How to get into the 14 best speakeasies in America
Contributed by on Jan 20, 2014
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In the dark days of Prohibition, the fun was had at speakeasies, and, to a lesser extent, really early versions of Dave & Busters that still somehow had Cruis'n USA. And while at least a billion bars now try to replicate the vibe of those underground flapper-zones, only a select few are actually worthy of the title (even if they swear they don't want it). Mainly because you can't find their door without reading this story. Here are America's best speakeasies.
PDT, New York
How to get in: Dial 1 in the phone booth, wait for your call/prayer to be answered, walk in through the secret door.
The deal: Tucked away inside East Village frankfurter Frankenstein-er Crif Dogs, PDT (Please Don't Tell, an imperative that we and everyone else broke) is a low-ceilinged, wood-and-brick bar with an illuminated countertop, some leather couches, and taxidermied animals whose stuffy company is paired with some of the best-curated cocktails in Manhattan. Just make a point to call ahead when they open at 3pm to ensure you get in at all.
What you're drinking: Their bacon-infused bourbon cocktail (the Benton's Old Fashioned) is a must, as is the Paddington -- a blend of rum, Lillet Blanc, lemon & grapefruit juices, orange marmalade, and absinthe.
Room 13, Chicago
How to get in: Use the alleyway next to the Old Chicago Inn, find the red-lit gate with "RM-13" on it, tell the doorman the password of the night.
The deal: Consider yourself lucky if you can gain access to this cocktail bunker. It's only for guests of the Inn, members (who pay a yearly fee), and guests of either of those two groups, and its Prohibition theme stretches from the decor (stand-up radios, photos of street cars, a green light at the end of a dock that symbolizes your quixotic longing for Daisy Buchanan) to the cocktails, which only use booze that was available then. Also, there's a dress code, so don't wear your jeans, or Zubaz, or whatever you kids put on your legs nowadays other than trousers!
What you're drinking: Everything's from the 1920s, so go with a classic like a Manhattan or egg-white-rocking Clover Club.
Wilson & Wilson Private Detective Agency, San Francisco
How to get in: Know the password to Bourbon & Branch, know the second password to get into Wilson & Wilson, ring the bell, get verified, get ushered through B&B to W&W, forget the passwords to both.
The deal: Applying the Inception theme to drams instead of dreams, Wilson & Wilson is a speakeasy within a speakeasy, so it's basically the most exclusive bar of all time except for that episode when Moe's got fancy. The private eye theme extends to the drink menu, an old-timey-style detective dossier file with a 3-for-$30 drink flight, comprising apéritifs, mains, and digestifs.
What you're drinking: The Charlie Chan is a fan favorite, and features black tea-infused vodka, black pepper & clove tinctures, and ginger syrup.
