A speakeasy is a bar that hides in plain sight. The original ones were illegal, and the modern ones borrow the idea: no big sign, a door you might walk past, and a room that feels like a secret once you are inside.
Where the name comes from
From 1920 to 1933, the United States banned the making and selling of alcohol. This period is called Prohibition. New Yorkers kept drinking anyway, in back rooms, basements and behind ordinary shopfronts. The name "speakeasy" comes from the habit of speaking quietly about these places, or at the door, so neighbors and police would not hear.
Prohibition ended in December 1933, but the idea stuck. Today a speakeasy usually means a bar with a hidden or disguised entrance, craft cocktails and a low-lit, old-fashioned feel.
A few hidden bars to look for
Please Don't Tell, East Village. Walk into the Crif Dogs hot dog shop on St. Marks Place and step into the phone booth. Lift the receiver, and a door opens into the bar behind it.
Attaboy, Lower East Side. There is no sign. Look for a plain door marked "AB" and ring the bell. It has a reputation for bartenders who make a drink to fit your taste rather than hand you a menu.
Bathtub Gin, Chelsea. The entrance is through a coffee shop, and the room behind it nods to the Prohibition era.
Beauty & Essex, Lower East Side. You enter through a pawn shop, then reach a large, glamorous space behind it.
Apotheke, Chinatown. A wooden door on a quiet corner leads to an apothecary-themed cocktail bar.
Tips before you go
Many of these bars are small, so go early or reserve if the bar takes reservations. Some do not allow large groups, and some ask guests to keep their phones away. Dress a little nicer than you would for a regular bar. Be quiet at the door, as the neighbors would appreciate it, and bring ID.
Hidden bars open, close and move more often than most places, so confirm the address and hours on the bar's own page before you go. This list is a starting point, not a ranking.
