The not-so-secret Secret Grilled Cheese is one of Oxford’s most fabled attractions. When you walk into the unassuming Faulkner Alley off the Oxford Square, no signage or bouncer guides you toward the rear of Venice Kitchen. Rather, a seemingly out-of-place antique wooden door lets you know that whatever is inside will be an experience like no other.
To gain admittance to get some late-night grilled cheese, you must meet two conditions: saying the password of the weekend and following the bar’s somewhat strict dress code. Initially, learning the password seems like a daunting task. However, all you must do is request to follow the bar’s Instagram account, @secretgrilledcheese. On Thursdays, the password for the weekend is posted.
The bar’s dress code is not so much complicated to follow as it is difficult to understand: It is not made public anywhere associated with the bar.
Third-year University of Mississippi law student Zach Pugh gave insight into the ambiance of the grilled cheese palace.
“It’s a completely different vibe than the other bars in town since they’re very intentional about the kind of clientele they let in and the music they play isn’t deafening,” Pugh said. “They turned a few people away while we were there for not being in dress code. They don’t want rowdy or poorly dressed customers in there.”
Guests are not allowed to wear jeans or T-shirts to the bar. More specifically, it is expected of men to wear collared shirts. The bartender said people frequently are turned away for not following the dress code. He mentioned that one group he turned away showed up dressed in ski attire after an event they had downtown. That said, it would seem that the dress code is no jeans, no T-shirts and no Aspen-friendly clothing.
Many find the exclusivity of the establishment to be its most alluring feature.
“If they opened it up as a normal restaurant, then it wouldn’t really be what it is,” Pugh said. “It would end up as just another bar or restaurant on the square with a limited food menu, and I think that yes, they’d get more people in the long run, but it would lose its identity and appeal.”
I went to the late-night spot at 10:15 p.m. on a Saturday, not long after they opened for the evening. The establishment is open from 10 p.m. to midnight Thursday through Sunday. Without clear instructions, I let intuition kick in and went for the skull-shaped knocker cryptically resting on the door. After giving it a couple of raps, a bouncer inside the establishment opened the small trap door at the top and asked for the password, to which I confidently uttered “Twerk Champion.” After I was asked to show my ID, the menacing door opened.
As soon as I walked in, I noticed that the bar is illuminated by only an exit sign, a small light near the bathrooms and some beams streaming in from Venice Kitchen, which is separated from the bar only by a black curtain.
“I think they could make improvements with the lighting since it is quite dark. I feel like some very low-key lighting like candles or lanterns of some sort would really fit the clandestine atmosphere of the place and also allow customers to be able to see each other and the menu,” Amy Nyary, junior psychology and Spanish major from Hattiesburg, Miss. said.
I also took note of the limited seating. I counted nine barstools, three tables with booth seating and three high top seats. No one was fighting for a space, a stark contrast to many of the other bar scenes downtown, because for the hour I was there, the only other patrons were the six who were admitted right after me.
The bartender shared that their busiest weekends were always fraternity and sorority parents’ weekends. Upon looking at the menu prices, I understood. All craft drinks ranged from $11-$12. All six of the menu items, exclusively variations of gourmet grilled cheeses, had a price tag of $16. There was once exception, “Le Voyage du Sauvage,” which entails flying Morgan Freeman in on a private jet to prepare grilled cheeses for a group of four for the modest price of $800,000.
Ultimately, the most confusing aspect of the restaurant is its name. Though everyone refers to it as “Secret Grilled Cheese,” its actual name is Shadow of the Valley of Death Bar. The bartender told me the name and menu change every semester and the new moniker and selection should be available sometime within the next week.
Secret Grilled Cheese is an essential item for everyone’s Oxford bucket list. And if you feel so inclined as to order Le Voyage du Sauvage, feel free to invite me!
