The coolest underground bars in NYC

To describe Nothing Really Matters as a ‘speakeasy’ would be to miss the point; it isn’t trying to hide, it’s not disguising itself, and it’s not relying on gimmicks. With its provocative name taken from the coda to a certain Rock magnum opus, in NRM we find a business that refuses simple categorization; to turn around and say it’s an off-the-beaten-path cocktail bar is to sell it short. So, what is Nothing Really Matters? A vapor-wave x '70s glam cocktail bar that just happens to be located inside of a subway station.

There is indeed a delightful juxtaposition to savor between the MTA’s thick layer of grime and Nothing Really Matters’ luminous mirror-finish, but the bar’s vibes would be strong regardless of location. And while it’d be easy for this place’s proprietors to sit back and let the space and name do the heavy lifting, the cocktail menu is inventive, fun, and seasonal with a healthy sprinkle of homebrewed humor and flair. Also, the bathrooms are very literally sparkling. You’ll see.

There’s no kitchen, but there are some bar snacks, including two different caviar services. If that doesn’t satiate, a pizza can be ordered for delivery right to your seat. Just ask the bartender for details. 

It’s worth a visit in its own right, but Nothing Really Matters is located near the theater district, which makes it a great place to debrief after [insert Midtown activity here]. Let’s just be real: if you’re in that neck of the woods, the odds are that you’re chaperoning family/friends. Bringing out-of-towners to Nothing Really Matters will portray you as the consummate in-the-know New Yorker–no question. Just do everyone who loves this place a favor and, rather than try to make you look cool, actually be cool. 

Address: Inside the 50th Street Downtown ① subway station at Broadway

Opening hours: Mon–Sat 4pm–2am; Sun 4pm–midnight

Expect to pay: About $10 for a beer, $15 for a glass of wine and $20 for a cocktail

Anyone who’s ever gone in for Japanese cocktailing knows the promise of the premise: finely-tuned atmosphere, attention to detail, and pride in high standards of execution. But there is no ‘correct’ version of the experience, only the proprietor’s vision and the realization thereof. Katana Kitten—a split-level Japanese American cocktail bar in Greenwich Village—feels like cocktail master Masahiro Urushido is channeling the Japanese cocktail ethos through a single concept: fun. 

It’s clear that KK’s designers kept both American dive bars and Japanese Izakayas on their mood board. The upper floor is like a dress-shirt undone just enough to reveal a wild chest-rocker tattoo: a highly deliberate choice between chaos and decorum. Guests who belly up to the main bar get a front-row seat to the show that produces their drinks, but it’s easy to find a seat apart. Downstairs’ vibes are a tad looser overall and, like all subterranean bars, gloomier. Down there, it’s all about the company you keep with table seating only.

The cocktails here are, in a word, expert. While they aren’t the showiest or most soigné, they aren’t trying to be and are all eminently drinkable. The same ethos that guides the bar’s design extends to the mixology, which is to say accessible yet imaginative, evincing both a sense of humor and commitment to precision. The Mikan Swizzle, for example–sochu, sake, mango, citrus, soda, and cherry–felt like a sipper, that is, until I realized that my glass was empty. 

If you’re not into cocktails, Katana Kitten offers a nice selection of Japanese whiskeys, wine by the bottle or glass, a few beers and some sake. The bites—Japanese-ish finger foods and small sandwiches—are all very tasty. While creativity pervades the cocktail menu, it’s somewhat more restrained when it comes to food. That said, the mortadella katsu sando made me wonder where it had been my whole life.

There is no correct way to spend an evening at Katana Kitten—no “right” or “authentic” experience to chase. That said, you won’t be disappointed to go for the Izakaya experience and order round after round of drinks accompanied by curry fries, Katsu sandwiches, or fried squid served with Kewpie mayo and takoyaki sauce. For the full effect, we suggest that you attend with an open-minded friend or two who are down to go on a bit of a boozy adventure through the menu, touring the imagination of one of our foremost cocktail wizards. 

