Rihanna’s Former Backup Dancer Is Slinging Drinks At This New Under The Radar Piano Bar
NYC is no stranger to hidden bars in unassuming places, and this newest one is actually very easy to miss. That’s because a graffiti-covered entrance is all that separates guests from an anonymous street corner and a cozy listening room, but once inside the dimly-lit lounge you’ll feel as if you just stumbled into a local legend’s living room.
Dubbed So & So’s, the piano-bar-meets-supper-club is an ode to Hell’s Kitchen’s working theater scene. Serving as a discrete escape for locals and theater industry goers it’s a place where “somebodies mingle easily with the whoevers” while lounging in deep red banquettes and being swept away by the sounds of live music from up-and-coming local acts, iconic talents, and Broadway legends.
Paying homage to the neighborhood’s past and present, acts will include an eclectic mix of industry insiders, jazz trios, drag performers, and more, and beyond regularly scheduled programming unexpected guests just might pop in here and there!
But the performers aren’t the only notable faces you’ll see walking through the bar–Phil Collins, Director of Beverage for TableOne Hospitality and former backup dancer for Lady Gaga and Rihanna, is the one behind the cocktail menu which features drinks inspired by Broadway shows, actors, and directors.
Cocktails include the Bodega Cat, made with Reposado tequila, coconut milk, cherry, lime, vanilla, and cinnamon, the Piano Man, made with Catedral Espadin Mezcal, cynar, fernet, cacao bitters, 20% Saline, classics including everything from martinis to margs, and dedicated sections for “50/50” mixes and “So & So” combos.
A menu of shareable bites featuring playful, modern riffs on classic dishes evoke retro NYC, and include items such as Disco Inferno Fries with a spicy gochujang based sauce, crispy twice cooked noodles, furikake, sesame seeds, and 3-cheese blend, Devils on Horseback, chorizo and cotija-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon with smoky red sauce, and So & So Sliders, grilled wagyu beef sliders on Hawaiian bun, topped with So & So’s not so secret sauce and American cheese.
Matthew Goodrich stated:
We designed the space to draw inspiration from beloved and iconic NYC neighborhood bars from decades past, folding in anachronistic details and vintage elements. We combined these details with a contemporary energy driven by modern patterns and a striking red and blue color palette to achieve the desired aesthetic.
Intentionally tucked away on 52nd Street, around the side of Romer Hell’s Kitchen, So & So’s is removed from the busy foot traffic of 8th Avenue, making it the perfect place to escape reality for a bit.
302 West 52nd Street
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