Are These the 5 Coolest Speakeasy Bars in the US?
Secret bars exist all over the world now, but they originated in Prohibition-era New York. Which five speakeasy bars in the USA should be on your bucket list today.
August 8, 2023
Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den, Las Vegas/Nevada
Kitty Kitty is one of the newest and probably best hidden speakeasy bars in the US. First of all, those willing to drink have to go to the southern end of the Strip. Here, inside the huge Resort World, which won't be opened until 2021, the bar awaits them - well hidden.
© Claudia Hilmbauer
If you fancy a Mezcal Meow, Pink Kitty or Mix & Matcha, you must first go in search of the Fuhu cha Chaang Teng restaurant. At the back end of the restaurant is a blue shelf. And inside of it there's a golden Maneki-neko. Once pressed against it, the door to the hidden restaurant opens. By the way, the hidden bar is - just like the restaurant- held in an Asian style.
Here Kitty Kitte Vice Den
3000 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, United States
Tel.: +1 702-676-6979
Web: rwlasvegas.com
Hell or High Water, Louisville/Kentucky
Louisville is the capital of bourbon. And if you want to dedicate yourself to studying the national drink in a particularly stylish way, the best place to go is Washington Street. From the outside, only a sign with an ''h'' indicates that you might be right as soon as you stand in front of the entrance. This guards a single employee behind an inconspicuous counter. If one has reserved in advance, one may enter. Through an inconspicuous door, you go down into the cellar. One imagines oneself in times long past, when waitresses, who look confusingly similar to Miss Moneypenny , serve drinks.
© Claudia Hilmbauer
The attentive visitor won't miss that, again and again, people come out of a closet. No wonder, since another part of the Hell or High Water is hidden behind it. Every Thursday, in addition to drinks, there are live jazz performances. Reservations are absolutely necessary! They also ask for sophisticated attire.
Hell or High Water
112 W Washington St, Louisville, KY 40202, United States
Tel: +1 502-587-3057
Web: hellorhighwaterbar.com
The Felix, San Francisco/California
Upstairs, the Bodega Bistro serves North Vietnamese delicacies such as lemongrass pork chops, spring rolls, and banh cuon, while one floor below you can enjoy the liquid creations of Matthew Ho's family. Not opening until 2023, the small bar with its 36 seats is already an insider's tip among San Francisco drinkers. Getting in, however, isn't that easy.
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First you go to the Tenderloin District. Once you've found the Bodega Bistro there, all you have to do is look for a neon cat sign, go through the gate, press the picture of a man in yellow on the left wall, go through the secret door and down the stairs. Easy, right? You'll be rewarded for your efforts with Pho Wimme or Bohemian Rhapsody.
The Felix
138 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States
Web: instagram.com/thefelixsf
Apotheke, New York City/New York
In 2008, a bar called Apotheke opened on Doyers Street in Manhattan's Chinatown. As its name suggests, it's dedicated to medically inspired cocktails. They make them from organic botanicals, herbs and various produce. And thus sets a counterpoint to the past of the address. Behind the 200-year-old door under the Gold Flower Restaurant was once an opium den.
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The concept worked, and there are several Apotheke Speakeasy bars in the U.S. now, including in Los Angeles and New York's NoMad district. The cocktails are divided into categories such as Health & Beauty, Pain Killers, Stress Relivers, Stimulants and Aphrodisiacs. A must-try is the Tainted Love. The gin drink is made with red beet, Ruby Port, lime, pomegranate branch and agave. Open daily!
Pharmacy Chinatown
9 Doyers St, New York, NY 10013, United States
Tel: +1 212-406-0400
Web: apothekemixology.com
The Office, Chicago/Illinois
True aficionados are in the right place at Office, below The Aviary. While the latter is the better known of the two outlets run by Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas, the floor below is dedicated to classically inspired cocktails and vintage spirits. The Office comes in the décor of a study room. The people who gather here know their spirits. A reservation is absolutely necessary - and rather difficult to get. You should take care of this already months in advance.
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In addition to the drinks from the constantly changing bar menu, there's also the Dealer's Choice. Completely according to the wishes and favorite ingredients of the guests, cocktails are created directly before their eyes.Antiques, such as decades-old bottles of Chartreuse or whiskey from the 1970s are also on the menu.
The Office
955 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
Web: theaviary.com
