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    Basement

    4.1 (190 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 4:00 am (Next day)

    Basement Photos

    BASEMENT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Basement

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    Reviews With Photos

    Mezcal drink called smoke and mirrors so good, complimentary popcorn
    Zulay A.

    I visited Basement in Chinatown with friends who were visiting from Texas. We had already stopped at Chinese Tuxedo and Apothéke, and they wanted to end the night with a speakeasy surprise. They found Basement and it ended up being a really fun pick. The atmosphere is lively and laid-back. There were tables available, the music was a good mix across genres, and the overall vibe felt social and easygoing. They have games like darts and beer pong, which makes it a great spot to actually hang out instead of just stand with a drink in your hand. Our waitress was super cool and attentive. The drinks were well crafted and enjoyable, and it felt like one of those places where you could stay for an hour or end up staying way longer without realizing. Basement is a solid go-to if you are bar hopping in Chinatown and want a spot that is casual, fun and not too serious. Definitely worth checking out, especially with a group.

    Phil B.

    Pure luck finding this cool speakeasy bar. No kidding, just walking down the street and saw the sign and then a vintage coke machine that had to be the secret passage to this dope bar/lounge. It's spacious and with very cool vibes. The bartenders were cool and can whip up your faves. Came here on a weeknight after dinner and it was pretty empty which was awesome since it felt like we had it all to ourselves but imagine this place gets busy on the weekends. Really enjoyed this place.

    Aya R.

    My order: Diet Coke The Review: A Diet Coke for $5 wtf! Okay now that I got that out of my system, basement is a cool speakeasy vibe serving steaming hot Asian dishes. My friend loved her shrimp. It had a peanut sauce that smelled amazing. There were no gluten free options, so I just had an expensive and very small Diet Coke. I'd recommend going for a casual bite and hang in a dimly lit environment.

    Front door
    Erin H.

    We stumbled upon this bar after eating dinner in China Town. What a great little speakeasy. The cocktails were great, the bartender was friendly, and we were given free kettle corn! There were games to play too, we just didn't partake. So fun!

    Jungwon K.

    Oof, I had a pretty bad allergic reaction from the smoke and mirrors cocktail. Not necessarily the bar's fault since I don't really know what I was allergic to, but probably won't be back. The interior is cute! Not sure what the target audience is though. When we were there, there were only 3 other parties and one was a bunch of business men in a meeting, one was a young group, and one seemed like a rowdy bachelor party playing beer pong. I like the concept, but something missed the mark.

    margarita
    Alana L.

    Very vibey and cute speakeasy in Chinatown. The music was a bit loud too loud to have a conversation. There is free popcorn (Boom Chicka Pop kettle corn flavor) which is fun. The decorations are cute & there are some games scattered throughout. There is shuffle board (or cup pong) and darts that I saw. Always nice where there is entertainment other than talking and drinking. My only complaint regarding the staff was the waitress was being pushy when I said I was not drinking and did not want water. Everyone else at the table had drinks and If i said twice I was not ordering something, please stop asking. I was only going to be there for a few.

    Anthony P.

    The drinks were just okay, but I would come here for the vibe and the reprieve that this place offers from the sometimes hectic Chinatown streets. If you're planning a food crawl, this place is perfect as a pit stop if you need to grab a drink or two, use the restroom etc in a cool speakeasy space. Or even if you want to end up here after dinner in the area. It's a nice loungey space, with cool tables and dim lighting. The space is located downstairs and behind a coke fridge, which is a fun vibe. The drinks were standard - nothing to write home about, but they meet a need that the neighborhood desperately benefits from - a fun speakeasy watering hole for people to enjoy in the heart of Chinatown. I do wish this place success, and would give them another shot.

    Jillian B.

    Stopped by early on a Saturday, and it was empty. The bartender told us to take a seat and she would come by and take our order - I got a coffee cocktail (Java Ink, $16) while my partner ordered a beer. The complimentary popcorn was good (it was kettle corn!) and is always a fun touch. I'm sure it can get crowded, but it was the perfect first spot to grab a drink before our dinner reservation.

    Chinatown Old Fashioned.
    Cindy Z.