Address: 531 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014

Opening Hours:  Mon–Fri 4pm–2am; Sat 2pm–2am; Su 2pm–midnight

Expect to pay: Cocktails are about $20, Sake: $11 for 2oz and $21 for 4oz, $110 for a carafe; Beer is $11; Wine is $15 a glass, $70 for a bottle; Food is about $20 a dish

Botanica is the bar equivalent of the cool older sibling: doesn’t care about your persona but won’t judge you for caring, been around long enough to have seen it all but not so old that you worry about your own bonafides, unquestionably down to go the distance time and again but just as happy for you to pop in for a quick ‘hello.’ 

Strictly speaking, Botanica isn’t a bar but a lounge. The designation is now little more than a holdover from the bad/good ol’ days of the mid-90s when newcomers to downtown Manhattan’s nightlife landscape sought to distinguish themselves from anything in the pub mold. These days all the appellation means, in effect, is that while Botanica has bar at which to sit, capable bar staff with a je ne sais quoi, and weekend DJs–most of its seating consists of thrift-store finds tucked into dusky corners.

Located on the ‘Ho’ of SoHo and famous for its happy hour, Botanica is the perfect place to duck in for a quick one on your way to or from. But it’s also easy to while away an evening. Take a group or a date. Sprawl out in the back room or tuck into a nook. Earnestly divey, indy-sleazy, chic bohemian-y vibes. Botanica makes you feel hand-in-glove. Like whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it exactly right.

Address: 47 East Houston St, New York, NY 10012

Opening Hours: Sun–Wed 5pm–1am; Thu 5pm–2am; Fri 5pm–3am; Sat 4pm–3am

Expect to pay: About $7 for a beer; wine is $8 a glass,  about $50 for a bottle; and cocktails are $12 a pop

What is it? A subterranean cocktail mecca hidden behind an unassuming door on an unassuming corner. A trendsetter in the speakeasy-style cocktail space.

Why we love it: The cocktailing here is second to none, so order a classic and you’ll receive what is likely the best version one could possibly have of that thing, anywhere. Romanticism and a feeling of being on the inside of a hip secret make this a winner as a date spot. 

Time Out tip: Observe the strict house rules surrounding decorum, e.g., don’t bring your dudebro who can’t part his head from his Stetson or backward white baseball cap, your star-fucker friend who doesn’t realize that name-dropping is insufferable, or any persuasion of woo-girl unwilling/unable to regulate their volume.

Address: 20 Seventh Avenue South at Leroy St, Manhattan, NY, 10014

Opening hours: Sun 6pm–midnight; Mon–Wed 6pm–1am; Thu–Sat 6pm–3am

Expect to pay: Cocktails are about $19; Beer is $8; Wine is an average $17 a glass

What is it? From the people behind nearby At the Wallace and Harlem Public, The Honeywell is a heartbreakingly cool, super-inclusive, proudly black-owned cocktail bar that blends retro styling with today’s cutting-edge cocktail.

Why we love it: Few underground bars also boast a backyard and there is a menu of very tasty food, so it’s easy to spend a whole evening here. The cocktails are not only some of the city’s most wow-inducing and photogenic, they are—to a one—delicious. The Dave’s Lookin’ Ass, for example, is a sweet citrusy rum concoction that’s as fun to drink as it is to order. 

Time Out tip: Reservations are advisable. The cocktail menu is big and varied, but if you’re paralyzed by choice, tell one of the skilled bartenders what you’re into and watch them whip up something bespoke. This place also runs two great happy hours: daily 4pm–6pm and Fri and Sat midnight–2am.

Address: 3604 Broadway, Manhattan, NY 10031

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 4pm–midnght; Fri, Sat 4pm–2am

Expect to pay: Cocktails are about $17; Bites between $9–$25; Beer about $8; Wine is $12 a glass

What is it? An elegant basement cocktail bar located on the  Greenwich Village strip, inside what was once the Gaslight Cafe. 

Why we love it: So few places with such deliberate design feel so welcoming or so low-key. The cocktails are excellent, featuring a restraint and precision that mirrors the environs. They’re not kidding when the menu labels something as ‘Insanely Good.’ The Midori Sour, for example, was the best we’ve ever had. This is a great place to go with a date or a small group as you can actually have an audible conversation here without blowing out your larynx. That doesn’t mean this Up&Up is stuffy–just more relaxed.

