The Secret Menus At Optimist Hall

If you’re from or visit the West Coast, you might be familiar with In-N-Out Burger’s Double-Double Animal-Style burger. It’s an off-menu item that the cool kids order. Here’s the deal: They sear the patties with a squirt of mustard, replace the onion slice with a dollop of caramelized chopped onions, add an extra stack of pickle chips under the tomato, and layer it with extra Thousand Island spread. Order it “Gorilla-Style,” and they’ll shove fries in the middle.

Secret menus are a favorite among foodies who like an exclusive product that most don’t know exists. The TikTok hashtag #secretmenus is a hodgepodge of hidden food items at popular restaurants. Starbucks spearheaded this trend a few years ago when social media feeds were flooded with images of its Mermaid Frappuccino. Google “Starbucks secret menu” to find more drinks it doesn’t advertise, like the Red Velvet Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino, Rainbow Refresher, and Coconut Milk Pumpkin Macchiato. 

Optimist Hall is home to a network of secret menus, too. Papi Queso, Harriet’s Hamburgers, and Bao + Broth are just a few tenants with additional menu items hiding in plain sight. Undercurrent Coffee serves an Affogato using gelato from Honeysuckle, and Botiwalla makes a Spiked Spice Chai. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Suárez Bakery & Barra serves Tres Leches French Toast. 

Tres Leches French Toast is available at Suárez Bakery & Barra from Friday through Sunday.

Brian Stockholm, owner of Harriet’s and Papi Queso, says his secret menus began when they opened their Optimist Hall location. Longtime Papi Queso fans would occasionally request the Truffle Chips they’d served on their food truck. Stockholm no longer offered the chips, so he started making Truffle Fries and Truffle Tots for those customers instead. Word spread. 

“When you have a favorite spot and you’re in the know, it makes you feel special,” Stockholm says. “When we know your order, it makes you feel like you’re part of the group. And any time you really like something and it’s your favorite, you’re going to tell somebody else.” 

Loaded Fries aren’t on the menu, either, but he’ll make them if you ask. The most popular add-ons are bacon and green onions, but people also add mac and cheese, brisket, and a few dips. “It’s total decadence, like a big super-nacho,” Stockholm says. “You can do it with our fries, tots, or mac and cheese.” 

Diners can customize Papi Queso’s Loaded Fries with add-ons like bacon, brisket, and green onions.

One of his biggest underground hits was the Spaghetti Melt. “It’s literally spaghetti-meets-grilled cheese-meets-garlic bread,” he says. “It became so popular that we ran it as our monthly feature in January. After that, it’ll go back to being a secret menu item.”

So why not just add it to the everyday menu? “You only have 500 square feet, so you have to be really selective with what you make,” he says. At Harriet’s, the Juicy Lucy, a cheese-stuffed hamburger made famous in Minneapolis, is on the secret menu, but they only serve 25 per day. “It’s been underground since day one,” Stockholm says. “Smashburgers take three or four minutes to cook, where a Juicy Lucy takes about 20. But guests from that region come for it.” 

A secret menu is also a great place to test new items with minimal risk. “If you already have a built-in menu, you can get a true read on people’s reactions,” Stockholm says. They might do a limited run of Halloumi Fries and post a teaser on social media. If it’s not a hit, it’s less likely to get complaints or tarnish their reputation.

As an aspiring cool kid who grew up in northern California, I’m going to share one more bit of intel with you, dear readers: The next time you find yourself at an In-N-Out, look your cashier in the eyes and whisper the words “Roadkill Fries.” You won’t see it posted anywhere on the menu, but they’ll know what you mean. It’s Animal-Style Fries topped with a chopped-up hamburger patty. You’re welcome.