By Josh Ringler
Speakeasies, the basic concept of hidden bars, are making a major comeback. Originally created during the Prohibition Era to hide alcoholic beverages from authorities, a speakeasy was a great locale for conversation, a date, and the only place to have alcohol at the time, making them super popular restaurants! It seems like ‘vintage’ is an obsession of the modern times and while that seems ironic, it is true. Vinyl is back on the shelves, among other vintage-esque things, with modern touches. That leaves a perfect opportunity for some smart business people to reintroduce speakeasies to our lives! Thankfully, if you’re 21 and up, you can visit these speakeasies, and you don’t even have to hide it from the cops! Taking into account all the different aspects of what makes dining at a speakeasy so unique, below is a list of some of the city’s top speakeasies, for a date night, or just a night on the town!
New York’s restaurant scene is always changing, but speakeasies are quietly moving to the top! You need to check these out.
Find a Broadway Star at this hidden bar @ Bar Centrale: After seeing a show on Broadway, don’t waste your time waiting for a celebrity sighting. Head right to 46th, between 8th Ave and 9th Ave, to the unmarked wooden doors that lead to Bar Centrale. Inside, amidst the other speakeasy-goers, you’ll find some of Broadway’s best along with great food and beverages. Make a reservation as seating is limited, but it is worth the wait!
Fall in Love, Not Overboard @ The Ship:Â If there were awards for ‘Best Modern Theme for a Speakeasy’ then the choice would be easy. The Ship submerges you into a nautical theme from the second you walk in. Walk through a hallway to a dark stairwell, scoot down the stairs, and you’re inside The Ship! Dim lighting sets the mood for a romantic date night, and for those looking for the full alcohol treatment, head towards the upper level of “the cruise” where a full bar awaits! Ahoy!
Related Link:Â Dating Advice: What Is A Man Looking For In A Woman?
Customized Alterations @ Attaboy: Stop mixing your favorite drinking at home, even it is perfectly altered to your tastes. Attaboy will alter their drinks to suit you; in fact, they even customize them just for you! Why so many alteration puns? The bar is hidden behind a sign that reads Tailors M&H Alterations, and that is how you enter this awesome speakeasy located right off Delancey St. in Lower Manhattan. Ring the bell for entry!
Smart Calories @ Apotheke: Adding a mason jar to any alcoholic beverage may have been the best type of drinking companion, that is until Apotheke came along. Located on Doyers Street, this hidden gem of a New York restaurant is full of vintage style and a scientific style. Lab-coat-wearing bartenders serve you a high-quality drink in a chemistry beaker! Yes, those things you broke in high school actually have some purpose in life. They even have a Prohibition menu!
I’m Telling @ PDT:Â Also known as Please Don’t Tell, this speakeasy is truly unique for its entrance. In the middle of a typical hot dog restaurant is a phone, and that phone serves as your entrance into this bar. Located in the East Village, PDT is very elegant looking, and could really add some scenery to a romantic date night. The dim lighting, decor, and drinks would make for a perfect first date!
Related Link:Â Weekend Date Idea: Karaoke
Kinda Like a High School Party @ Fat Cat: High school parties, from what you can remember, made a lot of use out of pool tables, ping pong tables, and they almost always involved a basement. Fat Cat does a great job of reintroducing your high school nights when you enter this bar. Located in the West Village, this bar’s atmosphere, with ping pong tables, pool tables, and more, is a great place for you to take your high school sweetheart, or any other partner. This bar will certainly make for a competitive game-date-night!
Secretly Historic @ Backroom: One cannot talk about speakeasies in the city without mentioning the truly authentic, historic Backroom. This speakeasy has been around since the actual Prohibition Era and serves alcohol like they did back then: cocktails in teacups! In order to enter, you have to get the password from their Facebook page (that’s the modern touch) and then enter through a bookcase! If you have visited all the other popular restaurants on the list, this is the one you need to go to. It is perfect for a date night, or for an unique experience you can’t get anywhere else!
Secretly pass along a speakeasy suggestion in the comments below!
