The German language is known for having compound words that describe nuanced feelings. One such word is gemütlichkeit, which is used to convey a feeling of warmth, friendliness, and good cheer. While Tamil is one of the oldest languages in the world, this feeling is difficult to name in a single word. So what does one do when a newly opened resto bar evokes these feelings of warmth and good cheer? Give it no name!
Second floor space
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Special Arrangement
Chennai’s latest addition to the nightlife scene is No Name on Chamiers Road. A four-level resto bar it blends the breezy vibe of a Bengaluru microbrewery with gourmet food and cocktails that bring out the essence of the city. It aims to close a gap in the scene which relies on the arrival of weekends to head out and have a drink. “In Chennai, the party scene is mostly Friday and Saturday. But in cities like Bengaluru, even on a Tuesday you’ll see 300 people having a meal and a beer. There are no weekends there. I wanted to bring that culture to Chennai,” says Hari Chandran, founder and owner of No Name.
Brought to life by designers Daphne Dmello and Nirali Bathia from Studio Kaleidoscope, each floor at No Name comes with a vibe of its own. The first floor opens into a dance-floor with a full bar. Stained-glass windows, paintings akin to the Sistine chapel behind the bar, and chandeliers hanging low make it a tricky dance floor to let loose in, but the city will sin nevertheless, for it has been deprived of a good dance floor. As we climb to the second floor, the vibe changes completely. Floor to ceiling windows overlooking greenery, low sofas and comfortable seats, the aroma of Thai curry. The last two floors are where No Name channels its inner Bengaluru. Open terrace, hanging fabric lamps, seats, and tables carved out of stone and an easy setup that can accommodate open mics, live music gigs and more.
Menu spread
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Special Arrangement
To cater to every kind of audience, the menu ranges everything from fries to dumplings, handmade pastas to fragrant kebabs and tikkas. The spinach corn and cheese dumplings, served with a sweet chilli oil makes the perfect bite to start the evening, as do the big boy nachos that are loaded with beans, cheese, jalapeños and topped with a big dollop of sour cream. These small bites pair well with their signature drinks.
We start off with a Cucumber Twisted, a gin, cucumber, elderflower, and basil cocktail that is as refreshing as the space itself. The bar’s eponymous signature cocktail, which is flying off the shelves, has six secret ingredients that are served with a dramatic flair in shot glasses and mixed at the table. It is a vodka-based drink with blue pea flower syrup, but the rest of the recipe is tightly guarded by the bartender. There are also a few dessert cocktails for those of us who would rather drink our desserts than dig into a bowl of ice cream.
Cocktail
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Special Arrangement
For the main course, we try the signature Pad Thai, which is tangy, spicy, and nutty in equal measure. The red Thai curry, made in-house from scratch, arrives with fragrant jasmine rice and comes alive with a squeeze of lime and a little chilli oil. With salads, soups, sushi, burgers, pizzas, pastas, rice, noodles and practically everything you can think of, the menu alone demands a second, third, even fourth visit.
And if the menu does not pull you back in, the vibe certainly will. The place shapeshifts to whatever you need it to be. A party when the lights go down, a quiet family lunch in the day, an easy hangout with friends, a low-pressure first date, even an easy-going anniversary dinner.
No Name is at 128, New no 22, Chamiers Road, Nandanam Extension, Nandanam, Chennai. A meal for two costs ₹2,500. For reservations call 9600077556.
Published – December 03, 2025 04:54 pm IST
