Hidden Bars and Restaurants of New York City

The 9 Coolest New York Haunts You've Never Heard Of

A new book reveals the city's true secret bars and restaurants

“2nd Floor on Clinton is accessed through the back of the restaurant Barramundi on Clinton Street in the Lower East Side, through a door labeled “Private” and up a staircase. You’ll suddenly feel like you’re in someone’s country home: on a landing in the staircase there’s a little wooden table with a lamp, candle and chalkboard…The paper lanterns have real candles inside, red velvet sofas abut the windows, and vintage glass oil lamps sit on the windowsills. Prohibition Night is every Tuesday, with live music and ‘20s-era cocktails.”

67 Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002
2ndflooronclinton.com

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The 9 Coolest New York Haunts You've Never Heard Of

A new book reveals the city's true secret bars and restaurants

Written by Frances Dodds

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Norwood

“Norwood, a private arts club hidden in a Chelsea townhouse, is not the easiest place to get into, but if you can get an invitation, go. Despite its historic pedigree, Norwood is a thoroughly modern club. It has 1,100 members and a flurry of events, which range from members’ supper clubs to live performances to art openings. The various salons, lounges, and dining rooms were decorated by owner Alan Linn and Simon Costin, a set designer who did stagings for Alexander McQueen’s fashion shows and whose work regularly appears in Vogue.”

241 West 14th Street, New York, NY
norwoodclub.com

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The 9 Coolest New York Haunts You've Never Heard Of

A new book reveals the city's true secret bars and restaurants

Written by Frances Dodds

Read the Full Story ≫

Taproom at the Players Club

“There aren’t many places left in New York where you can imbibe whiskey and gin surrounded by artifacts like Mark Twain’s pool cue, 19th-century Shakespearean costumes, and portraits by John Singer Sargent. The oldest private club in New York City still in its original location, walking into the Players Club feels like stepping back in time to the Gilded Age. Yet because it has always been a private club, few people know about it.”

“Downstairs in the grill and taproom, portraits of the club’s famous members (including John Barrymore, Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, Liza Minelli, Ethan Hawke, Kevin Spacey, and Jimmy Fallon) line the walls.”

16 Gramercy Park South, New York, NY 10003
theplayersnyc.org

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The 9 Coolest New York Haunts You've Never Heard Of

A new book reveals the city's true secret bars and restaurants

Written by Frances Dodds

Read the Full Story ≫

Gaonnuri

“On the 39th floor, on the top level of a nondescript office building, Gaonnuri offers an amazing panorama of the city: a 180 degree view of midtown Manhattan—from the Hudson River looking onto Jersey City to Herald Square and Bryant Park, and the MetLife Building atop Grand Central Terminal.”

“You can tell Gaonnuri thinks pretty highly of itself, starting with the décor and the dress code. ‘Please dress appropriately,’ the sign says, with a list of clothing guests should ‘refrain from wearing…’ Not surprisingly, as this is both a tourist and business lunch destination, there’s an extensive drink menu of hard liquor, wine, and cocktails.”

1250 Broadway, 39th Floor, New York, NY 10011
gaonnurinyc.com

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The 9 Coolest New York Haunts You've Never Heard Of

A new book reveals the city's true secret bars and restaurants

Written by Frances Dodds

Read the Full Story ≫

The Wooly

“Built out of an unused space next to the Woolworth Tower Kitchen Restaurant, The Wooly is run by a brother-in-law duo whose personal collection of vintage items from all over the country spills over into the bar they run.”

“For the most part, the space hosts events, parties, and creative panel discussions. Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich did a set at a party for Rag & Bone. Lana Del Rey sang for an H&M event. But his doesn’t mean that the ordinary layperson can’t get in. If you send an email through their website saying you’ll be in town, and they happen to be open, they’ll gladly accommodate you. Even for a group of two. ‘Just hit us up,’ they say.”

11 Barclay Street, New York, NY 10007
thewooly.com

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The 9 Coolest New York Haunts You've Never Heard Of

A new book reveals the city's true secret bars and restaurants

Written by Frances Dodds

Read the Full Story ≫

Manhattan Cricket Club

“Hidden inside the Australian-themed restaurant Burke & Willis, the Manhattan Cricket Club is a rare Upper West Side speakeasy. The narrow upstairs space, three rooms in succession, is designed to feel like a small apartment from the 1870s, and the main sitting area is lined with books by Dickens and Maupassant, along with cricket trophies and vintage photographs.”

“’Our menu is not deep, it’s thoughtful,’ they say. As a humorous touch, the menu is dotted with quotes about alcohol by famous people: ‘I drink to make other people more interesting,’ said Hemingway.”

226 West 79th Street, New York, NY 10024
www.mccnewyork.com

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The 9 Coolest New York Haunts You've Never Heard Of

A new book reveals the city's true secret bars and restaurants

Written by Frances Dodds

Read the Full Story ≫

Bar and Dining Room at the Society of Illustrators

“The Society of Illustrators is one of those hidden gems that even some of its neighbors don’t realize exists—particularly the bar and dining room on the third floor of this Upper East Side club. Though the Society of Illustrators is a membership-based club, it’s open to the public every day the club is open because it’s also a museum. In addition to a permanent collection of 1,800 works, the Society hosts special exhibitions throughout the year, weekly nude sketch nights, and themed sketch nights ranging from burlesque to boxing. An original painting by Normal Rockwell, The Christmas Coach, was donated to the club by the artist himself in 1935 and hangs above the bar.”

128 East 63rd Street, New York, NY 10065
societyillustrators.org

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The 9 Coolest New York Haunts You've Never Heard Of

A new book reveals the city's true secret bars and restaurants

Written by Frances Dodds

Read the Full Story ≫

Tags:

The 9 Coolest New York Haunts You've Never Heard Of

A new book reveals the city's true secret bars and restaurants

Written by Frances Dodds

Read the Full Story ≫

Weather Up

“If not for the gleaming white subway tiles covering the façade, you might never even wonder what’s behind the door of this little place on busy Vanderbilt Avenue. Venture inside, past the velvet curtain, and you’ll find yourself in a glowing little jewel box of a bar. Amazingly, the white subway tiles continue on the inside, completely covering the ceiling, just like in the Paris metro. Yet unlike a grimy subway station, the place is outfitted in dark wood, brown leather, a copper bar, and marble tables.”

“The short but sweet cocktail menu contains ten drinks—takes on the classics—but Weather Up’s bartenders have the full repertoire of classic cocktails in their heads. Order a Vieux Carré (rye, cognac, vermouth, Bénédictine, bitters, and lemon) and you won’t be disappointed.”

589 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238
weatherupnyc.com