You don’t find a great speakeasy; you earn it. You push on blank walls, whisper a password, climb behind a fridge, or squeeze through a row of gym lockers that definitely weren’t on the floor plan. And when the door clicks? Boom—low lights, big ice, and cocktails that feel like little acts of theatre.
Below is our globetrotting, totally subjective, joyfully argued list of the 10 best speakeasys on Earth—what to order, how to get inside, why they’re special, and a little insider intel so you don’t look like a newbie when the host asks for “the word.” We’ve spent years chasing these rooms (and the bartenders who make them hum), and we’ve double-checked the facts so you can plan a pilgrimage with confidence.
1) Handshake Speakeasy — Mexico City, Mexico
Vibe in one sip: Art-deco glamour with culinary-grade cocktails, all tucked behind an unmarked door in CDMX’s Zona Rosa.
Why it’s special: Handshake went from cult favorite to global number one seemingly overnight because the team treats every drink like a tasting menu course—textures, aromas, temperature arcs, all dialed. The bar’s intimate two-room layout keeps the hush-hush speakeasy frisson while service stays razor-sharp. In 2024, it was named World’s Best Bar—a first for a Mexico City speakeasy—so expect the world to be lining up outside. El País+2El País+2
What to order:
Butter Mushroom Old Fashioned (trust us; savory, silky, and weird in the best way).
If you’re skipping booze, their Tea Champagnes are carbonated, cold-brewed teas served like celebratory bubbles. Handshake
How to get in: Reservations are essential and capped at small party sizes; deposits may apply for larger groups. Look for the discreet entrance; staff will guide you between the two rooms once you’re checked in. Handshake+1
Local tip: Pre-game with street tacos, post-game with late-night churros—you’re in the right neighborhood for both.
2) Paradiso — Barcelona, Spain
Vibe in one sip: Gaudí goes to Brooklyn—playful design, boundary-pushing drinks, and a wink of magic behind a deli fridge in El Born.
Why it’s special: Paradiso turned the hidden-behind-a-fridge gag into a full-fledged, high-concept playground. The team has a reputation for sustainable techniques and mind-bending presentations (smoke clouds! sculptural ice!). It even topped the World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2022 and remains a fixture near the summit. The address in El Born means you’re steps from some of the city’s best late-night nibbling. Food & Wine+2Paradiso – Paradiso web site+2
What to order:
The Supercool Martini or any seasonal signature—drinks change often, but the showmanship never does.
How to get in: Lines form early; reservations help, but part of the fun is timing it right and joining the pastrami-shop shuffle through that infamous refrigerator door. Paradiso – Paradiso web site
Local tip: Hit a vermutería in the afternoon; save Paradiso for post-dinner when the room is buzzing.
3) Please Don’t Tell (PDT) — New York City, USA
Vibe in one sip: The OG New York phone-booth secret—enter through a hot-dog joint, emerge in cocktail church.
Why it’s special: PDT didn’t invent the modern speakeasy—but it did make the world want one. Hidden behind a vintage phone booth inside Crif Dogs, PDT helped set the 2000s speakeasy blueprint: a tiny room, pristine technique, and cheeky comfort-food pairings (tater tots, anyone?). It’s still one of the most referenced bars in the genre. Please Don’t Tell+1
What to order:
A house Benton’s Old Fashioned–style pour or whatever the team suggests; the classics sing here.
Pair it with a late-night hot dog from next door because, New York. Yelp
How to get in: Book via Resy a week out, or try very early walk-ins (small parties only). The phone-booth entry ritual remains iconic—don’t rush it. Resy
Local tip: If you can’t snag prime time, aim for a weeknight; the room’s intimacy is the point.
4) Florería Atlántico — Buenos Aires, Argentina
Vibe in one sip: Port-city nostalgia under a flower shop; immigrant stories told through spirits.
Why it’s special: From the street, it’s a florist/bottle shop; behind the fridge door and down the stairs, it’s one of Latin America’s most soulful cocktail rooms. The menu travels through waves of immigration—Italian bitters, Spanish sherry, Patagonian botanicals—stitched into cocktails with sense-of-place poetry. turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar
What to order:
Anything with native Patagonian ingredients, or their vermouth-leaning signatures; the bar’s identity is rooted in the Atlantic and the people who crossed it.