    This little speakeasy bar in Chinatown is located in the basement through a vending machine door. If you didn't know about it, you'd walk right by without noticing. Once inside, the space had plenty of seating with beer pong tables. Since it was still early, it wasn't busy at all when we arrived. I got the HK Milk Punch ($16) while the boyfriend had the Chinatown Old Fashioned ($25). I also love that they offer FREE popcorn. And this isn't just regular butter popcorn, but a bit of a caramel-glazed popcorn. This is perfect with the drinks. While I didn't think the HK Milk Punch didn't really taste like a milk tea (if that's what they're going for), it was still refreshing and good. The Old Fashioned was strong too albeit quite pricey. The little popcorn that came with the cocktail was adorable, but a little pointless when you get complimentary popcorn anyways. Good, chill spot to hang out with some Asian-inspired cocktails. Seriously love the free popcorn here too. It was a hot day, so the AC was also blasting here and felt amazing. Great bar to hang out at while in Chinatown area.

    Mike K.

    Excellent drinks. Fun vibe. Games. Friendly bartenders. Oh and a secret entrance! What more could you ask for? Came here with the spouse and it was a big hit. First you have to find the place, and I'll leave that for somewhere else. IYKYK. You walk in off the street and piw you're in a cool speakeasy. Comfortable seats. Great music (80s/90s new wave the night I went.) The drinks were superb. Get the ones with Mezcal! Or not. They were all good. Have fun with the games, we played their version of sorry. The food was unique as well. Just the sauce for the fries was having us guessing what was in it.

    Atmosphere
    Mia H.

    I came here for a mixer event one day and loved the space! Hidden behind a coca cola machine, this speakeasy is a nice gem in Chinatown. The space is lively, has multiple areas where you can chill or play games with friends and a live DJ. The drinks here are pretty good, and I would love to come back again.

    Mary A.

    Not sure of the address but the food was great! I absolutely loved the mapo tofu, the beef chow fun was sooooo flavorful, definitely top tier, the fried rice was great, and the dumplings in hot oil had an incredible texture but too much vinegar for me.. the bartender was a little rude but my friend is not from around here so she took his hand wave as inappropriate or something? Idk.

    Shanghai Mule
    Gloria Z.

    Super cute underground speakeasy behind a coca cola machine. It has a lot of asian inspired cocktails and the one I had was very good! There's also small party games like darts and pong. I went on a Tuesday at 8PM so there weren't too many people but it seems like a nice place to chat and hang out with your friends. Would love to come back on the weekend.

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    Pretty fun bar to get some soju and chill before heading out. Not a bad pregame spot. It's hella Asian but expected of the area.

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    2 years ago

    Nice neighborhood bar/speakeasy-- bartenders are entertaining and the drinks are reasonable.

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    1 year ago

    Fun spot. Service was inattentive. Good cocktails. Music played was wide ranging and enjoyable.

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    Page 2 of 5

    Ask the Community - Basement

    What time/ day is happy hour?

    No happy hour

    Can an 19yr old enter? With an adult

    Nope

    Is there a coat check?

    No there isn't. Make sure you leave your stuff close. My friend got his bag stolen

    Do they have a happy hour?

    Doesn't seem like it. More just a set menu of cocktails.

    Are they open on Sunday/Monday?

    Open 7 days a week

    What time do they open?

    5pm.

    What is their phone number?

    (929)777-1388

    View All 8 Questions

    Review Highlights - Basement

    Located centrally in Chinatown, this speakeasy has plenty of parking at night, which is definitely a plus for NYC.

    Mentioned in 45 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Rake Wine Bar

    Rake Wine Bar

    4.8
    (29 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    Wow East Village! You have yourself a gem with Rake Wine Bar! We were waiting for our dinner…read morereservations and decided to stop in here for a pre-dinner drink and bite. I am SO glad we did. The vibe drew us in, they had great music bumpin from the outside, it looked lively and welcoming. Let me tell you- I would have skipped dinner and just stayed here all evening if it was my choice! But alas, my husband wanted a bit more to eat. But let me tell you- their knowledge of wine is PRISTINE! I can't tell you what white wine we had but they captured our tastes perfectly. We also shared a bruschetta and it was deliciouso! I love how friendly the staff was here and how unpretentious it all was. Next time we are in NYC- we will definitely make a point to come visit Rake!

