Back when Grant Achatz was first talking about The Office as a super-secret hideaway spot for special guests, we put the question to a publicist-entrepreneur— do such exclusive places really exist? Are there things you can only get into as one of the beautiful people, and are there enough beautiful people here to support them, or is it just the sort of thing we think must exist because we see it in the movies? Her response was that the only thing like it that she could think of was Michael Jordan’s private room (with separate entrance) at One Sixty Blue, though perhaps one or two of the pricier clubs had private rooms somewhat like it. A year after opening to the public, or rather not to them, The Office has successfully retained cachet as a plum for diners at Next or drinkers at The Aviary, but as Andrew Huff points out at Gapers’ Block, “there wasn’t much of a secret to getting into the Office at this point, and in my own experience, it’s actually relatively easy to get an ‘invitation,’ provided you’re not trying on Friday or Saturday night after 8pm or so.” And now it’s easier yet— as of last week you can try to get a reservation (for the earlier part of the evening, anyway), by simply texting 312-972-7641. If it’s no longer an unattainable secret spot known only to celebs and best customers, it’s still a cool, intimate space deep in the bowels of Next/The Aviary with a unique feel and an old school bar menu, worth a try and the price (which is steep). Get a taste of it in this Key Ingredient episode with former Aviary bartender Craig Schoettler. [Gapers Block]
