Bryce Harper’s Speakeasy Restaurant and Barber Shop Blind Barber Celebrates Grand Reopening in Center City
Blind Barber (1325 Sansom St.) announces the grand reopening of Philadelphia’s only hybrid barber shop, speakeasy restaurant and multi-level back bar. Major League Baseball All-Star Bryce Harper, along with Josh Boyd, Adam Kirschenbaum, Jeff Laub and Matt Breen, present this unique concept that is located at 1325 Sansom Street in the heart of Center City and Midtown Village. By day and early evening, patrons can enjoy a cut and style in the old school barber shop which serves up a free expertly made cocktail with every service.
By night, head through the back door of the barber shop for a food, drink and entertainment experience unlike any other in the tri-state region. Blind Barber opened softly in early 2020 and was forced to shut-down almost immediately due to the pandemic. Now, Blind Barber is fully opened and celebrating the grand opening it never had with expanded days of operation, extended hours, a new chef, new menus, new cocktails, special events and a full line-up of music and programming. Blind Barber also continues to be a well-known destination for grooming products – including products created and developed by Blind Barber co-owner and partner Major League Baseball All-Star, Bryce Harper. New hours for the barber shop are Monday to Sunday, seven days a week, from 11:00am to 8:00pm. New hours for the speakeasy restaurant and back bar are Tuesday and Wednesday, from 5:00pm to 11:00pm (downstairs), and Thursday to Saturday, from 5:00pm to 2:00am (upstairs and downstairs).
Blind Barber has made international headlines and buzz for being a one-of-a-kind, well-known destination for grooming services, a drink and a bite, or both. Blind Barber is a barber shop and a restaurant/lounge mashup that now has six locations in Philadelphia, New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Additionally, Blind Barber has popped up in cities around the globe.
For Philadelphia, Blind Barber quietly opened in early 2020 as the pandemic began to spread across the world. Just a few weeks into its soft opening, Blind Barber was forced to close with the citywide shutdown of all restaurants, eateries, bars and barber shops. This meant no celebration and no grand opening for what was the company’s largest location to date. During the pandemic, Blind Barber was the only business of its kind in this market to shut down and reopen with two sets of protocols, both for restaurants/food establishments and for barber shops and beauty salons.
Now, over 18 months later, Blind Barber is back fully and ready to take things to the next level in an expanded, yet safe and healthy manner. Blind Barber is currently following all city and state regulations. Blind Barber’s barber shop requires a mask for every person who steps into the barber shop, and Blind Barber requires proof of full vaccination for every patron for the speakeasy restaurant and back bar. (For a full list of health protocols and barber services, please visit the website.)
For the Blind Barber grand reopening, Blind Barber is now open seven days a week for the barber shop and five days a week for the speakeasy restaurant and back bar.
Blind Barber’s Philadelphia location is the largest in the country for the growing company. The Philadelphia location is nestled in between Walnut and Chestnut Street, at the corner of Juniper and Sansom Streets, in the Hale Building. The front entrance features all the vibes of a classic barber shop, including the iconic striped pole. Inside, patrons and guests will find 4,000 square feet of space with the barber shop to the front and on the ground level, with a secret and discrete back door that opens into a completely other world.
On the ground level, guests are greeted by the black and white checkered floor that continues on the second level. The first-floor back bar seats around fifteen guests at two and four top tables, plus at the bar itself The vibe includes gold trim and accents, warm brown and orange throw-back tones, cascading plants, vintage stonework, 70s inspired custom shag artwork, and amber glowing lights.
On the left side of the room, guests ascend the staircase to the main restaurant and bar. The staircase has a complete vibe of its own – with frequent guests stopping along the way for a snap or two. The rich raspberry and burgundy floral-inspired wallpaper follows the staircase to the second level, with orange globes hanging from vintage chains from the ceiling, with throw-back wood and a lush carpet below.
Upstairs, guests are immediately greeted by the sight of the familiar and signature black and white oversized checkerboard tile floors. On one side of the upstairs, guests will find an expansive open dining room and lounge with unique and intimate banquet seating for two’s and four’s nestled between floor to ceiling bookcases. Throughout the room, for dining hours, look for other tables of two and four, and banquets and tables for larger groups. Lighting includes amber and orange globes and accent lights. Over the large group seating, look for a Tiffany-style vintage light that could easily have been preserved from the 70s and early 80s. Wood bookshelves feature candles among the knick-knacks and small curiosity pieces. In the center of the room, look for a wood-paneled DJ booth to complete the vibe, with rich wallpaper and the glowing words “Pretty Please” behind it. Later in the evening and during special events, the DJ booth will find the city and country’s biggest and best names spinning the vinyl. The room comes complete with seating in nooks, crannies and corners for those intimate date nights or sharing the tea, but for those that want to mix, mingle and dance there’s ample space to cut loose center stage in front of the booth.
On the opposite side of the second floor, Blind Barber features a throw-back and regal bar with blacks, golds, woods and orange tones, with leather seating for around 16 people. On the stunning black bartop, patrons will sip their expertly made cocktails next to gold toned pull-string library inspired lamps. Gold and black matte wallpaper, indirect antiqued bulbs, oversized large group orange banquets, and unique statement art pieces complete the look.