How to get in: Book ahead or be patient—global acclaim means there’s nearly always a wait, and the space is intimate by design. floreriaatlantico.com.ar+1
Local tip: Make it a night: start with a late dinner upstairs (when offered) and wander down for the after-hours chapter.
5) Speak Low — Shanghai, China
Vibe in one sip: Triple-decker speakeasy fantasy: bar-tool shop at street level, secret doors, ascending elegance.
Why it’s special: Conceived by Shingo Gokan, Speak Low is both a love letter to hidden bars and a masterclass in escalation—each floor reveals a new mood (buzzy second-floor cocktails, opulent third-floor classics). Entry through OCHO (a bartending tools boutique) sets the tone: this is a bar built by craftspeople for obsessives. SG Group – SG Management Inc.
What to order:
Start with the signature on Level 2, then ride the stairs for a Japanese-whisky-centric classic upstairs.
How to get in: Find the OCHO storefront in the Former French Concession and look for the not-so-obvious door. Peak nights mean queues—worth it. SG Group – SG Management Inc.+1
Local tip: Make a night of it with dumplings nearby; Shanghai rewards the curious stroller.
6) Jerry Thomas Speakeasy — Rome, Italy
Vibe in one sip: Candlelit, conspiratorial, and deeply nerdy about the 19th-century cocktail canon.
Why it’s special: Named for the “Professor” who wrote America’s first cocktail book, Jerry Thomas helped kickstart Italy’s craft-cocktail movement. It’s password-protected, tiny, and strict about reservations—because that intimacy is the point. Show up prepared to talk why your Negroni is stirred a certain way. thejerrythomasproject.it+1
What to order:
Negroni del Professore if it’s on; otherwise ask the bartenders to riff on Italian amari or vermouth-heavy classics.
How to get in: Subscribe on their site for the secret word and book; without it, you’re admiring that door all night. thejerrythomasproject.it
Local tip: Trastevere wine bar before; amaro walk after. Rome is built for the long, slow wander.
7) Red Frog — Lisbon, Portugal
Vibe in one sip: Velvet and secrets just off Avenida da Liberdade; Portugal’s pioneering speakeasy spirit.
Why it’s special: Red Frog brought Lisbon into the global conversation, pairing classic American speakeasy tropes with Portuguese ingredients and hospitality. The newish address keeps the mystery alive; reservations are mandatory, but the payoff is that perfectly hushed room where the clink of a coupe feels like cinema. redfrog.pt+2redfrog.pt+2
What to order:
A menu seasonal; ask for something showcasing Portuguese citrus, fortified wines, or a local twist on American classics. redfrog.pt
How to get in: Book online; seating is limited and intentionally all-seated—once inside, it feels like you’ve borrowed a private club. redfrog.pt
Local tip: Pair with a pre- or post-bar pastéis de nata—because Lisbon.
8) Evans & Peel Detective Agency — London, UK
Vibe in one sip: You’re “meeting” a detective about a “case,” and somehow there’s an Old Fashioned in your hand.
Why it’s special: Evans & Peel leans hard into the immersive speakeasy bit—in the best way. You book a “consultation,” pitch your fake case at the desk, and slip into a Prohibition-era den humming with jazz and candlelight. The menu is case-file themed and performance-minded without skimping on balance in the glass. Evans & Peel Detective Agency+1
What to order:
Their award-boasting Old Fashioned, or let the “detectives” prescribe a house original tied to your “case notes.” Evans & Peel Detective Agency
How to get in: Bookings are your friend; keep a straight face at the door desk—it’s more fun when you commit to the bit. Evans & Peel Detective Agency
Local tip: If you want more live-music speakeasy energy after, Nightjar (Shoreditch/Carnaby) is a short hop. Nightjar+1
9) 28 HongKong Street — Singapore
Vibe in one sip: The shophouse door everyone walks past; inside, the bar that helped build modern Singapore cocktail culture.
