tl;dr: If you want to jump to our Complete List of US Speakeasies, Click here

Your favorite sisters are in their element when surrounded by fantastic opportunities for creating our own Las Vegas speakeasy tour.

Vegas is an obvious choice when posed with the question, “Where should we go for great drinking options?”. We are dutifully bringing you our Las Vegas Speakeasy recommendations in this post; we will cover Tiki Bars and other drinking spots in a separate post.

Las Vegas Speakeasy Boom

Secret bars have become more and more common in Vegas, and you would be hard pressed to hit them all in one long Vegas party weekend.  So, we have done the leg work and hit the big ones and are ready to give you the inside scoop.

A Speakeasy used to be a quiet little underground place that you could seek out and feel like you were privy to some secret underground.  Sadly, this is no longer the case. With social media and Google searches you can find them in most big cities. 

We recommend reservations for all of these places, even on weeknights, just to guarantee yourselves entry.

Las Vegas Speakeasies – Off-strip

Sister Side Note (ssn) – we choreographed this list carefully to hit these spots during the day and/or as soon as they opened. We are not up for Vegas night-life, haha. Many open at 4:00-ish and we are all about it. You can’t be day drinking if you don’t start in the daytime!.

Mas Por Favor – Chinatown

The Entrance

This could have been mentioned in our Off the Strip blog post, because it is technically located in Chinatown.  Yes, we know, it’s weird that there is a Mexican Restaurant in Chinatown. But nevertheless, here we are!

From the front entrance, Mas Por Favor is a counter taco shop with a pretty impressive menu. The food is good, plan to eat.  At the counter ask the cashier about “tonight’s delight” and they will point you to the unassuming man in the corner. 

He will escort you through a large door and down a dark hallway, past a barrel of cocaine (ok, it was probably a prop, but we didn’t ask), around a corner beyond the sombrero wearing skeleton (see, he asked about that barrel and white bricks) and through a second metal door. 

The Experience

Hispanic symbolism fantastically decorates the room in a completely stylish way.  There’s a wall of prayer candles, a large mural of Frieda Kahlo lookalike, sponge textured walls, you will definitely feel like hanging out for a while.

There are margaritas, naturally, and some crazy themed cocktails. We had the Border Patrol Shot served in a hollowed-out shotgun shell. One our neighbors at the next table had:  Disco Shit, a shot served with a cardboard square of “party favors” (in reality its powdered sugar lined out like cocaine lines), it was hysterical to watch.

Get the tacos, they’re crazy good and have some unique combinations. They also have happy hour specials if you opt for a late afternoon instead of late-night cocktail experience. 

The Laundry Room – Downtown

The Entrance

Down off of Fremont Street is The Laundry Room. Constructed from what used to be a legit Prohibition-era Las Vegas speakeasy that doubled as laundry facilities for the El Cortez Hotel, the Laundry Room was one of the first in this new revival.  You will find it inside Commonwealth Bar on the east end of Fremont. So down further than the Fremont Street Experience, but still within walking distance and by the Neon signs and Container Garden. 

The Experience

The Laundry Room is extremely private, only seating 22 people at a time, a maximum of 4 per party.  Reservations open up two weeks in advanced of your day, and they do book up fast.  Approach the host at Commonwealth and let her know of your reservation, She will escort you down a hallway to a secret panel hiding the entrance.

They feature Prohibition era décor and a fantastic menu of vintage cocktails. Or you can give the bartender a little bit of your likes and dislikes and challenge them to blend a special concoction just for you. Eclectic furniture and seating, you may just find yourself seated at a piano bench or cozied up under an antique chandelier.

You may notice that we are not sharing any pictures of The Laundry Room with you.  That is because it isn’t allowed.  The Laundry Room has strict rules you must abide by, among them is no phones in use, no loud or excitable conversations, no fighting, no PDAs, and no hitting on other patrons.

ssn – while no photos are allowed, the amazing tiktoker, VegasStarfish, has the inside look.

@vegasstarfish

The ultimate hidden speakeasy, Laundry Room Downtown Las Vegas #vegas #lasvegas #vegasstarfish #speakeasy #downtownlasvegas #fremontstreetexperience

♬ Harry Potter – The Intermezzo Orchestra

The Underground – Downtown

The Entrance

Also in downtown Las Vegas, in the basement of the Mob Museum is The Underground Bar and Distillery.

You can enter through the museum after your tour, or there is a backdoor with the old-style sliding peephole.  They offer a distillery tour as one of the museum entry packages. The tour explains the history and process of bathtub gin and moonshine, it also comes with tastings.

The Experience

The Underground serves upscale bar appetizers, and prohibition-themed cocktails.  I opted for the Bathtub Fizz, because it was served in a cute little bathtub.  But they offer their own take on Bee’s Knees and the Al Capone reported favorite Southside.  Peggy opted for the Giggle Water, because how could you not have something called Giggle Water.

Captain’s Quarters inside White Whale – Downtown

The Entrance

This is formerly Mike Morey’s Sip N Tip and is located down a side alley off Fremont Street. Note that we have not been since Mike Morey’s closed but it appears that there are similarities to the entrance but there is no longer a sign above the door alerting you to its presence but there are whales stenciled onto the bricks. Then just a black door in the alley and you still ring a doorbell and be allowed in.

The Experience

Once inside the door you can go left into the White Whale or right behind the curtain to Captain’s Quarters.  It has transitioned to a nautical theme and we have heard there is no cocktail menu but the bartenders make you curated cocktails based on your likes and personality.

ssn – I absolutely loved the original and can’t wait to check out the new place! Old pics for now…

Las Vegas Speakeasies – Strip Area

Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den – Resorts World

The Entrance

Resort World is one of the newer resorts on the strip, and it’s beautiful, Hilton did a fabulous job on this resort!

Several fantastic restaurants, but we were drawn in by the so-called food court named Famous Food Street Eats.  Authentic international dishes from multiple cultures similar to Hawker stand.

But we aren’t here to talk food in this blog post. You will need to go find Famous Food Street and look for Ms. Meow’s Mamak Stall.  At the checkout counter, you will need to go to them and say “here, kitty kitty”. We find it best if you do in a bit of a whisper for effect, haha. They will guide you back through the bookcase, which is a secret door into the Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den. 

The Experience

Billed as a “hidden den of sin”, they have a well-stocked bar of world-famous Scotch, Tequila and Asian Whiskeys.  They will make you a bartender’s choice cocktail, or you can choose from a list of specialty cocktails. The cocktails are inventive and exciting, with ingredients like Cardamom bitters, pink peppercorn, or Strawberry bursting Boba. We absolutely loved the feel and vibe of this bar, and the big neon tiger on the wall.

The room is dark, the décor is Asian inspired, and it was one of Peggy’s two favorite stops (probably #3 on my list).

ssn – I loved Here Kitty Kitty – they had me at hidden den of sin. But they seriously committed to the back alley Asian theme. The bartenders were fab and the drinks…chef’s kiss.

The Barbershop Cuts & Cocktails – Cosmopolitan

The Entrance

At the Cosmopolitan, The Barbershop is set up like a speakeasy, however it is anything but a secret spot.  This maybe the best known Las Vegas speakeasy around. In fact, as you enter the Cosmopolitan from the Bellagio side, there is a big barbershop sign that lists it as having cocktails. And there is a roped area for the eventual line to get in, it is not exactly unassuming.

The Barbershop front does actually provide haircuts and shaves.  However, if you have a reservation, or it’s still early in the evening, the door bouncer will escort you to the back janitor’s closet. Here a little peephole door will slide open and deem whether you are acceptable for entry. Our hostess rang the bell for us and the inside bouncer looked us up and down. He reminded the hostess that last time I was there I was removed for dancing on the tables. I’m not saying he was wrong, but it was a cute little kitschy interaction enhancing the experience. I assured him that this time I would share the tips and he granted us entry.

The Experience

Inside is a fantastic whiskey focused menu, a huge wall with a bar that was clearly imported from someplace fantastic due to the mirror aging. The seating area was appointed with dark cushy leather chairs and a very masculine yet classy feel, they nailed the ambiance.

I think one of my favorite nods to the old style speakeasy was the bouncer guarding the inner door and the red light above the door that lit up when a new patron arrived requesting entry.

