Speakeasies

1. PDTEast Village

   The doorStep into the vintage phone booth inside Crif Dogs on St. Mark's Place and pick up.

   You walk into a hot dog shop, climb into a phone booth and wait for someone to answer. It sounds like a gimmick. It is not. The drinks are serious, the room is small. Order the hot dog anyway.

   Known for Cocktails behind a phone booth in a hot dog joint. hauteliving.com

2. AttaboyLower East Side

   The doorAn unmarked door on Eldridge Street. No sign, no menu, walk-ins from 5 p.m.

   No sign, no menu, no lecture. You say gin, maybe something bitter, and a person who has made ten thousand drinks makes you exactly one. It is the most honest transaction on the Lower East Side.

   Known for No menu. Tell the bartender what you like and trust them. hauteliving.com

3. The Back RoomLower East Side

   The doorThrough the Lower East Side Toy Company gate at 102 Norfolk, down the alley, across the courtyard.

   This place poured during Prohibition and never quite stopped. You walk through a fake toy company gate, past bins and brick, to a doorman. Cocktails arrive in teacups, beer in paper bags. Old habits, kept out of respect.

   Known for A real Prohibition survivor. Drinks still come in teacups. hauteliving.com

4. Employees OnlyWest VillageSpeakeasy-style

   The doorLook for the psychic's sign in the window on Hudson Street, then go in.

   The psychic out front could tell you how this ends, but you already know. A packed room, bartenders who move like they mean it, and one more round that nobody regrets in the morning. Mostly.

   Known for A fortune teller's sign out front, hard-working bartenders and late nights behind it. hauteliving.com

5. Little BranchWest VillageSpeakeasy-style

   The doorNo sign. A small door on Seventh Avenue South and a staircase down to the basement.

   No website, no reservations, no sign. Down the stairs is a low basement where bartenders have been making correct drinks for twenty years. Nobody performs. They just stir, shake and pour. Sit at the bar if you can.

   Known for Joe McGuirk's subterranean room, 1920s technique since 2005. hauteliving.com

6. Bathtub GinChelsea

   The doorWalk into Stone Street Coffee Company on Ninth Avenue and keep going past the espresso counter.

   Order a coffee or don't, the barista will not take it personally. Behind the counter is brick, candlelight and an actual brass bathtub, which is a little silly. The gin drinks are good, the crowd is loud. Fine by us.

   Known for A brass bathtub in the middle of the room. Live entertainment. hauteliving.com

7. Keys & HeelsUpper East Side

   The doorThrough what looks like a key-cutting and shoe-repair shop.

   Uptown hides its bar behind the most sensible business in New York, a place that fixes your heels and copies your keys. Past it, the room is chic and the drinks are clever without showing off. Wear decent shoes.

   Known for Inventive cocktails behind a shoe-repair front. Dress sharp. hauteliving.com

1. Bogie's PlaceDowntown Crossing

   The doorThrough JM Curley's burger bar, past an Adults Only sign and a blackout curtain. Reservations only.

   First you walk through a burger joint and feel slightly lost. Then the curtain parts on twenty seats and low light. Order the Ward 8. It was invented in this town. Respect the elders.

   Known for Twenty seats, a Boston Sidecar and a proper Ward 8. virginatlantic.com

2. Yvonne'sDowntown Crossing

   The doorThrough a faux hair salon at the front.

   You come in through a beauty parlor that will not be doing your hair. Past it, the room is loud and full of people who planned their outfits. Go anyway. The bartenders are working hard, and it shows.

   Known for A big, dressed-up bar and restaurant behind a fake salon. bostonmagazine.com

3. Extra Dirty Cocktail ClubNorth End

   The doorInto the Red Fox in a plain office building at 326B Commercial, downstairs, then behind a heavy curtain.

   This is the North End, so of course the cocktails taste like dinner. Gin with grape and a cloud of Parmesan foam. It sounds like a dare. It works. Through the bar, behind the curtain, and you are family now.

   Known for Pasta-inspired cocktails, Parm foam included. Martinis on tasseled seats. bostonmagazine.com

4. HecateBack Bay

   The doorA discreet door down an alley. Easy to miss, which is the point.

   Dark corners and witchy drinks. It flirts with being a theme bar and mostly gets away with it, because the cocktails are better than they need to be. Bring someone you want to whisper to.

   Known for Witchy cocktails in a dark, otherworldly room. bostonmagazine.com

5. The Wig ShopDowntown CrossingSpeakeasy-style

   The doorThe front window still looks like a wig shop, mannequin heads and all. Go in anyway.

   The mannequins in the window are still on duty, guarding a bar that used to sell hair. Inside it is warm and easy. Order the coffee cocktail, then switch to something calmer. The bartenders will tell you the same thing.

   Known for A coffee cocktail strong enough that they only let you have one. bostonmagazine.com

6. BackbarUnion Square, Somerville

   The doorDown a nondescript back alley to a tiny red glowing sign, then along a hallway to the door.

   Cross the river, find the alley, follow the little red light. It feels like a mistake until the hallway ends and the room opens up. Serious drinks, no attitude. Worth leaving Boston proper for, and that is saying something.

   Known for Queen's Park Swizzle and Smoke & Mirrors, a scotch and bitter number. virginatlantic.com

1. The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.Rittenhouse

   The doorBehind an unmarked door into a low-lit, 1920s-style room.

   The name sounds like a bank. It is not a bank. Low light, careful drinks, bartenders who know their history and wear it lightly. Sit down, order something brown, and stay put for a while.

   Known for Moody Prohibition-era cocktails in a room built for lingering. thefranklinbar.com

2. Ranstead RoomCenter City

   The doorAn unmarked black door partway down an alley. Walk-ins only.

   You will walk past the door at least once. Everyone does. Inside it is dark, moody and quiet enough to hear the ice. No reservations, so you wait like everyone else, which feels about right.

   Known for Stephen Starr's dark, 1930s-style room with no reservations. phillyprgirl.com

3. Behind the Red Door at VitaRittenhouse Square

   The doorThrough the bright red refrigerator door inside the gelato shop. Reservations required.

   Order a scoop or don't. The real business is past the red fridge door, where an Italian dining room waits. Dessert first, dinner second. Nobody here is going to judge you for the order of things.

   Known for An Italian dining room hiding behind a gelato counter. phillyprgirl.com

4. Blind BarberCenter City

   The doorWalk through the working barbershop to an unmarked door at the back.

   Get a trim, or just pretend you came for one. The door at the back of the shop opens on a lounge that thinks it is 1975. DJs, a dance floor, a decent drink. Nobody checks your haircut.

   Known for A 1970s-style lounge with DJs and a dance floor behind the chairs. phillyprgirl.com

5. Midnight & The WickedCenter CitySpeakeasy-style

   The doorBelow a historic building on Sansom Street. Look down, not up.

   Somebody looked at an old Sansom Street basement and decided one bar was not enough. So there are four. A jazz lounge for talking, a vault for hiding, a club for later. Start quiet. You will not end quiet.

   Known for Four rooms underground: a jazz lounge, a private vault and a nightclub. phillyprgirl.com

1. Red Phone BoothBrickell

   The doorStep into a restored London phone booth and dial the right number. The wall opens.

   A red phone booth in Brickell, which makes no sense, which is the fun. Dial right and the wall swings open on leather, cigars and soft jazz. It is a little theatrical. Light a cigar and stop worrying about it.

   Known for A candlelit cigar lounge with leather sofas and hand-painted ceilings. bocaratonobserver.com

2. PanamericanoBrickell

   The doorInside Novecento, through a door marked with the Americas logo. No sign outside.

   You have to walk through someone else's restaurant to find it, and nothing on the street helps. The rule here is simple: everything comes from the Americas. Rum, mezcal, pisco, rye. A whole hemisphere, one glass at a time.

   Known for Spirits and ingredients sourced only from the Americas. bocaratonobserver.com

3. El Laundry RoomDoral

   The doorA coin laundry front. Dial the right number on the phone and the wall of mops opens.

   Doral is not where anyone tells you to drink, which is a reason to go. A laundromat, a phone, a wall of mops that swings away. Behind it, people are actually having a good time.

   Known for A full bar behind a laundromat facade, well out of the tourist zone. bocaratonobserver.com

4. The Studio at Maple & AshMiami Worldcenter

   The doorTucked away inside the Maple & Ash steakhouse. Ask, or follow the music.

   Downtown steakhouses are not known for restraint, and neither is this room. Greens and pinks, Art Deco curves, a disco pulse. Eat the steak first. Then come back here and let the night decide how long it is.

   Known for An Art Deco room in greens and pinks with disco energy. hauteliving.com

5. Kaona RoomEdgewaterSpeakeasy-style

   The doorBehind a discreet, unmarked side-street entryway.

   A little Polynesia and a little jazz club, behind a door you will probably walk past. The drinks are tropical without being sugary nonsense. Order something with a lot of ingredients. Trust the people who made it.

   Known for Tiki drinks crossed with a jazz club. bocaratonobserver.com

6. Tea RoomBrickellSpeakeasy-style

   The doorBehind a black door inside the EAST Miami hotel.

   A hotel bar that does not act like one. Through the black door, the room goes quiet and the drinks lean toward Hong Kong. The view does the rest. Stay for one more.

   Known for Hong Kong-inspired cocktails, city views and live music. bocaratonobserver.com

1. The Violet HourWicker Park

   The doorA single discreet door set into an ever-changing mural on Damen Avenue.

   The outside is a painted wall that changes every so often. The inside is dim and grown up, run by people who treat a cocktail like a craft, because it is. Come early, keep your voice down, drink well.

   Known for Pre-Prohibition style cocktails on a seasonally rotating list. theviolethour.com

2. The DrifterRiver North

   The doorIn the basement of Green Door Tavern, turn the hidden knob on a tchotchke.

   Upstairs is an old tavern full of stuff on the walls. Downstairs, if you find the right knob, is a cramped little room with good drinks. It feels like a secret the city kept just for you.

   Known for A tiny cellar bar under Green Door Tavern. theinfatuation.com

3. Nine BarChinatown

   The doorThrough the kitchen door at the back of Moon Palace Express.

   You walk through a Chinatown restaurant like you work there and come out somewhere much better lit for drinking. No velvet rope, no fuss. Just good cocktails behind a kitchen door, which is how it should be.

   Known for Cocktails behind a Chinatown restaurant, on North America's 50 Best for 2026. theinfatuation.com

4. The OfficeFulton Market

   The doorIn the basement under The Aviary. You need a key to get in.

   Downstairs from one of the most fussed-over bars in America sits a small room with leather chairs and old bottles. It costs real money. The people pouring know exactly what they are doing, so let them drive.

   Known for Leather couches, vintage whiskey and cocktails that start around $25. theinfatuation.com

5. Blind BarberFulton Market

   The doorA working barbershop by day. At night a door in the shop opens onto the bar.

   Get a trim if you want. Nobody is checking. Walk through to the back and the clippers give way to a DJ, a disco ball and a room full of people who came for the same thing you did.

   Known for Haircuts up front, DJs and disco balls out back. theinfatuation.com

6. BoboLincoln Park

   The doorThrough the kitchen of its sister restaurant, Muhãjir.

   Filipino drinks and Filipino bar food, served behind somebody else's kitchen. Order the sisig while it still sizzles. This is the kind of place a neighborhood keeps quiet about until it absolutely has to share.

   Known for Filipino cocktails and bar snacks, sizzling duck sisig among them. theinfatuation.com

7. Dorian'sWicker Park

   The doorLooks like a small record shop. The door sits at the back of its listening room.

   Flip through vinyl, then find the door in the back. The other side is a dark bar with live music and DJs. Two good habits under one roof, which saves you a cab ride later.

   Known for Record store by day, cocktail bar and live music room by night. theinfatuation.com

1. Bourbon & BanterDowntown

   The doorThrough a phone booth tucked into an old shoe shine spot.

   A shoe shine stand, a phone booth, then a room built around whiskey. It is Texas, so the bourbon gets top billing. Talk to the bartender. The banter is right there in the name, so use it.

   Known for Bourbon, and a short list of craft cocktails built around it. papercitymag.com

2. La Viuda NegraEast Dallas

   The doorWalk into what looks like a bridal boutique and keep going.

   The window says wedding dresses. The back room says mezcal. Somebody had a sense of humor about commitment, and you get to enjoy it. Order agave, order it smoky, and let the night run.

   Known for Mezcal and tequila cocktails behind a wedding dress shop front. papercitymag.com

3. AtlasBishop Arts

   The doorPush the bookshelf. It is a door.

   The bookshelf trick never gets old, and nobody here pretends it should. Behind it, a small room and a list of specials that keeps changing, which gives you a reason to come back to Bishop Arts.

   Known for A bookcase entrance and a rotating list of specials. papercitymag.com

4. The Branca RoomBishop Arts

   The doorDown an alley behind Chimichurri. A red light marks the door.

   There is a bicycle on the wall and a tango mural sweeping across it, and nobody apologizes for either. The bartenders make their own vermouth and amaro. Ask what they made this week. Drink that.

   Known for Vermouth, amaro and bitters made in house; a tango mural and a bicycle. diningout.com

5. Ayahuasca CantinaOak Cliff

   The doorInside Xaman Café, open the little hinged viewer on an unmarked wooden door.

   Candles, Mexican art and a horchata espresso martini that sounds wrong and drinks right. Eat the squash blossoms. The coffee shop out front gives nothing away, which is exactly the point of the place.

   Known for Mexican cocktails, a horchata espresso martini and fried squash blossoms. diningout.com

6. AkaiArts District

   The doorCall ahead to book, then get escorted through a secret entrance in Musume's kitchen.

