Although New York is probably the worst city in the world to try and keep a secret in, there are still a handful of places that have that air of secrecy to them and genuinely feel like a speakeasy from prohibition times. Some of these speakeasies, or hidden bars, are today the city’s top cocktail bars, and, well, not so secretive. If you want to book a table, especially at weekends, you’ll have to book well in advance. However, we promise that what you’ll encounter behind the invisible door or hidden staircase will be worth the visit.
When the National Prohibition Act, known as the Volstead Act, was enacted from the 18th Amendment in 1919 and prohibited the production, consumption, sale or transport of alcohol in the United States, new import routes started to appear to cater for the demand, bringing alcohol into the country. Speakeasies also began to flourish in cities, becoming part of American culture and leading to the of craziest times during the 20th century in the US. Very few of these underground bars remain in the city today, but the ones listed below still preserve the essence of the speakeasy and try to stay hidden from the public eye behind barber shops, cafes and hot dog shops…
BATHTUB GIN – 132 9th Avenue (Chelsea)
You could easily have passed by here a million times and never batted an eyelid. The front of this speakeasy is an adorable cafe in Chelsea called Chelsea Stone Street where you’ll probably see the waiter and one or two people standing inside, but none of them are drinking coffee. However, if you venture inside and ask about the bar, they’ll open a secret wallpaper-covered door that leads to the bar.
Once inside, you’ll feel like you’ve travelled back in time to the 1920s when speakeasies mostly served homemade gin, and Bathtub Gin plays with this concept by specialising in gin cocktails, although master cocktail shaker John McCarthy and his team of waiters also serve other drinks. There’s also a copper bathtub in the middle of the bar that gives the place its name, but maybe it’s better to ask before jumping in. A few days each week they put on burlesque shows (yes, that’s why the waitresses look like Dita Von Tesse’s best friends), and the bathroom has cologne and creams, and they even dry your hands. Hidden luxury at its finest.
PLEASE DON´T TELL – St. Marks Place (East Village)
A hidden classic. Nobody pays any attention to its name, and neither have we. Just look for the giant sausage with the “Eat me” sign and head inside Crif Dogs. Grab a hotdog and head down to the end of the cafe until you see an old phone booth. Dial 1 and wait for someone to answer.
A stylish bar with leather armchairs, exposed brick and taxidermy-adorned walls awaits you inside. We recommend trying some of the delicious original cocktails like the bacon-infused Old Fashioned, the Momofuku milk shot, or the Cutty Sark Prohibition with pear.
DEATH & CO – 433 E 6th St (Lower East Side)
During the hard years of Prohibition people used to say that life with alcohol was overshadowed by death, hence the name of the bar. There’s no hidden door to get into Death & Co, just look out for a barely-marked dark wooden door and the doorman and ask if there’s room inside, if not, he’ll take your phone number and call you when there’s seating available.
They don’t take reservations to maintain the bar’s air of secrecy and exclusivity. But it’s worth it once you get inside. The cocktail menu created by Jillian Vose is probably one of the best in the city. Ask one of the waiters if you’re not sure what to order. And make sure to try the popcorn or the fries with blue cheese and spring onion. A perfect combination.
APOTHEKE – 9 Doyers St, Chinatown
From the outside, it looks like any other restaurant in Chinatown. Tacky. It’s called Gold Flower Restaurant, and once you see the small “Chemist’s” sign you know you’re in the right place. Another telltale sign, at the weekends, is the queue of people waiting to get in (like any of these bars, it’s always better to go mid-week). Once inside the door, you walk into… a pharmacy.
Well, a pharmacy that’s a bar. The waiters all wear white lab coats, and the menu is divided into types of medicine. We recommend visiting Apotheke on Wednesdays for their Prohibition Day with live jazz, but you need to email them beforehand to get the password. If it’s crowded you can always try La Pulqueria next door (11 Dovers St.), just head down the stairs to discover one of the city’s finest mezcal and tequila bars.
THE BLIND BARBER– 339 E 10th St (Alphabet City)
This is just like the barbershop where The Great Gatsby walked into and ended up in a club. Back in the day, barbershops like bars were those special places in the neighbourhood where neighbours met and felt sheltered. This speakeasy (they have another one in Los Angeles) has brought the two concepts together.
The entrance to the barber’s is open and active, and at the back, a door leads into an elegant bar with plush leather armchairs with a beautiful reading area. Now all you have to do is decide if you want a haircut and a shave before or after trying one of their delicious cocktails.
THE BACK ROOM – 102 Norfolk Street (Lower East Side)
If you don’t see the bouncer at the door, keep an eye out for the Lower East Side Toy Company sign and go through the metal gate, head up the stairs and push the black door to get in. On the other side, you’ll travel back in time to the last century: red velvet sofas, a fireplace, wooden furnishings and lots of people (especially during peak times) drinking cocktails in teacups and bottled beers wrapped in brown paper bags, just like during the Prohibition.
This is one of the few remaining speakeasies that was open during the Prohibition-era. Prices are more affordable than in other speakeasies (expect to pay about $6 for a beer) and keep an eye out for the waiters coming in and out through the library door.
