11 Secret Bars in New York

New York's Prohibition days may be long behind it, but the city's still rife with clandestine bars and drinking dens. We sought out 11 of the best.

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Socialista

Soho

Stacked above Cipriani Downtown, this Cuban-inspired lounge is on the smaller side, so come early to avoid disappointment. Bestowing an intimate atmosphere, it’s the kind of place where you’re likely to brush shoulders with moguls and models over the course of an evening.

Address

376 West Broadway 2nd Floor 10012

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Employees Only

Greenwich Village

This perpetually packed West Village haunt is lauded for its Manhattan cocktail. Fronted by a fortune-teller's lair - spot the red neon psychic sign on your way in - the watering hole is best visited on Thursday nights.

Address

510 Hudson Street NY 10014

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Please Don’t Tell

East Village

The easiest way to find Please Don’t Tell is to Google map hotdog house, Crif Dogs. There you’ll find a vintage phone booth – the entrance to New York’s most-loved speakeasy. Loose lips mean that the secret’s out so best to call ahead (from 3pm) to secure your spot.

Address

113 St Marks Place 10009

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Beauty & Essex

Lower East Side

Enter this secret spot through a street-facing pawnshop, passing vintage treasures and oddities en route. Inside, four dining rooms, two bars and a lounge leave you spoiled for choice. Wherever you choose, order an "earl the pearl" (vodka, earl grey tea, lemon and mint syrup).

Address

146 Essex Street NY 10002

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Apotheke

Greenwich Village

Apotheke’s opulent antique interior feels like a Parisian absinthe den. It’s a popular fixture on Chinatown’s drinking scene, where patrons can choose from a drinks menu charading as a prescription list. Once you’ve decided on your poison/ cure place your order with the bar’s mixologists (aka “apothekers”) who are clad in pharmacist-style apparel.

Address

9 Doyers Street 10013

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Blind Barber

Lower East Side

While you might dismiss this spot as just another trendy hair salon, the well-groomed gents who go here for a trim on the regular will tell you that there’s more to Blind Barber than buzz cuts and close shaves. Head to the back for a stiff drink.

Address

339 East 10th Street 10009

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Attaboy

Lower East Side

An “AB” inscribed on the metal door is the only indicator that you’ve arrived at Attaboy, a bar fashioned as a turn-of-the-century tailor shop. Ring the doorbell at 134 Eldridge and enter low-lit surrounds. The ambiguity doesn’t end here; at Attaboy there’s no drinks menu, just let the bartender know what you’re in the mood for.

Address

134 Eldridge Street 10002

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La Esquina

Soho

This taco spot (which is also a must-try, FYI) shakes up a mean margarita at its downstairs tavern. Come thirsty (and hungry) – you’ll be tucking into some of New York’s best Mexican street food and washing it down with multiple margs. One to book ahead of time.

Address

114 Kenmare Street 10012

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The Ten Bells

Lower East Side

Easy to miss, The Ten Bells is plotted on a quiet block of Broome Street. Billed primarily as a wine bar, its tapas dishes (try the burrata with piquillo peppers and basil) are a well-matched pairing. For those who love a bargain (and can keep a secret), The Ten Bells' happy hour is from 5 to 7pm (it's got $1 oysters too).

Address

247 Broome Street, NY 10002

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Dear Irving

Chelsea

Inspired by Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, this cocktail parlour is themed but shy of tacky. Start your night in the JFK room – think 60s Mad Men-style surrounds – and end your night in the F. Scott Fitzgerald room – it’s a next-level, Great Gatsby-era homage.

Address

310 West 40th Street 10018

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The VNYL

East Village

VNYL (short for Vintage New York Lifestyle), is a four-floor, 70s-themed venue in the East Village. Fronted by a vintage record store and coffee shop, this is the place to visit for cocktails (vanilla-infused Jameson with blackberry and stout is a surprisingly popular choice), vinyls and rock ‘n’ roll.

Address

100 3rd Avenue 10013

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