren't aware of that, and need hardware supplies and go in ! :lol: Only clue is that it's around lots of other bars/restaurants and an old fashioned hardware store does seem kind of out of place there. :D

:) ;) :wave:


Yeah this Laurel Hardware you would NEVER even know it is a bar! I've seen it many times and of course just assumed it was a hardware store till one day my friend was in the car with me and she pointed it out and said 'Did you know that is a bar"! I was like "What? Really"? I wonder how many people aren't aware of that, and need hardware supplies and go in ! :lol: Only clue is that it's around lots of other bars/restaurants and an old fashioned hardware store does seem kind of out of place there. :D

:wave:

Go in for a hammer, come out hammered.

Hidden VIP Lounge in Forest Hills Stadium - Queens, NY


There is a secret VIP lounge in Forest Hills Stadium where guests enter through a porta potty. The VIP guests are given directions to the exact location and a 9-volt battery to open the door.

Inside the lounge is a self-serve bar of free booze, sofas and chairs, and a prime view of the stage.





http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/JamesGrec/7275103a-a1a7-41ad-afef-97d2bc842fe7_zpslcjokljq.png


http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/JamesGrec/a66e6545-145b-4973-b93d-e95341d41503_zps229gcasq.jpg


http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e10/JamesGrec/8aef2728-b315-41fd-bc71-6d8cf3e18007_zpscqndkgxo.jpg

NYC's The Back Room, located at 102 Norfolk St, is one of the few Prohibition era speakeasys still in operation.




You would find a small gate leading down to an alley that says "Lower East Side Toy Co". Patrons would then go through a maze of dark alleys w/ signs and lights leading the way to the entrance that's up a small set of stairs.


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635687207_7daa6b9930_z.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635415321_c5787096b4.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635424506_8a8fd8f656.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635425901_ab47e03564.jpg





Guests will then enter a Roaring Twenties style bar/lounge where drinks are served in tea and coffee mugs and beer in paper bags.


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635426951_d4fbafb758_z.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635434006_78ac7869c8.jpg

:wave:

Go in for a hammer, come out hammered.


:lol::D

NYC's The Back Room, located at 102 Norfolk St, is one of the few Prohibition era speakeasys still in operation.




You would find a small gate leading down to an alley that says "Lower East Side Toy Co". Patrons would then go through a maze of dark alleys w/ signs and lights leading the way to the entrance that's up a small set of stairs.


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635687207_7daa6b9930_z.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635415321_c5787096b4.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635424506_8a8fd8f656.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635425901_ab47e03564.jpg





Guests will then enter a Roaring Twenties style bar/lounge where drinks are served in tea and coffee mugs and beer in paper bags.


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635426951_d4fbafb758_z.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49635434006_78ac7869c8.jpg

That is neat! :)Looks really fun! ;)

NYC's Fig. 19 (Figure 19) is located at 131 Chrystie St.

There is no sign outside and guests enter through an ordinary looking building up the stairs to the 2nd Floor. They will arrive at what looks like an art gallery, but there is a plain white door off to the left that lets you into the bar.

There apparently is a long wait list to get inside and a strict dress code is enforced.



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49637109698_6d01782209.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49637118328_27745e31cc.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49637652501_a0ba48bbf3.jpg

The Blind Barber has locations in NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and Philly and looks like a regular barbershop on the outside. (the only giveaway is that they have the Health Code ratings for Food Vendors posted outside)

There is a door at the back of the barbershop that takes guests to the bar/lounge. It does function as an actual barbershop and seating is very limited since, depending on the location, they only have betw. 1-4 chairs available. The barber usually works by appt. only during the daytime.

I guess this one counts since the Alamo Drafthouse is a dine-in movie theater. This location opened a few years ago inside a plain looking office building on 28 Liberty Street in NYC. There are no signs or anything outside to show that there is a movie theater there.

When you enter the building's main lobby you can find an escalator that goes down into the theater's lobby. There's just a small sign above displaying the name.

I guess Disney's Club 33 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_33) would fall into this category? Originally only at Disneyland, the concept has been introduced into many other Disney parks.

