1. Please Don’t Tell (NYC)
yelp.comHow to get in: They take same day reservations, which you can only schedule after 3pm. Once you’ve snagged one, you’ll have to enter the bar through a phone booth in the back of a hot dog shop. When you ring the rotary dial on the phone, you’ll be connected to a host that grants you access.
2. Noble Experiment (San Diego, CA)
yelp.comHow to get in: You enter through another bar (don’t be tempted by the craft beer). You’re going to head to the bathroom and push on the kegs stacked by the wall to enter this intimate venue.
3. Williams & Graham (Denver, CO)
denverdish.comHow to get in: This one is inside a bookshop. You’re going to first go into the shop and then you will pull the book “Savoy” to open a hidden entrance.
4. The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. (Philadelphia, PA)
visitphilly.com How to find it: For this Philly hotspot, it’s all about finding it. You’re looking for a nondescript black door on the street with a bouncer waiting outside. Since it’s been given accolades from GQ and Bon Appetit, the wait for a table might be a bit lengthy.
5. Wilson & Wilson Private Detective Agency (San Francisco, CA)
thetender.usHow to get in: This is a speakeasy, inside a speakeasy. You’re going to first need to know the password to Bourbon & Branch, and then know a second password for Wilson & Wilson, ring a bell, then get verified and ushered in through the first speakeasy to Wilson & Wilson.
6. The Patterson House (Nashville, TN)
taylortakesataste.comHow to find it: On the outside, you’re looking for a place that looks like a house. But once you enter, you will be taken behind a curtain, and there you will find the elusive bar.
7. The Gibson (Washington D.C.)
dcclubbing.comHow to get in: You have to find the unmarked door between Marvin’s and Busboys & Poets, then wait in their hallway, before getting escorted to your table.
8. PX (Alexandria, VA)
eamonnsdublinchipper.comHow to find it: Look for a blue light outside a completely nondescript door. If it’s lit up, then you know that PX is open and ready for business.
9. Midnight Cowboy (Austin, TX)
yelp.comHow to get in: You need to make reservations for this place. When searching for the location, look for a sign that says “modeling” and “oriental massage” on 6th street, then buzz up for “Harry Craddock.”
10. The Varnish (Los Angeles, CA)
yelp.comHow to get in: Enter Cole’s sandwich shop, order yourself a French dip, and then enter through the secret door emblazoned with the drawing of a cocktail.
11. Circa 33 (Portland, OR)
facebook,comHow to get in: Enter the Circa 33 building, then put in the code in the “mafia” book on the shelf by the bathroom, before entering the speakeasy.
12. Death & Co. (NYC)
obslyfe.blogspot.comHow to get in: Be prepared for darkness. You cannot just walk inside, but this is mostly for your own safety. Wait outside to be seated, be warned it’s an extremely dark walk to your table. Once you are situated, the dark ambiance will be one highlight of your experience.
13. backbar (Somerville, MA)
yelp.comHow to get in: Walk down the alley on Sanborn Court, look for the unmarked door, head down the hallway (past the bathrooms), and arrive at the bar
14. The Owl Bar (Baltimore, MD)
www.theowlbar.comHow to get in: Located inside the beautiful Belvedere Hotel, one needs to head to the back of the hotel in order to be granted admittance.
15. Prohibition (Atlanta, GA)
blogs.ajc.comHow to get in: Obtain the password for that night. You’re going to then locate an unmarked Buckhead stairwell, and then dial the code you’ve obtained into a phone booth sitting at the bottom of the stairwell.
16. The Hideout at Dalva (San Francisco, CA)
foursquare,comHow to get in: Sneakily hidden inside a dive bar. Head into Dalva, but do not head to the bar. Instead, head down the hallway, and head into the “hideout.”
17. The Oakland (Ferndale, MI)
theoaklandferndale.comHow to find it: This speakeasy-style bar is deceptively hidden. Upon searching for it, you’ll find that it’s actually marked as the Oakland Art Novelty Co.
18. Angel’s Share (NYC)
foursquare.comHow to get in: Locate the unmarked door within the second-story yakitori restaurant Village Yokocho.
19. International Exports Ltd. a.k.a. Safe House (Milwaukee, WI)
yelp.comHow to get in: If you’re looking for Safe House, then you’ve got a few options here. You can learn the password, sometimes as simple as “I’m looking for a Safe House,” and pulling a lever on a bookcase. Or, if you do not know the password, you might have to do some silly things for entrance (or maybe not, it varies per group).
20. The Violet Hour (Chicago, IL)
yelp.comHow to get in: Look for the graffiti-covered, windowless wall in Wicker Park, then go through a camouflaged door and big, velvet curtains.
21. Cloak Room (Austin, TX)
yelp.comHow to find it: It’s a hidden gem for those who are big fans of politics. Located across from the Capitol, The Cloak Room can be found inside an unassuming, windowless basement in downtown.
22. Bathtub Gin & Co. (Seattle, WA)
facebook.comHow to get in: Keep your eyes peeled. This one is down a commonplace alley. If you can find the alley, then you’re granted access.
23. Hanson’s Shoe Repair (Orlando, FL)
facebook.comHow to get in: Call 407-476-9446. Make a reservation. You’ll be given directions to get inside. No cellphone or camera use will be allowed once you’re in.
24. Manifesto (Kansas City, KS)
foursquare.comHow to get in: This speakeasy is located underneath the Riger Hotel Grill and Exchange. However, you are to enter through the back, down an alley, where a man will punch in a code for you to head downstairs into Manifesto.
25. Black Swan Saloon (Dallas, TX)
foursquare.comHow to find it: You’re looking for a plain black door (super easy to walk right by). There will be a lone man waiting outside the door, that’s it. If you have gotten to the Anvil Pub, turn it back around and try again.
Share these hidden bars with your friends to see if anyone you know has ever been to one. Let us in on some secret bars you know of!
The Original post appeared on Distractify