They host celebrities on occasion, and if you are there during the week do NOT miss Karaoke.  There is a limited song list, because you perform with a live band instead of canned, recorded music.  Do not pass up this opportunity. I’m so sorry Vegas missed my rendition of “Oops, I did it Again” because I quite frankly chickened out.  Don’t be like me.

ssn – On speakeasy-style ambiance alone, this is near the top for me. It is done so well. At first it was a little snobby, but very shortly, we met the people around us, the bartenders got chatty and we had a great time. The bar features open seating, but all tables and seating sections were reservation (and bottle service or maybe a spend minimum) required.

Ghost Donkey – Cosmopolitan

The Entrance

Upstairs at the Cosmopolitan is a little more hidden, little smaller, little more festive speakeasy. 

On the second floor, in the food court, back past the nacho bar, look for an exit door with a donkey on it. 

The Experience

Push that door open and it’s a small bar, with lots of Christmas lights and loud raucous feel, or maybe it was just the convention that was in town.  But it was amazing that from the food court side you could hear nothing, you push that door and it’s all pink, funky, sparkly tequila party.

It was such a good time (we both listed this in our top two favorites)! Great tequila drinks, and an atmosphere that promotes a party atmosphere without being “clubby”.

Cabinet of Curiosities and The Lock – Horseshoe

One of Las Vegas’ newer speakeasies, and my personal favorite, The Lock.  In Horseshoe Las Vegas, follow the signs to the Cabinet of Curiosities downstairs from the casino floor.  Cabinet of Curiosities is actually gorgeous and you will be glad you found it.  Eclectic, weird curiosities decorate this bar. I loved the blue leather couch, so elegant and indulgent feeling.

At the end of the room is a big door that looks almost like a huge bank vault door. Pickup the phone and the The Locksmith will answer, if you have a reservation, or they have room, The Locksmith will come out to get you.

The Entrance

The Locksmith guides you back to a room filled with safes.  Each safe contains a numeric clue inside to the locked door.  You must arrange the clues to get the combination to the door lock.  Once the code is solved, or you beg the Locksmith for help, you crawl through the big safe door (if you are adventurous). You walk through the big inner vault door if you are a little boring (there are different codes for the two different doors), and boom, you are in. 

The Experience

You can choose from the standard specialty cocktails list that is prohibition era inspired, or you can choose adventure and fill out the personality profile and the mixologist will concoct a drink based on answers to simple questions about your mood, your flavor preference and zodiac sign.

Our mixologist nailed the cocktails. 

Then we discovered the shifty eyes on one of the portraits (with the help of another patron).  Behind that portrait lies a VIP lounge, yes, there is actually has a second hidden room inside their own hidden room.

They made the entrance one of the most fun of our adventure, and it is definitely worth it when you are in the quiet, conversational drinking mood (rather than the festive mood of a few of the other speakeasies). 

Ok, so we solved the clues, we open the safe and opt for the adventure of entering that way. You have to actually crawl through the safe to the other side. Having had a couple of cocktails, I decide to go all Chris Farley aka Tommy Boy. As I crawl into the safe I start singing “Fat Girl in a Little Safe”, just to myself and Peggy. I think I’m funny, until I hear the roar of laughter from the other side. I didn’t realize the safe opened up directly into the bar, which at the time was dead quiet and the entire room could hear me.

ssn – if you do NOTHING else with this post, watch the YouTube video of Patti entering the safe. Yes, I snorted…and I am still laughing about it.

The Vault – Bellagio

The Entrance

We expect a hidden entrance in a speakeasy and this one you will have to look for.  Online all we could find out was that it’s a brown door on the casino floor of The Bellagio. And we were off to search with just the one descriptor on the not-so-small casino floor.  We stumbled upon it relatively quickly, but it is hidden and unmarked except for a sign next to a brown door (with a gold handle) with The Vault’s logo on it. The entrance was a win for us.

ssn – Even as small children Patti had an innate sense for where the bathroom was in every public place we were in. Our parents used to joke about it. It seems that skill has served her well and has translated to hidden entrances. She seems to instinctively sniff them out with not much trouble at all. Well, except for that one time in Penang.

The Experience

We knew going in that The Vault was going to be too fancy for us, but we are here for you, to give you the full experience review.  We enter through the brown door, are greeted by a Vegas-level VIP hostess who escorts us to our bar seats (bar seats, FTW). The room itself is dark and moody, smells slightly of smokey goodness and leather.  It is black and gold, has lots of mirrors and fantastic lighting.  It is definitely upscale and classy AF.

We agreed ahead of time that this is going to be a one and done for us, because it’s also known for being “expensive but worth it”, we are doubting the worth it part.  We were wrong, it was totally worth it.  And it had a welcome drink, you know we love a welcome drink!

ssn – Although The Vault was elegant and opulent, it was not stuffy. In contrast to The Office in Chicago – also very exclusive and expensive – we loved the Vault and did not feel like it “was not for us”. I speak for both of us when I say we would happily return.

Special Shoutout – The Service

David, our bartender, was incredible. Friendly and polite, with a mind-blowing level of knowledge and information about not just the spirits, but also the mixing and flavor balances.

Questions were answered similar to this: “as this is very gin forward, it is balanced with the yuzu and melon, to bring down the acidity and elevate the natural sweetness that can be found in earthy tones of the matcha. The blending of these flavors will hit the palette with a smooth, almost silky note and then blend into a river of sweet and sour as it crosses the taste buds, finishing with a slightly bitter, but mellow final hit”.

His descriptions were over the top, with an incredible synonym filled explanation so that you knew exactly what to expect.

Back to the Cocktails

But let’s talk about the cocktails.  Expensive, for sure.  But, as we were warned, completely worth it.  I had The Seductress, their amped up version of an espresso martini – it is served finished with a sesame cream that had the consistency of marshmallow fluff and a burned sugar banana that added to the smell sense as you drank it.  They make the cream by handshaking cream and sesame simply syrup – hand-shaken in a frozen martini shaker.

Peggy had the English Spy, a clarified milk punch that she loved but, whatever, I had marshmallow-y goodness.  Start with a welcome drink, add in cocktails, they also serve drinking snacks (tajin pistachios, parmesan crisps, and deep fried olives stuffed with goat cheese and chorizo) and then you finish with a good-bye bite, which ours was an espresso gelée with orange brown sugar.

ssn – don’t downplay my cocktail! I received a full ten minute dissertation comparing and contrasting two of my choices – I had to consider the difficulty level required of the bartender, the flavor profiles, the mouth feel and the viscosity! David is brilliant. As was my choice.

The Ski Lodge – Cosmopolitan

The Entrance

Next to Superfrico at the Cosmopolitan there is an unassuming door.  Plain except for a little skier on it.  No sign, no fanfare, just a simple door.  We love this, that is how a speakeasy should be, completely unadvertised.

The Experience

This was a winner, cracking into the list of our favorite speakeasies.  True dedication to the theme, it feels dark and lodge-ish, wooden, skis in the corner, a stone fireplace, absolutely just like any ski lodge bar you’ve been in.  Big picture window over the bar has a snowy scene showing.  The drinks were a good blend of alcohols, without being too weird. The staff was friendly and sported après ski style outfits.  And they offer a shotski!

This place hit all the notes and checked all the boxes.  I had the Golden Gai Goddess, with a fruity forward but a slightly bitter aftertaste, not in a bad way, in a slightly pithy way, I think it balanced out the fruity yuzu nicely and came with a slice of dragon fruit, which I will never turn down.

ssn – short and sweet, not much to add here. The Ski Lodge was perfect – and I feel like as a Coloradan I can say that. The commitment to theme was unmatched. This is comfortably in my Top 5.

Easy’s Cocktail Lounge – Aria

The Entrance

When you hear about it, it sounds perfect: a speakeasy attached to a donut shop.  Except when you get there it is decidedly just a nightclub attached to a donut shop.  A velvet entry rope, a big man named Reggie out front guarding the entrance looking like he’s going to decide if you are good enough to go in. The closest it comes to a speakeasy is an entrance down a short, short hallway with a door Reggie has to open with the code. Speakeasy ends there.

The Experience

Great bar, more like a small jazz club inside.  It’s got a great feel to it. A standing-room only bar for those without reservations, small tables, and a cool live band performing a little classic R&B with a modern twist. The band was the highlight for us.  The drinks range from high-end specialty drinks (things like smokey drinks in cigar boxes), down to their list of classic cocktails (I had a daquiri). Overall, a great place to hangout for an intimate night listening to great music in a small venue, but not exactly a speakeasy.

ssn – my drink (pictured below) was exceptionally good!! Gin, yellow Chartruse, honey, lemon, cucumber, mint! A little spendy but fantastic. Bonus points for Easy’s….they hand you a donut when you leave!