Charlotte's Speakeasy in Farmingdale.

https://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.15098159.1511362759!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_768/image.jpeg

The owners of an ice cream shop in were surprised to find out a few years ago that a speakeasy was under their shop during renovations. They excavated and brought it back into business. They left the secret entrance so you have to have the password. They have live bands, lots of oldies and jazz. We haven't gone since the pandemic started but we used to be semi-regulars.

A Burger King from the 1980's was found behind a plain door inside the Concord Mall in Wilmington, Delaware. It was seemingly forgotten until a contractor decided to open the door during renovations.

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A Burger King from the 1980's was found behind a plain door inside the Concord Mall in Wilmington, Delaware. It was seemingly forgotten until a contractor decided to open the door during renovations.


Oddly, they found a hidden envelope of cash with "The Big Guy" written on it. :lol:

Beauty & Essex has locations in NYC, LA, and Las Vegas where the front is a plain looking pawn shop.

In the back of the shop is a door that leads into the fancy lounge/restaurant.

Okatshe in Tropicana Resort - Atlantic City, NJ

I looked online and this restaurant is now closed.

Another Japanese restaurant, Ossu Japanese Tavern, has taken over the location. I don't know if they still have the snack shop in the front, but they kept Okatshe's decor.

I guess this one counts since the Alamo Drafthouse is a dine-in movie theater.Yes I suppose it does....... Thank you for the entry Jimmy :)

I passed by here recently, but did not go in. There is a nightclub on 389 Broome St. in Little Italy called GoldBar that has no sign outside.

Behind the huge wooden doors is a brightly lit nightclub that has golden skulls along the walls and crystal chandeliers. They serve "gold-inspired" cocktails, such as "The Gold Rush" that's made with Bourbon, Honey Syrup, and Lemon Juice.

It opened in 2007.

Opening a couple of years ago, NYC's La Noxe is entered by going down into the 28th Street subway station. Most people rushing by don't notice the entrance.

Beauty & Essex has locations in NYC, LA, and Las Vegas where the front is a plain looking pawn shop.

In the back of the shop is a door that leads into the fancy lounge/restaurant.


I didn't go in, but I passed by here over the weekend.

The Garret is a bar located above a Five Guys burger restaurant on 296 Bleeker St. in NYC.

The only way inside is going up a staircase in the back of the restaurant. Though the restaurant and bar operate independently, patrons are allowed to bring their restaurant orders into the bar.

As I see it here James you are the restaurant "know them all in NY" -- not that many members are NY'ers...

And I knew back when I was 18 and first trip to NYC, restaurants were their shining stars.

I found a couple of more that are located within the NYC Subway System:



Nothing Really Matters

Opening in 2022, the bar is located between the entrance and the turnstile in the downtown-bound 1 train station at 50th Street and Broadway.


https://cititour.com/NYC_News/photos/Nothing_Really_Matters_Bar,_Subway_Station,_Midtown,_NYC_2.jpg


https://fastly.4sqi.net/img/general/600x600/8253564_VSN1IavooGV5d2yU5fFK_9wqdXh-Yga9VB0mxox3gAM.jpg


https://cititour.com/NYC_News/photos/Nothing_Really_Matters_Bar,_Subway_Station,_Midtown,_NYC.jpg







Nōksu

Opening in Oct. 2023 inside the Herald Square subway station at 49 West 32 Street, the unassuming black door down the entrance staircase leads to a 13-seat eatery where an exclusive 12-course tasting menu at $225 per patron is served by Chef Dae Kim.

Reservations must be made where guests are given the door keycode.


https://cititour.com/NYC_News/photos/Noksu,_NYC_Subway,_Heral_Square_1.jpg


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53260497409_f3d1110146_z.jpg

Well James for certain, NYC has no shortage of restaurants/trucks hidden or not.

A Burger King from the 1980's was found behind a plain door inside the Concord Mall in Wilmington, Delaware. It was seemingly forgotten until a contractor decided to open the door during renovations. Wow I hope they leave it be!! (Didnt so call "update" it which would have made it crap like everything now)

I would have cried if it was me that discovered that!!

Wow I hope they left be!! (Didnt so call "update" it which would have made it crap like everything now)

I would have cried if it was me that discovered that!!