   You phone, you get a time, somebody walks you through a working kitchen. It is a lot of ceremony for a drink, and it mostly earns it. Sake cocktails, good fish, a DJ booth glowing gold.

   Known for Sake cocktails, Japanese plates and a gold-gridded DJ booth. papercitymag.com

7. The StachePreston Forest Village

   The doorInside Renny's restaurant. Find the entrance, solve a riddle, then sit. Reservations only.

   Named after the owner's father's mustache, which tells you this is a family business with a sense of humor. Thirty seats, Thursday to Saturday only. Solve the riddle. Eat the Korean meatballs. Thank the mustache.

   Known for Thirty seats, Korean meatballs, ahi tuna nachos, classic and creative cocktails. papercitymag.com

1. Good Times at Davey Wayne'sHollywood

   The doorThrough a vintage refrigerator door that opens onto a 1970s living room.

   You step through a fridge and land in somebody's parents' house, sometime in the seventies. Wood paneling, old records, cold drinks. It is silly and it knows it, which is exactly why it works on a Hollywood Saturday.

   Known for Full seventies nostalgia, from the wood paneling to the music. punchdrink.com

2. La DescargaEast Hollywood

   The doorThrough an armoire in an apartment building stairwell.

   You open a wardrobe and Havana falls out. Rum, a cigar lounge, musicians playing like the rent is due tonight. Sit down, order something with rum in it, and stop checking the time.

   Known for 1940s Havana in a room: live musicians, rum and a cigar lounge. timeout.com

3. No VacancyHollywood

   The doorInside an old Victorian house. Find room 1902 and talk to the woman on the bed.

   A creaky Victorian, a woman in bed who decides your fate, then a whole house of drinkers and burlesque. It is pure theater, played straight. Come with friends who can laugh at themselves.

   Known for Burlesque shows and live music in a Victorian house. timeout.com

4. The Lucky TikiWest Hollywood

   The doorBuzz the intercom hidden in a pickle barrel on the patio.

   Somebody thought a pickle barrel was the right place for a doorbell, and somebody was right. Inside, the mugs are ugly in the best way and the rum is generous. Order the most theatrical thing on the list.

   Known for Tiki mugs, kiln-fired decor and drinks served with a little theater. timeout.com

5. Lock & KeyKoreatown

   The doorA red door under a neon lock. Pick the right doorknob from a wall of them.

   Pick the wrong knob and you look foolish in front of strangers. Pick the right one and you get smoking cocktails and deep-dish pizza in Koreatown. That is a fine trade on any night of the week.

   Known for Liquid-nitrogen cocktails, deep-dish pizza and DJs. timeout.com

6. Cold ShoulderFairfax District

   The doorThrough a sliding library shelf inside Blue Collar.

   One bar hides another behind a shelf of books. The room is turned on its head and the drinks go big. It is a lot. Sometimes a lot is what a Tuesday needs.

   Known for Over-the-top craft cocktails in a room with upside-down decor. timeout.com

7. Break Room 86KoreatownSpeakeasy-style

   The doorTucked away inside The Line Hotel in Koreatown. Book a slot, open late.

   Synths on the speakers, strangers belting power ballads like their rent depends on it. Nobody is cool here and that is the relief. Grab the mic. By morning, nobody will remember. Probably.

   Known for An eighties karaoke bar with the volume turned all the way up. breakroom86.com

1. Bourbon & BranchTenderloin

   The doorUnmarked door at 501 Jones Street. Give the password; reservations through OpenTable.

   This place sold illegal booze the first time around and it still acts like the cops might show up. Keep your voice down, put the phone away, and let somebody who cares make you a proper drink.

   Known for A real Prohibition-era speakeasy with strict house rules: no phones, no photos. bourbonandbranch.com

2. Wilson & WilsonTenderloin

   The doorEnter via Bourbon & Branch at 501 Jones with the password. Reservation only.

   A secret inside a secret, done up like a detective's office. It is small, it is booked and it is open only at the end of the week. You will feel a little smug getting in. Fair enough.

   Known for A bar inside a bar, with its own experimental cocktail menu. thewilsonbar.com

3. The Pawn ShopSoMa

   The doorRing the gold phone at 993 Mission Street and trade something with the Pawn Master.

   Bring something to trade. The Pawn Master at the counter decides if it is worth your while, then the wall gives way to a tapas bar. Order tapas, pick a Spanish bottle, enjoy the joke.

   Known for Spanish tapas and a long wine list behind a fake pawn shop. opentable.hk

4. The FelixUnion Square

   The doorUnder Bodega SF. Press the framed photo by the neon Felix the Cat.

   Named for a beloved old server at the family restaurant upstairs, which tells you who this place is really for. Press the photo, take the glowing stairs down, order the lychee drink and stay for the DJ.

   Known for Lychee and Vietnamese coffee cocktails, mahjong tables and late DJs. tastingtable.com

5. Cold DrinksChinatownSpeakeasy-style

   The doorUpstairs inside China Live, the Broadway food hall. Easy to walk right past.

   Velvet couches, gold accents and a wall of Scotch that could keep you busy for a year. Climb the stairs at China Live and ask for something smoky. Let the bartender explain. Listen.

   Known for Hundreds of Scotches and Shanghai-style whisky cocktails. opentable.co.th

6. Linden RoomHayes ValleySpeakeasy-style

   The doorOff the alley beside Nightbird on Gough Street. Walk-in only, parties of four at most.

   Eight seats, a mid-century room and a bartender who shops the market like the kitchen next door does. No reservations for drinks. Come early, come small, and leave the whole office at home.

   Known for Eight seats and seasonal cocktails built on local market produce. nightbirdrestaurant.com

1. Noble ExperimentEast Village

   The doorInside The Neighborhood, push the right side of a wall of beer kegs.

   A wall of kegs that turns out to be a door, then a small room covered in brass skulls. It sounds like a gimmick. The drinks say otherwise. Show up at six and walk right in.

   Known for Brass skulls on the walls, a chandelier and serious cocktails. localemagazine.com

2. False IdolLittle Italy

   The doorThrough a steel cooler door on the left side of Craft & Commerce.

   Walk into a cooler at a gastropub and come out in a tiki fever dream, complete with a wall that spits fire. Order rum. The serious craft behind the silliness is the real trick here.

   Known for Tiki drinks beside a rock wall that spits water and fire. localemagazine.com

3. Prohibition LoungeDowntownSpeakeasy-style

   The doorRing the bell at the door marked Law Office, Eddie O'Hare, Esq.

   A lawyer's door on Fifth Avenue, a doorbell and a band playing blues in the dark. Dress up a little if you like. Nobody will laugh. Most of the room did the same thing.

   Known for Live blues, jazz and soul; Prohibition dress encouraged. localemagazine.com

4. Realm of the 52 RemediesKearny Mesa

   The doorThrough a white door in Common Theory, into an apothecary, then a second secret passage.

   Two doors deep in a Convoy Street beer bar, behind a fake apothecary. The drinks lean on old Chinese remedies, which is a good excuse to have a second one. Strictly for your health, naturally.

   Known for Cocktails built on an ancient Chinese medical text. localemagazine.com

5. Bar KamonEast Village

   The doorA secret door on the right side of the Asa Bakery entrance. Reservations only.

   Behind a bakery sits a room borrowed from 1920s Tokyo, when Japan was busy figuring out the West. Book ahead, sit at the bar and let them pour. Breakfast pastries can wait until tomorrow.

   Known for Taisho-era Japan meets the West, served as cocktails. localemagazine.com

6. Oculto 477Old Town

   The doorThrough the mezcal bar Tahona. Read the etiquette card; Rule 10 gets you in.

   Next door to an old cemetery with 477 graves, somebody built a bar about the dead. Read the rules, find the way in, sip something with mezcal. Old Town has plenty of ghosts. This one pours.

   Known for A cemetery-themed room by El Campo Santo; an evolving cocktail menu. localemagazine.com

1. Cry Baby GalleryLittle Portugal

   The doorWalk through a white art gallery and push past the heavy black curtain.

   First you pretend to look at the art. Then you find the curtain, and the gallery gives way to a dark room where the real work happens. Nobody asks what you thought of the paintings.

   Known for An art gallery front hiding a dark, industrial bar. On North America's 50 Best. destinationtoronto.com

2. Bar 404Entertainment District

   The doorWalk into a candle shop near TIFF Lightbox, ask for Bar 404, and they open a hidden door.

   The candles are a decoy and everyone behind the counter is in on it. Say the name, the wall gives way, and the room inside is darker, bigger and kinder than you expected. Leave smelling of nothing but good decisions.

   Known for A fake candle shop front and a golden circular bar. destinationtoronto.com

3. After SevenArt District

   The doorGo into Kome Yogurt and order the #8. Staff trigger a hidden mechanism.

   Fluorescent light, froyo toppings, kids on sugar highs. Then you order a number that is not on any honest menu, and the yogurt shop folds away into a calm Japanese room where grown-ups drink properly.

   Known for A Japanese-inspired bar behind a bright frozen yogurt shop. destinationtoronto.com

4. Prequel & Co. ApothecaryWest Queen West

   The doorBehind the front of an 1890s Parisian-style apothecary.

   It looks like a pharmacy from a century nobody here lived through. Herbs hang over your head, the bottles look like props, and the drinks do what the old tonics only promised. No prescription required.

   Known for Dried herbs hanging from the ceiling and shelves of old vials. destinationtoronto.com

5. Bar XXXPortland Street

   The doorGet a playing card from the bartender at Little Sister upstairs. It is your ticket downstairs.

   Getting in works like a card trick. The bartender upstairs deals you in, you wait your turn, and then a room of maybe twenty seats takes you in like a regular. Small, warm, worth the patience.

   Known for A tiny seventies-style room under Little Sister, on Canada's 50 Best. destinationtoronto.com

6. A Slice of LifeLittle ItalySpeakeasy-style

   The doorAn unassuming door on College Street, the name faintly etched into the window glass.

   Most people walk past it three times, and the staff seem to like it that way. Once you find the etched glass, the hallway of mirrors does its show, and then it is just good drinks and a good crowd.

   Known for A mirrored, LED-lit hallway and a spot on Canada's 50 Best. destinationtoronto.com

7. Jean Darlene Piano RoomOssingtonSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown an alleyway behind a KFC on Dundas Street West.

   You find it by walking past the fried chicken and down an alley you would normally avoid. Inside, someone is murdering a show tune at an old piano, the room is singing along, and nobody is too cool to join.

   Known for Live piano karaoke around a 1920s Heintzman piano. destinationtoronto.com

1. Atwater Cocktail ClubSaint-Henri

   The doorA steel door at the end of the alleyway behind the Foiegwa diner.

   The diner out front gets the attention. The line in the alley gets the drinks. Behind the steel door the shelves run deep, the music leans disco, and the bartenders work like they enjoy it, which they clearly do.

   Known for French disco energy and one of the deepest back bars in town. timeout.com

2. Cloakroom BarDowntown

   The doorA discreet door beside a barbershop. Twenty-five seats, so arrive early.

   Twenty-five seats and not one wasted. You tell them what you like, they build something you did not know you wanted, and the room stays quiet enough to hear it happen. Small bars done right feel like this.

   Known for Custom-made cocktails in 25 seats. Second on Canada's 50 Best 2025. timeout.com

3. The ColdroomOld Montreal

   The doorLook for the small duck under the exit sign next to El Pequeño Bar.

   The only signage is a duck, which tells you plenty about the sense of humour here. Downstairs it is dim, close and romantic without trying too hard. Bring someone you like. Order whatever is in season.

   Known for Seasonal cocktails and a reputation as the city's date-night bar. timeout.com

4. Big in Japan BarPlateau

   The doorA nondescript door you will walk past at least twice before finding it.

   You will miss the door. Everyone does. Inside, candles everywhere, a long curving bar, and bottles with other people's names on them waiting for their owners to come home. Order a highball and settle in.

   Known for A candle-lit wraparound bar and regulars' whisky bottles stored overhead. timeout.com

5. Milky Way Cocktail BarPointe-Saint-Charles

   The doorThrough a leopard-print door connected to the Fugazzi pizza restaurant, then up the neon-lit stairs.

   A leopard-print door off a pizza joint. Stairs glowing every colour at once. Up top, a jungle-tiki fever dream where drinks arrive in disco balls. It should not work. It works, mostly because nobody here is taking themselves seriously.

   Known for Psychedelic jungle-tiki bar with disco ball glassware. timeout.com

6. Le Mal NécessaireChinatownSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown a stairwell under a glowing neon pineapple, steps from Chinatown's gates.

   Follow the neon pineapple down the stairs. That is the whole instruction. Below, the tiki drinks are loud, fruity and smarter than they look, with a kitchen-scrap thriftiness behind the bar that most fancier places never bother with.

   Known for Sustainable tiki drinks loaded with tropical fruit. timeout.com

7. Le RoyalPlateau

   The doorDownstairs, below the Rouge Gorge wine bar.

   Upstairs, people are swirling natural wine and talking about soil. Downstairs, a handsome low room is serving proper cocktails to people who just wanted a drink. Pick your floor. You already know which one.

   Known for A 65-seat subterranean room designed by Zébulon Perron. timeout.com

1. BagheeraChinatown

   The doorWalk into the Happy Valley Turf Club and bet $100 on King Louie.

   You place a fake bet at a fake bookie, and the door opens onto teak, jungle murals and a ceiling of coins and bangles. Drinks lean on coriander and tea. The house wins, but so do you.

   Known for A Raj-era train carriage of a bar, named by the New York Times. dailyhive.com

2. LaowaiChinatown

   The doorThrough a freezer door at the back of a working dumpling shop on East Georgia Street.