Pier 17 Yacht Club – Caesar’s Palace

The Entrance

The Pier 17 Yacht Club is the speakeasy located inside the Green Fairy Garden outside the Absinthe tent in front of Caesar’s Palace (phew, that’s a lot). The downside is that the entrance is not hidden or mysterious, there is a hostess check in at the front but it is at a bit of an “off” location inside the Green Fairy Garden (which is a cute outside bar if you just need a great outdoor patio. 

The Experience

You are escorted up a very Gilligan’s Island looking ramp with bamboo walls, into the inner bar room.  The inner bar room is pretty and upscale yacht club looking environment, but then there are doors to their outside patio which is much livelier and fun looking with Christmas lights and patio chairs.  This is primarily a pre-hangout area for those attending Absinthe.  It had a great feel but was dead while we were there as the show had just started.

A short, themed cocktail list, it was good, but nothing over the top or weird, which we appreciated. 

All in all, a cute, solid bar, not so much a speakeasy, but I’m glad we went. Perfect for your pre-show cocktails (and they offer large, premixed flasks of cocktails, which was cute) and drinks with friends. Anyplace else besides Vegas and it would have been more impressive and more highly frequently for it’s outside patio vibes.

ssn – This was super cute but definitely a pre-show only occasion. If you get the chance, see Absinthe – it is hilarious, raunchy, visually fun and also full of amazing talent!

The Count Room – The Flamingo

Unfortunately Google did not have updated hours for The Count Room so we could not make it to this one. It is located behind an office door just outside of Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse, this looks really cute. Next time!

On the Record – Park MGM

At the Park MGM. Definitely not a speakeasy, no matter what your Google search tells you.  Big neon lighted sign, a velvet rope maze, and signs all over telling you this way to “On the Record Speakeasy and Club”.  We passed.

Other Speakeasy Guides

• Our Ultimate List & Ratings of US Speakeasies
• Austin
• Chicago
• Denver
• Seattle
• Kansas City
• Paris
• London

Others in our Day Drinking Series

• Dallas
• Seattle – part 2
• Savannah
• Boise
• Kansas City

Ok, so this is going to be more about the fun side of London, but doesn’t the dark, seedy side sound fascinating?

Behind unmarked doors, down narrow staircases, and through the kind of “are we in the right place?” entrances we live for, London’s speakeasy scene is deliciously dark (like me) and just a little dramatic (like Peggy). Local purveyors of the drinking arts have made the Speakeasy scene fun and inventive and absolutely some of the best experiences to be had. The kind of spots that make you feel like you’re getting away with something…you know we’re in.

Arriving in London

A Chunnel train ride was not what was on my bucket list, EVER (a train tunnel high-speed underwater?  NO, THANK YOU), but is the best way to get from Paris to London, so off we went.

We absolutely love London.  It is such an amazing city.  This being our fourth time in this city we decided to just skip all plans to “see the city” and just focus on bar hopping and hitting up some speakeasies.  We did buy a 2-day pass on the Hop On Hop Off bus (the HO-HO, named after my sister) which covers an immense amount of London, so there was limited Ubering, Tube navigation, and no need to be driving.

It was a great decision and one we highly recommend.

The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town

With a name like that, how do you not want to go to this speakeasy!  It just screams fun and the ability to not take themselves to seriously.  And that is exactly what we found.

The Entrance

The Breakfast Club Spitalfields closes at 4 pm (but has great food and huge portions if you are looking for breakfast or lunch in London).  If you show up after that, the restaurant will be dark, but there will be a doorman and a velvet rope inside the entrance.  Tell him you are looking for the mayor.  He will call someone to help you.  Out pops our host, who then asks us if we know how to get in, because it’s a hidden secret, and it’s fantastically speakeasy-ish.  We did know, but he will help you if you don’t.  Hint:  check out the oddly located item that doesn’t belong in the hallway.

The Experience

The doorway leads down a ramp into a brick basement (yes, London has a lot of brick buildings, obviously).  Low ceilings, wooden bar, fabulously decorated with old signs, some slightly challenging your sense of decency.  But luckily, there is a No Heavy Petting sign and a giant moose head. The brickwall has little gaps with little surprises stuck in them.  The energy is low key, but the service is spectacular and engaging, they obviously love what they do here.

Great drink names like Eat the Rich, Wake Me Up and F*ck Me, and Pink Responsibly. They had fun making this menu, and put some great thought into their creations.  Seating is tight, but on purpose, so you can mingle and meet your neighbors, interaction is encouraged.  And the menu contains some basic words of advice to make your visit more pleasant, such as the Mayor demands the highest standards of self-deprecation, don’t leave through the entrance, and upon leaving they suggest you act nonchalant, like you’ve just had a pee (and leave your fly down to add to the charade).  Oh, and PS, anyone named Garfield receives their first drink on the house (with proper identification).

So many great shaker locations to be had in London, this one gets a 5 shaker!

Sister Side Note (ssn) – we loved The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town – the entrance, the service, the other people and the vibe. Everything! Plus that smoked drink had the attention of the whole bar, they really know how to show off! Oh yeah – it is cash only!

I wish we could have stayed longer but we were on our way to our interactive Jack the Ripper Tour. Spoiler alert, interactive does not mean there is any actual murder.

Discount Suit Company

Unassuming, yet so well done. I immediately loved Discount Suit Company when I saw their entrance online.  I don’t know why I was so drawn to this, but something about it screamed ‘YES, WE MUST’ to me.

The Entrance

An old abandoned-looking building with a big worn lettering falling off, declaring what used to be the Discount Suit Company. An obviously out of business industrial corner shop, and off to the side, just a plain black door. That’s it, it feels like you are in an old, run-down part of town.  A “should I be in this area at night” kind of corner – but it is not in a sketchy area, and it is not an unsafe place to be (promise, mom, I didn’t even go down an alley to get here).

Go through the door, down the dark staircase (maybe use your phone for light), and then BAM, I ran into a curtain that I didn’t even see because it was black and unlit, and well, a little sketchy feeling.  But what the heck, go in anyway.

The Experience

Now, this is what you absolutely imagine a speakeasy was like in 1922.  Dark, basement room, no fuss, just a wooden bar, wooden chairs, low tables and chairs in an old brick room.  The cocktails are exquisite and worth the entire experience, there is nothing low key or understated about the Umbrella Vesper or their Moonstomp (homemade whisky, sake, toasted rice, mango, coconut, soda.  Hello wheelhouse…nice to see you).  These people know their way around mixology and are making fantastic concoctions! 

ssn – Discount Suit gets a lot of attention online but it is not overhyped. Definitely the kind of place to settle in and hangout.

Bar Lina Soho

This one threw me off by the name.  I feel like we have encountered Bar Lina before in other cities.  But a bar in an Italian Deli sounds like a winner of a location to me.

The Entrance

The Lina Stores Delicatessen and Restaurants have several locations around London but four of them have “hidden” bars, Bar Lina. We went to Bar Lina Soho.  And OMG, the deli itself is so cute.  Just, why don’t I live in a town that has an Italian deli kind of cute!  The meat and cheese case, the walls of snacks, crackers, pasta and biscotti, this would be on my weekly list of places to shop.  But the lady at the back can help you gain entrance to the speakeasy in the basement.  Down a flight of stairs, Italian art along the staircase, and into the intimate, velvet luxury of Bar Lina.

The Experience

The staff was knowledgeable and friendly, but were being monopolized by a loud touristy lady with her roller suitcase demanding attention and conversation. We would have felt bad for them but the rock and roll Ed Hardy T-shirt wearing guy with his clearly first Grindr date kept us entertained.

We settled on our standard wheelhouse drinks, but then minutes after our drinks arrive, the cute lady from upstairs appeared with our apertivo.  They operate Bar Lina with a traditional Italian bar concept of small plates to compliment your cocktails. Bar Lina was definitely experience focused, we had a little mini panini with our drink, round two provides you with a cheese pairing for your cocktail, they embrace the Italian way of making drinking and event, not just cheap drinks to get you as drunk as possible.  It was charming, and we felt so special at Bar Lina. 

Archive and Myth

We had missed this on our original list, but luckily G, our Sofitel St. James bartender friend, recommended we pop by this spot, so we squeezed this in.  Unfortunately, they were closed the night we were there. However, with the amazing help of the staff we were given an insider view and walk-through of the speakeasy. And just recently, Archive and Myth was named 2026 Venue of the Year by Bar Magazine.

