Hidden Haven
Every city has that one place everyone talks about but very few have actually been to. In Hyderabad, that place is See.
At a time when restaurants are busy chasing Instagram reels, influencer collaborations and online reservations, See has quietly chosen the opposite route. Hidden inside TheySee in Jubilee Hills, this intimate 22 seater cocktail bar has no public reservations, no walk ins and no visible social media presence. You get in because someone who has already experienced it believes you should too.
The mystery begins with a bright red door, open it and the city disappears.
Bathed in crimson light and set against an infectious Afro Indian soundtrack, the space feels alive. A towering red Nazar Battu keeps a watchful eye on the room, its piercing red laser eyes impossible to ignore, mechanical flipbooks invite curiosity, handcrafted ceramics add warmth and the retro television installation lends just the right touch of vintage nostalgia. Sitting there almost feels like watching a DJ’s live performance where every beat, every light and every object is perfectly in sync.
The idea comes from founders Niharika Gollapalli, Chef Suryansh Singh and Darshan Ramchandani, the team behind TheySee, while the cocktail programme has been created by Pradyumna Shanker. Through Lyzure, Niharika’s art incubation platform, local artists have shaped the space into something that feels more like an installation than a restaurant. Even the LED badges carrying guests’ names make one feel less like a customer and more like someone who has accidentally found their way into a private club.
Liquid Theatre
The surprise is that once you get over the interiors, the food refuses to play second fiddle.
Chef Suryansh Singh understands exactly what good bar food should do. It should comfort you, satisfy you and make you want another drink. But make no mistake. The cocktails are the real stars of the See.
Every drink comes with its own personality and its own story. They lean heavily into Indian flavours without making them feel forced or theatrical.
Laura’s Lassan is easily the showstopper. Reposado tequila and mezcal meet cacao bitters and black garlic pickle, creating a cocktail that sounds unconventional but drinks with surprising elegance. Smoky, savoury and slightly mysterious, it is the sort of drink that makes everyone at the table ask for a sip before quietly ordering one for themselves.
Whiskey Saar takes the familiar whisky sour and gives it a tropical detour with mango, passionfruit, honey and fresh citrus. It is bright, balanced and dangerously easy to finish.
Then comes First Nightu, perhaps the most playful cocktail on the menu. Built with vodka, jasmine soda, lacto fermented jasmine honey and citrus liqueur, it is floral without becoming perfumed and delicate without losing character.
There is enough experimentation to keep cocktail enthusiasts engaged, yet enough familiarity for first time drinkers to feel comfortable.
Bar Bites
The food understands its supporting role perfectly. The Cheej Keema Pao delivers rich lamb keema tucked into buttery maska pao with gratinated chilli cheese. It is indulgent in the best possible way. Fried Chix, coated with neyyi karam podi and paired with garlic aioli, disappears almost as quickly as it arrives. Chepala Chips offers crisp bites layered with masala fish mousse, making it one of those plates that keeps returning to the table even after everyone insists they are full.
In main course, Golden Pallav is comfort food dressed for a night out. Crispy saffron rice socarrat, chicken prepared two ways, kasundi mayo, cured yolk and a flavourful rassa come together in a dish that is rich, textural and surprisingly refined.
Dessert keeps things simple and comforting. Taguboth Tiramisu, infused with filter coffee, ends the meal on a familiar note.
Community First
For co founder Niharika Gollapalli, the idea behind See goes beyond creating an exclusive address. “If I can answer this question in one word, I would say mental stimulation. If one is mentally stimulated, the attention span is higher. I am not a huge fan of surrendering to trends although today’s world requires a little of both in terms of design and conceptualisation.”
She says the referral model was never about making people feel excluded. “Exclusivity isn’t about keeping people out. It’s about making every guest feel like they belong. With only 22 seats, we’d rather build a community than chase footfall. Referrals create trust before a guest even walks in because every person is introduced by someone who already understands the experience. From a business perspective, it’s about prioritising customer quality over customer quantity.”
That philosophy also shapes the business strategy. “A referred guest is more likely to value the experience, return and become an advocate for the brand. Every member receives a limited number of referrals, allowing the community to grow organically while demand consistently stays ahead of supply. It’s much harder to recreate exclusivity once you’ve lost it.”
Speaking about pricing, she adds,“We benchmarked against premium cocktail bars in India while delivering significantly more in terms of originality and immersion. Premium pricing gives us the freedom to source better ingredients, experiment creatively and deliver hospitality that’s difficult to achieve at scale. We’d rather serve fewer people exceptionally well than more people with a compromised experience.”
Kitchen Philosophy
Chef Suryansh Singh Kanwar believes that bar food should always know its role. “Bar food needs to be indulgent and easy to eat. Most importantly, it should complement the drinks and match the energy and vibe of the space rather than compete with it.”
He says consistency is built through discipline rather than luck. “We are not trying to be a QSR, so we have the freedom to focus on the details. Every recipe is documented, every ingredient is measured and every process is followed consistently. At the end of the day, it’s the team that makes the biggest difference.”
For Singh, everything begins with the basics.
“Good food and great drinks will always be the main attraction. Everything else, whether it’s the music, design or ambience, should simply enhance that experience. We want people to remember the entire evening, but it all starts with what’s on the table and in the glass.”
Service Matters
For Darshan Ramchandani, hospitality is built on recognising people rather than simply serving them. “Working in high volume hospitality taught me the importance of consistency, structure and communication during service. In a small room like See, every detail is noticed, so the experience cannot depend only on instinct or individual personality.”
He believes the smallest gestures are often the most memorable.“Food and ambience may bring guests in, but repeat business is built through recognition and consistency. Guests remember when a restaurant understands their preferences, the purpose of their visit and the way they like to be hosted.”
He says, that personal touch is only possible because of the systems running quietly in the background. “A personalised experience has to be repeatable. Otherwise it becomes dependent on one person or one good night of service. The goal is to keep the experience personal while making it operationally consistent and commercially sustainable.”
Final Pour
See is not simply selling cocktails or bar food, rather it is selling curiosity. The referral gets you through the red door, but it is the warmth of the team, the art , the curiosity that keeps revealing itself. The thoughtfully crafted cocktails and the comforting food that make you want to earn another invitation. In a city overflowing with places to be seen, See has managed to create something far rarer. A place worth discovering, and perhaps, worth keeping secret.
Asmita.mukherjee@saffronsynergies.in