I checked the website for the Concord Mall and they do not have a Burger King listed as one of their businesses. Perhaps they didn’t get a buyer for it.

They should ask a BK if they wanna come in and try running it..... THEY WOULD DO RECORD SALES I THINK!!!!!!!!

Do you know Jimmy if they have done anything with it??

I went to a small bookstore in the city and had to pick this up when I saw it.

I glanced through it and some places I have mentioned here were in the book and some others weren't.

Nothing Really Matters

Opening in 2022, the bar is located between the entrance and the turnstile in the downtown-bound 1 train station at 50th Street and Broadway.


This same subway station also features a small coffee shop, Tiny Dancer Coffee, and a pizzeria recently opened.

Do you know if they did anything with that burger King Jimmy??

Do you know if they did anything with that burger King Jimmy??

I haven't been able to find anything, so I guess it is still there but closed.

I actually found out the BK kept the old 1980s decor, but actually closed in 2009. So it wasn't that old when it was discovered.

Wow they kept the 80s style until they closed in 2009?

Thats awesome....... Someone should open it and keep it exactly the same!!

A Taylor Swift-themed speakeasy, Champagne Problems, opened in 2024 on 207 Bowery New York, NY.

The outside features a bottle of champagne w/ two glasses and Chinese letters. Guests see a wall of snacks upon entering where there is a hidden door behind the snacks.

I like finding hidden/abandoned things :)

Nōksu

Opening in Oct. 2023 inside the Herald Square subway station at 49 West 32 Street, the unassuming black door down the entrance staircase leads to a 13-seat eatery where an exclusive 12-course tasting menu at $225 per patron is served by Chef Dae Kim.

Reservations must be made where guests are given the door keycode.


I passed by the entrance earlier today.

There's a café in the Farmer's Market near my neighborhood that's known mostly to people local to the area:

332282

I love all the entries in this thread!!

Hidden Tiger is a bar located behind a bookshelf inside Cafe Joah on 212 Avenue A NYC.

Wow thats awesome Jimmy :)

I passed by here recently, but did not go in. There is a nightclub on 389 Broome St. in Little Italy called GoldBar that has no sign outside.

Behind the huge wooden doors is a brightly lit nightclub that has golden skulls along the walls and crystal chandeliers. They serve "gold-inspired" cocktails, such as "The Gold Rush" that's made with Bourbon, Honey Syrup, and Lemon Juice.

It opened in 2007.


I looked online and GoldBar closed in March 2024.

The place is now a new establishment, Broome St. Project.

Its sad seeing so many places close........

Sushi 35 West

Sushi 35 West, on 232W W 35th St., NYC., is a small take-out sushi place where the entrance is inside of a smoke shop.

They do have a sign on the glass door, however most people don't realize there is a sushi spot there as the "Smoke Shop" sign is more visible.

You would go to the staircase off to the right where you would find a small take-out window. There is a very small seating area, however it is mostly for people waiting for their to-go orders. It is reported to be one of the best sushi spots in NYC.

Wow that looks awesome buddy!!

How do you find all this???


In West Hollywood. Laurel Hardware. It was a regular hardware store back in the day. Now it is a bar/restaurant and they kept the name and exterior the exact same !!! ;) Thats funny. How do they expect to get any business??

Ah man!!

UES. / The Storeroom

UES., on 1707 2nd Ave. NYC, is a small ice cream parlor that has a bar in the back.

Inside the parlor is a wall of ice cream containers that is actually a door to a bar, The Store Room, located in the back.

How do you find this stuff Jimmy?

How do you find this stuff Jimmy?

Internet Articles, YouTube, TikTok..

Ah ok :)

Govinda's Vegetarian Kitchen - ISKCON New York City - Hare Krishna Center on 305 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY.


I watched a video on overlooked eateries in NYC and this spot was mentioned that's located in the basement of a Hare Krishna temple.

They do a Sattvic diet that is composed of nuts, fruits/vegetables, whole grain, legumes (beans, chickpeas), honey and spices. Certain dairy products are permitted such as milk, butter, and yogurt.

Foods avoided are meat, fish, eggs, alcohol, and caffeine. Mushrooms, onion and garlic are also not used as they believe it stimulates the central nervous system which can lead to "impurity".