The Entrance

Inside the Hippodrome Casino, right by the Magic Mike Show, you need to find a door.  It’s a black door with patterns around the edges and a very fleur de lis style center with birds, very 1920’s design that has a 44, a 22, and a 33 incorporated into the décor.  This is your entrance to Archive and Myth.  In order to access the speakeasy behind the door, you have to know the passcode.  You have to check their website, as the passcode does change, but it is always about knowing what order of pattern to tap the edge design symbols.

The Experience

Ok, the way to access the room is fun, it’s different, we liked it.  Inside it is very typical speakeasy, black interior, a little dark and moody, yellow-ish bulb lighting, a brick wall behind the bar.  Classic speakeasy cocktails with a twist in half-size and full-size.  And you just know, just feel, how much of a party place this is going to be before and after a Magic Mike show next door!  Definitely beautiful and intimate, but with a screaming energy that wants to show you how on fire it can be.

Spy Bar

This was number one on Peggy’s list of Speakeasy visits for London, and she was very correct in her listing of The Spy Bar.

The Entrance

It’s hidden, that’s for sure.  Even the elevator was not an obvious find.  Downstairs in the basement of the Raffles London OWO hotel (that’s the Old War Office building converted to a gorgeous Raffles hotel).  You’ll first find the elevator, then walk down a long hallway of doors.  Only one door has a little tiny number above it, Room 007.

There is nothing unique or outstanding about this big plain wooden door.  You open the door to this little front office.  Eugene is sitting at his old fashioned typewriter, and it is very 60’s and 70’s office décor.  Eugene is absolutely lovely, until he places a sticker over your phone camera.  That’s right, no cameras allowed.

Fun fact – rooms 006 and 007 were actually used in the early 20th century and functioned as high security storage vaults for identity papers and mission reports of MI5 and MI6 agents

The Experience

Basically, we have no photos to show you how cool this place is.  Everything is James Bond themed, including the Aston Martin above the bar.  Black and white photos, dark wood, and a very intimate and vintage feeling.  The drinks are all classified by Bond villains and characters and movie themed. It was upscale and worth the trip. Service was amazing, Eugene came back in to the room and chatted with us for a bit, and the entire hotel staff at The OWO was incredible and will go above and beyond any expectation for class and service. But you have got to have a reservation for this 5-shaker speakeasy. Get yourself a reservation and do not miss this.

ssn – Spy Bar earned my Favorite Speakeasy in our Best of 2025 Travel Awards. The folks at Raffles were exceptional and the experience was over the top, as I had hoped. It is definitely THE premier experience in London – but not in an unapproachable way. Spy Bar just has an air of secrecy and feels ultra exclusive. Which you know I love. Plus Eugene was amazing – he also landed on our list of Favorite people we met in 2025.

Cahoots Postal

This will forever live in our memories as one of our best speakeasy experiences.  They make it a very immersive experience. We saved the best for last with this speakeasy guide to London.

The Entrance

Just outside Borough Market, you will see the sign for Cahoots Postal. It’s covered in plaques, advertisements and information bulletins, including one that specifically states “Definitely NOT a secret cocktail bar, please stop asking”.   You will want to make a reservation.  We were standing outside, waiting for them to open the door when a man in a 1920’s style outfit peeked out, looked left and right and then at us.  He whispered “you haven’t seen any coppers around have ya?  Didja make sure you weren’t followed?” in a heavy accent.  We told him we had been careful and followed instructions.

We walked into an old fashioned postal office where he asked us if we were there to pick up a “parcel” and asked what name would it be under. Then he called to the back to see if our parcel was ready for pickup.  While he was arranging our entrance the wall telephone rang, Peggy picked it up and it was a very British man congratulating us on entering the scoundrel network and directing us towards the back door. We are very impressed and excited at this point.

The Experience

Through the door at the end of the hallway, we go, and it is busy and chaotic, just exactly as you would expect the backroom of a post office to be.  There are many open slots on the wall where letters are overflowing (do you remember that part in The Grinch, I was dying to start yelling  “jury duty, jury duty, eviction notice, blackmail, pink slip”). The cocktail menu is designed like an old newspaper, with different sections for different drink styles and presentations.

Peggy ordered the P.A.M.E.L.A – which is a whiskey, bergamot, tart (like her) experience which is concocted by an automated “letter arranger”  (Postal Automated Mechanical Electric Letter Arranger, to be specific), and she was given a token to put in the machine when it was time for her pick up.

I ordered from the Air Mail section a fruity Signed, Sealed, Delivered.  The Air Mail section drinks are the coolest!  The server gives you your “pick-up location” and in a few minutes you hear your pick-up being called and all of a sudden a tube is drifting through overhead pipes, down the wall to your station.  Open up the tube (picture the drive in bank tubes), open it and inside is a flask with your cocktail.

The servers were fantastic, the drinks were fantastic, there is no way this is not an absolute 5-Shaker, MUST DO when in London.

There is another Cahoots location – Cahoots Underground. It is Tube themed and located in Soho. We tried to go but it was closed for a private event. From the entrance, it is equally as committed to theme and we are sure it is fabulous!

The Wrap-Up

We missed several places, several we were dying to hit, but I guess that gives us an excuse to go back to London. Anything else, let us know in the comments!

• The MacSmiths
• Evans & Peel Detective Agency
• Bacchanalia
• Scales London
• Sibin
• The Vault

London knows their drinking, they know their pubs, they love their history, and they are crushing the speakeasy scene.  We have heard experts saying speakeasies are overdone, but we are here loving and living for an over the top speakeasy experience.  Thanks for all the entertainment, London!

Other Posts

From this trip

• Paris Speakeasy Guide
• Ghent, Belgium

Other London Posts

• (1) London Day 1
• (2) London Day 2
• (3) London Day 3

Other Speakeasy Guides

• Ultimate Speakeasy Guide – Ratings & Rankings
• Las Vegas
• Chicago
• Austin
• Denver
• Seattle
• Kansas City
• Bali

We spent a couple of weeks researching Antarctica cruises – specifically the luxury cruise lines. Ultimately, we booked the Viking Antarctic Explorer onboard the Octantis. We booked on the last day of the Autumn sale (September 30) for a December 9 departure!  The booking said that they had one cabin left at the lower cabin class, “Nordic Balcony (N2)”.  So, we grabbed it – no time for down payments, no time for second guessing – payment due in full and it was nearly time to get flights booked and medical clearances completed!

Even though we had booked the most inexpensive cabin level, we did not receive an assignment until the week of travel, but it was the top level of the Deluxe Nordic Balcony (DN1) on level 4 (which was really nice!!).

Kelli and I are both expert (some might say obsessive) researchers and while there are a lot of YouTube videos about the Drake Passage and some that tour the Octantis or Polaris ships (they are identical), and the Facebook group for Viking Expedition Antarctica was super useful, I did not see a comprehensive article about the entire expedition experience…so here goes!

Table of Contents

This is a long one so use this handy Table of Contents if you are looking for something specific!

Booking Flights

I have sailed with Viking twice previously – used Viking air once, and planned my own air travel the other.  I prefer to do it myself.  BUT, I am a frequent flyer with airline status.  If you are not particular about a particular airline or just plain don’t want to do the planning, Viking Air is a great option, and they will take care of the details.  This option ensures that if anything goes wrong (missed flights, delays), they will take care of getting you back on track.

Departure

For this expedition, you book your flight into Buenos Aires (EZE) and Viking charters a flight from Buenos Aires (AEP) to Ushuaia.  I do recommend coming in more than one day early.  There are very few flights from the US to Buenos Aires each day and this is typically not the best weather, so delays are not uncommon.  For instance, our Viking charter flight left BA on Tuesday, December 9.  I left Denver on Sunday, December 7, transited through Houston on a redeye and arrived in BA on Monday morning, December 8.

All went well but looking back, I would have come in one day earlier – more than a couple of passengers had luggage that did not make it to the ship.

Return

On the return trip, you absolutely can plan to leave the night that you disembark the ship.  Viking booked the charter from Ushuaia into EZE, so we did not have to leave the airport prior to our return to the States.  But we had about 8 hours in the airport which was not fun.  However, the US airline desks don’t open until 3 or 4 hours before flight time so you may be waiting outside of security for hours before being able to check your bags in.  For whatever reason, the Delta line was obscenely long but our United one was very quick!

