REVEALED: The Secret Bars Of NYC

NEW YORK, CITY — Prohibition might have been repealed more than 80 years ago, but the need to be in on a secret thrives among New York City's bar-goers.

The city's full of hidden-away, hard-to-find watering holes that need you to be in-the-know to even begin ordering drinks.

But Patch is willing to let you in.

PDT (Please Don't Tell)

Please Don't Tell's website is almost invisible. The way in? Step into a hot dog joint on the Lower East Side, find the phone booth at the back, dial 1 and wait for the keeper to come open a door.

Fittingly, its website is as minimalist as it gets. The place does take reservations, though Yelpers comment that they've had to call 60 or more times before being connected to the mysterious person on the other line.

Reviews laud the secret bar for its atmosphere, which is said to be preserved in time, and service as well as for the taxideremy heads and delicious — but pricey — drinks.

The Secret: Step into the wooden photo booth inside Crif Dogs at 113 St Marks Pl. on the Lower East Side and dial "1."

Attaboy

No street sign, no menu. It's as if this place didn't want to be found.

Attaboy, run by the same people who operated Milk & Honey on the Lower East Side until it moved to Flatiron and subsequently closed in 2013, is a small, industrial spot on the Lower East Side.

The Secret: To get in, look for a window marked with M&H Tailors and Alterations at 134 Eldridge St. and ring the buzzer.

Le Boudoir

Brooklyn Heights' Le Boudoir is modeled after Marie Antoinette's hidden chambers, with Versailles-inspired decor from gilded mirrors to tufted seating. The speakeasy's website offers a look at the interior and fare — but just a peek.

The underground space offers live music every Monday, with the first set from 8:30 to 9:15 p.m., the second from 9:30 to 10:15 p.m. and the third from 11 to 11:30 p.m.

The Secret: To get in, find the neon light and a gate opening to a set of stairs beneath Chez Moi.

Karasu

Karasu debuted just last year in a windowless back room formerly leased by a chiropractor, according to Brooklyn Magazine. Drinks are seasonally inspired and diversely flavored amid quiet jazz. According to co-owner Danny Minch, the intent behind Karasu was to "combine the earnestness of Japanese culture with the innovation of Brooklyn."

The Secret: Karasu is accessible through a brief dive into Walter's in Brooklyn's Fort Greene neighborhood, a "hipster-friendly" American eatery at 166 Deklab Ave. Pass through Walter's and find Karasu in the back.

The Last Word

The Last Word's ambiance has been described as "louche" and as one of New York City's hidden gems. The Astoria speakeasy opened last summer.

The Last Word's website doesn't tell you much, but its Instagram offers a little taste of what guests can look forward to.

The Secret: The bar is at the back of what looks like a hardware store at at 31-30 on Ditmars between 31st and 33rd Streets. Walk to the back and through a velvet curtain.

Angel's Share

Thrillist once reported that it took confidence to find Angel's Share. The speakeasy is located in the East Village serving drinks that might come smoked or with uncommon ingredients, such as white truffle. Yelpers have called Angel's Share one of their favorite bars in the city, praising the place for its cozy decor, patient staff and as "one of the most romantic speakeasies in the city."

The Secret: To get in, climb the stairs to Japanese restaurant Village Yokocho at 8 Stuyvesant St. and enter through an unmarked wooden door in the back.

Bathtub Gin

This upscale cocktail bar doesn't advertise itself as such outside. In fact, you won't even know that you've walked in the door.

Bathbub Gin is fronted by Stone Street Coffee Company, a coffee shop that looks like any other you'd find in Chelsea. But once you're in the shop, you have to go through a second door that leads to the dark, low-ceilinged bar.

Once inside, the drinks and food are top-notch.

The Secret: First head to Stone Street Coffee, on Ninth Avenue between 18th and 19th Street. Go inside, and find the door to Bathtub Gin.

Photo via Pexels