Time Out tip: This place’s almost-hidden location and more mature atmosphere keep it somewhat immune to the neighborhood’s hubbub. Just keep in mind that there’s a party-size max of six. 

Address: 116 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Mon–Wed 5pm–1am; Thu, Fri 5pm–2am; Sat 4pm–2am; Sun 4pm–midnight

Expect to pay: Cocktails are about $20; Wine is $17 a glass; Beer is $10; Bites are between $5–$19

What is it? A bustling piano bar in the heart of New York’s historical, iconoclastic gay neighborhood and named in honor of the address’ historical, iconoclastic occupant.

Why we love it: We suspect that, like us, you adore musicals, sing-alongs, inexpensive drinks, divey environs, and a rip-roaring good time, and, if so, Marie’s is well worth a visit. It’s also not unusual for a bona fide Broadway performer to strut their stuff here, which is always a thrill.

Time Out tip: Cash only, two drink minimum, and tip both your bartender and the piano player. No, that’s not optional. It gets packed on weekends, so check the piano schedule and go during the week if you want to avoid the crowds.

Address: 59 Grove St, Manhattan, NY 10014

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 4pm–3am; Fri, Sat 4pm–4am

Expect to pay: Cocktails and mixed drinks will run you between $7 and $11; beer is $8; wine is $7 a glass

What is it? A Friday and Saturday-only, Marie Antoinette-themed bar housed in a historic abandoned subway tunnel featuring cocktails and burlesque, the entrance to which is hidden behind a bookcase in a French bistro. Yes, you read all of that correctly. 

Why we love it: The bodice-ripping rococo styling would be little more than campy decor if the cocktailing here wasn’t outstanding, which it is. The Axel, My Love is an herbaceous take on a Bee's Knees that, with its burnt rosemary and furikake garnish, lingered in the best way. Undoubtedly the single sexiest room in Brooklyn Heights.

Time Out tip: The entrance is through Chez Moi, on the left behind a bookshelf. The secret is out on this place, so make a reservation. With a large enough group, you can snag the back room, adding fun, sexy, dungeony vibes to all of that red-velvet sensuality. 

Address: 135 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Opening hours: Friday, Saturday 7pm–2am

Expect to pay: Cocktails are about $15; Wine is $13 a glass and $50/bottle; Beer is $8; Bites are between $5–$16

What is it? One of the heaviest hitters of the “new establishment with a '70s retro aesthetic” theme that began with the venerable dive, Welcome to the Johnsons. Let’s coin a term: Groovyism? Discore? Recrudescenesters? Dazed-and-Confusion? Okay, I’m done.

Why we love it: Very tasty dinner upstairs, well-kept bar with a nice pool table downstairs. It has the vintage VFW vibes you’re after, plus (relatively) merciful prices–a shot and a beer works nicely. There’s also no guest list, so anybody who thinks they’re somebody has to wait just like everybody else.

Time Out tip: This place is a scene on weekends; if you’re dead set, prepare to wait in line. Otherwise, head in during the week and sail on through, but keep in mind they’re closed on Sunday and Monday.

Address: 107 Eldridge St, Manhattan, NY 10002

Opening hours: Tue–Sat 5pm–2am

Expect to pay: Cocktails are about $14; Well drinks are $12; Beer is $8; Wine is $16 a glass and about $60 a bottle

What is it? A hotel bar located in a sub-basement with nightly live jazz, prohibition-bombsheltery-vintagey-speakeasy styling and a classic-inspired cocktail program.

Why we love it: Gaining entry requires a visit to Courtlandt Alley–one of Manhattan’s last alleyways, whose gritty charm will almost certainly elude your out-of-towner parents. There’s also something about feeling a little unsure of whether you’re in the right place. We enjoyed a Bunniez Wit Attitude–aptly named; zippy and smokey with mezcal, carrot juice, jalapeño, and ginger. 

Time Out tip: Get a reservation early in the night–maybe an aperitif before dinner in Chinatown.

Address: 24 Cortlandt Alley, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Sun–Wed 6pm–midnight; Thu–Sat 6pm–1am

Expect to pay: Cocktails are about $23; $16 for small bites