Once you check your bags, the security and immigration lines are exceedingly long and hot (Argentinian summer)!  It took close to 1.5 hours to get through.

Medical Exam and Insurance

Viking requires that all guests traveling to Antarctica submit a Medical Assessment and have your doctor complete a Health Evaluation form 30 days before departure.  In lieu of your own doctor, you can use the Viking sponsored Vikand service.  Kelli used her own doctor, I used Vikand.  Both were easy and completed quickly.

Viking also “strongly recommends that every guest purchase travel insurance”.  Insurance means both travel insurance for trip delays, interruptions, and cancelations.  After all, this trip is a very large expense.  Insurance also means medical and evacuation insurance due to the remote and extreme conditions.  If there were a true medical emergency that required helicopter transportation, that expense could be astronomical.

I had enough trip coverage through my credit card, so I opted not to purchase additional.  The medical and evacuation insurance is really up to you and your peace of mind.  I did purchase it because I found an inexpensive policy that covered up to $250,000 of evacuation through Squaremouth.com.  Other advice we received says that a helicopter rescue would be so extreme and unlikely that it is not worth it.

Packing

The most intimidating part, right?  This was truly the most discussed, and probably most searched question we had.  What to pack?  Antarctica is not as cold as you might think; our daytime temperatures, in early December, were 31-37° F and most days were sunny. Also, the ship is quite warm. Looking back now, this is our hindsight recommendation.

Bottoms

• Slacks/jeans (3)
• Joggers, (1-2)
• Wool or thermal base layer (1)
• Leggings (varying weights to also be used as base layers), (2)

Tops

• Shirts/pullovers (4)
• Cardigans/puffer vest (2)
• Base layers, various weights (3)

Misc

• Pajamas
• Swimsuit (1)
• Sneakers
• Slippers
• Dress shoes
• Underwear/socks/wool socks (4)

Outerwear

• Hats (2)
• Gaiters (2)
• Gloves (at least 1 weatherproof but 2 is best). Ski type, not full rubber waterproof

There are caveats.  Neither of us ever wore more than one base layer plus our Viking-provided pants and jacket.  We met people that wore 4 layers and I cannot imagine that.  I promise you, we were never cold.  Ever.  There were days during landings that you will get warm.  Most zodiac cruises, you will not need gloves (of course that depends on weather).  You can do laundry, and you should!

Other

• Minimal toiletries – Viking provides shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, sunscreen, lip balm
• Hydration packets and a water bottle – I live in Colorado and thought I was acclimated to dry, arid atmosphere but we were constantly parched.  Uncomfortably so.  It was weird!  We kept poor Yoshua busy just stocking our room water (Viking provides filtered water in reusable bottles).

What we brought that we did not need

Outdoor boots (we thought the deck might have snow/ice at some point), waterproof bag (we saw this recommended a lot), more than one hoodie/sweatshirt (hoodies are too bulky to wear under the puffer jacket and parka), rain jacket.

We had read that the ship is warm and that you might want a short-sleeved shirt.  We never found it to be warm enough for that.

The other thing to note is that the ship is much more casual than you would expect.  We were quite surprised by some of the outfits.  Even at the premium restaurants.

Buenos Aires

Arrival

If you have opted for the Viking transportation option, they will have plenty of greeters and signs at the airport directing you to buses.  If you are on your own, the best option is to book private transfer through a third-party travel site like Trip Advisor or Viator.  Taxis and Ubers can be scammy coming from the airport, although Ubers are great in town!

If you are arriving just one day before the Viking charter, they will have likely booked you at the Hilton or the Intercontinental.  Both are great options – safe, walkable neighborhoods with concierge desks to help with dinner and entertainment reservations.  If you have extra days on your own, make sure you have booked refundable reservations if you are intent on staying in the same hotel that Viking has booked.  They have been known to switch people around up until the last day and you may find yourself moving hotels.

Accommodations

Upon arrival at the hotel, there will be a Viking welcome desk where you will check in and receive your instructions for leaving luggage outside your hotel door that night, luggage tags, and bus assignment for the next morning’s pickup.  First pickup is around 3:45 am!  There will also be a banquet room with coffee, juice, water, and pastries for those not able to check into their room (typically not available until 3:00 or later) and those that do not want to explore the city.

We had pre-booked a food tour through one of the Buenos Aires neighborhoods using Viator and it was wonderful!  But got back around 9:00 pm which was the time luggage was due to be outside of your hotel room.  Which brings me to another tip, make sure you plan to have travel-sized toiletries, hair products and a toothbrush that you can take in your carry-on (plus anything else you might need before you can access your luggage onboard Octantis around 2:00 pm the next day).  And yes, it is weird to leave luggage outside of your very public hotel door but that is what they do.

Other Helpful Info

The biggest inconvenience we encountered was access to cash (Buenos Aires pesos).  We shouldn’t have needed any except for tips – and most will take US dollars if that is all you have.  Credit cards are widely accepted but for whatever reason, the card readers do not read our metal cards (AMEX Platinum, Capital One Venture X, etc.).  I assume normal plastic cards are fine.  I would normally not recommend the airport currency exchange offices but in this case, just getting a few dollars might be peace of mind.

Ushuaia

Charter Flight

That 3:00 am wake-up call comes early!  When you arrive downstairs, there will be coffee/tea and a light breakfast available while you wait for your bus group to be called.  It is a fairly short drive to the airport, and they will hand out boarding passes at this time.  We were disappointed to see that we were in row 40!

Since it is a domestic flight, the security is easy, and it seems you are allowed to take larger liquids (water bottles).

Our charter flight on JetSmart was fairly full and as we made our way back to row 40.  Our initial disappointment at being so far back soon turned, because those last 3 rows were the only ones not full.  It was nice to be able to spread out a little and have the middle seat open.  They served a boxed breakfast/lunch.

Onboard Experience

Now this is where we had to laugh…you know the average age of the Viking guest is not young…and this is not to be disrespectful of our elders, but…the line for the restrooms!!  From the moment the seatbelt sign went off, there was a line at the front and back restroom for the whole flight (depending on where the flight attendant service cart was).  Sometimes it was 7 or 8 people deep, just standing in the aisles.  It was truly comical.

This went on longer than it should have, we were on our final approach and past the point where the US FAA rules would have required everyone to be in their seats with seatbelts fastened, and the last few people were still standing!

The lady across from us kept looking at us and throwing up her hands like, “what the hell is going on here?”.  We were cracking up!  The flight attendants did finally make the last man sit down in the back row where he was waiting.  It was crazy!

Ushuaia Arrival

Flying into Ushuaia was gorgeous!  The mountains and islands of Tierra del Fuego were so picturesque.  Everything at the airport was super easy, just pick up your luggage and you will be directed onto a bus which will take you through town to the docks.

Ushuaia was much bigger than I was anticipating.  I expected a small port town of a few streets, but it is a decent sized city of over 82,000 people!  There are hotels and resorts, restaurants, breweries, and shopping.

Embarkation

Upon arrival at the ship, you will check in with passports and boarding passes and receive your key cards.  You will immediately be directed to the safety briefing, complete with champagne (or juice).  You will likely not be able to go to your cabin yet, but lunch will be open in the World Café or take the time to look around the ship (many people left their backpacks/carry-ons in the Guest Services area) or go into Ushuaia for some shopping and sightseeing.  There are plenty of Antarctica souvenirs and crafts. Apparently, you can stop at the Tourist Information Office and get your passport stamped, which is fun!

When the rooms are available there will be an announcement – I think they told us it would be 2:00 and it was closer to 1:00.  We arrived in our room to start unpacking and our room steward, Yoshua, stopped by to introduce himself and give us the rundown of the room and amenities.  You’ll learn how to work the warming closet and the Nordic “balcony” window.  He was wonderful throughout the entire voyage!  Also, already hanging in the room were the pre-ordered Viking-provided waterproof pants and expedition parkas plus our life jackets.  We had the chance to try those on to make sure they fit – Yoshua would exchange anything that did not.

Drake Passage

One of the most frequently asked questions: Did you get the Drake Lake (calm waters) or the Drake Shake (rough waters)?  We got the Drake Lake in both directions!  Luckily.  This doesn’t mean that it is perfectly calm sailing, you will still stagger around a little bit so be sure to always “keep one hand for yourself and one for the ship”. It is helpful to note that on the sailing down to Antarctica, the a good part of the Passage is overnight – so nice! On the way back to Ushuaia, it is during the day, which makes for a long day onboard.

