Now before I get started, what I'm about to share with you, is top secret. Well, a secret between you and I. And the internet… With a particular love for the incredibly grand New York City, it is with great pleasure that I share with you the Top 10 Secret Bars that thrive behind hidden doors, street side alley ways, and curb side phone booths.
SO, let us begin!
1) Milk and Honey
134 Eldridge Street (between Delancey and Broome Streets), New York
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| Milk and Honey, New York |
How to find it: Milk and Honey is situated on Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side of NYC. It's hidden behind a store front with a suit hanging in the left window, with a sign that says "M&H, Tailors, Alterations". You must enter though the 'beat-up' metal door next to the window.
Why go there? Milk and Honey is renowned for their sensational cocktails and is one of the three speakeasy-esque joints owned by Sasha Petraske. The other two bars are 'Little Branch' and 'Please Don't Tell' - referred to further down.
Reservations: To get in, you must make reservations on the website.
2) The Raines Law Room
48 West 17th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Aves), New York
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| The Raines Law Room, interior |
How to find it: Located on West 17th Street, find an unmarked stairwell and ring the doorbell at the bottom to be let in.
Why go there? Each table located inside the bar is equipped with a private button. Press it, and you'll get waited service, 'airplane stewardess style'.
Reservations: Tue-Sun, email; reservations@raineslawroom.com. State exact time, number of people and a contact number.
3) Please Don't Tell (PDT)
113 St. Marks Place (between 1st Ave and Avenue A)
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| Please Don't Tell, New York |
How to find it: PDT is quite possibly the bar I'm most excited about. In order to find it, you must walk down a set of stairs into the 'Crif Dogs' restaurant on St. Marks Place. Once you're there, find the old fashioned phone booth, step inside, pick up the phone and press the buzzer once. A voice will answer and after approval, the wall of the booth will open up to let you into a small room with a bar in the centre.
Why go there? Please Don't Tell is a fantastic place to go for a few delicious cocktails. If hungry, you can order food from Crif's kitchen and it will be passed through a secret wall. How incredibly awesome.
Reservations: Call (212) 614-0386 at 3pm. Call later, you'll miss out, call before, they won't be open.
4) Employees Only
510 Hudson Street (between Christopher and West 10th Street)
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| Employees Only, New York |
How to find it: Walk down Hudson Street and look for a neon sign advertising a psychic. Then look for the Live Tarot Card Reader. Sometimes, there's a bounce outside the entrance when busy.
Why go there? Employees Only does not only specialise in cocktails, but is renowned for it's brilliant food, AND the Live Tarot Card Reader at the door, actually does do live readings for guests.
Reservations: No reservations are necessary, but to ensure a seat at the bar, get there early.
5) Est. 1986
43 West 32nd Street (between 5th Ave and Broadway)
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| Est. 1986 |
Why go there? Hidden in a 'drab' hotel, the bar serves a good selection of wine and strongly mixed cocktails. It gets quite busy during Happy Hour, but after 7pm it is a great little place for a quiet cocktail.
Reservations: Make sure you call (212) 563-1500 to make a reservation.
6) Bathtub Gin
132 9th Ave (between 18th St & 19th St)
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| Bathtub Gin, New York |
How to find it: If you go to the back of the Stone Street Coffee Company on 9th Ave, Chelsea, the newest of New York's speakeasies is behind situated behind a 'hidden wall'. The wall is marked by a red light and needs a simple push backward in order to enter the bar.
Why go there? The decor is in the style of the 1920's and features a claw-foot bathtub in the centre of the joint. Bathtub Gin serve elaborate cocktails, fairly decent in price. And if you're lucky, you might get to sit in the tub for a drunken photo or two…
Reservations: For reservations, head to the website.
How to find it: White Noise is locate in the 'Old Uncle Ming's Space' - accessible via an unmarked doorway on Avenue B. To enter the bar, you must find and go up the flight of stairs until you enter into a big bar and metal themed lounge, complete with black chandeliers, black curtains and stripper poles.
8) Angel's Share
9) Death & Co.
433 East 6th Street (between First Avenue & Avenue A), East Village
Reservations: For reservations, head to the website.
7) White Noise
225 Avenue B (between 13th Street and 14th Street), Manhattan
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| White Noise, exterior |
Why go there? Well, apparently this is the 'Hipster Hotspot', and comes with loud rock music, strobe lights, a 'weirdo room' and of course a bar.
Reservations: For reservations, hit up the website.
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| Angel's Share |
8) Angel's Share
8 Stuyvesant Street, Manhattan
How to find it: Go to the aforementioned address, then go upstairs to the second floor. Go through the Japanese Restaurant to an unmarked doors.
Why go there? Cocktails from Angel's Share are very highly regarded. It is a small venue, however all cocktails are created with much precision and care and served in chilled glasses. This is not an exclusive cocktail venue, wine and whiskey is also available as well as dim sums and delicious Japanese snacks.
Reservations: Call (212) 777-5415
9) Death & Co.
433 East 6th Street (between First Avenue & Avenue A), East Village
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| Death & Co. |
How to find it: Death & Co. isn't hidden by a secret door or phone booth, it is actually in plain sight, however, the wooden door (with no markings apart from the small print 'Death & Co.') is quite easy to miss.
Why go there? Each drink is made to perfection - stirred 40 times and taste-tested by the bartender.
Reservations: Leave your number with the doorman, and they will call when a table becomes free.
10) Little Branch
22 Seventh Avenue South (at Leroy Street)
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| Little Branch entrance |
How to find it: Little Branch is located on the corner of Seventh Ave and Leroy Street. It is hidden behind a brown rusted door, with no signs or writing, however, there is generally a bouncer outside. Once through the door, you'll go down a long stairway into the bar itself.
Why go there? This is the third of Sasha Petraske's nightlife joints, and like the others, the concoctions are brilliant. If you tell the bartenders what mood you're in, they'll create a drink perfectly suiting.
Reservations: No reservation necessary.
So that concludes my Top 10 Secret Bars in New York City, however i'll leave you with a few more names to google, if you like.
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| Hidden Bars in New York City |
- Apothéke
- B Flat
- Bar Centrale
- Bleecker Heights Tavern
- Cabin Down Below
- Fig 19
- Gotham City Lounge
- Kings County
- Larry Lawrence
- Madam Geneva
- No Name Bar
- Secret Lounge
- The Black Room
- 124 Old Rabbit Club
- 2nd Floor on Clinton
SO, let's get drinking?
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