Dirty Little Secrets

One of the 9,002,434,123 reasons to live in NYC has got to be for hidden bars spread out throughout the city.  The speakeasy and hidden bar/lounge craze has been going on for years and it's not showing any sign of letting up.  To be honest, I love a bar that you have to "know about" to get into because chances are, the people in them are amazing.  Too many good places (hello Meatpacking District) are overwhelmed with middle-aged finance guys buying bottles of overpriced Ketel One and spiky haired kids who rode into the city on the LIRR. 

So to let you lovelies in on some hard earned secrets of mine (trust me, this will impress the pants off of many dates), here are a few of my favorite under-the-radar nightspots.

Apotheke

This is my favorite, favorite place in the city.  Three years ago, when this apothecary-themed bar (built inside of an old opium den) really was a secret, I had an absolutely debauched birthday party here.  Scandalous.  Now there are new owners and it's a little more mainstream but I still love walking down crazy Doyers street hearing the bass bumping from inside the seemingly innocent Chinese supply store.  There is nowhere sexier in the city.

9 Doyers Street (between Bowery and Pell)
There are no reservations for parties smaller than 6 people and three years later, there is still no guarantee that you'll be let in.

Decibel

Ignore all of your internal alarms that might keep you from entering and walk down a really dingy flight of stairs to this low-lit, speakeasy-like sake bar.  The waitstaff all look like they could be one of the Kings of Leon but with really amazing knowledge of rice wine.  More than eighty sakes of every conceivable price and type are warmed or chilled to perfection. 

240 East 9th Street at Second Ave.
Beware the chilled sake.  There are many nights that I've been here and completely forgotten how I got home.

The Ballroom at The Jane Hotel

The Jane isn't really that much of a secret anymore but it's still eclectically awesome.  On any given weeknight you can find chic Europeans and gorgeous fashion girls dancing around on the sofas.  It's also dark enough for lots of dirty deeds to go on.  I've seen an absolute eyeful at this place...

113 Jane Street
The doormen always say there is a private event going on.  It's not true.

Red Egg

This is the place you head to when looking for when you want perfect dim sum on a Saturday afternoon.  This is also the place to head to around 1AM when you are looking for something a little crazier than soup dumplings.  Once the dinner patrons leave, this secret drinking den becomes one HELL of a party.  The front room is ideal for lounging while the back room is a full-on dance party.  Every invite-only evening at Red Egg lasts into the early morning with some of the most awesome downtown DJ's.

202 Centre Street
Trust me, do anything you can get on this invite list.  It's worth it.