Best Speakeasies and Cocktail Lounges

By Food & Wine
April 25, 2017
From classic speakeasies like New York's PDT to The Varnish in L.A., here are the best bars for obsession-worthy cocktails.
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Pouring Ribbons, New York City

Pouring Ribbons is a project from the Alchemy Consulting team, including Joaquín Simó and Troy Sidle. Cocktails are arranged in an innovative matrix and measured by two scales: "refreshing to spirituous" and "comforting to adventurous." pouringribbons.com

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PDT, New York City

Mixologist Jim Meehan, deputy editor of Food & Wine Cocktails, obsesses over obscure classic drinks at this excellent reservations-only lounge, whose name means Please Don't Tell. The (unmarked) door is in a phone booth inside the hot dog joint Crif Dogs. pdtnyc.com

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Brick & Mortar, Boston

Located above Central Kitchen restaurant, this industrial-cool space features exposed brick, a copper bar and innovative cocktails like the Sentimental Gentleman, made with Scotch and walnut liqueur. brickandmortarbar.com

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Experimental Cocktail Club, New York City

Frenchmen Romée de Goriainoff, Olivier Bon and Pierre-Charles Cros are at the helm of this outpost of the Paris-based Experimental Cocktail Club. experimentalcocktailclubny.com

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Employees Only, New York City

This bartender-owned supper club was originally intended to be a late-night gathering spot for fellow bar and restaurant workers. employeesonlynyc.com

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Attaboy, New York City

Elite bartenders Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy are behind the bar at this little Lower East Side cocktail joint in the former Milk & Honey space. 134 Eldridge St., Manhattan; no phone.

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Dutch Kills, New York City

Modeled after an 1890s saloon, this bar co-owned by Richard Boccato serves classic cocktails made with hand-cut ice. Live jazz and ragtime bands play throughout the week. dutchkillsbar.com

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Little Branch, New York City

At this subterranean lounge owned by Milk & Honey's Sasha Petraske and cocktail expert Joseph Schwartz, the sharply dressed staff mixes drinks with ice custom-made for each glass. facebook.com

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Death & Co., New York City

Joaquín Simó and the other bartenders at this East Village destination have an encyclopedic knowledge of cocktails. deathandcompany.com

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Hop Sing Laundromat, Philadelphia

Led by an eccentric barman-proprietor known only as Lêe, this speakeasy has strict house rules: no cell phones and no photos. Concoctions include the Henry "Box" Brown, made with fresh red grape juice and aged rum. hopsinglaundromat.com

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The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., Philadelphia

Hidden in a building that fronted the largest alcohol-smuggling ring in the U.S. during Prohibition, this lounge maintains a speakeasy feel. Dapper bartenders serve spot-on classics, plus tasty new inventions like the Peckinpah (mezcal, rum, lime juice and blackberry-habanero syrup). thefranklinbar.com

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1 Tippling Place, Philadelphia

A rotating list of barrel-aged cocktails and seasonal punches anchors the menu at this cozy mid-20th-century-style parlor. 1tpl.com

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PX, Alexandria, VA

Todd Thrasher makes the cocktails at this chandelier-lit speakeasy (there's no sign outside, just a blue light). It's owned by the team behind the terrific Restaurant Eve. eamonnsdublinchipper.com

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Trick Dog, San Francisco

Inspired by the Pantone guide, Trick Dog offers a color wheel–themed cocktail menu. The white-hued Polar Bear, for instance, is made with mezcal, Dolin blanc and crème de menthe. trickdogbar.com

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Hotel Juniper, Los Angeles

The Houston brothers' (Harvard & Stone, Pour Vous) newest project has a hidden entrance, a gift shop selling candy and nostalgic items and 12 of L.A.'s most talented mixologists behind the bar. The menu is gin-and whiskey-forward. 1727 N. Hudson Ave.; 323-465-1902

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The Varnish, Los Angeles

The Varnish is accessed through a secret door at Cole’s, the destination French Dip restaurant. thevarnishbar.com

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Midnight Cowboy, Austin

Located in a former brothel behind an unmarked door, this reservations-only lounge from Alamo Drafthouse beverage director Bill Norris (P.118) focuses on tableside cocktail presentations to encourage customer interaction. midnightcowboymodeling.com

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The Violet Hour, Chicago

With chandeliers and a fireplace, this lounge is modeled after early-19th-century English clubs and French salons. Floor-to-ceiling curtains define three rooms, where guests enjoy concoctions like Baron's Brew (tea-infused gin, lemon juice, neroli-violet syrup and house-made tonic). theviolethour.com

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Scofflaw, Chicago

This speakeasy-style parlor specializes in gin cocktails; mixologist and owner Danny Shapiro, formerly of the Whistler, is at the helm. scofflawchicago.com

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Williams & Graham, Denver, CO

Guests pass through a door disguised as a bookcase to reach barman Sean Kenyon's speakeasy-style cocktail haven. Kenyon's signature drinks include the Blackberry Sage Smash: fresh blackberries, sage and Williams & Graham Select Single Barrel Knob Creek bourbon, bottled from barrels specially chosen by Kenyon. williamsandgraham.com

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Drink, Boston

Star chef Barbara Lynch’s bar dispenses with menus; mixologist John Gertsen and his team custom-make drinks like the Golden State for each guest. drinkfortpoint.com

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The Regent Cocktail Club, Miami and Miami Beach

With wood accents, cocktails served neat and a cigar-friendly patio, this retro lounge harks back to the hotel's opening in 1941. galehotel.com

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Roger Room, West Hollywood

To find this tiny, speakeasy-like bar, look for the neon tarot card signs for the fortune- telling parlor next door. Dapper bartenders make drinks like the Thug: bourbon, honey liqueur, lemon juice and habanero-infused bitters. 370 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood; 310-854-1300

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