   Eat the dumplings first. They are not a prop. Then the freezer door swings open on green tile, gold and real malachite, and the bartenders pour like Shanghai never stopped partying. Order the one with popcorn syrup.

   Known for 1920s Shanghai glamour, jade and gold, and the Purple Butterfly cocktail. vanmag.com

3. Call Me BackDowntown

   The doorStep into the old telephone booth inside The Lions Pub. Walk-in only, no password.

   A pub, a phone booth, a room nobody upstairs seems to know about. Twenty-two seats, rotary phones on every surface, baked brie on the table. Nobody calls. Nobody needs to.

   Known for Twenty-two seats and walls full of vintage rotary phones. dailyhive.com

4. The Narrow LoungeMain StreetSpeakeasy-style

   The doorAn easy-to-miss door marked by a red light, then down the stairs.

   This is the one locals have been ducking into for years. It is dark, it is cramped, and the bar will happily sell you a cheap beer or a serious cocktail without judging either choice. Respect that.

   Known for PBR or a proper Paper Plane, in a dim room with a hidden patio. vanmag.com

5. Hidden Lounge at D/6Downtown

   The doorSixth floor of The Douglas hotel. Find the unassuming bookcase inside D/6 Lounge and go through.

   Yes, it sits in a casino complex. Do not hold that against it. Upstairs in the hotel bar, one of the bookcases is a door, and behind it is a quieter room with strong drinks. Bet on that instead.

   Known for A whole private room behind the bookshelves of a sixth-floor hotel bar. parqcasino.com

1. Betty Lou's LibraryLower Mount Royal

   The doorBook ahead, whisper the password into a vintage telephone, and a bookcase swings open.

   Yes, you say a password into a phone. Yes, a bookcase opens. Get over the theatre and sit down: the room is plush, the band is good, and the drinks are made by people who care about them.

   Known for Jazz-age library bar with live jazz and burlesque nights. visitcalgary.com

2. Paper LanternChinatown

   The doorDown into a Chinatown basement beneath Ho Won restaurant, behind a fake tailor shop front.

   Downstairs in Chinatown, under a restaurant, behind a tailor who does not exist. The drinks taste of lemongrass and island weather, the food is cheap enough to keep ordering, and February loses its grip for an hour.

   Known for Vietnamese-inspired cocktails and tapas. On Canada's 50 Best. dailyhive.com

3. Business & PleasureInglewood

   The doorDown an Inglewood alley to a storefront that looks like a dull professional office.

   From the alley it looks like an accountant's office. Nobody goes to an accountant at ten at night, which is the joke. Inside it is cosy, contemporary and staffed by people who would rather pour than pose.

   Known for Original cocktails and bar snacks; on Canada's 50 Best two years running. dailyhive.com

4. After EightEast Village

   The doorA hidden door off the lobby of the Alt Hotel Calgary East Village. Reservations essential.

   Eight seats. That is not a typo. A hidden door off a hotel lobby, a gold ceiling, a bar cut from old-growth timber, and drinks built from what grows in the mountains. Book early or listen to the stories.

   Known for Eight seats, a gold vaulted ceiling, and foraged Satoyama-inspired cocktails. the50.com

5. AjitoMacleod Trail South

   The doorFind the red Coca-Cola vending machine at the back of Sho Sushi and climb through.

   The vending machine is not for snacks. Open it at the back of a sushi restaurant on Macleod Trail and you are in a Japanese izakaya. Order the karaage, then the takoyaki poutine, then another drink. Nobody judges.

   Known for Japanese izakaya plates, takoyaki poutine and inventive cocktails. ajito.ca

6. Prickett Richard17th Avenue SW

   The doorA steel door in the back alley at 17th Avenue and 6th Street SW, then downstairs.

   Barbecue upstairs, a steel door in the alley, a basement below. Oysters and tartare instead of brisket, which takes nerve on 17th Avenue. Book if you can. Walk in if you must, and hope for an empty stool.

   Known for Oysters, tartare and cocktails underneath Comery Block barbecue. prickettrichard.com

1. Handshake SpeakeasyJuárezSpeakeasy-style

   The doorA discreet speakeasy door in Juárez. Book ahead or face a long wait outside.

   Ranked near the top of the world, and the room still fits in a living room. It is cramped, a little fussy and worth it. Every drink has a story. Listen to it, then just drink the thing.

   Known for Prohibition-inspired drinks, each with a backstory. No. 2 on the World's 50 Best Bars 2025. the50.com

2. Hanky PankyUndisclosed

   The doorNo address on its own website, just 'somewhere in Mexico City.' Reserve first.

   Open since 2016, back when hiding a bar in this city was a new idea. The menu travels, from Greek islands to the Grand Bazaar, and you never leave your stool. Good trick. Better drinks.

   Known for One of the city's first speakeasies, with drinks named for places like Greece and Turkey. hankypanky.mx

3. Rosso SpeakeasyRoma Norte

   The doorDown a hallway through the kitchen of Pavorosso, a turkey restaurant on Puebla.

   First you walk past the turkey. Then the kitchen, then a hallway, then the red light. The women behind this bar build a Picarilla with tequila, honey and chile that bites back. Six to a booking. Plan accordingly.

   Known for An all-female bar team, red light, hi-fi sound and the chile-laced Picarilla. timeoutmexico.mx

4. The Midnight MonkeyRoma NorteSpeakeasy-style

   The doorA discreet, easy-to-miss entrance on Plaza Río de Janeiro. Book ahead.

   Somebody in this city still believes in swing music, and thank God for them. Chandeliers, old glassware, a band that knows the standards. Order an Old Fashioned, stop checking your phone, let the drummer run the night.

   Known for Live jazz and swing, classic cocktails, a 1920s room of chandeliers. opentable.com.au

5. Parker & LenoxJuárez

   The doorWalk through Lenox, the American diner, to a small door and down a dark corridor.

   Chili dogs and milkshakes out front, a red-curtained stage out back. The band plays most nights, the cocktails are mostly classics, the whiskey list is serious. Pay the cover. Musicians have to eat too.

   Known for Live jazz and blues most nights, classic cocktails and diner chili dogs. chilango.com

1. Florería AtlánticoRetiro

   The doorThrough a hidden door inside a working flower shop on Calle Arroyo.

   You buy flowers or pretend to, then slip through the hidden door. On the other side, a bar that drinks its way around the world and feeds you on the trip. Sit down, take your time, eat late.

   Known for A travel-themed gastrobar behind a florist. World's 50 Best Bars, 51 to 100, 2025. floreriaatlantico.com.ar

2. HarrisonPalermo

   The doorThrough restaurant Nicky on Malabia. The bar sits hidden behind it.

   Gangster theme, sure. Al Capone gets a drink named after him, with tobacco bitters in it. Corny on paper. In the glass it works, and the bartenders take it seriously enough that you stop smirking by round two.

   Known for Al Estilo Al Capone: gin, sherry, cherry liqueur and tobacco bitters. timeout.com

3. La UatPalermo

   The doorBehind Cacho, a hot-dog shop on Thames.

   The best disguise in Palermo is a hot dog. Eat one, honestly. Then go through to the back, where the drinks are bright, bitter and built by people who clearly like their jobs. Order the fizz.

   Known for The Nananjú Fizz: Campari, bianco vermouth, orange, chamomile and sparkling wine. timeout.com

4. UptownPalermo

   The doorDown the stairs and through turnstiles and doors styled like a subway car.

   It looks like you are catching the A train. You are not. Down here it is all New York cosplay, loud and crowded, but the Tomato Soup cocktail is stranger and better than it sounds. Go late.

   Known for A New York subway fantasy and a Tomato Soup cocktail made with whiskey. timeout.com

5. Al Fondo BarNúñez

   The doorAt the back of restaurant Piedra Pasillo, down a steep staircase.

   Out in Núñez, far from the Palermo crowds. Eat at Piedra Pasillo first, because the Michelin people are right about it. Then mind the steep stairs, find a stool, and order the dessert that comes in a martini glass.

   Known for The Apfelstrudel Martini, with vodka, green apple and tonka bean. timeout.com

6. La CallePalermo

   The doorBehind pizzeria La Guitarrita. Branches on Niceto Vega in Palermo and Gurruchaga in Villa Crespo.

   Pizza out front, cocktails out back. This is the correct order of operations in Buenos Aires. The room is easy, nobody is posing, and the Malbec in your gin drink is a joke the bartenders are happy to explain.

   Known for El Messias: gin, Parfait Amour, raspberry Malbec, lime and soda. timeout.com

1. SubAstorVila MadalenaSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDownstairs, below its older sibling Astor. They call it the bar below the bar.

   Upstairs, a neighborhood bar that has been pouring since 2001. Downstairs, the lights drop and the drinks get serious. Same family, different mood. Book ahead, because the line is real.

   Known for A cocktail bar under Astor, its older sibling since 2001. subastor.com.br

2. Carrasco BarPinheiros

   The doorBehind a velvet curtain at the back of the dining room at Guilhotina.

   Guilhotina out front is loud, packed and very good. Slip behind the curtain and the volume drops. A handful of seats, a serious bartender, drinks with nothing to prove. Reserve. They mean it about the size.

   Known for A tiny room for about sixteen, with cocktails by Spencer Amereno. diariodocomercio.com.br

3. Exit BarJardins

   The doorBook online. The password and the address arrive with your confirmation.

   Nobody walks into Exit by accident. You book, you wait for the password, you show up feeling slightly ridiculous. Then the drinks land, classic and careful, and the whole spy routine starts to feel worth it.

   Known for A red, vintage-bar glow and classic and craft cocktails by Márcio Silva. diariodocomercio.com.br

4. Iscondido BarPinheiros

   The doorFollow the private Instagram, then ask for the day's password.

   Getting in takes homework: an Instagram request, a password, a little patience. The reward is an open-air room full of art, a DJ, and a list of original drinks. For everyone, they say, but not for just anyone.

   Known for Original house cocktails in an open-air gallery space, with DJs. diariodocomercio.com.br

5. Sweet SecretsUndisclosed

   The doorBehind a candy shop facade, then through a carousel. You may ride a horse first.

   A candy store, then a carousel, then a bar. It sounds like a fever dream and it is a bit of one. Past the theater, Aaron Diaz makes drinks that hold their own. Getting in is the hard part.

   Known for Aaron Diaz cocktails in handmade vessels. Entry by golden card or invitation. correiobraziliense.com.br

6. Infini BarRepública

   The doorThrough La Casserole's dining room toward the kitchen, then a side door.

   Walk through a French restaurant toward the kitchen like you work there. Behind the side door, mirrors cover everything, ceiling included. You will look at yourself more than you want to. The drinks help with that.

   Known for Mirrors on every wall and the ceiling, plus a long cocktail list. diariodocomercio.com.br

1. NightjarShoreditch

   The doorAn unmarked door on City Road near Old Street, then down into a basement.

   A plain door on a loud road, then a basement that decided long ago it was 1925. A band plays, the drinks arrive looking like small sculptures, and nobody here is in a hurry to leave.

   Known for Live jazz and swing every night, cocktails sorted by era. luxurylondon.co.uk

2. The Mayor of Scaredy Cat TownSpitalfields

   The doorAsk staff at The Breakfast Club to see the Mayor, then climb through the Smeg fridge.

   Upstairs it's eggs and coffee. Say the magic words and someone opens a fridge for you. Yes, the joke is old. Everyone still grins on the way through, the bartenders included, and that tells you plenty.

   Known for Walking through a fridge to get a cocktail. evanevanstours.com

3. CahootsSohoSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown the stairs in Kingly Court into a disused tube station dressed for the Blitz.

   Sandbags, old adverts, a tube carriage, staff fully committed to 1946. It should be unbearable. It isn't. The bartenders play the bit with real warmth, and the drinks are better than the joke needs them to be.

   Known for Wartime theme, drinks in tins, hip flasks and milk bottles. cahoots.co.uk

4. Discount Suit CompanySpitalfields

   The doorPast a doorman and down a steep, narrow staircase off Wentworth Street. Mind your head.

   Low ceilings, red leather, a room the size of a decent kitchen. The bartenders know their trade and price it like they want you back next week. Order off menu. They can handle it.

   Known for A former tailor's stockroom with fair prices and serious bartending. luxurylondon.co.uk

5. The VaultSoho

   The doorThrough Milroy's whisky shop on Greek Street, where a bookcase at the back swings open.

   Buy a bottle upstairs, or don't. The bookcase opens either way, and the cellar beneath is full of people who care about whisky without being tedious about it. Ask for something you've never tried. They'll enjoy that.

   Known for Whisky below one of Soho's oldest whisky shops. evanevanstours.com

6. BartsChelsea

   The doorA plain door on Sloane Avenue dressed up as a B&B. Staff check you, then lead you down.

   Chelsea is not a neighbourhood that does silly. Barts never got the memo. A fake B&B, a doorman sizing you up, then a room full of people who came to have fun instead of being seen. Stay late.

   Known for A Chelsea apartment block hiding a bar disguised as a B&B. luxurylondon.co.uk

7. Evans & Peel Detective AgencyEarl's Court

   The doorAn innocuous door in Earl's Court. Ring the bell, then explain your case to get in.

   You have to pitch a case to get in. Make something up; nobody is checking. Inside it's dim light and well-made classics, run by people who clearly enjoy the theatre as much as you do.

   Known for Detective agency front, Prohibition cocktails in a low basement. evanevanstours.com

1. Panda & SonsNew Town

   The doorThrough a fake vintage barbershop front on Queen Street, then down the stairs.

   The barbershop out front cuts nothing but your evening loose. Downstairs, a family-run bar that keeps landing on world lists and still treats a stranger like a regular. Sit at the counter. Ask questions.