I am highly susceptible to motion sickness, and I did perfectly with the ear patches (prescription).  But over the counter meds seemed to work just fine for most.  They do have some meds available onboard if needed.  They also have ginger chews which help quite a bit!

Onboard Restaurants and Bars

Pre-voyage, you were given the opportunity to book a limited number of reservations at the alternative restaurants (The Restaurant and Manfredi’s) – the number was dependent on your cabin class.  Once on board, you will be able to book more if there is availability.  We were able to eat at The Restaurant twice and Manfredi’s three times.  Of the two, we really preferred Manfredi’s – the steak and the chicken parm were both delicious and Kelli loved the Spaghetti Bolognese.  The Restaurant was hit or miss, honestly.  Some dishes were fantastic and some were just ok.  On my previous Viking Ocean voyage, the Restaurant was outstanding, so I was a little surprised by this.

World Cafe

The World Café is excellent for such a large and diverse buffet.  It really is hard to believe they pull that together for 3 meals a day, every day.  There are standards at every meal plus rotating, themed specialties by night.  At dinner, the sushi and fresh seafood bar are always good!  Another favorite is the grill – everything from Tomahawk steaks to filets and lobster tails with Caesar salad to burgers.  And there is always a line for Gelato!  Breakfast and lunch were consistently good – there is just so much variety that you can always find something that hits the spot.

My standout dishes were Tom Kha Gai soup and Carrot soup!  There are limited snacks available during off-meal times and coffee/tea is always available.  Just an observation, the fountain Coke is flatter than we are used to (everywhere in Argentina, not just onboard), so stick to cans if you have a preference.

Aquavit Terrace

The Aquavit Terrace is the bright, pretty bar at the back of the World Café.  There are some dining tables, but it also overlooks the small pool and pool deck with lounge chairs.  We spent one sunny afternoon out on deck with mimosas, just watching the icebergs float by.  In fact, our mimosa-in-hand, fully bundled sunbathing started quite a trend.  Soon the deck chairs were full, and you’d swear it was the tropics!

Mamsen’s

If you miss breakfast in the World Café and need a little something, next door is Mamsen’s.  Mamsen’s is a Norwegian themed buffet with pastries and a few savory dishes.  Breakfast is open until 10:30 am.

The Living Room

The Living Room is located between Mamsen’s and the Explorer’s Lounge on Deck 5.  This small bar is a great place to grab a drink or a coffee and hang around – lots of seating along the windows, and a lot of games and books.

The Explorer’s Lounge

The Explorer’s Lounge is THE gathering place.  The seating (on levels 4 and 5) primarily faces gorgeous views and are the best places on the ship to just sit and watch out the bow (front).  The bar staff is so friendly, they remember everyone and it is a great atmosphere.  The drinks are fantastic.  The nightly entertainment is truly impressive – so much talent.  We did purchase the Silver Spirits package; the price is just so reasonable.

The Hide

The Hide is the “hidden” space in the bow on level 1.  It is absolutely beautiful, easily one of our favorite spots.  It does not have a bar but in the evenings the crew does Expedition Diaries from here and there is a drink cart.  This activity was one of our most enjoyable of the trip – we loved the intimate feel of the room and the stories told by the expedition crew.  The Hide is also where (if you are not feeling too motion sick) you might want to be while crossing the Drake – you get the full effect of the waves including the dramatic crashing over the windows.

The Excursions

Sign up in advance for everything you possibly can!  But then don’t stress about what you cannot get!  We could not get a kayak excursion in advance but were able to sign up once on board.  Just check in with Guest Services early and often to get put on waiting lists.  You should have no problem getting a second SOB, additional zodiac cruises, or kayaks.

The landings are amazing.  All of them.  How often do you get to walk amongst the penguins?  Antarctica has many rules to follow but nothing was strenuous.  Getting in and out of the zodiac might seem intimidating the first time but it is quite easy and the expedition crew is fantastic; they are there to help.  The landings require your waterproof boots to be hosed down (sanitized) and then you step through the boot wash (like a car wash for boots) upon return to the ship,

Zodiac Cruises

The zodiac cruises themselves are wonderful.  The benefit to these is the visibility in all directions and the ability to get very close to icebergs, bergy bits (that is the official term!) and other formations.  The expedition guides are so knowledgeable and tell the best stories! You will also take the zodiacs to landing locations and to transfer to kayaks and the submarine.

Special Ops Boats (SOBs)

The SOBs are fast and fun.  Due to the size and speed, you will be listening to the guide through the QuietVox headset.  This activity is definitely the easiest to board for those with mobility limitations.  It is also the coldest due to the speed and the ability to go further from the ship.

Kayaks

The kayaking was fun and a beautiful way to see some interesting sights.  You transfer in and out of the kayaks from a zodiac, so you are on the water.  The kayaks are definitely challenging to get out of and back in the zodiac.  If you want to kayak, there is training and a physical test that you must attend.  For the kayak, you are provided with a dry suit, you will not wear the Viking-provided pants/jackets/boots.  This is the only time you will show up to Deck A without being fully dressed out.

Submersible/Submarine

We did not do this but spoke to many who did. It is $500 per person and after seeing the photos and hearing the experiences, I have no regrets for NOT doing it. I just don’t think there was a whole lot to see. However, the people that did it really enjoyed it and I did not hear of anyone that wishes they would not have.

Dressing for Excursions

You will be getting fully dressed out in your room before heading down to Deck A for most excursions (the SOB leaves from the Aula lobby on Deck 2).  The first few times that you have to put on all of those layers, it is hot, awkward, and a bit frustrating.  So this is what we recommend. 

Bottoms – base layer, then one other layer (if you choose to, we did not), wool socks, waterproof pants, then boots. The boots are awkward at first but really not that hard to walk in.

Tops – base layer, one other layer (optional, like a t-shirt/thermal), gaiter, puffer jacket (zipped over gaiter), sunglasses on lanyard, phone (if on lanyard), Viking parka, life jacket, hat.  Carry gloves.

Antarctica Destinations & Excursion Recommendations

From what I have seen the itinerary is very flexible and changes often due to weather or the extremely strict policies of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IATTO) that only allow a certain number of cruise ships in an area each day.  But here are our recommendations for which activity to do at each location (should you have a choice).

Fort Point

Our excursions this day were canceled due to wind, but we did have our first whale and penguin sightings so I imagine the zodiac or SOB cruises would be good options.  This was the least snow-covered scenery of our destinations.

Mikkelsen

Absolutely gorgeous!!  Zodiac landing to see whale bones and an old whaling ship. Lots of penguins and a few seals.  We also did our first SOB which took us to see many icebergs and formations.

Fournier

Kayaking was interesting here, we saw some rock formations with small waterfalls.  We also did a zodiac cruise where we got to pick up the ice (you can’t do that on land!) – and of course we licked it!

Lemaire Channel

Also known as Kodak Gap, the most scenic corridor in Antarctica.  No excursions here but the most breathtaking place in the world! We had the most glorious sunny day with water like glass. Spectacular!

Goudier Island/Port Lockroy/Penguin Post office

Do the landing for sure!  At the time of our cruise, Port Lockroy was not yet open for the season.  Make sure you buy your Antarctica postcards and stamps on the Octantis (in the gift shop) so they can be sent from the Penguin Post Office with official postmarks! 

Recess Cove

Do a zodiac landing since this is the first stop on the actual Continent of Antarctica (until this point we had been on the islands).  We had our own personal flag made but the crew had plenty for people to take pictures with.  The cove had beautiful glaciers & bergy bits.  Kayaking here would be incredible; there are steep ice walls and interesting formations.  Quite a bit of calving (ice breaking away and falling from the cliffs).

Brown Station/Paradise Cove

Zodiac landing – beautiful & snowy!  Brown station was also not yet open for the season.  This location had one of the highest densities of penguins, we even got into a penguin standoff because if they cross your path, you have to stop or back up!  They really do smell (as you’ll be warned many times).

Leaving Paradise Cove, we encountered what our expedition leader, Olivia, called Whale Soup.  So many whales surrounding us (like a bowl of soup!) on our way out of the channel.  Both zodiac and SOB excursions here had great success spotting whales.

Then, as we were enjoying the hot tub, Captain took a sharp turn, so we knew something was up.  We hurried out and got dressed because he did a detour for us to see Orcas!  A pod of about 30 of them!  It was truly the most incredible thing that we got to experience on the entire cruise!!  At the daily briefing, the crew was giddy – they said it was one of the best sightings ever.

