Your hatchback fits more people than India’s smallest bar

Size does matter when it comes to Delhi’s bar scene, but probably in reverse. The city’s nightlife is getting smaller by design, flipping the old logic that bigger is better. After XS spaces like the 20-seater The Love Hotel in Lodhi Road and the nine-seater Cavity, part of Barbet & Pals in GK-2 (a bar within a bar, because apparently one bar was not enough), we’ve now got—drumroll—a four-seater. 

Yes. Four. Some SUVs can seat more people than this bar.

The Hidden Club (THC) by Olive, accessed through a backdoor in Olive Qutub in Mehrauli, has just four seats. It is essentially the group’s beverage experimentation space that they’ve now opened to the public.

“I first experienced this room with a few friends when it was still used as our R&D space. It wasn’t just the cocktails but the atmosphere—ideas being tested, conversations flowing effortlessly, and bartenders bringing people together,” says AD Singh, founder and managing director, The Olive Group. “It felt intimate, unplanned, and genuinely fun.”

It’s got the vibe of a secret den (inspired by Prohibition-era speakeasies) with a cocktail station. A Marshall speaker and a Japanese-inspired card game Osensei that looks a bit like Uno at first glance sit on a corner shelf. Overhead, the ceiling is plastered with black-and-white posters of Led Zeppelin, System of a Down, and other music legends.

There’s no printed menu. You’re handed what looks like a grown-up version of Minesweeper. A board numbered from one to six sits in as a prop, with the first two rounds staying alcohol-free before the drinks steadily level up in strength. Like any good game, there are bonus surprises along the way (read: more drinks).

For ₹3,000 a person, you get four cocktails—an aperitivo-style drink, a highball, a sour drink,and a spirit-forward serve—plus two zero-proof drinks over the course of two and a half hours or more. There are only a few nibbles, like fries and chicken wings, so eat well before you go. The bar team (three super-fun people: Chong Sherpa, Rajat Tolia, and Anmol Chhetri) will happily chat about everything, from their favourite bars to Bollywood. By the end of it, they’ll probably know your strongest opinions on negronis and maybe even your relationship status.

To make things even more exclusive, it will only operate from Wednesday to Friday. Imagine the length of the waitlist. At this point, getting a seat here may require more planning than an international holiday or, at the very least, a shared Google Calendar invite.

But what exactly is a four-seater? A micro bar? A mini bar? A personal bar?

The concept isn’t entirely absurd. Apparently, Backdoor 43 in Milan claims to be the smallest bar in the world with four seats too, which means THC is already headed for fame.

As bars get smaller, the experience gets bigger. Or at least more personal. The appeal isn’t just the drinks anymore; it’s the bragging rights. “I got a table” is old news. “I got one of four seats” is where we’re headed. It’s entirely possible that the drink you have this week won’t be available next Thursday. 

Honestly, Delhi’s hospitality scene has always loved a good game of scarcity. Hidden doors, secret menus, invite-only bars, bars inside bars. Now add to this bars that are barely bigger than some people’s walk-in wardrobes.

Naturally, I’m wondering what’s next. A two-seater bar? A one-seater bar? A bar where it’s just you and a bartender staring deeply into each other’s eyes while discussing the flavour notes of fermented guava?

At the rate we’re going, the hottest reservation in town by 2027 might just be a cocktail served inside a cupboard. And yes, there will probably be a waiting list.

Address: Olive Mile 6, One Style, 8, Kalka Das Marg, Seth Sarai, Mehrauli, New Delhi - 110030

Timing: 8 pm onwards, Wednesday to Friday

Price: ₹3,000 + taxes per person

Reservations: Write to thc@olivebarandkitchen.com