   Known for Sub-zero freezing techniques and a menu built in chapters. scotsman.com

2. Bramble Bar & LoungeNew TownSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown easy-to-miss stairs to a basement at 16a Queen Street. Walk-ins only.

   A cellar on Queen Street with no fuss and no booking system. Show up, squeeze in, drink well. It made the UK's top 50 in 2025 and still feels like your local.

   Known for Walk-in only cocktail cellar, open until 1am every night. bramblebar.co.uk

3. Never Really HereNew Town

   The doorA graffiti-covered black door on Rose Street North Lane. Knock and wait. Walk-ins only.

   Seven tables behind a door you would walk past twice. There is no menu to hide behind, so talk to the bartender like a person. Describe a mood. They will hand it back to you in a glass.

   Known for No fixed menu. Tell them what you like and they build it. tablejourney.com

4. Hoot the RedeemerNew TownSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown into a basement at 7 Hanover Street, where a tarot door asks you a question first.

   Carnival lights, fortune tellers, drinks that taste like a pier in summer. Grown adults acting about twelve, in the best way. Nobody down here is pretending to be serious, which is exactly why it works.

   Known for A 1950s funfair basement with playful, sweet-toothed cocktails. unifresher.co.uk

5. The BurrowOld TownSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDownstairs at 19 Blackfriars Street, in the basement below the pizza spot 3 Blind Mice.

   A minute off the Royal Mile and the tourist noise simply stops. Velvet seats, blues on the speakers, a real Banksy on the wall. Book ahead, because the room is small and the regulars are not leaving.

   Known for Art deco basement with an original Banksy, whisky and blues. list.co.uk

1. Vintage Cocktail ClubTemple Bar

   The doorA discreet unmarked doorway in Temple Bar. Ring the bell and wait.

   Outside, Temple Bar does its stag-party worst. Ring the bell, step inside, and it all goes quiet: velvet, candles, a properly built Sidecar. Somebody up here still respects a drink.

   Known for Art deco rooms, absinthe and old-school classics like the Martinez. universitytimes.ie

2. The Blind PigSuffolk Street

   The doorA hidden doorway off Suffolk Street. Reservation only, so book first.

   Running since 2011, which in speakeasy years makes it a grandparent. Low booths, live jazz, an Old Fashioned made without theatre. You booked, you found the door, now let the night be easy.

   Known for Ireland's longest-running speakeasy, live jazz, prohibition classics. universitytimes.ie

3. The Little PigWicklow Street

   The doorA brown gate between the pub and the ATM on Wicklow Street. Your booking email holds the keypad code.

   You punch in a code at a gate beside a cash machine, which feels faintly criminal. Then it's red velvet, low light and a bartender who takes the classics personally. Order a Sazerac and let them show off.

   Known for Red velvet, plush booths and polished Prohibition classics. Over 23s only. opentable.ie

4. Hacienda BarSmithfield

   The doorA locked door. Ring the bell and the owner, Shay, decides whether you get in.

   No cocktails worth writing home about. That is not the point. You ring, Shay looks you over, the door opens or it doesn't. Inside, pool tables, diving helmets and one of the better pints in Dublin.

   Known for A pub behind a buzzer: good pints, pool tables, nautical clutter. universitytimes.ie

5. The Liquor RoomsWellington QuaySpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown below street level at 5 Wellington Quay, by the river.

   Three rooms underneath the quays, each in a different costume, open late. Less precious than the reservation-only crowd, more fun at midnight. Come with friends, lose one in the saloon, find them again by the bar.

   Known for Three themed rooms, late licence, easier walk-ins than its rivals. dublintourism.org

6. 9 BelowSt Stephen's GreenSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown into the basement of 9 St Stephen's Green, the old Hibernian Club.

   Gentlemen's club upstairs for two centuries, cocktail bar in the cellar now. The stone walls have heard worse than you. Sit close, order a martini, and enjoy a room that is quiet enough to actually talk in.

   Known for Art deco cocktails and wine in a cellar from 1756. opentable.ie

1. CandelariaLe Marais

   The doorThrough the tiny taqueria and the unmarked door at the back.

   Order a taco, eat it standing, then walk through the door everyone pretends not to notice. The back room is dark, loud and full of people having a better night than they planned. Tequila does that.

   Known for Tacos up front, sharp agave cocktails in the back room. timeout.com

2. Moonshiner11th arrondissement

   The doorWalk through pizzeria Da Vito to the cold-room door at the back.

   You come in smelling pizza and leave smelling whisky, which is a fine way to spend a Tuesday. Waiters in pressed shirts, a room straight out of Prohibition, no lectures about the menu.

   Known for 1920s New York styling and an Art Deco smoking room. timeout.com

3. Danico2nd arrondissement

   The doorCross the marble dining room of the Daroco pizzeria to the small bar behind.

   The front is a grand, noisy Italian restaurant. Keep walking. At the back, a small room where serious people make serious drinks without taking themselves too seriously. That balance is rarer than it should be.

   Known for Nico de Soto's precise, inventive cocktails. timeout.com

4. SottoHaut Marais

   The doorDownstairs, hidden beneath Carboni's restaurant on Rue de Poitou.

   Upstairs, people are eating pasta like adults. Downstairs, a concrete bunker with a jukebox stuck in the 80s and nobody complaining. The drinks are serious. The dancing is not. Good trade.

   Known for Bunker feel, an 80s vinyl jukebox and Adam Bayard's cocktails. timeout.com

5. Serpent à plumePlace des VosgesSpeakeasy-style

   The doorIn the basement below a restaurant and shop on Place des Vosges.

   Above you, the most polite square in Paris. Below, a cellar with pre-Columbian relics and a sofa long enough to seat a wedding party. Sink into it. Order another. Nobody here is rushing you home.

   Known for Olmec antiques, 1960s furniture and a 15-metre De Sede sofa. timeout.com

6. Poppy6th arrondissementSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown in the basement of the Hôtel des Grands Voyageurs on Rue de Vaugirard.

   A hotel basement with a piano player and Chagalls on the wall. Sounds stuffy. It isn't. Mahogany tables, low light, a mirrored ceiling that makes everyone look better than they deserve. Stay for one more song.

   Known for Mahogany, a mirrored ceiling, Chagall lithographs and a live pianist. timeout.com

1. Door 74Centrum

   The doorA discreet door at Reguliersdwarsstraat 74. Reserve ahead or you stay on the pavement.

   No sign, no neon, no mercy for walk-ins on a Saturday. Get the booking, though, and you get leather booths, low light and bartenders who treat a classic like it matters. It does.

   Known for Prohibition-era cocktails, leather booths and a tin ceiling. iamsterdam.com

2. The ButcherDe Pijp

   The doorBehind the burger joint. Buzz the intercom, give the name and password, wait for the wall.

   Eat the burger first. Then the intercom, the password, a wall that slides aside like a bad spy film. Inside, black velvet and good drinks. Silly entrance, honest room.

   Known for A secret cocktail room behind a busy burger counter. europe.stripes.com

3. SHUCentrum

   The doorA hidden venue on Handboogstraat. Reservations required, over 25s only.

   Not a whisper bar. SHU is loud, late and open until 3am, Wednesday to Sunday. Book a table, bring proof you're over 25, and let the bartenders build you something. Sleep is for Monday.

   Known for High-energy cocktail club dressed in New York and Tokyo style. iamsterdam.com

4. Zum BarbarossaCentrumSpeakeasy-style

   The doorTucked inside an art nouveau building just off the Spui.

   Oysters and cocktails in a room that dresses like the 1920s but drinks like now. Salt, citrus, cold glass. It works far better than the costume suggests. Order a dozen and a martini. Repeat.

   Known for Cocktails with fresh oysters from The Seafood Bar. iamsterdam.com

5. Belly of the BeastCentrumSpeakeasy-style

   The doorHidden inside the historic Odeon building on the Singel.

   Drinks named after sirens and sea monsters, served over a mosaic bar in an old canal house. A little theatrical. Fine. The people pouring them clearly love the job, and that shows in every glass.

   Known for Deep sea cocktails and a striking mosaic bar. iamsterdam.com

1. Buck and BreckMitte

   The doorRing the small buzzer marked 'bar' at an unmarked door near Rosenthaler Platz.

   Fourteen stools, one counter, no posing. Ring the bell and hope for a seat. If you get one, let the bartender decide. The house drink is cognac, absinthe and champagne, which is a plan, not a beverage.

   Known for Fourteen seats around one counter and its namesake champagne cocktail. buckandbreck.com

2. Green DoorSchönebergSpeakeasy-style

   The doorRing the bell at the green door on Winterfeldtstraße 50.

   The door is green. That is the whole secret. Behind it, a long wood counter, a bit of David Lynch, and a crew pouring proper drinks with zero attitude about it.

   Known for Kitschy David Lynch interiors and a very long cocktail list. greendoor.de

3. TausendMitte

   The doorAn unmarked steel door under the railway arches near Friedrichstraße station.

   A steel door under the S-Bahn tracks, no name, no photos, no explanations. Inside, a curved mirrored ceiling and a crowd that came to drink and talk, not to post. Berlin, minding its own business.

   Known for A railway arch with a mirrored curved ceiling and a no-photo rule. tausendberlin.com

4. Becketts KopfPrenzlauer BergSpeakeasy-style

   The doorLook for Samuel Beckett's portrait in the window of an otherwise unmarked front.

   Beckett stares out from the window and that is your only sign. Inside, quiet rooms, low lamps, classics done properly with a seasonal nudge. Nobody is waiting for Godot here. They are waiting for a refill.

   Known for Literary mood and classic cocktails with seasonal twists. berlintourism.org

5. Schwarze TraubeKreuzberg

   The doorUnmarked door on Wrangelstraße. Knock to get in.

   Knock on a door with no name. Sit in velvet by candlelight. The bartender asks what you like, listens properly, then makes it. No menu theatre, no attitude. Just a person who wants your night to go well.

   Known for No real menu: the bartender asks questions, then mixes to match. frasershospitality.com

1. Die Rote BarInnenstadtSpeakeasy-style

   The doorA discreet, dark little bar at Mainkai 7, on the riverbank.

   Part cabaret, part speakeasy, all red velvet. It has been pouring since 1995, which in bar years is ancient. Candles, suspenders, gin. The city outside is all banks. In here, nobody asks what you do.

   Known for Red velvet, candlelight, gin and bartenders in suspenders since 1995. meininger-hotels.com

2. Bar ChromaGutleutviertelSpeakeasy-style

   The doorGutleutstraße 17. Small, dark-walled room; book ahead.

   Opened in 2024 and already pulling a crowd. Dark walls, vintage chairs, pop art, a living room for grown-ups. Quy Long Tran makes drinks that taste of something. Order the camomile pisco and trust him.

   Known for Quy Long Tran's cocktails, notably Tea Time with camomile-infused pisco. falstaff.com

Nothing here has passed our check yet. The doors in this city are quieter than most, and we would rather list none than send you to a bar that closed last spring. Check back.

1. RubyIndre By

   The doorA nondescript entrance in an 18th-century townhouse at Nybrogade 10, facing the canal.

   It looks like somebody's well-off grandparents live here. Go in anyway. Old rooms, canal light, bartenders who trained half the city. No gimmicks, just a very good drink in a very old house.

   Known for The bar that built Copenhagen's cocktail scene, open since 2007. cocktail-society.com

2. CurfewVesterbro

   The doorRing the discreet doorbell at a bookshelf, Vesterbrogade 20, near Central Station.

   Find the bookshelf, ring the bell, wait like you mean it. Behind it sits a Prohibition room that takes its old bottles seriously. The bartenders know their history and wear it lightly. Leave the phone in your pocket.

   Known for Prohibition-era room and a deep collection of vintage spirits. falstaff.com

3. LidkoebVesterbroSpeakeasy-style

   The doorOff Vesterbrogade, through a passage and across a courtyard at 72B.

   Duck off the main drag into a courtyard and find a former pharmacy, still dispensing remedies. Fire going downstairs, whisky upstairs in the attic. Good place to lose a winter evening without regret.

   Known for Three floors in an old pharmacy, whisky bar in the attic. lidkoeb.dk

4. The BarbershopIndre By

   The doorThrough a working barbershop on Dronningens Tværgade 5E.

   Somebody is getting a fade out front. Keep walking. The bar behind the chairs is small, dim and built for two people who have run out of small talk. Inventive drinks, no lecture attached.

   Known for A small, low-lit speakeasy behind the barber chairs. falstaff.com

5. 1656Vesterbro

   The doorAn unsigned door at Gasværksvej 33; a glowing red light is the only clue.

   No sign. Just a red light, which in this part of town could mean anything. Go in. Plush seats, good music, drinks that turn left when you expected right. The crew clearly enjoys surprising you.

   Known for Inventive cocktails in a plush, intimate room. falstaff.com

1. Lucy's Flower ShopStureplan

   The doorThrough an abandoned flower shop at Birger Jarlsgatan 20, then find the concealed door.

   The flowers died a long time ago and nobody replaced them. Smart. Find the door that is not quite a door, sink into the purple dark and let them explain every ingredient. They earned the right.

   Known for Dark, intimate room and Nordic-flavoured cocktails; often called Stockholm's best bar. falstaff.com

2. Häktet VänsterSödermalmSpeakeasy-style

   The doorInside Häktet, a former detention centre at Hornsgatan 82; Vänster is the discreet speakeasy side.

   Somebody turned a lockup into a bar, and the joke writes itself. Skip the bistro front. Vänster is the quiet side, lights low, tempo slowing as the night goes on. Doing time has never felt this comfortable.

