I had researched speakeasies in Midtown West of Manhattan before we traveled there to celebrate our…read morefifth wedding anniversary. From our initial trip last year, I had marked a place called Bar 369 Miroku located in Hell's Kitchen. Being that we didn't make our way to the spot on our trip last year, and were staying in Hell's Kitchen this time around, I wanted us to check out. The only challenge was actually finding it. If you're seeking out this gorgeous speakeasy. You aren't going to find it through some darkened alleyway or non-marked door of a building outside. No. You need to check the website and read between the lines of it being located within a sushi bar on West 46th Street. I could tell you the name, but what fun would that be? Figure that part out. But once you figure out how to access, the staff at said-sushi bar will direct you to the back of the restaurant to wheee you will see a sign for the bar and a stairwell to take you up to the second floor. Once you reach and look around, it looks at first you have reached a dead end between the emergency exit you see and a door that looks locked. There is a black curtain in the darkened hallway you need to notice and peer through. And alas, you will discover the bar that is Bar 369 Miroku. Once you have been checked for ID, and your party number, you are escorted into the small, darkly-lit enclave with plush decor, a bit of a Rolling Stones theme with its large poster hung in the back and artwork perched next to the bar shelving. It's an intimate and relaxed energy that makes it perfect to enjoy one of the Japanese-inspired cocktails on an evening after dinner. The hideaway offers a creative mix of craft cocktail options such as the Ichitaki Spritz (a variation of the Aperol spritz with sake in it), which was quite delightful that I enjoyed immensely within the dark lounge surroundings. If we were here more often, I would have taken advantage of their Japanese whisky selection that looked on point. There is a delectable charm to their curation and craftsmanship of their cocktails, combined with the luscious ambience that makes for a great hangout spot to get away and relax for the night. Bar 369 Miroku hits the mark regarding the speakeasy experience you would think to have when describing one, outside of not needing a password. The bar combines dark, stylish elegance with modern Japanese mixology magic to create an environment nestled deep away from the busy Manhattan streets outside.

Awesome upstairs speakeasy behind an Asian restaurant…read more Went after dinner for a few cocktails. Was a last minute thing so did not have an RSVP, but luckily there was an open table. Ordered a few various drinks - all very good and balanced. A pretty intimate vibe also, which is appreciated. Would come back!

This is a fun place for both dinner and entertainment. We stopped by for dinner on a Friday night…read more The servers were really kind and attentive. We started with strawberry soju drinks. We ordered the Thai vegetable spring rolls, chicken pad see ew, and basil chicken. All the dishes were flavourful! My favourite was the basil chicken. I appreciated that the atmosphere was relaxed and it wasn't crowded.

My buddy Jimmy's favourite place to sing, he says it's like the ultimate in karaoke crazy. We shall…read moresee, Mr. Jimmy. It's a tiny cozy little bar with intimate lighting and a friendly staff. Even the management are good folks. Jimmy's family was having a party with a couple dozen peoples and everything went swimmingly. I like to enjoy a couple sody pops and grab the microphone as much as the next guy. Thank goodness they mix a potent drink in there. I'm sorry we didn't eat anything but I've heard it's pretty tasty. The two best qualities are the reasonable prices and the music volume. It was nice to converse with new friends over drinks and bad singing. 10/24

Made a reservation for a Friday night which was not hard to do. Enter through the deli and walked…read moreto the back, the bar is clearly labeled. The space is pretty big with two rooms and a bar. Two bathrooms. Service was attentive. The grilled cheese bites were my favorite part. I had the creamsicle martini which was just ok. It tasted like alcohol more than anything else. I would come back and try another drink. Sound level was average. It was definitely crowded before all of the evening shows. After 6:30pm the crowds died down. Nice spot by Carnegie Hall

Great spot! The drinks are tasty and reasonably priced, and the space is cute and spacious…read more Everyone is friendly. Would recommend!

143 Social is located in the basement of Better Days restaurant (which also looks good too!)…read more Stopped in with a reservation right at opening on a Saturday evening. The decor is stunning! There are multiple stairs leading to the speakeasy downstairs. There are accessible bathrooms down there but even just having opened - the bathrooms were not that clean. They smelled and had garbage on the floor. All staff were attentive and helpful and provided drink recommendations. The drinks err on the side of Tiki drinks mostly but there's some interesting whiskey and bourbon drinks too. We had some small apps to eat and all were good! And the portions were plentiful. We had fries and the hushpuppies. Loved the sauces that came with each. The space was not crowded for a while but started to pick up around 7:30 or so. I feel like a reservation may not be needed here. The upstairs restaurant was also so empty when we left! Not sure why as it looked nice. The noise level at 143 was not bad either even when crowds started to show up. Overall a nice option for drinks and apps in JC!