For the overall layout, Blind Barber’s speakeasy restaurant and back bar can host in total around 70 for seated bar and dinner service. For special and private events, Blind Barber can accommodate 250 guests.
Philadelphia is the newest and also the largest location for any Blind Barber in the entire world.
It is also the first multi-level location for the company.
NEW CHEF AND MENU
Blind Barber is proud to introduce their new Philadelphia chef, Chef Alex Young – who is a fresh face to the city’s culinary scene. He was born in New York City and raised in Long Island. He moved to Philadelphia recently from New York City from Queens – he was working as head Chef leading the kitchen for Seneca, in Ridgewood, New York.
Prior to that he was the head Chef at Octopus Bar in Atlanta. He loved that bar so much it inspired him to not just patronize the bar but actually start cooking there. He worked his way to the top of the kitchen team. He started at Octopus Bar in 2013 and became head Chef in 2017. He left there and went to Seneca in November in 2019 – right before the pandemic. From there he moved during the pandemic, and arrived in Philadelphia in March of 2020 when the country shut down – and he started at Blind Barber just weeks ago.
For the new menu and his new culinary adventure at Blind Barber, Chef brings influences from New American cuisine – he likes to have fun with food and bring together foods, flavors and ingredients from different cultures – and bring them together with small details and intricate techniques to make simple foods more special. At Blind Barber, while the kitchen is on the smaller side, Chef is bringing big flavors and an expanded menu to foodies throughout Philadelphia.
Every single dish is new and reinvented with Chef’s recipes and cooking perspective. Look for other new dishes, seasonal changes, and the addition of weekly and monthly specials – all set to start in coming weeks.
EXPERTLY MADE COCKTAILS
Blind Barber is famous for its expertly made craft cocktail program. Cocktails are made and designed by General Manager Phoebe Mortell, who brings many years of experience as a food and drink vet from DC and Philadelphia. Mortell is a familiar face from well-known Philadelphia spots, such as The Cambridge, Loco Pez, and Hickory Lane.
For the Philadelphia grand reopening, the entire menu has been revamped and expanded. New cocktails include:
Strawberry Fields
Vodka, Amaro Montenegro, Yellow Chartreuse, strawberry, lemon
Imperial Palace
Vodka, cold brew, cream liquor, cinnamon, vanilla
Hooky, Hooky
Vodka, local apple cider, almond, brown sugar, lemon
Lady Grey
Earl grey infused gin, Lillet Rose, blackberry, lemon
Doug Funnie
Gin, fresh beet juice, orange blossom, blood orange simple
Hanako
Snow sake, Galliano liqueur, Limoncello, prosecco
Hot Heather
Tequila, pamplemousse, pineapple, ginger syrup, lime
Karpuzzi – margarita
Tequila, jalepeño, fresh watermelon, topped with Red Bull Watermelon
Spiced Caillou
Mezcal, red pepper simple, Ancho Reyes Chilli, ginger, lime
Sansom Sour
Pisco, Kentucky Bourbon, St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur, lemon
The Venetian Merchant
Spiced Rum, vanilla, chai, chocolate, fizzy soda
Whiskey with a Client
Moonshine, Kentucky Bourbon, caramel apple, smoked cinnamon
House specials include:
City-Wide for $6
Miller High Life + a shot of whiskey
Green Tea Shots for $7
Outside of signature cocktails and house specials, the bar program features around a dozen varieties of American favorites and craft beer selections, plus cider, seltzer and more. Wine lovers will find a half dozen red, white and sparkling options. Bottle service includes a dozen standard and rotating selections.
HAPPY HOUR
Blind Barber Philadelphia hosts Happy Hour from Tuesday to Saturday, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, with $5 Miller Life and Twisted Tea Tall Boys, $3 Miller Lite, $6-8 House Wines, $8 Hot Heather Cocktail, $10 Strawberry Fields Cocktail and food specials and features.
SPECIAL EVENTS AND NIGHTLIFE
Get ready to let loose after a long work week with DJs every single weekend, the likes of Craig Dash, Asher Roth, Killsing, Pierson, Rebel Foster and Grotzy Versace.
Blind Barber is now hosting a full line-up of special events and programs, including burlesque, soul night, disco night, industry night. Watch for details of these monthly and some weekly programs starting in November. Keep watch on Instagram @blindbarber_philadelphia for the full details, times and dates.
PHILADELPHIA HOURS
Barber Shop:
Monday to Sunday
Seven Days a Week
11:00am to 8:00pm
Speakeasy Restaurant and Back Bar:
Tuesday, 5:00pm to 11:00pm (downstairs bar)
Wednesday, 5:00pm to 11:00pm (downstairs bar)
Thursday, 5:00pm to 2:00am (both up and downstairs bar)
Friday, 5:00pm to 2:00am (both up and downstairs bar)
Saturday, 5:00pm to 2:00am (both up and downstairs bar)
Sunday, Closed
Monday, Closed