   Known for A late-night cocktail lounge inside an old jail. falstaff.com

3. Melt BarNorrmalmSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDark curtains at Malmskillnadsgatan 45 make it look shut. It isn't. Spiral stairs lead below.

   Yes, it is a theme bar. Costumes, velvet, beer in a brown bag. Roll with it. A spiral staircase drops you into burlesque and jazz, and the Hemingway daiquiri does its job. Nobody here takes themselves seriously. Refreshing.

   Known for 1920s theme, a burlesque stage downstairs, beer served in brown paper bags. spottedbylocals.com

1. HimkokSentrum

   The doorAn unmarked wooden door at Storgata 27; look for a small capital H above it.

   A small H over a plain door. That is the whole advertisement. Inside, several rooms, a working still and a crew that made aquavit worth crossing a continent for. Try the Birch Martini. Then stay put.

   Known for House-distilled aquavit, gin and vodka; a fixture on the 50 Best lists. joinpearl.co

2. Andre til HøyreSentrumSpeakeasy-style

   The doorAn apartment-style bar at Youngs gate 19, discreet from the street. Over 25s only on weekends.

   It feels like crashing a flat party thrown by people with better taste than you. Three rooms, three moods, a kitchen bar doing tableside infusions. Bring ID, because weekends are strictly 25 and up. Best house party in town.

   Known for Three apartment-style rooms, uncommon base spirits, tableside infusions. europenightlife.com

3. Den Grimme ÆllingSentrumSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown into the basement beneath Svanen, the old 1896 pharmacy at Karl Johans gate 13.

   The ugly duckling lives in the cellar while the handsome pharmacy upstairs gets the photos. Fine by it. Down here the old lab is mixing again, with drinks called WHAT THE dUCK. Book ahead. Pretend you are a chemist.

   Known for An experimental cocktail lab in the pharmacy's former laboratory. joinpearl.co

4. GustavSentrumSpeakeasy-style

   The doorIn the basement of the Amerikalinjen hotel, Jernbanetorget 2, by the central station.

   Under a hotel by the station, a room for fewer than sixty people pretends it is New York in the twenties. The jazz is live, the list is short, nobody rushes you. Reserve. Seats go fast.

   Known for Live jazz in a 1920s New York private-club room. europenightlife.com

1. Trillby & ChadwickKruununhaka

   The doorNo sign at Katariinankatu 1; find the unmarked door and ring the buzzer.

   Ring the buzzer and walk into a detective agency that never solved a case but makes a serious stirred drink. Leave the phone alone. Tell them what you like. The investigation is your evening, and it goes well.

   Known for A 1920s detective-agency theme and drinks built to order. timeout.com

2. Chihuahua JulepKaartinkaupunki

   The doorRing the doorbell at Erottajankatu 9 to be let in.

   Two rules: no gin, no vodka. A third, no phones, annoys exactly the right people. Ring the bell, sit down, drink agave and talk to the human beside you. Revolutionary stuff, apparently.

   Known for Agave cocktails. No gin, no vodka, no mobile phones. diffordsguide.com

1. El KoktelŚródmieście

   The doorTap the buzzer at Wojciecha Górskiego 9, then head down to the basement.

   Press the buzzer and wait. Downstairs it is green, warm and crowded on weekends, because word got out. The bartenders know their stuff and do not show off about it. Order the Easy Lover. Commit.

   Known for Emerald walls, Edison bulbs and the Easy Lover: lemon vodka and peach. tablejourney.com

2. WelesŚródmieście

   The doorAn unmarked metal door in an alley off Nowogrodzka 11, down to the basement.

   Named for the Slavic god of magic, night and the underworld, which tells you the mood. Find the alley, find the metal door, go down. A huge chandelier glows over the dark. The drinks bring the theatre. Worth the descent.

   Known for Slavic underworld theme under a massive crystal chandelier. theblondeabroad.com

3. Back RoomŚródmieścieSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown a lane off Koszykowa 49A that looks like a residential car park. Hug the right side.

   The lane looks like somewhere you park a hatchback, not where you drink. Keep walking. Inside, velvet, a fireplace and bartenders in proper jackets who take the job seriously. Thursday and Friday bring live music. Stay for the second set.

   Known for Art Deco room, formally dressed bartenders, live music Thursday and Friday. inyourpocket.com

1. Black Angel's BarStaré Město

   The doorThrough the Hotel U Prince lobby on Old Town Square and down into the cellar.

   Upstairs, the tourist circus of Old Town Square. Downstairs, medieval vaults and serious classic cocktails. Book for the weekend, go early in the week, and let the stone walls do half the work.

   Known for A medieval vaulted cellar under Old Town Square. tablejourney.com

2. ParlourNové MěstoSpeakeasy-style

   The doorA quasi-hidden, unsigned spot on Krakovská 15 with an underground room.

   There is no menu, which scares some people. Good. Take one of the six stools, describe a mood and let the bartender run with it. They listen better than most therapists and charge less.

   Known for No menu. Describe what you like and the bartender builds it. theinfatuation.com

3. AnonymouS BarStaré MěstoSpeakeasy-style

   The doorOff Michalská street at number 12, away from the Old Town crowds.

   The theme is masks, revolution and blacklight, which sounds exhausting. It is fun. The staff commit, the menu reveals itself under a UV torch, and the drinks hold up once the gimmick fades.

   Known for Guy Fawkes and V for Vendetta theatrics, a UV-lit hidden menu. anonymousbar.cz

4. Back DoorsSmíchov

   The doorDown a dim hallway at Na Bělidle 30, a twisting stone staircase, wobbly doors, more steps.

   Getting in feels like a dare: dark hallway, stone stairs, doors that wobble. At the bottom, a cellar full of people who made it. Music runs from bluegrass to burlesque. Order the dill one. Trust the process.

   Known for Parlour's rowdier sibling: live bluegrass to burlesque, dill and aquavit cocktails. theinfatuation.com

Nothing here has passed our check yet. The doors in this city are quieter than most, and we would rather list none than send you to a bar that closed last spring. Check back.

1. Bambou SpeakeasyPâquis

   The doorThrough a kitchen cupboard at the back of Chez Piaf, Rue de Monthoux 62.

   You walk into a French restaurant, ask nicely, and somebody opens a cupboard. Behind it, a small room that takes drinks seriously and itself less so. Order something with Armagnac. Nobody in Geneva will know where you went.

   Known for Classics and originals finished with a rare cognac or Armagnac. falstaff.com

Nothing here has passed our check yet. The doors in this city are quieter than most, and we would rather list none than send you to a bar that closed last spring. Check back.

1. Jerry Thomas SpeakeasyCentro Storico

   The doorAnswer the question on their website for the password, then find Vicolo Cellini 30.

   Homework first: a quiz for the password. Then an unmarked door, a 1920s room, and bartenders who dug up recipes everyone else forgot. Bring cash, book ahead, sit down and let them show off.

   Known for Revived forgotten recipes; a fixture on world bar lists. europe.stripes.com

2. The Race Club SpeakeasyColosseo

   The doorThrough a street-level shopfront dressed as a mechanic's garage, then down to the basement.

   The garage upstairs is the cover story. Pay your five euros, head down to the brick vaults, and the night shifts into a lower, slower gear. Late hours, small room, book on weekends.

   Known for A 1930s-styled brick-vaulted basement, five-euro membership at the door. tablejourney.com

3. Club DerrièreCentro Storico

   The doorThrough a wardrobe door at the back of Osteria delle Coppelle.

   Skip the pasta and head for the wardrobe at the back of the osteria. Behind it sit leather chairs, a wall of books, cocktails and nothing else. No wine, no beer. Respect the house and it returns the favour.

   Known for Cocktails and spirits only, in a leather-and-library back room. flawless.life

4. SpiritoPigneto

   The doorThrough the Carni Scelte meat-locker door inside the sandwich shop next door.

   Pigneto does not do polish. Walk into a sandwich joint, pull the meat-locker door marked Carni Scelte, and land in red leather booths with a casino table and a crowd that stays until four. Eat the panino first.

   Known for Red leather booths, live music, a casino table, hours past 3am. spottedbylocals.com

5. The Barber ShopCelio

   The doorThrough a gentlemen's barber salon front, then down to the basement bar.

   Upstairs it looks like somewhere to get a shave. Downstairs is where Rome goes when everything else has closed: low light, serious drinks, a door that does not open before ten. Come late. Leave later.

   Known for Late nights and Italian-spirit cocktails, pouring until about 4am. enprimeurclub.com

6. ArgotCampo de' FioriSpeakeasy-style

   The doorMembership card at the door on Via dei Cappellari, then down into a cavernous room.

   Three Romans run it, and it shows. A membership card gets you down into a cavernous room where drinks lean on apothecary ideas and the weekends bring live music. No fuss, no costume party. Just a good basement.

   Known for Drinks drawn from old medicinal liqueurs; live music at weekends. romeing.it

1. 1930Cinque Vie

   The doorMembership and password only, arranged through the team's sister bars. Reservations required.

   No sign, no address handed out freely, no walking in off the street. Earn the invitation through the people who run it. What waits is a hushed room and drinks that justify every hoop.

   Known for Milan's most secret cocktail room, on the World's 50 Best Bars list. the50.com

2. Backdoor 43NavigliSpeakeasy-style

   The doorBook an hour inside the tiny room, or order from the takeaway hatch.

   Four square metres, a handful of seats, a bartender close enough to read your mind. Book your hour or grab a drink through the hatch and walk the canal. Either way, you get the joke.

   Known for Reputedly the world's smallest bar, a few square metres. tablejourney.com

3. White RabbitIsola

   The doorBook online for instructions, then give this year's password at a dark shopfront on Via Garigliano.

   Somebody in Isola took the 1920s very seriously. You book, you follow the instructions, you say the password, and the staff in rabbit gear hand you a drink named after a gangster. Ridiculous on paper. Charming at the bar.

   Known for Cocktails named for Italian-American gangsters, vinyl-disc menus, swing and jazz. milanofinanza.it

4. DandelionAddress undisclosed

   The doorMessage them on Instagram, solve a rebus, receive a single-use access card.

   No address, no walk-ins, no shortcuts. Message them, crack a rebus, and maybe you get one of a hundred single-use cards. The drinks arrive as small performances. Precious? A little. Worth the puzzle? Ask the people who solved it.

   Known for Cocktails served as small performances, for card-holders only. milanofinanza.it

5. El Porteño ProhibidoVia MelloniSpeakeasy-style

   The doorThrough the Flores cocktail bar and behind a red curtain into the dining room.

   Walk through a cocktail bar, slip past a red curtain, and Buenos Aires takes over: steak off the grill, tango dancers between tables, a drink list built around Inca gods. Theatrical, sure. The beef is not kidding around.

   Known for Argentine grill, live tango and acrobats, cocktails themed on Inca gods. lespresso.it

1. Bad Company 1920Callao

   The doorRing at a wooden door on Calle Tudescos 4 and give the password from their Instagram.

   Check Instagram, memorize the word, ring the bell, feel slightly foolish. Then the door opens on 1920s Chicago, swing band and all. It is a costume party that knows it. The bartenders commit fully, so you might as well too.

   Known for 1920s Chicago Prohibition theatre with live swing music. timeout.es

2. RelativesSalamanca

   The doorWalk through the Friends in Common coffee shop and take the stairs down at the back.

   Flat whites upstairs, grown-up drinking downstairs. Head for the back of the café and follow the stairs. The room is polished, the people mixing are among the best in town, and nobody makes a fuss about it.

   Known for Serious cocktails beneath a daytime specialty café. Try the Relative margarita. timeout.es

3. SatánCentro

   The doorUnmarked double doors at Calle de los Libreros 18. Ring the bell on the second.

   No sign, two doors, one bell. Downstairs everything glows red, a nod to a bar that poured here in 1934. The name promises sin. What you get is a well-made drink in a basement with good company. Fair trade.

   Known for A red-lit basement paying homage to a 1934 Madrid cocktail bar. timeout.es

4. Pensión MimosasSol

   The doorBehind a plain restaurant front near Sol. The landlady at the reception desk decides who goes up.

   Check in at a shabby 1970s pensión where the woman at the desk sizes you up. Pass the test and the hostel turns into something else entirely. Pure theatre, played straight. Tip the cast in laughter and order another.

   Known for Theatrical guesthouse act: 1970s Madrid lobby, then a futuristic bar beyond. timeout.es

5. El AnfitriónPaseo del Prado

   The doorThrough the Chez Madrid bistro on Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo 4, facing the Neptune fountain.

   Spend the afternoon with Goya, then cross the road. Walk through a French bistro and sink into the room behind it. Carlos Moreno's drinks have jokes in the names and no jokes in the glass. Open late every night.

   Known for Carlos Moreno's cheeky cocktails, open daily until 02:00 across from the Prado. timeout.es

1. ParadisoEl Born

   The doorThrough a working pastrami shop and the big fridge door beside the counter.

   Order pastrami, then walk into the fridge. On the other side, one of the best bars on earth, and the crew still act like you are the point. Join the queue early. It moves.

   Known for Theatrical cocktails, among the world's top bars year after year. paradiso.cat

2. Bobby's FreeEixample

   The doorGive the barbershop the monthly password from their Instagram. A mirrored panel swings open.

   You will feel ridiculous saying a password to a barber. Say it anyway. The mirror swings, the room turns gangster-movie, and the staff in braces and trilbies have clearly made peace with the joke.

   Known for A barbershop front and a 1930s Prohibition-style room. tablejourney.com

3. MonkEl Born

   The doorThrough a corner grocery shop on Carrer dels Abaixadors, past the shelves.

