Where can you find a Red Phone Booth?

 

 

 

England!?

Yes. But not this kind! This one in Atlanta, GA or Nashville, TN and there’s just one number that will go through.

About two years ago I learned about this (no so secret) secret bar, but you could only get into with someone who knew the password or because someone gave you the password! We were in Atlanta for clinical’s (nursing school), it was 6am and 5 of us were driving to the hospital for our first day. My friend couldn’t tell me where it was, but she knew they walked into a red phone booth, dialed a number and one of the sides opened up into this dimly lit bar. You had to hope they gave you the right numbers, or else security would come out and ask (tell) you to leave.

At that point, I made it my mission to get into this special place. After some googling I found the dress code and membership fees and knew as a college student that I don’t have this kind of cash.

But I did have a boyfriend who was coming to Atlanta with me for a Jonas Brothers concert! 13 year old Nicole would have been ecstatic. 22 year old Nicole thought, great timing. So fast forward to the week before, I am calling everyone and their mother in Atlanta asking if they know the current code seeing as it changes throughout the year. I called the hotel we were staying at and they tell me to come see them when I get there. 

*10 phone calls later*

Next order of business was doing this without Andrew, my boyfriend, knowing- he is a fan of whiskey and the Red Phone Booth is named one of the best whiskey bars in Atlanta as well as one of Atlanta’s best kept secrets! Makes for a fun surprise night out!

Hindsight is always 20/20. If I was as smooth as I think I am I would have asked Andrew to get me a drink and told him I needed to use the bathroom and then gone to the concierge desk. Instead I decided in the moment to tell him to stay by the elevators until I told him we were ready, which only left him confused about why I was going to the concierge desk. Whoops!

So my new friend at the desk gives me the information I need, I give her a monetary thank you. We go on our way and I tell Andrew I was getting the directions for the restaurant but I wanted it to be a surprise and that it’s this way, he complied. On the way to this restaurant we saw this little red phone booth, I made a comment about how cute it was and that we had to go inside and see if it works that I had to make a call anyway. (;

He smiles and laughs, tells me he’s hungry and asks who I could possibly be calling. I tell him to shut the door and humor me, his stomach can wait!

We dial the number and we wait…we dial the number and we wait, again… i started to sweat. Why didn’t the door open! After what felt like forever (realistically maybe 20 seconds from when we made the call) the door opened and we were greeted. Andrew is confused but curious. I am smiling simply because my friend at the concierge desk didn’t lie! In front of us is this dimly lit, 1920’s style open room, brick floor, filled with tables and leather couches, fireplace and cigar smoke illuminating from the corner.

Andrew is naturally more reserved and likes to know details which I deliberately held back. So I had to coax him to walk in, come on, let’s go get a drink. He asks me where we are and I tell him- the restaurant wasn’t down the street, we’re in an speakeasy with 180 types of Whiskey, I was talking to concierge because I needed the phone number to get us in.

We each start with a drink, I ordered a cocktail and I’m sure you can guess what Andrew ordered. Whiskey on the rocks, or should I say rock? It was complete with a single ice block that the bartender hand carved in front of us. Talk about fancy!

We ordered some dinner, Italian food- fitting into the mafia like surrounding. It was good but the main attraction was for sure the drinks and atmosphere itself. We each had another drink before we closed our tab.

Highly recommend for anyone wanting a unique night out in the Atlanta area! It was pricey but we went into it expecting that, all and all a success! The bartender who served us was fun to talk to and knowledgeable! 

P.S- the Jonas Brothers concert was amazing, middle school Nicole was thriving

 

NEXT STOP: Walt Disney World, Orlando Fl