# NYC's hidden bars blend Prohibition mystique with craft cocktails

> New York's speakeasies offer secretive elegance and inventive drinks inspired by global flavors and classic cocktail traditions.
- Title: NYC's hidden bars blend Prohibition mystique with craft…
- Summary: New York's speakeasies offer secretive elegance and inventive drinks inspired by global flavors and classic cocktail traditions. NYC's new speakeasies…
- Keywords: new york city, speakeasies, cocktail bars, hidden bars, prohibition era, mandarin oriental, jeff bell, pdt, mixology, east village, williamsburg, west village
- Source: New York Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/16/lifestyle/nycs-newest-hidden-bars-blend-mystique-with-novel-cocktails
- Published: 2026-09-16T11:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: new york city, speakeasies, cocktail bars, hidden bars, prohibition era, mandarin oriental, jeff bell, pdt, mixology, east village, williamsburg, west village
## The Bar at Mandarin Oriental
The 35th-floor lounge reopened last fall with a Silk Road theme, serving cocktails inspired by stops from Tokyo to Istanbul with ingredients like Hibiki whisky and nigori sake.
## Highball Ltd near Grand Central
PDT owner Jeff Bell opened this speakeasy behind an office building's service entrance, evoking luxury train travel with complex cocktails like the Fresa Fizz.
## The Collectors Bar in Williamsburg
This Hong Kong-rooted speakeasy opened in July with a mysterious vibe, serving atmospheric cocktails like the Lan Kwai Fong with prosecco, yuzu sake and oolong tea syrup.

> every story has a flavor
## Kees in West Village
Hidden behind Mixteca taco spot, this Jeff Bell speakeasy opened in early 2026 with midcentury elegance and drinks organized by structure, from martinis to old-fashioneds.
## Room 207 in East Village
An unmarked door on East 13th Street leads to a jewel-box jazz joint with white-jacket service and Prohibition-era cocktails like the El Diablo, created by Junoon's Hemant Pathak.
## Why speakeasies are back
NYC's new hidden bars tap into Prohibition nostalgia while offering sophisticated cocktails and intimate settings that make discovery feel like an insider's privilege.
## Key takeaway

NYC's new speakeasies combine hidden entrances and intimate settings with sophisticated, globally-inspired cocktails that make the experience feel like discovering a secret.