   Walk into a corner shop, ignore the crisps, keep going. Behind it, stone vaults that look like a church that took up drinking. Serious cocktails, no sermon. Same family as Paradiso, and it shows in the care.

   Known for Paradiso's sister bar: neo-Gothic vaults, artist-inspired cocktails, a DJ room. barcelonaurbana.com

4. Caribbean ClubEl RavalSpeakeasy-style

   The doorA windowless 12th-century building on Carrer de les Sitges. Look for the brass porthole.

   You will walk past it. Everyone does. Find the porthole, step inside, and the old Havana rum list takes over. The family behind Boadas runs it, so the thrown Negroni is done properly. Nobody here is in a hurry.

   Known for Vintage Cuban cocktails from the Boadas family. Order the Canchánchara. tablejourney.com

5. The Original Old FashionedGràciaSpeakeasy-style

   The doorA discreet doorway at Carrer de Santa Teresa 1. Arrive early for one of eight stools.

   Thirty seats, eight at the bar, and the bartenders wear tuxedos without irony. Drinks arrive in smoking chests, which is theatre, fine. Under the smoke the Old Fashioned is honest. Come early, sit close, watch them work.

   Known for Tuxedoed bartenders, cocktails in smoking treasure chests, Pappy Van Winkle pours. tablejourney.com

1. Red FrogPríncipe Real

   The doorRing the bell under the little red frog on Rua do Salitre to be buzzed in.

   Find the frog, ring the bell, wait like a suspect. Small room, smart Portuguese twists on the classics, a sea fennel gimlet worth the hill you climbed. Lisbon was never short of drink. This made it sharper.

   Known for Bills itself as the Iberian Peninsula's first true speakeasy. tablejourney.com

2. ProcópioPríncipe Real

   The doorDown a quiet, unsigned alley to a green door. Ring the bell.

   Speakeasy before anyone in Lisbon used the word. Ring the bell and step into red velvet and stained glass that have heard every secret in town since 1972. No DJ. Just talk, and drinks to help it along.

   Known for Red velvet, stained glass and dark wood, pouring since 1972. tablejourney.com

3. Pavilhão ChinêsPríncipe RealSpeakeasy-style

   The doorAn unmarked door on Rua Dom Pedro V with two paper lanterns. Ring to enter.

   Somebody's grandfather never threw anything away, then opened a bar. Five rooms, thousands of toy soldiers and oddities staring at you from glass cases. Get a back room. The drinks are classic, the waiters have seen it all.

   Known for Five rooms of glass cabinets holding about 4,000 toys, soldiers and curiosities. tablejourney.com

4. FoxtrotPríncipe RealSpeakeasy-style

   The doorRing the bell at Travessa de Santa Teresa 28 and wait to be let in.

   Ring, wait, get let in like a regular. Dark wood, big mirrors, little booths built for quiet conspiracies. The whisky shelf is long. The bartenders know it by heart. Closed Sundays, like a decent church.

   Known for A dark-wood room of snug bays, pouring classics and single malts since 1979. tablejourney.com

5. Monkey MashAvenida da LiberdadeSpeakeasy-style

   The doorRing the doorbell at Praça da Alegria 66A.

   Same crew as Red Frog, looser shirt. Ring the bell and the room goes tropical, all rum and playful twists, made by people who could do this blindfolded and choose not to show off. Order two. Stay for a third.

   Known for Red Frog's sister bar: a tropical lounge on the 50 Best Discovery list. timeout.pt

1. A Liar ManKerameikos

   The doorRing the bell at Sofroniou 2, tucked off Iera Odos near Kerameikos metro.

   Ring the bell at an old neoclassical house and wander through rooms of faded frescoes into a walled garden. Cocktails until late, small Mexican plates after midnight. The name lies. The place doesn't.

   Known for A neoclassical house with frescoes, a walled garden, late Mexican plates. tablejourney.com

2. Cantina SocialPsyrri

   The doorTake the unmarked passage from Leokoriou 8 into the courtyard.

   No craft menu, no mixology sermon. An unmarked passage, a courtyard, cheap drinks, cash only, and a crowd that stays until the sky goes grey. Sometimes that is exactly the bar you need.

   Known for A cheap, cash-only, late-night courtyard bar. tablejourney.com

3. TelionKypseli

   The doorThrough a cheeky fake elevator door at Ithakis 40.

   You press for a lift that goes nowhere, then you are in. Popi Sevastou runs a classics-first list for neighbors and music heads. Get the 50/50 Martini with fino. Kypseli never needed a fancy bar. It got a good one.

   Known for Fino sherry Martinis, an apricot Negroni, vintage glassware, classics first. travel.gr

4. Mojo AthensHistoric Centre

   The doorRing the doorbell at 12 Lekka Street.

   A doorbell on Lekka Street, a pause, then you are in. Nobody is reinventing anything here. Classics, made properly, at prices that let you have a second. Sometimes the best trick a bar can pull is simply being good.

   Known for Classic cocktails in a speakeasy room, roughly 10 to 14 euros. athenstourism.org

5. Couleur LocaleMonastiraki

   The doorDown an alley off Monastiraki Square at Normanou 3, then a small elevator up.

   Monastiraki is a scrum of tourists and souvenir stalls. Duck into the right alley, squeeze into the little lift, and you come out above all of it. Coffee by day, cocktails by night, the sky going orange. Book weekends.

   Known for A sunset terrace above Monastiraki, open from morning until late. tablejourney.com

1. MoonshineDIFC

   The doorThrough a baby blue 1950s fridge door at the back of the Wise Guys sandwich shop.

   You walk into a sandwich shop in the financial district and open the fridge. Somebody in a suit already did it ahead of you. Inside it's low ceilings, red light and drinks that refuse to be too sweet. Good.

   Known for Balanced cocktails like the Kojikaze: vodka, pear, palo santo amazake, yuzu. cairoscene.com

2. Galaxy BarDIFCSpeakeasy-style

   The doorA low-key door beside Avli by Tashas in Gate Village 9.

   The bar people in this town send their friends to. Small room, dark corners, a team that actually listens before it shakes. The menu reads like an astronomy lesson. Ignore that and trust whoever is pouring.

   Known for Cocktails named after stars and constellations, like the Gimme Gimlet. quintessentially.com

3. Honeycomb Hi-FiBusiness Bay

   The doorTucked behind a vinyl shop at the Pullman hotel in Business Bay.

   A record shop out front, which tells you the priorities. Behind it, warm wood and a sound system somebody clearly lost sleep over. Order something simple, stop talking for a track or two, and listen.

   Known for Sound first: warm wood, a serious listening setup and nightly DJ sets. whatson.ae

4. NYXDIFC

   The doorA concealed door beside the souvenir shop at Gaia, Gate Village 4.

   Upstairs, people are splitting grilled fish and arguing about the bill. Slip past the souvenir shelf and it all goes red and quiet. Velvet, shadow, a cocktail with some Aegean in it. Nobody up there knows you left.

   Known for Crimson velvet, shadow and Greek-Mediterranean cocktails beneath a Greek restaurant. quintessentially.com

5. Voyage by AmeliaDowntown DubaiSpeakeasy-style

   The doorThrough a pendulum-inspired door on the second floor, above Amelia Lounge.

   Somebody here misses the golden age of flying, back when the seats were wide and the drinks came in real glass. Velvet, chrome, a door that swings like a clock. Book a seat and skip the boarding queue.

   Known for Retro-futuristic aviation nostalgia, velvet seating and chrome. whatson.ae

6. Blind TigerJumeirah Al NaseemSpeakeasy-style

   The doorThrough a discreet door at Turtle Lagoon in Jumeirah Al Naseem.

   Dubai builds everything bigger, so a small dark room with jazz feels almost rebellious. Lanterns hang low, the wood is dark, the band does the talking. Sit near the music and let the resort outside disappear.

   Known for Jazz, low-hung lanterns and deep wood tones. whatson.ae

1. LucyLuGemmayzeh

   The doorAn unmarked blue door across the street from Le Trottoir de Paloma.

   This city has been knocked down more times than anyone should count, and it still goes out at night. Find the blue door, follow the rabbit, and stay until the music starts making the decisions for you.

   Known for Alice in Wonderland theatrics, a warrior rabbit mascot and late music. roadbook.com

2. ClubroomGemmayzeh

   The doorBehind unassuming doors at the rear of a 1930s building on Pasteur Street.

   A velvet corridor, mirrors on the ceiling, a rosewood desk. It's a lot, and it knows it. Fifty people fit, the street stays outside, and for a couple of hours Beirut gets to be glamorous on its own terms.

   Known for Art deco mirrors, velvet curtains and black granite in a room for fifty. dezeen.com

1. BellboyLev HaIrSpeakeasy-style

   The doorOff a boutique hotel lobby on Berdyczewski Street, with a semi-secret room called Butler behind.

   The drinks arrive in a bathtub, a fist, a fish. It should be unbearable. It isn't, because the people behind the bar take the liquid seriously. Over 25s only. Visit the bathroom even if you don't need to.

   Known for Cocktails served in a red fist, a bubbling bathtub, a fish flask. spottedbylocals.com

2. ButlerLev HaIr

   The doorThrough a bookshelf door inside Bellboy, escorted by a host. Twelve stools, one bartender.

   Next door, drinks come in bathtubs. In here, one bartender, twelve stools, jars of pickled oddities on the shelves, and a proper Aviation. The quiet twin. Sit at the bar, order a classic, and let him work.

   Known for Classic cocktails and oysters, hard-shaken, without the circus next door. the50.com

3. Jasper John'sOld NorthSpeakeasy-style

   The doorIn the back of Jasper bar at 190 Dizengoff Street.

   Small, a little scruffy, and open until the sun comes up. The cocktails have silly names and serious balance. Come for the early aperitivo, stay for the bad decisions, and tip the people who kept you upright.

   Known for Inventive cocktails, Italian aperitivo bites, and hours that run to sunrise. touristisrael.com

1. The Art of DuplicityEast City

   The doorBook online for a password and clues, whisper the code to the doorman, step through.

   You get a password, a set of clues, and a doorman who wants to hear the right words. It is a game. Play along. Inside, a Victorian warehouse, jazz on weekends, and drinks good enough to justify the fuss.

   Known for Prohibition theatre: live jazz, crystal glassware, bartenders in period costume. yourluxury.africa

2. The Gin BarCity Centre

   The doorWalk through Honest Chocolate cafe on Wale Street to the bar behind it.

   First you walk through a chocolate shop, which is the correct way to start any evening. Behind it, gin. Walk-ins are fine, nobody checks your shoes, and on a quiet winter night they may close early. So go early.

   Known for A deep gin list, plus a newer bubbly bar alongside. theginbar.co.za

3. The DrinkeryCity CentreSpeakeasy-style

   The doorTucked away on Heritage Square, inside a former slave prison at 100 Shortmarket Street.

   These walls held prisoners once, and the place doesn't pretend otherwise. Now there's art on the brick, a chessboard, a balcony over the courtyard. Order the Purp Royale, look around, and think about who stood here before you.

   Known for Experiential cocktails like the Purp Royale, plus serious South African wine. the50.com

1. Octo LagosVictoria IslandSpeakeasy-style

   The doorFound inside Nómaada Lagos at 4B Musa Yar'adua Street.

   Lagos does loud better than almost anywhere. This is the other thing. Low light, a small room, people actually talking. Opened in 2026 inside a restaurant on Victoria Island. Come late, Wednesday to Sunday, and keep your voice down.

   Known for Lagos social rhythm in a low-lit, intimate speakeasy room. guardian.ng

1. Bar BenFiddichNishi-ShinjukuSpeakeasy-style

   The doorElevator to the ninth floor of an ordinary office building near Shinjuku Station. No sign to speak of.

   Eight seats, jars of roots and bark, and a man grinding botanicals from his family's land. There is no menu. Tell him what you like, then be quiet and watch. Few people in Tokyo do this better.

   Known for Farm-to-glass drinks with herbs from Chichibu, plus house-made absinthe. No menu. the50.com

2. A10Ebisu

   The doorPull open what looks like a bank of coin lockers across from Ebisu Park, then take the stairs down.

   A row of coin lockers on an Ebisu street, and one of them is a door. Downstairs the records are soul and jazz, the drinks are serious, and nobody cares that you nearly walked past.

   Known for Soul and jazz on vinyl, with house cocktails like the Tropic Espresso Martini. livelyhotels.com

3. Janai CoffeeEbisu

   The doorSolve the riddle on its website to book, show the barista, then push the concealed door.

   A coffee stand that makes you solve a puzzle before it will pour you a drink. Annoying, yes. Then the door gives, the room is warm, and the coffee cocktails earn every minute of the homework.

   Known for Coffee cocktails in a private lounge behind a coffee stand. japanroyalservice.com

4. Esujiro (SG Low)Shibuya

   The doorNo sign. Second floor of an old office building, behind a plain door.

   The people behind The SG Club decided to run an izakaya and hide it. You climb tired office stairs, find the door, sit at the counter. The sours are clever, the snacks are greasy in the right way. Stay late.

   Known for Lemon sours from the SG Club crew, plus mentaiko mac and cheese. livelyhotels.com

5. igu&peaceShibuya

   The doorA bookcase that swings open into the bar.

   Somebody here has a sense of humor. Find the right shelf, walk in, and sit on a swing to drink. It is silly. It knows it is silly. Order something, look at the skeleton, and stop taking yourself so seriously.

   Known for Magic-themed menu, a swing-set table, a skeleton in a bathtub. byfood.com

6. Michi Naki MichiShibuya

   The doorThrough a refrigerator door.

   You open a fridge and walk into a room full of skateboards, bikes and plants, with nineties J-pop on the speakers. Burgers, beers, nobody posing. Less temple of mixology, more friend's garage with a liquor license.