Why it’s special: 28HKS is a legend. Hidden behind an unmarked 1960s façade, it championed American-style craft cocktails and meticulous prep long before “speakeasy” was a buzzword in the Lion City. It’s relaxed, loud, and serious about drinks without being serious. 28 HongKong Street
What to order:
A bourbon-forward house classic, or a bartender’s choice pulled from their deep well of prep—cordials, bitters, clarified citrus, the works.
How to get in: Note the address (it’s literally the name); there’s minimal signage by design. Evening reservations recommended—once inside, the lights dim and the playlists slap. 28 HongKong Street+1
Local tip: Hawker stop before or after. Laksa + highball is a real romance.
10) Eau-De-Vie — Melbourne, Australia
Vibe in one sip: Golden-age theatrics down a laneway; think Tommys, tuxedos (occasionally), and set-piece serves.
Why it’s special: Eau-De-Vie is Melbourne’s speakeasy mothership: a hidden door off Malthouse Lane, a faux bookcase that reveals a whisky room, and a menu that treats smoke, flame, and tableside service as part of the craft. If you want your first-time speakeasy friends to gasp, bring them here. The Speakeasy Group+1
What to order:
A flambéed signature at the bar, then slip into the whisky room for something contemplative and cask-driven.
How to get in: Bookings make life easier, but walk-ins are possible if you time it right. The laneway entrance can be missable—embrace the treasure hunt. whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au
Local tip: This is a city of hidden doors; if the night’s still young, chase another one.
Bonus Round (Because We’re Terrible at Stopping at Ten)
If you’re collecting stamps and secrets:
Find The Locker Room — Bangkok, Thailand. It’s literally behind lockers. The “Past/Present/Future” menus reimagine classics three ways; the current menus often nod to pop culture with a grin. 50B – Restaurants – GLOBAL+1
Speak Low’s cousins — Tokyo, Japan. Not pure speakeasys, but Shingo Gokan’s The SG Club scratches the hidden-world itch with layered spaces and transportive storytelling. SG Group – SG Management Inc.+1
(We said ten. We meant… tenish.)
How to Speak “Speakeasy” (Everywhere)
Do your homework. Passwords, booking windows, tiny-party limits, and low-key entrances are features, not bugs. Bars like Handshake and PDT publish the essentials (and keep them updated). Handshake+1
Play the game. If the host is in character, be in character. If there’s a “detective’s office,” you have a case. You’re here for the story as much as the spirits. Evans & Peel Detective Agency
Order like a local. Ask for house signatures first; these bars are labs. Then pivot to a classic the bar is known for (Old Fashioned in London, Martini in Barcelona, whisky classic in Melbourne). Evans & Peel Detective Agency+2Paradiso – Paradiso web site+2
Respect the room. No flash. Don’t crowd the bar. Keep the whispery speakeasy vibe alive for the next crew (and your own second round).
Plan It Like a Pro (Sustainable, Smart, and Fun)
Bundle neighborhoods. All these bars sit in food-rich districts: El Born for Paradiso, East Village for PDT, Zona Rosa for Handshake. Walk, don’t ride, between stops whenever you can—your carbon footprint (and your appetite) will thank you. Paradiso – Paradiso web site+2Please Don’t Tell+2
Eat before and after. High-proof art deserves a solid baseline. Plus, several “hidden” entries are inside or behind food businesses—lean into the pairing (PDT + hot dogs is a classic for a reason). Please Don’t Tell
Book thoughtfully. Many rooms are intentionally small; snag off-peak slots or accept the queue as part of the lore. Bars like 28HKS and Red Frog make it easy to reserve. 28 HongKong Street+1
The Final Toast
Speakeasys endure because they’re more than bars; they’re stories with doors. When you push, you’re stepping into a little pocket universe where hospitality is theatre and the cocktail is both prop and payoff. Sip slowly, tip generously, and don’t spoil the door trick for the folks behind you.
If you want, I can turn this into a printable, SEO-ready guide (with a quick trip-planner section and a neat “how to get in” cheat sheet per city). Or tell me your next destination and I’ll map a one-night, two-door crawl that fits your vibe.