Danco Island

Zodiac landing – lots & lots of penguins.

Other Activities and Education

Education

Too numerous to name but Viking does an impressive job at giving you the opportunity to be busy as much or as little as you want.  In addition to the daily excursions, there are Citizen Science Experiments, Weather Balloon launches, movies, lectures, and other activities in the Expedition center and the laboratory.

There are tours of the ship, the galley, and the bridge during the crossing of the Drake Passage on the way back to Ushuaia.

Entertainment and Social Events

There are special presentations, events like the Explorers Society social, a BBQ Lunch, and more.

I’ve mentioned Explorer Diaries and Lounge musical entertainment.  Both are fantastic.  One of the most fun activities was a dance party – such a hoot!  Also, I don’t believe our sailing had a Liar’s Club event, but I have seen others talk about it and it sounds like a blast!

There is a wine tasting, a whiskey tasting, and other special events that you can sign up for in Guest Services.

Ship Amenities

There are presentations on future Viking cruises.  I would say that the vast majority of people we talked to signed up for a future cruise (or multiple future cruises)!

Enjoy the Spa and all of its amenities.  But it does get crowded on sailing days.  We loved the open-air hot tub, so relaxing! We also took advantage of a hair treatment during the Drake Passage and it was wonderful! There seemed to be plenty of massage and body treatment appointment slots available and this is a great way to use onboard credit that you might have received. People actually did use the gym but even with the minimal ship movement, that did not appeal to me!

Stay In the Know

We found it is important to attend the daily briefings to keep up with all the activities that are available.  If you cannot attend, the briefings, along with lectures, are available on your cabin television. And the printed Viking Daily is valuable for all information and itineraries. The television also has your personal activity schedule – which is subject to change – so keep an eye on that for added or changed excursions! Flexibility is key!

Antarctica Expedition Conclusion

Overall, I cannot recommend the Antarctic Explorer enough.  It was truly life changing and Viking does it so well!  The Expedition Crew, especially leader Olivia, is exceptional.  I cannot imagine a better staff of professionals.

Antarctica was breathtaking, the wildlife was incredible, and the whole trip was beyond expectations. So do it all, take advantage of everything that the cruise has to offer OR just relax and enjoy the spectacular wildlife and endless views. You cannot go wrong.

Related Posts

Viking Christmas on the Rhine

Admittedly, these are not all going to be speakeasies. But if they call themselves speakeasies, we owe them a look!

Loveland

Sage Speakeasy & Lounge

On our way to Fort Collins, a quick Google search found Sage in Loveland, a perfect small town speakeasy.  Our one deterrent was the sign out front (along with a podium holding their menu).  But coming from a small town, we kind of understand the need to be a little more obvious.  No task to get in, obviously, so we do struggle with the speakeasy concept and the lowering of their shaker rating. 

Our experience was an interesting one.  We walked in, there was a large-ish group of people towards the back of the room.  Then this adorable host walks up to us, Josie.  He is friendly and his smile lit up the room; he explained to us that the power was out on the entire block.  They couldn’t serve food, and credit cards would have to be processed the old-fashioned way, by hand. But they were open. And the large, beautiful windows provided more than enough lighting. 

The cocktails were fantastic.  We loved Josie and Jeremy behind the bar.  Their smoked pineapple old-fashioned is one of their most popular signature cocktails.  It was amazing.  I had a Velvet Sunset, peachy, creamy with vanilla vodka.  We hated to one-and-done Sage, but Josie let us know about a low-key, little-known Loveland speakeasy right around the corner. We had to squeeze it in before getting back on the road.

Rosie’s

Ok, now we are talking speakeasy.  Rosie’s is hidden in the back of a barber shop.  There is a mention on the outside sign of cocktails, but no obvious GO HERE sign that we dislike.  The woman in the barbershop said Rosie’s didn’t open for another 20 minutes, but Troy (the owner) was back there if we wanted to go check it out.  Troy was happy to open a few minutes early for us, which we absolutely love and give bonus points for hospitality. 

Rosie’s was definitely eclectic and playful.  With Dexter’s Lab on the projector wall next to the bar, a Mystery Machine poster and some very interesting concoctions Troy had developed.

I opted for a Golden Mummy Golden Bird which had Rum, chocolate & lime cordial, hazelnut liqueur, and an absinthe rinse, which Troy assured me was just to highlight the flavors not to licorice it up.  It was interesting. I’m still trying to figure out if I liked it, but it definitely was exactly what the menu described, you could taste every note Troy said I would.  Peggy opted for a bourbon and hibiscus cocktail called David De La Hoz. But as our driver, she only had a couple of sips before erring on the side of caution and calling it good for a sample.

Fort Collins

The Social

In 2022 and 2023 The Social Fort Collins made the list of 50 Best Speakeasies in America, so this was a must visit for America’s Leading Speakeasy Authority.

There is a sign out front that simply has a clock which says Social on it. We are giving them hidden credit for not mention of being a bar or a speakeasy.  Plus, it is in a basement.  There was a check-in security at the top of the stairs and a hostess at the bottom. So while not exactly a task, it wasn’t just a walk-in situation.

The room is beautiful, yet quite expansive.  It just didn’t feel intimate, like we have come to know speakeasies to be.  The menu was fantastic, and the bartender was cool and informative, and gave us some great feedback on the menu.  We didn’t eat, but we loved that where you sometimes see an open kitchen, The Social had a glass walled charcuterie preparation station.  We love a good charcuterie board, especially seeing cheese and meat cut fresh and not pre-packaged.

There is a great selection of cocktails, and the menu is sectioned between your classic cocktails, your speakeasy-era cocktails, and then their more inventive “Secret Garden” selections.

ssn – and bonus points for a welcome drink!!

We loved our experience.  I’m not sure it would make our list as “best”, but it is definitely on the higher side of our shaker rating system.  And in fairness, we probably would have loved it more if we could have stayed for some serious drinking, and if there wasn’t a cranky, slightly douche-y husband on one side of us (someone else’s husband, not Patti’s).

Salida

Rocky Mountain Mercantile – The Blind Bighorn

This was a happy moment. 

A very happy accident.

There was a sign on the street that said “Whiskey Bar” and an arrow. But when we walked up the street to the sign it was just an upscale western wear boutique called Rocky Mountain Mercantile.  Geared towards the shopping tourist, but it still does say whiskey bar, so we went in.  Great shop with great clothes, and a few cute little home goods and jewelry.  If you keep walking back you will see a cigar case, a knife case, and then yep, a bar. 

The Blind Bighorn

Now, The Blind Bighorn Speakeasy is still in conceptual mode, but the bar was open.  Here we met Jeff behind the bar, and he shared that while he was new to bartending, the concept was in development.  And he was learning.  Jeff makes guitars, yes, handmade guitars.  He used to own a rafting company in youngers days and spent a great portion of his life outdoors, which is how he ended up in Salida.  He and his business partner, Kurt, who makes ukulele and banjos, decided to open this boutique in the front space of their backroom workshop.  Then they realized that they were drinking enough in this space that they should just put a bar in.

Now it’s a full whiskey bar, with the option to buy full bottles from their selection and lease a locker; therefore, you can come in anytime and drink from your own supply while you hang out with them.  Fantastic concept for a local’s hangout.  And Kurt and Jeff were fun and informative to hang out with.  We love planners and dreamers and artists; they are those people.  They plan to do a little framing in, add a hidden entry, and turn it into a full speakeasy.  We cannot wait to go back and celebrate its grand reopening with them!  Please send us an invite, Jeff!!!

Velveteen

Another “not a speakeasy”, but we are including it because it lists itself as a speakeasy and the bartender told me “This is literally a speakeasy” (yes, that is a direct quote but she didn’t say it in a rude way).  But this is not a speakeasy: it is not hidden, it is not mysterious, there is nothing speakeasy about this.

It is, however, a great bar.  The cocktails were great.  We loved the feel of the bar and the quirky, literary theme, and it was definitely a comfortable bar to hang out in.  The back outside patio was amazing, and they were preparing to set up for live music, there is also a food truck out back serving Mediterranean food.  And we did love that there are plenty of game cards set at each table to provide social interaction and conversation.

So, we do absolutely recommend popping into Velveteen if you are in Salida, try them but do not expect to find a speakeasy inside the propped-wide-open door.

