In New York City, there are countless ways to enjoy a night out, from poolside rooftop cocktails to music-focused listening rooms. Beyond drinks at your local dive bar or dancing at a nightclub, the city’s expansive nightlife makes bar-going into something experiential. One way to transform an ordinary evening into something unforgettable is to explore one of New York’s many speakeasy-style cocktail bars.
Even though we’re a century past the Prohibition era, many modern establishments draw from those 1920s speakeasies for inspiration. These modern watering holes, however, aren’t illegal taverns—instead, they use hidden doors and secrecy to heighten intrigue. After all, what’s more exciting than an exclusive bar hidden in a subway stop or a telephone booth?
The city’s best speakeasies make secrecy feel stylish. These bars typically have nondescript entrances without embellishments, making their lavish interiors, delightful drinks and premier hospitality all the more impressive once patrons get past the first door.
From basement bars with live jazz music to intimate venues with customized drinks, consider these undercover hotspots for your next night out, whether for an after-work cocktail with friends or a cozy date night. These are the best speakeasy-style bars in New York City.
The Best Speakeasies in NYC
The Back Room
102 Norfolk St, New York, NY 10002
One of the few remaining speakeasies that actually operated during the Prohibition era, The Back Room is a holdover of vintage charm on the Lower East Side. The entrance is fittingly hard to find, located in an alley off of Norfolk Street and then down a flight of stairs. It’s the same entrance that customers would’ve used a century ago, making a visit to The Back Room the closest one can get to an authentic speakeasy in the city. Vintage decor and a roaring fireplace surrounded by upholstered seating makes the space seem like it was preserved in time. The cocktails are served in teacups, a tactic used in the Prohibition Era to consume drinks inconspicuously.
The Back Room.
Troy Hahn.
Please Don’t Tell (PDT)
113 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009
Please Don’t Tell (PDT) is one of the more unique speakeasy concepts in the city, at least when it comes to actually accessing the bar. First, head into the Crif Dogs on St. Mark’s Place; you’ll find a retro phone booth in the corner of the hot dog shop. A “secret” door leads into the actual speakeasy-style cocktail bar on the other side of the wall. The small, dimly lit bar is outfitted with exposed brick and large leather booths lining the walls. Their dishes draw from the hot dog shop, offering elevated versions of casual bites like tater tots with chorizo gravy and Crif Dogs with unexpected toppings like lemongrass chili or kimchi.
La Noxe
315 7th Ave, New York, NY 10001
Entrance at 162 W 28th St
This fun take on a speakeasy is hidden within the 1 Train’s 28th Street subway station. With 1970s-era decor like velvet-textured furniture, animal print accents and colorful lighting, Chelsea’s La Noxe has a cool, unique ambiance. The craft cocktails have intriguing components, with their most recent menu featuring ingredients like bell pepper, beet and spiced pear liqueur. For a more familiar set of flavors, one of their current house cocktails, Heart of Glass, offers a mix of reposado tequila, caramel, gomme and corazon bitters.
La Noxe.
La Noxe.
Patent Pending
49 W 27th St, New York, NY 10001
By day, Patent Coffee serves up coffee and pastries in a charming NoMad shop. Once the coffee shop closes and the clock strikes 5 p.m., Patent Pending comes to life. The bar is behind a hidden door in the back of the shop, with teal-colored booth seating and original brick arches. Located in the Radio Wave Building, once the home of inventor Nikola Tesla, many of the menu items pay homage to the building’s past. With cocktails like Wonder of Physics and Eclectic Messiah on their winter menu, this speakeasy serves up an electric experience.
Patent Pending.
Patent Pending.
Wildcard Bar
238 E 53rd St 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022
Nestled on the second floor of a townhouse, the Japanese-inspired Wildcard Bar provides a respite from the busy streets of Midtown East. The bar has a cozy atmosphere, with plush couches reminiscent of an upscale living room. They offer a selection of sake, Japanese whiskeys and a seasonal menu of craft cocktails made with small-batch spirits. The Japanese-inspired menu makes this place especially unique, with drinks like the Matcha Kappa and bites like the shredded squid with chili mayo.
The Little Shop
252 Front St, New York, NY 10038
Located behind a sliding door in the back of a bodega in the South Street Seaport, The Little Shop is a combination of a convenience store and a speakeasy-inspired bar. Patrons can select snacks from the store and have them plated (for an extra fee) to eat in the bar alongside a cocktail. The hidden bar’s interior features floral-patterned walls and colorful barstools, and the cocktails are similarly quirky, with drinks like the mezcal and carrot-based Carrot cocktail, or the rum, matcha and banana liqueur Green Banana beverage.
The Little Shop.
The Little Shop.
Apotheke NoMad
9 W 26th St, New York, NY 10010
Apotheke’s NoMad location is an unapologetically luxurious speakeasy experience. The bar’s bi-level floorplan is unique: the speakeasy is underground, while a private elevator takes guests to the penthouse and rooftop terrace. The cocktail lounge offers live music, cocktails with house-made ingredients and locally sourced dishes to share. Apothecary-inspired cocktails include the After Today, which contains gin, bartlett pear, bergamot and their house-made Immunity Bitters, among other botanical ingredients. Though they have two locations in NYC’s Chinatown and Los Angeles, Apotheke NoMad is particularly appealing for design lovers. Their custom stained glass windows, barnwood flooring with vintage tile and the interior-lit, glowing marble bar are some of the many stunning design elements that have garnered this spot accolades such as a SBID Award and a Loop Design Award.
