🤫 Shhh Can you Keep a Secret? 🤫

 

New York City sure does love a good speakeasy. So we decided to see how many of them we could work into our schedule during a recent “working remotely” trip to the Big Apple. We tried one in a former massage parlor under a subway, one in the basement of the hotel where Nikola Tesla worked and invented things, lots of them behind secret doors, and some that are on the latest list of World’s Top Bars!  They all had one thing in common … fantastic cocktails! 🍸

We’ll start with some of the places we visited that are the real reason we do this. They are indeed #offthetipsypath … small businesses with stories and character. That Witch Ales You is a small brewery in Chinatown owned by a husband and wife with some great beer. Our favorite pour was a coconut porter! And two wine bars … the Immigrant and Jadis. Both of them are locally owned and feel like you are stepping into a European bistro. We highly recommend them.

Now let’s set the “Wayback Machine” for a second back to 2014, when we tried our first NYC speakeasy … Beauty & Essex. We were blown away by the concept of walking into a small pawn shop, only to find a two-story spectacle behind a backroom door, complete with winding staircase and chandeliers! Yes, this Lower East Side institution is still around and going strong through the Pandemic.

In September, we checked out one of the most popular NYC speakeasies … Please Don’t Tell. It’s behind a phone booth in a hot dog shop in the East Village. The drinks were fantastic and the vibe was dark and moody - as you might expect.

Now, for the latest marathon.

First, we’ll admit that we did some research online to gather a list of the greatest speakeasies and narrowed it down to the ones we had to hit in a 7-day period. Thanks to everyone who helped pave the way 😂

Here are the highlights.

Attaboy – This small discreet speakeasy is known for their long lines and creative cocktails. Our first attempt to get “on the list” took us three hours to get a callback, and by then we had moved on. So we arrived at opening time and were able to get some standing room at the bar, which offered us the opportunity to interact with the bartender. That’s the point here – you tell the bartender what you like and he creates something for you! Worth the wait. Another one on the top 50 World’s Best Bars.

Death & Co. – As the name implies, the theme of this East Village speakeasy is dark and brooding but the staff is friendly and drinks were excellent. Consistently on the list of World’s Best Bars for a decade.

La Noxe – Relative newcomers to the scene, but definitely one of the most creative spaces on the list. They are located in a small space basically inside a subway station. The bartender told us it used to be an illegal massage parlor. Entrance was a discreet door at street level, and the exit was on the stairway to the train.

Patent Pending – Out front, it’s a coffee shop. Behind the barista table … it’s a dark subterranean bar below the hotel where Nikola Tesla worked and created. So, it’s no surprise most of the menu has an “electricity” theme.  Excellent cocktails and vibe!

Basement – This one was just fun all around. The entrance is down some stairs and behind a vintage Coke machine along a very festive street in Chinatown. Inside, there’s more of a “carnival” atmosphere complete with beer pong tables. Only a hint of pretention and the drinks were solid!

Bathtub Gin – Take a step back to the roaring 20s here where the copper bathtub is the centerpiece of the room. We went for cabaret night and were seated next to the tub in the “splash zone.” Let’s just say we were warned ... and we got splashed. Excellent atmosphere, fabulous drinks, and phenomenal food!

Little Branch – Not entirely a “speakeasy,” but you have to know where to look for this door on the corner in the West Village that leads to an underground bar with great drinks and live jazz on most nights. We keep coming back here for good reason!

Dante – Not a speakeasy, but it was the World’s Best Bar in 2019, so it had to be on the list! The negronis are creative and legendary and the other cocktails did not disappoint!

Dead Rabbit – One of the World’s Best Bars in 2016 – it’s not a speakeasy – but it should be! It is an Irish bar institution in the financial district with some of our favorite cocktails and an extensive food menu. Worth a mention since we visit every time we’re in the city!

Granted, there are so many that we didn’t have time to visit, and we had to pick and choose a bit based on our personal taste, so you may not see some of the “best” on this list. Maybe next time!

Since we’ve been to the city enough to have done most of the tourist things like the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Broadway shows, etc. it was fun to dig deeper into some of the neighborhoods and do some “alcohol tourism.” Is that a thing? Maybe it should be! #alcoholtourism #offthetipsypath

We may have to give our livers a rest, but as always, your comments and thoughts are appreciated and welcomed! We love NYC!