    My partner and I were looking for a great double date spot, so we decided to give Rake a try due to…read moreits relaxing vibe and multitude of bites we could share. First I'll start with the wine - we ended up trying all three happy hour wines (HH until 7), which the tables favorites were the white and we ended up getting a bottle to split once HH ended (but I really enjoyed the other vino verde option). It was incredibly refreshing and paired well with the many tinned fish options. As you'd expect - it's a pretty massive selection and there is bound to be a varietal and glass for any palate. It's also attached to a wine store - so it's fine to see all the bottles when peaking over. Food-wise - this is where it was hit or miss, they have a pretty extensive menu (with a whole tinned fish section!) and we ended up ordering the buratta on focaccia (buratta was excellent, focaccia was too dense for my tastes), mushroom truffle crostini (way too salty), the flatbread with sliced kielbasa (was fine), halloume (table favorite ), tinned sardines in lemon oil (delicious), tinned smoked trout (my favorite). Overall the four of us were very full at the end of the meal! The space itself felt very relaxing and rustic, and definitely got busier as the night went on (we got there at 6:50 and left around 9). The service was also fast and attentive - even for the amount of tables they were serving. Overall - I'd definitely go back again, and maybe just focus on the wine and another tinned fish selection!

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    Rake Wine Bar
    Rake Wine Bar
    Menu

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    Menu
    Sunn’s

    Sunn’s

    4.1
    (45 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    yeah boiiii…read more phenomenal. perfection. snagged a res for the ladys birthday and was so so so excited to finally be at Sunn's. went into thinking it was traditional korean, but was actually really fusioned with french/new american flavors, but never forgot its korean roots. everything was divine, and the service was exceptional. sat at chefs table; man that tiny ass kitchen is a miracle. was really suprised with the soondabo. feel like i've ever only had one flavor profile, but chef sunn was telling me how she was inspired by pozole as a rift on the dish. i have had a lot better banchan before thoooo thanks for having us and making the night so special! excited to come back

    Restaurant is small and best to make a reservation. Was greeted and seated quickly…read more Menu is small but there is an extensive wine list. I ordered the banchan and all of the main dishes. Food came consistently quickly. Banchan was kimchi, spicy cucumbers, egg, tofu, and potato salad. Also ordered 2 of the specials which was the squid and the beef jerky. Standout was definitely the squid since it packed so much flavor. For the mains, the standout was the ssam which was a beef brisket. The flavors went well with the sauce and garlic and jalapeño they give on the side. The dumpligs didnt really have a lot of taste. Liked the ttekboki concept as it reminded me an Italian dish. May go back to other seasonal dishes.

    Photos
    Vibes + wine bottle + cute water dispenser
    Vibes + wine bottle + cute water dispenser
    Cozy sitting corner by the window
    Cozy sitting corner by the window
    The counter by the kitchen

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    The counter by the kitchen
    Cork

    Cork

    4.3
    (42 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    They have quite a robust wine list! Nice atmosphere. I didn't love the patio seating options (very…read moremuch on the sidewalk), but it was much more comfortable sitting inside at the bar. The wine was great and we had an attentive server who was able to help guide us through the wine choices. Would return!

    Olivia H. is clearly a paid reviewer because my experience here a few days ago felt like a literal…read moresitcom. First off, the front door is mounted on flimsy plastic hinges, so every time someone opens it, it swings open violently and knocks the vase off the nearby table. The service was somehow even worse. When I was there on Tuesday, May 19th from 8-10 PM, there was exactly ONE bartender working the entire place -- both inside and outside -- and she was unbelievably inattentive. My date and I sat at the bar for TWENTY MINUTES before she even acknowledged us or asked if we wanted drinks. I literally had to call out "Excuse me" just to order a $25 quarter-filled glass of wine. Embarrassing all around. And when we were ready to leave and wanted the check, the female bartender working on Tuesday May 19th from 8-10 PM was busy standing in the corner chatting with someone instead of helping customers. I haven't seen someone move this slowly or care this little since the DMV. TO MANAGEMENT - this was absolutely horrible, embarrassing, and unprofessional service. Clean up your act, and hire a second or even a third bartender.

    Photos
    Perfect match!
    Perfect match!
    Cork
    Cork

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    Basement - wine_bars - Updated June 2026

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