Apotheke NoMad.
Art Gray.
Bathtub Gin
132 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
From the hidden entry in Stone Street Coffee to the opulent decor inside, Bathtub Gin wholeheartedly embraces the speakeasy vibe. One of the bar’s main draws is its live programming, including entertainment from burlesque to music shows. The spirited, energetic atmosphere only grows as the live shows end and the DJ takes over. True to its moniker, many of the 1920s-style speakeasy’s cocktails are gin-focused. There are non-gin drinks as well, though, including the Silver Screen Martini, with a quirky array of flavors composed of vodka, dry vermouth, coconut oil, popcorn and salt.
Bathtub Gin.
Bathtub Gin.
Attaboy
134 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002
This small bar has made giant waves, including earning the top spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars in North America in 2022. Opened in the former location of famed cocktail bar Milk & Honey on the Lower East Side, mixologists Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy have made this space into a cocktail world landmark. In addition to creating a successful speakeasy, they invented several notable drinks at this spot, such as the Penicillin and the Paper Plane. There’s no fixed menu; the bar’s mixologists will help you select a cocktail based on your specific flavor and spirits preferences.
Attaboy.
Daniel Krieger Photography.
Thyme Bar
20 W 23rd St Cellar, New York, NY 10010
Located in the cellar underneath a prewar building in Flatiron, Thyme Bar is an underground hideaway that prides itself on presentation. The speakeasy-inspired spot dishes up unique drinks like cocktails served in oyster shells and champagne served with a cotton candy cloud. Cocktail menus center around a theme; 2025’s is “Identity,” featuring core cocktails such as the rum-based Iris Scan and a Tiki-style white Russian drink called Access Granted.
Thyme Bar.
Thyme Bar
Employees Only
510 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
Employees Only is an award-winning cocktail bar that has been around since 2004. Located behind a tarot reader’s shop in the West Village, the bar’s dark wood walls and Art Deco-inspired lighting fixtures create a welcoming and warm atmosphere. The impeccable service, high-quality drinks and decadent food have made the bar consistently busy, even 20 years later. Popular dishes include the steak tartare and bone marrow poppers.
Employees Only.
Employees Only.
Ask for Janice
640 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Located behind Upside Pizza in Greenpoint, Ask for Janice draws from NYC-centric influences like Italian-American cuisine and ‘90s hip-hop to curate its uniquely New York atmosphere. The bar is a collaboration from Upside Pizza and the vinyl bar Eavesdrop, resulting in an experience that is both a speakeasy and listening bar. The music, played from audio cassettes, adds to its cool factor, but the rotating selection of quirky cocktails and its pizza-inspired menu help to make this spot one in a million.
Ask for Janice.
Ask for Janice.
The Hidden Pearl
621 Manhattan Ave Brooklyn, NY 11222
Situated in the back of Japanese restaurant Wanpaku, The Hidden Pearl is a tiny Greenpoint cocktail bar with just a few tables and bar seats. The intimate atmosphere makes it a good choice for a cozy, low-key date night with cocktails and small plates. Their menu draws from tropical Japan, taking inspiration from Okinawa. The cocktail list boasts fun drinks with unique flavor profiles, including elements like sesame-infused Japanese whisky, roasted chestnuts, lotus root and more.
Angel’s Share
45 Grove St, New York, NY 10014
Originally on Stuyvesant Street in the East Village, this cocktail bar has found a new home in the West Village. Though the location has changed, Angel’s Share maintains its cozy atmosphere, and to retain some of the old spot’s charm, the owners even brought the iconic cherub mural to the new location. With several unique Japanese-inspired cocktails and a spot on the 2024 North America’s 50 Best Bars list, this bar makes for a special visit.
Angel’s Share.
KEIICHIRO NAKAJIMA.
The Garret
296 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014
Filled with plants, skylights and a gallery wall, this charming cocktail bar’s interior more than makes up for the not-so-glamorous entrance of a stairwell in the back of the Five Guys in the West Village. Many of the libations’ titles reference pop culture, such as the whiskey and Aperol-based It’s Always Sunnier In The West Village and the tequila-based Bruce Banner In The Barrio.
Sincerely, Ophelia
221 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
Tucked behind the Tex-Mex restaurant Wayne and Sons in the East Village, Sincerely, Ophelia blends the old-world intrigue of a speakeasy with a modern, dancey ambiance. Instead of the usual speakeasy-inspired decor, this bar is fitted with black lights, neon signs and a more modern vibe. Drinks range from classic to crafty, with some of their signature cocktails including ingredients such as basil, banana and jalapeño.
Little Branch
20 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014
Little Branch is a popular West Village spot with intimate seating and inventive cocktails. In addition to their craft cocktails, the menu offers the Bartender’s Choice, where patrons can leave their drink order up to the bartender. There is often a wait to be seated, but the live jazz band and the cozy ambiance is worth it.