   Known for American-style food and drinks, skateboards on the walls, Heisei J-pop. byfood.com

7. KurodenwaEbisu

   The doorOpen an ordinary apartment door, find the black phone under the light, pick it up.

   Pick up the black phone and wait to be let in. Then the payoff: oden simmered in beef broth for three days, cold Japanese craft beer, squid-ink potato salad. A drinking den for people who also want dinner.

   Known for Oden in a 78-hour beef broth and craft beer from across Japan. livelyhotels.com

1. Bar NayutaAmerikamura

   The doorFifth floor, no sign, just a geometric symbol and a door so low you have to stoop.

   You bow to get in, which feels right. Inside it looks like a mad alchemist's home, full of bottles he made himself, and your drink comes out of a conversation. Amerikamura is loud outside. Not here.

   Known for House-made infusions, bitters and liqueurs. No printed menu. timeout.com

2. CraftroomUmedaSpeakeasy-style

   The doorTwo floors underground in the Osaka Ekimae Daiichi Building, behind a facade you will walk straight past.

   Two levels down in a station-side office basement, among the lunch counters. You would never guess. The cocktails are sharp and quietly ambitious, made by people who care more about your glass than your photo.

   Known for Osaka's first bar on Asia's 50 Best Bars, all technique and creativity. timeout.com

3. Bar JuniperDojima, Kita

   The doorPull the handle of what looks like a vending machine and step inside.

   A vending machine that is actually a door, in a quiet Dojima side street. Behind it, gin, and lots of it. The bartenders carve ice, work with yuzu and sudachi, and pour with real restraint. Ask about the old bottles.

   Known for Japanese and rare vintage gins, with seasonal infusions and hand-carved ice. byfood.com

4. Bible Club OsakaShinsaibashiSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown the stairs to a discreet basement. Easy to walk past.

   Sister to the Portland original, dressed like an 1890s American saloon: old wood, antique glass, yellowed newspaper on the walls. Could be costume. The drinks say otherwise. Classics, done straight, with Japanese spirits slipped in. Even the mocktails try.

   Known for Pre-Prohibition classics reworked with Japanese spirits, like the Negroni Flip. timeout.com

5. The Speakeasy OsakaNishi-Umeda

   The doorBehind an unmarked door on an upper floor of a Nishi-Umeda building.

   No sign worth mentioning. Find the right building, go up, try the unmarked door. Behind it, a room that dreams of Prohibition and takes its drinks seriously. Lost? Ask a local. Somebody always knows.

   Known for Prohibition-era glamour, high above the Umeda crowds. whatsnewindonesia.com

1. Alice CheongdamCheongdam

   The doorDown the basement stairs on Dosan-daero 55-gil, past a white rabbit sign.

   The theme could be unbearable. It isn't. Follow the rabbit down, take your rose, and let them pour something odd and gorgeous. Years on Asia's best list, and the staff still treat you like a regular.

   Known for Wonderland-themed cocktails, and a white rose for every guest. enprimeurclub.com

2. Le ChamberCheongdam

   The doorPull the right book from the library shelf and the wall opens.

   Champion bartenders built it and wanted a bookcase for a door. Fair enough. Inside it is leather, high ceilings and a piano. Plush, sure, but the drinks are made with real care. Pick the right book.

   Known for Around 200 whiskies, house ginger beer and live piano under chandeliers. the50.com

3. Charles H.Gwanghwamun, Jongno

   The doorA discreet door in the Four Seasons basement. H. Bar, inside it, hides behind a time-capsule entrance.

   A hotel bar, which usually means beige. This one is underground, gilded and properly run, with a second secret room for people who like their secrets nested. Dress a little. Let the bartender steer.

   Known for Polished mixology and city-themed menus, with a hidden bar inside the bar. press.fourseasons.com

4. ZoosindangSindang, Jung-gu

   The doorPress the cat statue outside the shop and the secret door opens.

   Push the cat. That is the whole password. Upstairs and down, the drinks run on the twelve animals of the zodiac, and the bartenders play with odd flavors without getting precious. Sindang is not glamorous. Good.

   Known for Zodiac-animal cocktails and experimental menus over two floors. gogohanguk.com

5. Jean FrigoDongdaemun, Jung-gu

   The doorWalk into what looks like a produce shop, then through the fridge door at the back.

   Crates of fruit and vegetables out front, a refrigerator door at the back, and a two-level bar beyond it. You order on an old payphone. The fruit in the shop ends up in your glass, which is the honest part.

   Known for Fruit-forward cocktails, and ordering by vintage payphone. gogohanguk.com

1. AlchemyXinyi

   The doorInside the old MQ club: go upstairs, down a hallway of Prohibition photos, through a bookshelf door.

   The club around it closed and the speakeasy kept going, which tells you who the loyal ones were. A bookshelf swings, a band plays, and someone makes you a classic with Taiwanese tea in it. Simple pleasures, done properly.

   Known for Live jazz and Prohibition classics with oolong and chrysanthemum twists. taiwanobsessed.com

2. Ounce TaipeiDa'an

   The doorA secret entrance at its new Da'an home. It moved, so check recent directions first.

   No menu, no fuss. You describe what you are in the mood for, the bartender talks it through with you, and the drink usually beats what you would have ordered anyway. Conversation is the whole point.

   Known for No menu. Tell the bartender what you like and trust them. taiwanobsessed.com

3. HANKO 60Ximending, Wanhua

   The doorA fake cinema box office. Press the button by the ticket booth and a door opens.

   Movie posters, a ticket window, no film. Hit the button and the wall gives way to red neon and a loud, good-looking crowd. The drinks are playful twists on classics with local fruit and tea. Ximending at its most fun.

   Known for Cinema-themed cocktails with Taiwanese ingredients, under red Hong Kong neon. taiwanobsessed.com

4. Bar PUNDa'an

   The doorDown a narrow alley lane, press the fire alarm in the fire lane and the door opens.

   You set off a fire alarm on purpose, which feels wrong, then a door slides open. Inside it is calm and serious. Small plates come matched to drinks, the staff explain without lecturing, and the alley outside stops existing.

   Known for The PUN Experience: finger food paired with carefully built cocktails. opentable.com.au

5. Antique Bar 1900Dadaocheng, DatongSpeakeasy-style

   The doorThird floor of the old A.S. Watson building. Take the tea house entrance, climb one more flight.

   A century-old pharmacy building on Dihua Street, a tea house on the way up, then a room out of 1900 Paris. Absinthe, champagne, chandeliers. A little theatrical, sure. Sit by the window and let the old street do the talking.

   Known for Belle Epoque room, absinthe, and Death in the Afternoon. taiwanobsessed.com

1. The Old ManSoho, CentralSpeakeasy-style

   The doorDown a short flight of nondescript stairs near the corner of Aberdeen and Staunton Streets.

   A small basement named for a fisherman and a writer who drank too much. Small room, big ideas, a bar shaped like a capital I. The drinks are clever without being smug, and the bartenders are the reason to return.

   Known for Hemingway-inspired cocktails served across an I-shaped bar. timeout.com

2. FoxgloveCentral

   The doorWalk into the umbrella shop out front and press down on the right umbrella. A wall slides open.

   The front sells very nice umbrellas, which is a funny place to hide a bar in a city this wet. Behind it, jazz and brass. Behind that, another secret room. Hong Kong loves a double bluff.

   Known for Live jazz, mid-century liner glamour, and Frank's Library hidden inside. discoverhongkong.com

3. The DiplomatCentral

   The doorFind the brass door behind the unmarked stair on Scavenging Lane, under H Code.

   Down an unmarked stair, through a brass door, into a room that just wants you fed and happy. Classics done right, pub grub to soak them up, and a hello that means it. Diplomacy, basically.

   Known for Reimagined classic cocktails and pub grub from John Nugent. timeout.com

4. LockdownCentral

   The doorThrough a door beside a display toilet on Hollywood Road.

   A bar named for the years everyone spent indoors, and you walk in past a toilet. That is the humour here. Inside, old recipes made with care, a Clover Club taken apart and rebuilt better. Laugh, then order seriously.

   Known for Vintage cocktails like the Left Bank and a deconstructed Clover Club. timeout.com

5. The Green DoorCentral

   The doorTucked among the busy wet market stalls on Graham Street.

   Fish on ice, greens stacked high, aunties haggling. Somewhere in that market is a bar. Inside it is dim and cool like an old cistern, the gin and tonics have ideas, and the market noise stays outside where it belongs.

   Known for Playful twists on classics and creative gin and tonics in a dim, cistern-like room. timeout.com

6. Red RoomTsim Sha Tsui

   The doorBehind a wall of lockers on the sixth floor of K11 Musea.

   A shopping mall, a wall of lockers, then a room drenched in red. Old whisky, older Cognac, a cigar if that is your thing. The Tea Fist tastes like the city outside. Kowloon deserves its secrets too.

   Known for Vintage whiskies and Cognac, cigars, and local twists like the Tea Fist. timeout.com

7. The PoetSoho, Central

   The doorA lift-like door set into a striking blue wall on Staunton Street. Flip the switch.

   You stand in front of a blue wall looking for a way in, which is the point. Flip the switch and you are through. Good whisky, good gin, guest bartenders keeping regulars on their toes. Poetry is optional.

   Known for Signature cocktails, a deep whisky and gin shelf, and guest bartender shifts. thehoneycombers.com

1. Speak LowFormer French Concession

   The doorPush the right shelf in the OCHO bar-tools shop, then climb a narrow brick tunnel.

   The shop out front sells shakers and jiggers to bartenders, which is a nice wink. Slide the shelf and go up. Each floor gets calmer and more serious. Start at the bottom and see how high they let you climb.

   Known for Shingo Gokan's multi-level bar, quieter and fancier with every floor. esquireindia.co.in

2. BarulesJing'anSpeakeasy-style

   The doorAn unmarked door on Tongren Lu painted with 'Bartender is always right' and Dick Bradsell's portrait.

   Pick a strength, a fizz level, a sweetness, and roughly 150 ingredients sit waiting. It closed in 2020 and came back in 2024 because people missed it. The motto on the door is a joke that is also true.

   Known for Freestyle cocktails built from about 150 ingredients and your mood. esquireindia.co.in

3. FlaskFormer French Concession

   The doorThrough a concealed door at the back of Tiger Bites, a bao joint on Xiangyang Bei Lu.

   Eat a bao first. It will help. Then go through the hidden door and let the night run its course. Early on it is polite. Later it is a party, and nobody pretends otherwise.

   Known for Theatrical cocktails, and a lounge that turns into a party as the night goes. esquireindia.co.in

4. J. BoroskiJing'an

   The doorA black door on Fumin Lu with no sign outside, then a dark stair to the second floor.

   No menu. You talk, they listen, and a drink arrives that suits you better than you expected. Meanwhile more than a thousand beetles watch from the walls. Creepy, yes. Also beautiful. Trust the bartender, not the bugs.

   Known for No menu, cocktails built from a conversation, and walls of preserved beetles. english.shanghai.gov.cn

1. 28 HongKong StreetCentral

   The doorA nondescript shophouse door at number 28. No sign, no hint.

   The bar that taught Singapore to drink properly, and it still does not bother with a sign. Big pours, real food, bartenders who remember you. Find the door, go in, sit at the bar.

   Known for Strong classics like the Hanky Panky and Cognac Milk Punch. esquireindia.co.in

2. Taylor AdamRaffles Place

   The doorWalk into what looks like a tailor's shop at One Raffles Place and keep going.

   In the middle of the banking district, a tailor that does not sell suits. The fitting room is a bar. Bankers loosen their ties, the drinks follow old trade routes, and the joke lands every time.

   Known for Commonwealth flavours: Vesper Martini, marmalade gin sours, arrack punches. esquireindia.co.in

3. Cat Bite ClubDuxtonSpeakeasy-style

   The doorA coffee shop by day that turns speakeasy at night. Look for the red neon Cheshire cat.

   Coffee in the morning, mezcal and soju at night, and a grinning neon cat to tell you which shift you walked into. Small, loud, and full of people who know their agave. Order the margarita first.

   Known for Over 200 agave and Asian rice spirits, and the Cat Bite Margarita. esquireindia.co.in

4. Night HawkTanjong Pagar

   The doorAn unsigned door in Tanjong Pagar. You have to know where to look.

   Peter Chua opened it in 2022 and never bothered with a sign. Twenty-five seats, every cocktail the same price, a house drink of chocolate, coffee and hot coconut foam. Serious work, fair prices, nobody showing off.

   Known for Twenty-five seats, one flat price per cocktail, and the chocolate-coffee Nighthawks. timeout.com

5. The Dragon ChamberBoat Quay

   The doorThrough a fridge door inside a kopitiam.

   Walk into a kopitiam, open the fridge, and step into a Hong Kong gangster film. The look is pure theatre. The fun is real. Bring friends, order a round, and try not to do the accent.

   Known for A Hong Kong underground gang den look behind an ordinary coffee shop. timeout.com

6. Mama DiamRochor

   The doorInside a retro mama shop. Pull aside the shelf of magazines and CDs.

   The mama shop was the corner store of every Singapore childhood. This one hides a bar behind its shelves. Old snacks, old songs, cocktails that taste like being ten with pocket money. Nostalgia, with a proper pour.

   Known for Nostalgic local flavours like the Kopi Cino and Childhood Delight. timeout.com

1. PS150Chinatown

   The doorWalk through a vintage toy shop below the Merchant's Lane cafe into a hidden corridor.

   Petaling Street hustles outside. Walk past the old toys and the noise falls away into red light and old timber. The drinks taste of this place and its history. Stay long enough and the shophouse starts telling stories.

