NYC's Speakeasies

According to police, there were over 32,000 speakeasies in New York City in 1929, nine years into prohibition. New York Times articles of the day called these illegal hooch houses "one of the outstanding social institutions of New York." As you can tell, New Yorkers never really let prohibition slow them down or dry them out.

Today, you don't have to keep your eyes on any secret back doors or hidden passageways to enjoy a cold brew. Secrets are harder to keep in the days of Gawker and other up-to-the-second blogs (most of these former hideouts even have their own websites), and Manhattan bars are no longer subject to regular police raids - except maybe to flush out those 18-year-old NYU freshmen - but there are still a handful of classy old-timey joints that keep the speakeasy tradition alive.

Just don't tell anybody. It'll be our little secret.

The Back Room

102 Norfolk St, (btwn. Delancey and Rivington), 212-228-5098

While it doesn't share the history of bars that were actually open during prohibition, the owners of the Back Room (which include Tim Robbins and Mark Messier) did their research when they opened this speakeasy that fronts as the "Lower East Side Toy Company." Creep down a back alley to find the entrance, wink at the peek hole, then slide a bookcase aside to reveal the second bar in the VIP room. No one under 25 is allowed in on the weekends, but New York magazine still named this New York's best secret bar, where drinks are served in teacups and beers in brown paper bags - to fool the pigs, of course.

Bill's Gay Nineties

57 East 54^th St. (btwn. Madison and Park Aves.), 212-355-0243