{"id":19866,"date":"2024-04-11T15:50:56","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T15:50:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newyorktour1.com\/blog\/?p=19866"},"modified":"2024-04-11T18:47:29","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T18:47:29","slug":"hidden-bar-in-grand-central","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/blog\/hidden-bar-in-grand-central\/","title":{"rendered":"Grand Central\u2019s Hidden Bar: How To Visit The Campbell in NYC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Speakeasies are quietly (pun intended) becoming one of the top attractions for visitors coming to New York City. They\u2019ve been around since Prohibition, and now that they are legal, many bars love to pay homage to that time period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most iconic, but not so secretive, hidden bars in New York is located inside Grand Central, called The Campbell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swanky. Classy. Ritzy. These are all great words to describe Grand Central Terminal<\/a>\u2019s \u201csecret\u201d bar that looks like it came from 1920s Prohibition New York. A time when the jazz was hot and the champagne flowed freely\u2026 inside underground speakeasies, that is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A speakeasy is exactly what The Campbell, located in Midtown Manhattan, reminds you of with its vaulted ceilings, wood-paneled walls, and art deco-style bar. Not to mention the live jazz that plays on weekends. You might not need a password to get into this iconic cocktail bar, but not many people who pass through Grand Central know it\u2019s there, which makes it feel like an exclusive club for those who do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it\u2019s popular with locals, The Campbell is one of the hidden gems most visitors don\u2019t know about when they visit Grand Central Terminal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how can you find The Campbell? And what can you eat, drink, do, and see there? You\u2019ll have to keep reading to find out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The history of Grand Central\u2019s hidden bar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Credit: \u2c6e \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Like many of New York\u2019s beautiful buildings, the history of The Campbell involves a wealthy tycoon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formerly known as the Campbell Apartment, the space was once the office of American financier John W. Campbell. It was first leased to him in 1923 by a member of another prominent New York family \u2014 ever heard of the Vanderbilts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun fact<\/strong>: In 1871, the initial structure of Grand Central Station was built by railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt. The goal was to build a central station for the three railroads running through Midtown Manhattan, though it wasn\u2019t called Grand Central then \u2014 that name came later in 1900.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Campbell invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to turn this room into a luxurious office. While it was never his residence, he did use it as a musical recital hall to entertain 50-60 guests in the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"John<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tip:<\/strong> Think Grand Central is just for catching a train? Check out our guide to visiting Grand Central<\/a> for everything to see and do in this iconic train station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After John Campbell died in 1957, the Campbell Apartment stayed an office for a while before becoming an MTA signalman\u2019s office, a gun storage closet for the transit police, and even a jail. Sadly the space fell into disrepair, but was renovated and reopened as a bar by Mark Grossich of Hospitality Holdings, Inc. in 1999.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
Credit: \u2c6e \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Over $1.5 million was invested to restore the Campbell Apartment to its former glory. It temporarily closed in 2016 when Grossich lost the lease to the Gerber Group and reopened in 2017 as simply The Campbell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travel tip: <\/strong>If you want to learn more about Grand Central, it’s one of the stops on our New York City in a Day Walking Tour<\/a>. Not only will you see some of the biggest highlights of Manhattan, but you\u2019ll get the chance to see many of the best things Grand Central has to offer with a licensed tour guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to find this hidden bar in NYC<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, how do you find this hidden bar? It\u2019s not as hard as you might think. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The actual location is 15 Vanderbilt Avenue (off 43rd Street). There are two ways to access the entrance. One is from street level on the corner of Vanderbilt and 43rd Street under the portico where there is a canopy that reads \u201cThe Campbell Apartment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\t\"NYC\n\t\t\t\"NYC\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe ultimate one-day New York tour so you can see it all<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

NYC in a Day Walking Tour<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

The other is in the main concourse of Grand Central, where you\u2019ll walk up a marble staircase toward Vanderbilt Avenue, exit through the doors, and grab a seat at The Campbell Terrace on the left. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to experience The Campbell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Campell has three different experiences that maintain the original architecture while introducing new contemporary elements to make the bar fit the bustling environment of Grand Central Terminal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Campbell Terrace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Campbell Terrace is an outdoor covered veranda that, of course, has a full bar and is the place to stay on a warm NYC evening. Picture this: The sun is just starting to set, you grab a table outside with some friends after work, and you laugh away the evening with your shaken-not-stirred martinis \u2014 the perfect summer night in the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by The Campbell (@thecampbellnyc)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>