Is Philly’s Newest Speakeasy Worth the Hype?

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Jefferson chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Living in a thriving cultural hub such as Philly means there’s an endless number of things to do at your fingertips. Speakeasies in particular have seemed to be popping up more frequently as a way to be privy to a more “exclusive” dining experience. But is there any appeal to these places outside their trendy gimmick?

Just as a quick refresher for those who forgot about their 8th grade history class, the 18th Amendment made the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors prohibited, making getting a drink at a bar no longer possible—but not for long. Speakeasies were soon established during the Prohibition era to sell alcohol illegally, often located behind fronts for other business and required a password to get in.

Now, almost a century since the amendment was repealed, speakeasies look a little different. Philly’s newest hidden restaurant and bar, The Newsroom, is a Japanese fusion dining experience taking a stab at a modern retelling of prohibition era bars. The NYC-based restaurant opened their highly anticipated Northern Liberties location this summer and was recently listed by The Inquirer as one of five new Japanese restaurants to watch in Philly.

There’s no doubt that the food was good. The executive chef Nobuhiro Hamazaki has a stacked resume toting top-tiered restaurants, and while I’m not usually concerned with the credentials of kitchen chefs, the tastebuds don’t lie. The Headline Roll, with tempura shrimp, truffle avocado, and topped with spicy tuna hit all the right notes. The Lychee Martini I ordered wasn’t bad either, but I definitely preferred my friend’s seasonal pumpkin spice espresso martini.

What wasn’t so convincing was the atmosphere. The entrance to the restaurant was behind a faux Diet 7-Up vending machine door, which only gave you access once you confirmed your reservation with the host stand. Inside, the dark-lit, moody ambiance was over the top for what the restaurant was offering and felt gaudy when paired with the club-adjacent music playing over the speakers.

The illusion of a speakeasy in the 21st century is nearly impossible to create successfully. Where at one point these secret lounges were purposefully kept hidden to be able to operate, restaurants nowadays need people to have an easy point of access to make a profit. And the vibe they curate on the inside often tries to match people’s expectation of what a speakeasy is, but that usually just means a meager imitation of the 2013 movie adaptation of The Great Gatsby with all the accompanying theatrics (did I mention that the Newsroom occasionally has aerial dance performances above the dining floor?).

With all that being said, I don’t think The Newsroom should be scratched off the list of places to visit in Philly. I still had a fun time going out to try a new experience with my friends, though I might be biased because of the company. The servers were very friendly, and we were given two free rounds of shots along with a free drink card for a future visit, which definitely didn’t hurt my rating! If you want to try something different, then going to a speakeasy—however accurate that term is—might be the right experience for you.