For those of us of a certain age and a penchant for visiting New York, Manhattan’s Lower East Side conjures up a certain dirty, gritty, “real” New York. This wistful view of the good/bad-old-days is summed up in Anthony Bourdain’s season 12 episode 7 of his show “Parts Unknown” where he looks back on his druggie days in the Lower East Side — a look-back made more poignant because this was Bourdain’s last TV episode, airing after his 2018 suicide.
Visiting New York 40 years ago I wouldn’t have dared to roam the punk “paradise” that was the East Village after dark. But today, in the winter of 2025, Heidi and I freely wander around Tompkins Square park at 3 am after bar-hopping and last call at the relatively new demon-themed bar with killer Tiki cocktails — Paradise Lost.
But getting to paradise (not to be confused with the bar Mr. Paradise, a block away) has its own pleasures. Part 1 features some immersive and speakeasy bars worth visiting within a mile of Paradise Lost. Part 2 of our pilgrim’s progress takes us to Freemans Alley and a speakeasy therein. And, in Part 3, we reach our destination: Paradise Lost.
Ordered by longevity, here are four recommended immersive bars and speakeasies in these neighborhoods — all with excellent craft cocktails.
- Death & Company
Death & Company helped define the craft cocktail movement upon its opening in 2007 at this original location in the East Village. The name was inspired by a prohibition era quote that those who drink, drink with death. But despite the name, this iconic bar is quite and refined. They do have some impressive gothic mugs, however, including a personal favorite of ours — “Our Lady of Death.” Recommendation: Get a seat at the bar; tell the bartenders your favorite cocktails and flavor profiles; let them work their magic.
2. Please Don’t Tell
Crif Dogs, near Tompkins Square Park, serves unusual and generally amazing tasting hot dogs. (Although my stomach was not brave enough to try some dogs like the “Everything Dog”: a Crif dog with cream cheese, scallions, and everything bagel seasoning.)
Crif Dog retains its dingy, old-school East Village vibe. But enter the phone booth in Crif Dog and enter one of America’s original craft cocktail speakeasies — “Please Don’t Tell” — to be transported to another quite, refined speakeasy atmosphere, with the gin cocktails (paired with gourmet dogs, of course) being our favorite. (Tip: PDT now accepts online reservations in advance. Since it’s a modest-sized bar, best not to show up at the phone booth unannounced.)
3. Ye’s Apothecary
In the heart of the Lower East Side, on Orchard St., just north of Chinatown, sits the must-visit Tenement Museum. Under these tenement apartments, such as those that form the museum today, sit basements used as bars and saloons by the various immigrant groups that flooded the Lower East Side for over 150 years.
Nearby, also on Orchard just north of Delancey St., you can visit a basement bar. Ye’s Apothecary is a tenement-style basement bar that’s also a nod to a Chinese herbal medicine shop. Ye’s serves pretty good Schezwan food (the dim sum were our favorite on our latest visit), but go for the drinks and atmosphere. The Monkey King is a personal favorite — a clarified banana and rum cocktail.
4. Wonderland
On our winter 2025 visit to Paradise Lost, we stumbled across a literal wonderland. The new Wonderland Bar is just two doors south of Paradise Lost on First Avenue (at the western edge of East Village).
Hardly a speakeasy (the doors open to the street in warm weather), Wonderland drew us in with its decor —a fun, immersive, and over-the-top holiday vibe. The decorations change with the holidays/seasons, and we caught the tail end of the Christmas decor. And while their decor may seem fun kitsch, they take their drinks seriously.
Wonderland prides itself on their unusual flavor infusions (such as sage & fig rum). Co-owner Loki treated us to special fruit-infused mocktails to start our evening (delicious), and we sampled some well-crafted cocktails. Most of the cocktails are as fun to look at as to drink. Wonderland likes to use the term “magical” in describing their offerings, but I would add the terms theatrical and whimsical. For example, check out the shiso leaf cocktail and its fiery/sparkly presentation.
To Be Continued..