In the 20’s, when booze was outlawed in the States, people had to go underground to get their fix. Now that liquor is legal, you’d think that hiding your establishment would be bad for business. Turns out that’s not the case in New York City.
The Origin of the Speakeasy
Traditional speakeasies were established between 1920 and 1933 during Prohibition. During this time, alcohol was illegal in the United States; but that didn’t stop bars from bootlegging the booze and selling it for massive profits. People used these hidden safehouses as places for secret meetings and rendezvous points. It was even a place where people of different color could come together and mingle.
Speakeasies were special for the fact that they were underground establishments that were only spread by word of mouth. You only knew about them if someone told you where to go. Under some circumstances you even needed a password to get in and grab a drink.
We didn’t even know that Speakeasies still existed until we arrived in the city and were recommended to them by a friend. After a bit of research, we learned that there are several of these ‘secret’ bars scattered around New York City. Some, of course, are more well known than others. Since part of the fun is discovering them on your own, we won’t spill the beans on all of them. But if you are spending any amount of time in the Big Apple, a stop at a speakeasy is highly recommended. Some of the more fantastic speakeasies include:
2nd Floor on Clinton
We decided to visit the mixologist at 2nd Floor on Clinton (67 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002). This classy establishment is hidden behind a door marked ‘private’ in the back of an unassuming restaurant. After climbing the small staircase up to the second floor, we were greeted by a small but smooth 20’s style lounge. There was a smiling waitress who greeted us at the top of the stairs and guided us to a vacant cozy couch. It’s a good thing this place is so hard to find as there are only about 15 seats in the whole speakeasy and drinks are served by seating only.
All of the drinks on the menu were custom blended cocktails that we had never heard of before. With ingredients like elderflower, mezcal, activated charcoal and apple puree, we knew our taste buds were in for a treat. What was even more surprising than the cocktail selection was the knowledge with which the selection was explained to us.
Being a whiskey fan, I opted for a drink called the Marie Laveau. The drink is an elegant combination of Basil Hayden’s Bourbon, averna, elderflower, cardamom and orange bitters. One sip took my mouth on a journey of a lifetime. The flavors started off smooth and gradually moved into the more punchy and firey flavors. This is how cocktails were meant to be made! From this moment on, I knew ordering a rum and coke would always leave something to be desired.
Casey decided to go for the Topsy-Turvy, a gin-based drink that includes Uncle Val’s Gin, Pimm’s, mezcal, grapefruit, lime, agave nectar, grapefruit bitters and sal de gusano. With just the right balance of sour to sweet, this cocktail was beautifully blended and hard to set down.
After sipping our savory specialties and chatting it up in the cozy space, we decided that we couldn’t help but indulge in one last splurge. We split the William Blake, a noble creation of Elderberry Infused Beefeater London Dry Gin, Quinquina Compass box “The Peat Monster” Blended Malt Scotch Whiskey, bay leaf and cardamom. The mix of the gin and whiskey created a flavor that could only be described as sipping a campfire.
While we only visited the one speakeasy, here are a few others that were recommended to us:
Please Don’t Tell (PDT)
113 St. Marks, New York, NY 10009
This secret space can only be entered by calling the hostess from a special telephone booth inside the hot dog shop next door. This is possibly one of the most talked about ‘secret’ bars in the city, so don’t be surprised if it gets a bit crowded.
Apotheke
9 Doyers St, New York, NY 10038
Apotheke is inspired by the apothecary in Europe and absinthe dens of 19th Century Paris. The bar is more of a chemistry lab than your traditional watering hole. Their cocktail ingredients come from local greenmarkets and their own rooftop garden.
Bathtub Gin
132 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
As the name might suggest, this bar specializes in its gin cocktails. Gin was a popular alcohol to bootleg during prohibition, though a dangerous one. Distilling the alcohol in large bathtubs was a popular practice, but done incorrectly it could lead to a poisonous concoction. Thankfully the drinks are all safe here. The only danger is that if you have one too many you may find yourself passed out in the bathtub, the bar’s centerpiece and main attraction.