This was such a disappointing experience for us…read more Service: Only 1 waiter and 1 bar tender were working a busy Friday night.. Drinks: Took way too long to come and were good but not great. Food: Before we even ordered, the table next to us made sure to tell us the food tasted of expired oil. We ordered the Island Dip and were served a bowl of soupy beans with only 4 plantain chips to share. The beans indeed tasted like old oil and the plantains quickly ran out leaving us with nothing to eat the dip with. The vibe was lacking as a whole as the waiter was clearly stretched thin. I can only imagine the stress!

Came here on a Saturday night after dinner. Found Five Twelve on Yelp and Google. Reviews mentioned…read morethat they have good cocktails so wanted to try them out. Once you enter, there are tables and bar seating. The place is dark and has TVs to watch games and streaming DJs that play music. It's kinda loud but you can easily chat with someone without yelling. I started with the Latenight Fashion ($16) which was very good. And then I got the Stop and smell the grass ($16) which is a vodka based cocktail, solid. Overall had a good experience and would recommend if you want to hit up a lively cocktail bar. Will be back to try out the food. * Food is served here * Street parking

Another great visit to Five Twelve. Cozy & friendly little place that has never failed. Service was…read morequick & efficient offering suggestions off menu. Mine was a spicy chicken sandwich with cheese. Add to this an exceptional smoked old fashioned. Nice conversation after.

The food was good. Looks like a happening spot after a certain time. Standing roon only At that…read morepoint

We had learned that the bar hidden beneath the restaurant, Panela, had changed concepts from the…read moregeneral cocktail lounge, The Sinatra Room, to the tequila- and mezcal-focused, Perico Speakeasy. Since we were big fans of those alcohols, we decided to check it out. The walls of the space were covered in colorful murals with Latin American imagery. There were banquettes along either wall with small tables and ottomans scattered in front of them, providing separate, little areas for each group. Large playing cards were fanned across each table with Jack, Queen, King, and Ace cards each having a menu on its backside. There were bar bites, a spirits list, classic cocktails that could be reimaged with your agave spirit of choice (picture a tequila mojito), and even a custom beverages. The creative drinks were not cheap, coming in at around $20 on average, but they certainly were complex! My La Balacara featured Casamigos Mezcal, spiced pear, Luxardo, orange, ginger, chestnut honey, and a chili tincture. I thought the drink sounded outrageous, but, sadly, all I tasted was that honey, the ingredient of which I was least interested. In fact, the smokiness of the mezcal really did not play well with the chestnut honey, leaving it to taste sort of like licorice. I was not a fan. My companion's El Encanto included Casamigos Cristalino, Lillet Blanc, strawberry-lemongrass cordial, guava, and basil, which sounded herbaceous, but really just tasted like a fancy daiquiri. He enjoyed it, but I found it unimpressive. Our drinks were accompanied by a complementary bowl of spiced popcorn, which was delicious. We had come from an earlier dinner, so the snack was as much as I needed. However, the few larger food items that I saw others order all looked great. While I would go back to Perico to try some other items, I felt like I had had better, more affordable cocktails upstairs at Panela.

If you love great cocktails, this hidden speakeasy is an absolute must-visit! From entering with a…read moresecret passcode to the very last sip, the entire experience is incredible. It has easily earned a spot as one of my favorite bars of all time. The underground space flawlessly captures a raw, seedy, 1980s rock 'n' roll vibe, with eclectic decor that extends beautifully to the themed menus and custom glassware. Sitting at the bar was a highlight--the bartenders were fantastic, clearly proud of their craft, and they even humorously indulged my game of trying to guess the ingredients of each drink they mixed. The cocktail lineup is phenomenal. A few absolute highlights: the Purple Rain with its purple ice and peppercorn, the flambéed Dirty Dancing, a brilliant espresso martini riff called Flick The Bean, and Pure Temptation--which has glassware you just have to see for yourself. Don't miss this place if you're in NYC!

The Woo Woo is loud and touristy--and honestly, that kind of sums it up…read more They market it as a speakeasy, which... technically yes. You need a password (easy to find online), and you go through a hidden door down a staircase. But it feels more like a novelty than anything else. NYC has way more iconic speakeasies, so this isn't somewhere I'd go out of my way for more than once. Nothing wrong with the vibe--it's Times Square, so you already know what you're getting--but it's definitely a one-and-done kind of spot. The drinks are good and super fun, but they're very extra (smoke, presentation, all that), so between that and how packed it gets, it can take a while just to get one cocktail. Didn't try the food. Overall, go for the pics and TikToks--it's perfect for that. I'd recommend checking it out once, but I don't really see it being a repeat spot.