   Known for Cocktails built on Malaysian flavours in a 1920s-style pre-war shophouse. esquireindia.co.in

2. Three X CoBangsar

   The doorThrough a pop-up barbershop inside Bangsar Shopping Centre.

   A barbershop in a shopping mall, about the last place you would look. Behind it, green walls, gold, old glassware, and some of the best drinks in Asia at fair prices. Get the haircut another day.

   Known for 1920s glamour, bottle-green walls, and inventive originals from Amanda Wan's team. the50.com

3. Cabinet 8Chinatown

   The doorUnder a 'Neighbour Club' sign at 70 Jalan Sultan, then back past the bookshelves.

   The sign says Neighbour Club. Head for the books at the back and a grown-up room opens up. Oolong, pu'er and jackfruit in the glass, prices that do not sting. Someone put instant noodle seasoning in a cocktail. It works.

   Known for Tea-forward cocktails, Malaysian ingredients, and one seasoned with instant noodle powder. the50.com

4. The VaultSri Hartamas

   The doorUp a dim stair by The Prep Room, then through a heavy vault door.

   Climb the dim stairs, push through a bank vault door, and the suburb disappears. Negronis and martinis made straight, no nonsense. Go early in the evening. After ten on a weekend it is a crowd, and the crowd is loud.

   Known for Prohibition-era looks, proper Negronis and martinis, and the Becherovka-laced Asa Akira. travelmermaid.com

5. The Attic BarChinatownSpeakeasy-style

   The doorBuzz the Travel Hub guesthouse, then climb three flights past the hostel rooms.

   You ring a hostel buzzer and climb past backpackers' rooms, which is half the fun. Up top, a terrace and the Chinatown skyline. Drinks are cheap and simple. Nobody comes for mixology. Come for the view and the climb.

   Known for A rooftop with Chinatown views, cheap drinks, and pub grub. travelmermaid.com

1. Find The Locker RoomThonglor

   The doorTake the narrow path beside Iron Fairies, then open the right steel locker.

   A wall of gym lockers, and one of them is the way in. Corny, sure, and it works anyway. The menu runs from old classics to future experiments. Pick an era and let them surprise you.

   Known for Cocktails split into past, present and future. says.com

2. Rabbit HoleThonglor

   The doorNo sign outside on Thonglor. Look for a plain wooden door with a small carved rabbit head.

   No sign, a wooden door, one of Bangkok's busiest drinking streets. Three floors of dark rooms and whisky. Tell them what you like and let the bourbon do the talking.

   Known for Bourbon-led custom drinks across three floors. says.com

3. Find The Photo BoothBantadthong

   The doorStep into a working vintage photo booth and find the hidden button.

   Squeeze into the booth, smile for the camera, work out the trick. The reward is a lush little room with deep house on the speakers and drinks that mix Manhattan habits with Thai ingredients. Keep the photos.

   Known for New York cocktails with Thai accents, plush train-carriage seating, deep house. says.com

4. PhiltrationPhaya Thai

   The doorInside an old family compound, an antique medicine cabinet hides the door to the basement.

   A family home more than a century old, and the basement used to be the pharmacy. Now the medicine comes in coupes. The room has bones, the history is real, and nobody is pretending. Take your prescription seriously.

   Known for Drinks in the cellar where an ancestor once mixed herbal remedies. timeout.com

5. Door No.6Nana

   The doorWalk through a sixty-year-old bespoke tailor's shop on Sukhumvit Soi 6 to the back half.

   Up front, a family still cuts suits the slow way. Out back, they measure your martini instead. Bone dry, served with a tailor's tape for company. Good craft respects good craft. Dress however you like.

   Known for A menu built on the six stages of making a suit. timeout.com

6. The Key Room No.72Ari

   The doorAsk for a keycard at the Josh Hotel desk, then find the unmarked black wall.

   You ask the front desk for a key, like a guest with a secret. The black wall gives way to a tiny red room of mirrors. Small, silly, sincere. Order the journey and go along for the ride.

   Known for A tiny mirrored red room, drinks following a fictional globetrotter. timeout.com

7. Opium BarYaowarat

   The doorInside Potong restaurant's old Chinatown shophouse, take the tiny lift from the second floor.

   Chinatown outside: smoke, noise, traffic, food everywhere. Then a shophouse, a restaurant, a lift built for two thin people. Up top, a quiet room and close to fifty drinks that wander off into strange places. Follow them.

   Known for Nearly fifty cocktails pitched as liquid surreality. timeout.com

1. The Blind PigLegazpi Village, Makati

   The doorThe only sign is in Braille. Find it and you have found the door.

   The sign is in Braille, so most people walk right past. Their loss. Inside it is dim and easy, the cocktails are made with care, and the office noise of Makati stays outside where it belongs.

   Known for Billed as Manila's first true speakeasy, still making careful cocktails. legacy.federalland.ph

2. Bank BarBonifacio Global City

   The doorWalk into the convenience store and keep going. The bar hides behind it.

   You go out for a drink and walk through a convenience store to get it. Then the ceiling opens up, the room fills, and the bartenders get to work. Skip the snack aisle.

   Known for Carefully mixed cocktails under surprisingly high ceilings. legacy.federalland.ph

3. Sari SariMakati

   The doorIt looks like a neighborhood corner store, shelves of snacks and soap included. Keep walking.

   Every street in the country has a sari-sari store. This one sells drinks you will remember. The joke is affectionate, the bartenders lean local, and the late hours mean nobody rushes you home.

   Known for Inventive cocktails, often built on local ingredients. legacy.federalland.ph

4. RM-16Kapitolyo, Pasig

   The doorBehind Tittos Latin BBQ and Brew, through a big red vending machine.

   Eat barbecue first. Then find the red vending machine and walk through it. On the other side, a DJ, a Pisco sour with some backbone, and a Pasig crowd that came to have fun, not to be seen.

   Known for Peruvian Sour, Coquito and live DJ sets. legacy.federalland.ph

5. The Back RoomBonifacio Global CitySpeakeasy-style

   The doorTucked discreetly away inside Shangri-La The Fort. Ask if you cannot find it.

   A hotel bar that would rather you did not notice it. Low light, a long gin shelf, a Bee's Knees made the way it was meant to be. Polished without being stiff. Stay for one more.

   Known for The Bee's Knees and a deep gin selection. legacy.federalland.ph

1. The Baxter InnCBD

   The doorDown an alley, through a few turns, then down the basement stairs.

   Find the alley, then find it again. Downstairs is a whisky wall that seems to go on forever, blues on the stereo, and bartenders who move fast and still have time to talk. Worth getting lost for.

   Known for A vast whisky wall, jazz and blues in a candlelit cellar. timeout.com

2. Old Mate's PlaceCBD

   The doorClimb 102 steps, or take the lift, in an unmarked building.

   No sign, a lot of stairs, and a reward at the top. Low light and books inside, a rooftop above, and drinks that take themselves seriously while the staff do not. Take the stairs. You will feel you earned it.

   Known for Serious cocktails, a library feel, and a rooftop. timeout.com

3. Earl's Juke JointNewtown

   The doorLook for the old Betta Meats butcher shopfront and walk in.

   It still wears a butcher's sign, so half the street thinks it sells sausages. Inside it is all New Orleans: dark, loud, warm. The Sazerac is the move. The staff are why you stay for three.

   Known for New Orleans spirit, sharp Sazeracs and friendly staff. timeout.com

4. The CumberlandManly

   The doorPull open the original 1920s fridge door inside Cove Deli.

   Buy a sandwich if you want. Then open the fridge, the old one, and step out of beach town Manly into a room of leather and brass. The drinks lean on history without lecturing you about it.

   Known for History-inspired cocktails, leather banquettes and old brass beer taps. timeout.com

5. Door KnockCBD

   The doorTwo steep flights of concrete stairs, a long hallway, then a door with a brass pineapple.

   Stairs, more stairs, a hallway that keeps going. You start to wonder. Then the brass pineapple, the door, and a warm room full of people who made the same trip. Knock like you mean it.

   Known for Cocktails you earn on the way down. timeout.com

6. Ramblin' Rascal TavernCBD

   The doorA nondescript door with a sliver of a sign showing three skull silhouettes.

   Three little skulls on a sign you will probably miss. Behind the door, a tavern with cognac in the glasses and a band in the corner. Loose, loud, friendly. You mean to leave early. You never do.

   Known for Cognac cocktails and live bands through the week. timeout.com

1. Mill Place MerchantsCBD

   The doorStep into a Victorian-era dressing room and go through the wardrobe.

   A wardrobe for a door, because Melbourne never met a laneway joke it would not commit to. Through it, chandeliers, old brick and a proper drink. A little theatrical, a lot of fun.

   Known for Chandeliers and speakeasy glamour in a 19th-century heritage building. timeout.com

2. Loch and KeyCBD

   The doorBehind a bookcase inside the Captain Melville, then up a rickety staircase.

   The oldest pub in town has a bookcase that is not a bookcase. Up the creaky stairs is a warren of couches and corners. Cosy, a bit shambolic, and better for it.

   Known for A couch-filled warren of rooms above the city's oldest pub. timeout.com

3. Pizza Pizza PizzaCBD

   The doorWalk through the pizzeria on Meyers Place and push past the black curtain at the back.

   Get a slice. Then walk to the back, push through the curtain, and find a snug little bar where the drinks are good and nobody judges the grease on your fingers. Priorities, sorted.

   Known for A cosy cocktail bar hiding behind a pizza shop. timeout.com

4. Beneath Driver LaneCBD

   The doorWalk to the end of the alley and head down into the basement.

   An alley, a dead end, a staircase down. The room feels part Chicago, part wizard's cellar. The crew wear chef's whites dyed black and work like a kitchen on a Saturday. Trust the pass.

   Known for Sharp cocktails from bartenders in black chef's coats. timeout.com

5. Fall from GraceCBD

   The doorInside State of Grace on King Street, the cellar bar opens through a bookcase.

   Upstairs is dinner, downstairs is trouble. Swing the bookcase and you are in a cellar that has heard every secret in the building. Not so secret anymore, they admit. Still a fine place to keep a few.

   Known for A cellar bar beneath a three-level restaurant and rooftop. timeout.com

6. Death & CoFlinders Lane, CBDSpeakeasy-style

   The doorBehind a curtain on Flinders Lane, then down into two dark levels.

   New York sent its drinkers' bar across the Pacific, and it landed behind a curtain on Flinders Lane. Dark wood, low light, drinks built like engineering. They did not need to come here. Glad they did.

   Known for The New York group's first bar outside the United States. timeout.com

1. MollyCity

   The doorBehind unmarked wooden doors on Odgers Lane. They give coordinates, not an address.

   A bar that hands out map coordinates instead of a street number. Cute. Find the wooden doors off the lane and the cuteness stops. Jazz, whisky, bartenders who know their trade. The capital, loosened up.

   Known for Whisky, cocktails and live jazz in a Prohibition-style room. hercanberra.com.au

2. Volstead RepealBraddonSpeakeasy-style

   The doorQuietly tucked down an alley of shops off Mort Street.

   Green leather chesterfields, walls of whisky, a den you could hibernate in. The name is a history lesson, the drinks are the homework done right. Ask the bartender to pick a bottle. That is what they are for.

   Known for Post-Prohibition New York cocktails and over 300 whiskies. visitcanberra.com.au

3. Devil You Don'tActon

   The doorDown the stairs to the basement at 15 Edinburgh Avenue.

   Same crew as Volstead Repeal, one level further underground. Moody, plush, intimate. A good basement bar makes you forget the time, and this one does it without trying too hard. Bring someone worth talking to.

   Known for Moody, luxurious basement cocktails from the Volstead Repeal team. hercanberra.com.au

1. CaretakerBritomart

   The doorOff Roukai Lane, down the stairs and through a nondescript wooden door.

   No menu here. You talk, they listen, and a drink appears that fits the mood you could not describe. It is dark and quiet down there, and the bartenders read people the way good barbers do.

   Known for No menu. Bespoke cocktails mixed to your mood. tablejourney.com

2. SlyKarangahape Road

   The doorA gourmet hot dog shopfront with a mannequin hostess. The bar door hides behind her.

   Once an adult video store, now a hot dog shop with a mannequin out front and a candlelit cocktail room behind. K Road at its best: cheeky, unfussy, kind to strangers. Get the dog with the drink.

   Known for Craft cocktails paired with gourmet hot dogs. tablejourney.com

3. ACSPonsonby

   The doorUpstairs from The Broken Lantern. Get the password from the bar staff downstairs.

   You earn this one by being polite downstairs. Ask nicely, get the word, climb up. The crew came from some of the city's best bars and it shows. Cheeky room, serious drinks, nobody stuffy about either.

   Known for Auckland Cocktail Syndicate: cheeky decor, modern cocktails, a password at the door. theurbanlist.com

4. Pineapple on ParnellParnellSpeakeasy-style

   The doorA Victorian building marked only by a small pineapple-shaped brass door knocker.

   Knock with the pineapple. Inside, velvet, oil paintings and a piano that someone actually plays. Grab the back booth and let a few hours go. Leave the hoodie at home. They mean it.

   Known for Prohibition mood, a resident pianist and deep cushioned booths. theurbanlist.com

5. RocketmanBritomartSpeakeasy-style

   The doorUpstairs from Caretaker, with a hidden karaoke parlour tucked inside.

   Caretaker's younger sibling went to space and came back with a glitter ball. Bowie on the menu, prosecco on tap, a secret karaoke room for your worst decisions. Less hush, more fun. Sing badly. Everyone does.

   Known for Bowie-inspired drinks, prosecco on tap and Ms Kitty's Parlour karaoke. theurbanlist.com