Campbell Apartment: The Hidden Bar at Grand Central Terminal in New York

Grand Central Terminal is a must-see landmark in New York City. You can even discover a stunning hidden bar tucked away in its depths…

Where is Campbell Apartment located?

Campbell Apartment sits in the heart of Manhattan inside Grand Central Terminal. More than 750,000 people pass through this station every day—New Yorkers rushing to catch trains and visitors marveling at its monumental architecture. Grand Central Terminal holds other surprises too, like the remarkable whispering gallery and even a tennis court.
One more curiosity worth knowing about: Grand Central Terminal hides a secret bar, the Campbell Apartment.
To reach it, use the entrance at 15 Vanderbilt Avenue. It sits directly across from One Vanderbilt tower, home to the famous SUMMIT observatory. The bar opens at noon and stays open until 2 am, serving a full menu of wines, cocktails, and beers.

Campbell Apartment transports you to the charm of the 1920s the moment you walk in. Originally built in 1923, it served as an office for wealthy American businessman John W. Campbell, who also sat on the board of the New York Central Railroad.
The millionaire had a central location to meet clients and a convenient retreat. A few steps down from the train platform brought him straight to his office. Campbell furnished the space with every luxury befitting his status: stained glass windows, an ornate fireplace, elegant 19th-century Italian furniture, a piano, an organ, and an art collection then valued at over one million dollars. A Persian rug alone would be worth more than $3.5 million in today’s money.
When Campbell died in 1957, the décor and furnishings were removed and the space became an ordinary office for station staff. Later it served as a New York Police Department storage room and a temporary holding cell for people arrested in the station.
In 1999, the police moved out and the space was restored as a bar. Campbell Apartment has reclaimed its former elegance, now a quiet refuge from the constant bustle of the terminal. It’s the perfect place to sip a cocktail or enjoy an exceptional whisky in a setting that speaks to another era.