NYC hides amazing bars in the most unassuming of places.
From speakeasies that were actually running during the Prohibition era, to laundromat fronts and random, unmarked street doors, here are 20 hidden bars with secret entrances to discover this year:
1. Angel’s Share, East Village
Angel’s Share has a cozy atmosphere behind an unmarked wooden door inside the East Village Japanese restaurant Village Yokocho. Each drink is unique, and all are worth trying. To get in you’ll climb the stairs up to the restaurant and look for a wooden door to your left. If they’re too busy, they may even send you over to a second secret location they’ve recently opened above a sushi restaurant.
Where: 8 Stuyvesant Street
2. Attaboy, LES
Formerly known as Milk & Honey, the bar on 134 Eldridge Street has been reinvented as Attaboy since 2012. With no menu to pick a cocktail from you’ll have to tell the bartender what you’re in the mood for and trust that they’ll whip up the perfect drink for you. To get in you’ll have to ring the doorbell at the regular gray metal door you come across that simply has the letters “AB” on it.
Where: 134 Eldridge Street
3. Blind Barber, Alphabet City
This one’s a fun place if you’re looking to dance your legs off. Located through a daytime barbershop in Alphabet City, behind a sliding wooden door, you’ll find a small bar with good drinks and good music.
Where: 339 E 10th Street
4. Tomi Jazz, Turtle Bay
Find the staircase leading below 53rd Street and walk into an intimate, cozy space that’s the epitome of what a jazz bar should be. Make sure to order their Japanese-inspired bites to pair with any of their wonderful cocktails.
Where: 239 E 53rd Street
5. Lovers of Today, East Village
For more hidden staircases, locate Lovers of Today by spotting a glowing red neon heart sign tucked behind another East Village bar, Niagra. Head beneath street level and sip on mouthwatering “love potions” and enjoy both their intimate indoor and outdoor spaces.
Where: 132 E 7th Street
6. Edie’s, Kips Bay
Edie’s is the Andy Warhol-inspired speakeasy in the back of the Kips Bay restaurant called The Factory 380. The bar is named after “THE Factory Girl” and is a funky space reminiscent of old New York.
Where: 380 3rd Avenue
7. 99 Franklin, Greenpoint
Enter this charming spot after walking through their fully operating coffee shop front. There’s even a back patio where guests can roast marshmallows for s’mores—the drunk snack we never knew we needed!
Where: 99 Franklin Street, Brooklyn
8. Fig. 19, LES
Fig 19 can be found through a door at the back of an art gallery on the Lower East Side. It’s a small space that’s the complete opposite of the all-white gallery you passthrough before entering.
Where: 131 Chrystie Street
9. Chapel Bar, Flatiron
This exclusive, members-only bar is located inside a 19th century chapel. Coming from Fotografiska and NeueHouse, this awe-striking spot serves up impressive cocktails and gorgeous architecture. See here how to become a member and visit this spot.
Where: 275 Park Ave S.
10. The Little Shop, Seaport District
To get to this extravagant cocktail bar entirely decorated with eclectic antique finds you’ll have to head through an actual bodega on Front Street. Get past the sliding door and instant noodles and be amazed by the incredible interior where you can enjoy quality craft cocktails.
Where: 252 Front Street
11. Little Branch, West Village
Behind this unmarked door on a West Village corner is the small underground bar, Little Branch. It’s an intimate space that doesn’t fit many and some nights they host live jazz sessions!
Where: 20 7th Avenue
12. Mezcaleria La Milagrosa, Williamsburg
This audiophile mezcal bar can be found behind a freezer door in a Williamsburg bodega. Known for their margaritas and great music, this is the perfect spot for a low-key night.
Where: 149 Havemeyer Street
13. Patent Pending, NoMad
In the back of a coffee shop in NoMad (called Patent Coffee) you’ll find the Tesla-inspired speakeasy, Patent Pending. Cute, right? Well it gets even better because the drinks are broken down into four electric categories: energy, frequency, vibration, a descent.
Where: 49 West 27th Street
14. Sake Bar Decibel, East Village
This one isn’t exactly “hidden,” but it’s hard to find if you don’t know what you’re looking for—and it always impresses people when you show them. Located in the East Village, there’s an easy-to-miss sign with a sake image, and you’ll know if it’s open based on the lit up “On Air” sign above. The bar is completely dedicated to sake, and you don’t need a secret password to get in…but it feels like you should.
Where: 240 East 9th Street
15. Mr. Fong’s, Chinatown
You’d never suspect the magic hidden behind this modest door on the corner of Madison and Market Streets. Once inside, you’ll be greeted by a dimly-lit atmosphere with loud music and Chinese-inspired cocktails. This watering hole is one of the local’s best kept secrets and we get why!
16. Death & Company, East Village
Behind ominous, wooden doors on 6th street lies an incredible cocktail institution, Death and Company. With other locations in Denver and L.A., this humble spot is full of surprises and delicious drinks upon entry.
Where: 433 E 6th Street
17. Sunshine Laundromat, Greenpoint
Do your laundry, pay pinball games, and drink with friends all at the same time at the Sunshine Laundromat in Greenpoint. This speakeasy and arcade can be found behind a washing machine door in the back of the laundromat.
Where: 860 Manhattan Avenue
18. KBG Bar, East Village
Discover this writer’s haven on the second floor of an unassuming East Village building. The Soviet Union-themed bar is known for its cheap but powerful drinks.
Where: 85 E 4th Street
Where: 40 Market Street
19. The Back Room, LES
Being that this was actually a working speakeasy during the Prohibition, you’ll have to follow the rules of the past and remain completely silent as you walk down the alleyway from the curb to the bar. You’ll use the same hidden entrance used in the 1920’s, and sip your cocktails from tea cups. There’s also a secret room you can enter behind the bar’s bookcase…
Where: 102 Norfolk Street (LES)
20. UES., UES
UES. is a real ice cream shop on the Upper East Side, but behind their wall of ice cream is a gorgeous little speakeasy.
Where: 1707 2nd Avenue (UES)
Also published on Medium.