Disneyland is full of nooks, crannies and decor designed for superfans, but Carthay Circle will do you one better: The California Adventure restaurant just launched an adults-only terrace bar, and it’s only accessible to those in the know.
Try not to get distracted by Carthay Circle’s lovely lobby, a throwback-inspired setting that serves as a nod to the Golden Age of Hollywood—fitting, as the restaurant’s facade recreates one of Central L.A.’s old-timey movie houses. What you’re here for is the Carthay Circle Terrace Lounge, and to get there, you’ll need to enter the restaurant and ask one of the hosts, who’ll lead you to the back of the restaurant and up a hidden staircase.
From there, you’ll be guided up to a private balcony, and that’s your destination: an adults-only, no-reservations hideout with a high-up view of the park. The Terrace Lounge opened earlier this month, according to the Orange County Register, which also notes that the space is fairly limited: The secret bar only seats around 24 people at a time, spread across seven high-top tables.
Those looking for a one-of-a-kind menu with exclusive cocktails to match the exclusivity of the setting won’t find one—at least not yet. The new bar is in testing mode, and is more or less an extension of Carthay Circle’s preexisting downstairs bar. As such, they share the same cocktail menu—which you can find here—but the Terrace sports a few unique bar bites, such as the Sriracha-coated Fire Cracker Duck Wings topped with lime and cilantro, as well as Carthay signatures like the fried biscuits stuffed with white cheddar, bacon and jalapeño.
Secret menu or not, it’s a little slice of kid-free haven that—at least for now—is a total secret. Well, at least it was, up until today. We’ll race you there?
The Carthay Circle Terrace Lounge opens at noon daily, though closing time varies by day of the week. Find complete hours via this calendar.