Be warned these are not your typical cocktails. These drinks pack a punch, so if you plan on spending some time sipping cocktails, please don’t drive. Cabs are everywhere in New York and it’s easy enough to stand on a street corner and flag one down. If you’d like to spend your night in true 20’s fashion, you can hire a driver or limo from Blacklane. We recently used the chauffeur service in Charlotte, NC and can highly recommend the service.
I went to Bathtub Gin last summer. It was incredible!! I didn’t get in the tub though, haha!!
Colleen Brynn recently posted…Hit The Road: Dream Road Trip
Haha , that’s probably for the best :-p
I didn’t even know about the existence of speakeasies, I guess that it’s also to do with the fact that I haven’t been to NY yet. These places look all amazing and totally worth a visit (or two).
Franca recently posted…Berlin On A Budget: Our Slow Travel Guide
They are a lot of fun and super secretive. Hope you get the chance to check out NYC for yourself. It’s an amazing city :-)
I visited The Pharmacy, Orlando (http://thepharmacyorlando.com/) in Spring 2013 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Entry was via an improbable elevator door in an otherwise barren and non-descript hallway. Once inside, we were greeted by The Pharmacists who showed us around the place and told us they prepared many of their own ingredients for their soothing and restorative ‘medicinals’. The ingredients and preparation of each ‘palliative’ was thoroughly explained by the knowledgeable staff. We were also treated to dinner at The Table, a five-course, gourmet experience expertly prepared and explained with paired drinks to compliment each sumptuous course.
Sounds like a very cool experience! We were very impressed by the knowledge of our server as well. Top knotch :-)
oooh, good list!! we’d add the blind barber & the back room, too!
the lazy travelers recently posted…a perfect day in northern ireland, with @HastingsHotels
Thanks for the tip about the blind barber and the back room! :-)
How awesome! I want to go to all of them (how handy that I only live 90 minutes from New York :)
Laura recently posted…Finding Nemo at Buck Island in St. Croix
That’s so convenient! Let us know if you go check any of them out and if you enjoy yourself :-)
“This secret space can only be entered by calling the hostess from a special telephone booth inside the hot dog shop next door.” It just sounds so cool! I haven’t been to any speakeasies, but I will definitely check at least one out next time I’m in NYC.
Jennifer recently posted…Luxe Adventure Traveler of the Month: Esther Chou
It’s pretty wild! I have no idea how they come up with this stuff but it’s pretty awesome.
Can you please tell me what speakeasy Jennifer is talking about where you go to the hotdog stand to call. Is it better then Raines Law Room
How did I not know speakeasies still exists?! Well, I guess it’s not that crazy since you didn’t either… Fantastic post, I know now that I NEED to go there. Especially Bathtub speaks to me!
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Let us know if you check it out and tell us what you think :-)
Lovely article! As a former NYC dweller in the 90’s, I was surprised to hear of the return of the “speakeasy”. On a trip back to NYC in September, a friend took me to Raines Law Room speakeasy and I was blown away. It was a surreal experience. The basement level room was cozy, filled with velvet loveseats and “bookish” decor. My friend ordered some type of cocktail with mezcal, which I wouldn’t recommend, as it tasted like barbecue cough syrup to me. However, all the other cocktails we tried were simply amazing! Raines Law Room is great for people watching and a “must do” on your next trip to New York City.
Cheers!
Michele
http://itsallsmokeandmirrors.com
Michele Garris recently posted…Amazon Saves $ on my Face Products
Wow! That’s amazing that you were able to experience that first hand in the 90’s! Must admit– I’m a little jealous you had such a cool experience. ;-) Thanks so much for sharing!
A Cruising Couple recently posted…An Inside Look At The Art Of Making Mezcal—Oaxaca, Mexico