7 NYC speakeasy concepts where you can also get great food

Sitting on the site of famed inventor Nikola Tesla’s home and lab, Patent Pending is a coffee shop by day, chic bar by night, serving drinks inspired by Tesla’s life and inventions in a setting that’s at once cozy and inviting and cool and industrial. Though the food menu is limited, it’s hearty and sumptuous; the Korean fried chicken sandwich and deviled eggs with king crab are standouts.

Please Don’t Tell set the standard for the modern NYC speakeasy when it opened its secret door inside of a phone booth at beloved East Village hot dog joint Crif Dogs in 2007. The cocktail program has been refined over the years to become a truly stellar juxtaposition of loaded hot dogs and equally elaborate drinks. Pro tip: always go for whatever the special hot dog is – then ask the bartender what they recommend to pair.

Ok, so technically you have to head upstairs to Gallow Green in order to eat on premises at the McKittrick Hotel (not a real hotel), which is also home to the interactive show Sleep No More. But it is one hundred percent worth making time for all three stops at McKittrick. Start with dinner, then hit the bar ahead of (and after, if you still have some gas in the tank) the performance.

Hanging out for an extended period in a subway station does not usually sound like a good time, but hear us out: La Noxe is worth lingering underground for. The space, tiny and dark, and tapas menu, tasty and shareable, combine to make for a perfect date spot. The cocktails are great, and the food is its own draw – go for Jalisco’s Way (their take on guacamole, topped with feta cheese and radish) and The Galician (grilled octopus prepared Spanish-style with potatoes, olive oil and paprika).

Find one of the most elaborately staged recent additions to this genre through the doors of a make-believe key cutter and shoe repair shop. Key & Heels has a fresh and funky decor that defies the typical dark and brooding speakeasy vibe. Drinks like the Good Night Negroni (a lavender-infused take on the classic) and the Late Night Lover (a whiskey-based espresso martini) are exquisitely prepared (some are even “stamped” with the K&H logo), and pair nicely with the light food menu, including light bites like housemade focaccia and mini tacos.

One of the coolest things about modern “speakeasies” is their often unassuming entrances. In this case, the entrance is about as humble as it gets: through a freezer door inside a bodega inside a laundromat. For fans of agave spirits, this spot is a clear winner, but even if you don’t love mezcal it’s worth stopping by for the tacos and tunes, both of which are on point.

Head into Fort Greene favorite Walter’s and check in with the host, who will lead you into the back space, a dark and cozy room with a stunning curved bar at the center. The menu is izakaya-style, which means it’s designed to share with good friends and pair with excellent cocktails. Head out with a small group and order the whole red snapper and Sayoko’s karaage (Japanese fried chicken) and a round of Night Nights (cognac, vermouth, plum sake, jalapeño and mezcal) for a truly delicious and magical evening.