The Ultimate NYC Speakeasy Guide
NYC is nothing short of spectacular when it comes to its speakeasies. Entering via ice cream shops and exiting through subway stations—here are NYC's best kept secrets—all in the name of a good drink.
New York City’s vivacious speakeasy scene is what got me into starting Niche Eats. The novelty of it all when I first arrived in Manhattan, made me thirsty for more. And this city is nothing short of every type of secret entrance. Here is a comprehensive list of my niche favorites, depending on where you’re looking to take your evening…
The Classics, Worth Keeping a Secret:
La Noxe (Chelsea): Dare I say this is my favorite speakeasy in the city. It’s a classic—exit through the subway station—while still having an effortlessly trendy interior and moody lighting to match. It always loses points for it’s location (I’d prefer if it were lower downtown), but it’s definitely a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it spot. I literally did miss it, the first time round.
Employees Only (West Village): One of NYC’s classics and veteran to the ‘World’s Best Cocktail Bars’ list—with a Psychic reader exterior. Have the Tarot read your fortune, or get cozy in the back with a few drinks. Stay late for a special show.
Apotheke (Chinatown): Two locations but this one’s better. It’s intimate, inside an apothecary store. The theme doesn’t just stop at the facade, bartenders are dressed in vintage lab coats and create concoctions for cocktails. Behind, shelves of potion bottles of herbal liquors that double as decor.
Keys & Heels (Upper East Side): Idk why to me, the idea of a fake key and shoe repair shop is the ultimate. Not everyday do you see a key repair shop these days, but it still feels so New York. It’s classy with an exceptional spicy margarita—it’s one of my favorites in the city.
Saint Tuesday (TriBeCa): Another inconspicuous classic. Live jazz music. Underground industrial interiors. Upscale vibes. Great cocktails. Even better service.
Bathtub Gin (West Village): Go with friends and get in the tub!!! What’s more prohibition-era than a row of copper claw-foot bathtubs? It’s an age-old classic I think most people have left in 2015.
Attaboy (Lower East Side): So lowkey, it doesn’t even have a menu… You tell the bartender what you like, or gravitate towards, and they create something entirely unique and seasonal for your taste!
Where to Go If You’re Hungry (or Have a Sweet Tooth):
Bar Orai (Midtown East): One of the newer ones here. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here, although, the service was a bit slow. It’s up an unassuming staircase in an even more unassuming part of the city. Vinyl listening bar. Japanese whiskey and bar bites. Exquisite interiors. 10/10.
The Office of Mr. Moto (East Village): Disclaimer that this is a full 10-course omakase dinner. But it is a special experience, and a secret spot that plays into the theatre. You get an email with the password the day before and you enter it on a rotary phone to enter. They also send you home with an embossed menu from the evening. It’s definitely on the special-occasion celebration list.
Studio 151 (East Village): Buzz your way up to a vinyl lounge and sushi bar behind steel gates. It’s intimate bar seating with table-service handrolls—the perfect girls night, or date night.
929 (Midtown East): I wrote about this Canto-pop bar in ‘Where to Take Your Parents Out to Eat in New York City’. It’s got a unique cocktail menu and nostalgic interiors—both drool-worthy.
The Garett (West Village): Another neighborhood go-to. Above the Five Guys. Like you literally walk into the Five Guys and there’s a bouncer checking your ID at the back before you head up a narrow staircase into the two-story bar. With an view of that block in the West Village—it’s one of those pinch-me, I’m in NYC places.
Ye’s Apothecary (Lower East Side): On the smaller and intimate side, Szechuan tapas bar with interesting cocktails.
UES (Upper East Side): We all scream for ice cream!!! The door full of ice cream pints makes my inner-child child happy. They’ve also got pretzels and indulgent cocktails.
Hidden in an Art Gallery:
Frevo (Greenwich Village): Another fine-dining gem, I celebrated my 25th birthday here. It’s inside of a real, luxury art gallery and a canvas is the secret door to the restaurant. As more than just a food lover, the art is also my taste. The menu is seasonal, rotating and they’ve got a killer wine list.
Fig. 19 (Bowery): I used to live down the street from this bar and would go monthly, if not weekly. The outside looks like an art gallery, and there’s a door right at the back that opens into the bar. The DJ always plays 2000’s bangers, if you’re looking for somewhere to dance the night away…
Thanks for reading xoxo