To be honest, when my friends dragged me to a new restaurant claiming that it was the best thing since sliced bread, I was rather skeptical. But walking in to The Jekyll and Hyde Restaurant and Social Club for Eccentric Explorers and Mad Scientists was like walking into a different world. Imagine walking into the Chalmun’s Cantina from Star Wars, or the Leaky Cauldron. Imagine being greeted by a wonderful lady in Victorian dress carrying a decapitated head. The creepishly dark interior, accompanied by ominous music and a strange bunch of people dressed up and ready to mingle, makes for an interesting atmosphere. Don’t be surprised if you’re temporarily joined by a surprising guest, or if a stranger asks you to arm wrestle them.

Rescue Me from Times Square. Photo courtesy of flickr Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/nikonvscanon/

The restaurant is run by a fabulous staff that’s unusual in many ways. Though the waitstaff could be compared to any other restaurant, they’re complimented by a selection of young actors with specific roles to play, keeping the atmosphere as “eccentric and mad” as they can. The original concept is based off the book Jekyll and Hyde. However, there are references to many classic stories enjoyed by the masses, such as Star Wars and Harry Potter. Although this restaurant is intended as entertainment for young children, it can be enjoyed by anybody, as long as you’re in the mood to joke around. There are two locations in New York City; one uptown at 57th and 6th, and the other at Grove St and 7th. The two locations are completely different.

Uptown - The Jekyll and Hyde Restaurant and Social Club for Eccentric Explorers and Mad Scientists. Photo courtesy of flickr Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/reinholdbehringer/

The uptown location is a five-floor mansion, although usually only the first floor is filled with diners, which makes the other levels all the creepier to explore. There are strange portraits, skeletons that move, and all the way on the fifth floor there’s a small arcade and a photo booth. Hardly ever is anyone up there, so it’s like your own personal haunted house. The uptown restaurant is cheesier, and is more for little kids. The downtown location is smaller, and more intimate, and better suited for an older audience. The ‘actors’ there are hilarious and the bathrooms are hidden down a secret passage. Downtown is famous for a popular drink called The Darth Vader, which apparently is “for champions only.”

Downtown location - The Jekyll and Hyde Restaurant and Social Club for Eccentric Explorers and Mad Scientists. Photo courtesy flickr Creative Commons: flickr.com/photos/david-perez/

This certainly isn’t the place to go if you want a culinary masterpiece or classy dining - the food is overpriced and not overly impressive. In fact, it’s become popular to eat dinner at a diner down the street and go to Jekyll and Hyde’s for dessert or drinks. Either way, The Jekyll and Hyde Restaurant and Social Club for Eccentric Explorers and Mad Scientists is certainly a place to visit.

Anne Driscoll is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program.

All photos courtesy and copyright Anne Driscoll, except where noted.