Colorado Springs

Shame and Regret

This is so close to being the ideal speakeasy.  It is dark, it is moody, it has a little Victorian era dark, witchy vibe to it – picture upscale goth.  Plus, one of the best names ever!

If only there wasn’t a big neon sign outside. 

Down a side alley, so we give them points because you would have to be looking for it.  No task to get in, which I hate to say is definitely becoming the norm for our visits and is sadly taking away from the fun of the speakeasy claim.

However, Shame and Regret has an amazing whisky and scotch selection.  They were definitely on theme with the drink titles like Shame Spiral and Lowered Expectations.  I loved the “You Up?”, their Shame and Regret espresso martini.  And Blackmail is perfect for old-fashioned aficionados.               

District Elleven

This is a bit of a conundrum in our shaker rankings.  We walked down a back alley.  There is a huge painted DISTRICT ELLEVEN painted on the side of a building wall.  So hardly a secret, but sticking to our set ratings, we gave it a half shaker, because it didn’t say what it was.

The inside is cool: black and sophisticated looking, with a little divey-punk feel.  Black aesthetics, dark, leather, whiskey bar.  Our bartender, Alex, was perky and cool.  Again, a conundrum, looking like she (or maybe they, we failed to ask) should be all hard and tough, bald, tattoos, but then sweet, with amazing dimples, a great sense of humor, and could make a stiff cocktail.  An amazing combination.  They were awesome, made great drink recommendations, said anything could be made that we could envision.  We loved Alex! 

The main bar room had insanely high ceilings with great artwork, mirrors, and eclectic remnants of the past decorating the walls from floor to ceiling.  Velvet couches, comfy chairs, and then a side room with booths.  So, yes, we loved it, and it was incredible.

But THEN, we exited through the other doorway, and bang!  It was a T-Byrds Tacos & Tequila.  If you come in through the street side, it is in the back of a Mexican restaurant, and yes, it is completely hidden.  So, bingo-bango-bongo, we have a hidden speakeasy, with full shaker, and full happiness from us!!!

The Archives Underground

Down a back alley, around to the back of the building, there are some stairs leading down to a basement “underground”.  We loved the lunch board that said, “This is the bar you’ve been looking for”. But so very disappointed in the sign next to that which read “The Archives Underground Speakeasy, this way”.

It had a fairly plain interior without a lot of art or eye-catching decor, but we did love the bar and the menu.  Not much for a theme, but three people at the bar were having hamburgers that looked flat out incredible.  The service was good; it had an industrial feel that made us think this would be where you would want to hang out after a tough shift at work.  There were a couple of tables that appeared to be date night clientele. I could see this would be a good date spot, not too loud, not too crowded.

I loved that the menu book also had a spot in the back where people were free to contribute jokes, and that the bartender stayed engaged with the people at the bar, even visitors to the area, not just the locals he knew.

There is an entrance through Colorado Craft that may be more hidden, but we did not check that out.

Allusion

Allusion has two locations in Colorado Springs.  This location is a speakeasy inside the Wobbly Olive downtown, the other inside the Wobbly Olive on Powers.  They change themes every 90 days.  We were skeptical about the ability to rotate themes and have it still be fully executed.  We were wrong to doubt them.

Originally, we showed up on a Wednesday night but were told that they were closed when they changed the theme over from Shrek to Jurassic Park.

Jurassic Park, I am so in for that!  I love me some Jurassic Park (minus #2), and Jurassic World (again, minus #2).  We made a special trip back a week later and were floored.

The theme was magnificent.  From the Skeleton on the toilet, to the Raptor eye peeking through the door hole, it was impressive.  All the drinks had movie themed names based on lines from the movies, like “Clever Girl” and “Future Ex Mrs. Malcom”.  I opted for the “We have a T-Rex” and Peggy had the “Life Finds a Way”.  The drinks are served in various dinosaur shaped containers, and one fantastic drink is served in a Barbasol can.  We closed out our experience with the “Really Big Pile of Shit” shot of vanilla vodka, chocolate liqueur and cream served in a poop emoji shot glass. 

Dylan, or Dr. Grant as he told us to call him, was a great bartender, and we absolutely loved our experience at Allusion.

ssn – be sure to make reservations, it was busy and we were lucky to score 2 seats at the end of the bar.

Beaver Creek/Minturn

The Minturn Whiskey Company (Beaver Creek)

Up in Beaver Creek (seasonally in Village Park), the Minturn Whisky Company is relatively new to the Colorado speakeasy scene, and we are thrilled to have made it over to visit them.  Beaver Creek is a super cute (although super bougie) ski village. The kind you can ski right out of your condo and onto a ski lift.  But this was summertime, and there is some cute little shops and restaurants around the area.  A trip to the mountains was just what we needed to get out of the desert heat.

Coming around the corner, you can see through the big picture windows into the bar inside, but the challenge is figuring out how to get in.  We loved the 1970’s themed real estate office front.  All 70’s orange and yellow, very retro décor, we were a little disappointed that there was a sign outside that clearly said “this is a speakeasy” – but it’s summertime and we are understanding of their need to draw in business.

And they are scoring a shaker for how to get in.  But we aren’t going to tell you how that is achieved, it is not difficult, and you should be able to figure it out pretty quickly; however, we are not one to spoil the challenge.

Serving only Minturn Whisky Company whisky, family-owned, small-batch, locally made, plus they have a great cocktail list.  The standard whisky cocktails like a Manhattan and a killer old-fashioned, they also have crafted some of their own, you can also opt for a whisky tasting.  We recommend the tasting because we really liked this whisky.

The Minturn Whiskey Company Wee Dram (Minturn)

Additionally, they have the smallest whisky tasting room in Colorado at their OG saloon in Minturn – the Wee Dram.  Absolutely go find them!  It’s a cute little ski shack, with a tiny fireplace, seating for just about 12 people, and the same cocktails as the speakeasy.  We fell in love with Kyler, and the locals hanging around outside for the live music prior to the rain starting. 

ssn – the Wee Dram won my choice for Best Bar of 2025 in our annual travel awards!

The Minturn Whisky Co. (Beaver Creek) gets high marks from us and would be sky-rocketed to the top of our shaker rating, minus the sign out front.  And the winter seasonal speakeasy is open now (January 2026) so go check it out!

Breckenridge

Canary Bar – Hotel Alpenrock

The Canary Speakeasy Bar was the last stop on our Colorado Speakeasy road trip adventure.  We were excited to be in Breckenridge.  But there were no reservations available for The Canary until 9:15 at night.  We were bummed but determined to push through.  Located inside the Hotel Alpenrock, we showed up early “just in case” and were told by the lobby check-in that they would come get us when our table was ready. 

I was, admittedly, cranky.  I was tired, I was hungry, my family was irritating me from a distance, and I was ready to bail.  That’s when Rob showed up with two champagne flutes with our welcome drinks.  Now, y’all know how much we love a welcome drink!  The drink changes with each guest, but ours was Amaro. 

Canary Bar Entrance

Rob was amazing.  On your way to the hidden entrance (and yes, it’s hidden, we could not find it on our own and circled the common areas a couple of times), Rob tells you about the hotel, the theme, the décor, the thought process.  And let me tell you, it’s pretty impressive.

The hotel is gorgeous but also has been so well thought out to reflect the seasons as you move from area to area.  We get to the Edwin, the upscale restaurant on property.  It is beautiful, summer themed, in a very Colorado ski town way.  And at the entrance they have 4 tree trunks, these are from the one and only tree they had to cut down to build the hotel – so they “live on” inside the property, very cool. 

Then we go back through the restaurant and are pretty sure Rob has tricked us into an evening of dishes in the kitchen when he stops and knocks on a bookshelf – and it’s a secret knock too!! He opens the door to the completely hidden, very elegant Canary Speakeasy.  Dark, rich, stylish, we sit at the bar, disappointed that the caged canary is fake (but I guess that’s to be expected).

Cire behind the bar brings us “guidebooks”, their replacement for a menu.  There are about 4 cocktails at the back by the wine and whisky list, but the front is all about the alcohol, the variety, the descriptor, suggestions for complimentary flavors.  And you tell Cire how you are feeling, what your wheelhouse is, and he creates you cocktail for you.  A hit for Peggy, a little bit of a miss for me, but still a great cocktail.  This is definitely a 5-Shaker experience, and I am so glad we stayed for it.

Durango

Bookcase & the Barber

While we did not make it this trip, a true 5-Shaker experience that you must visit is the Bookcase and the Barber in Durango.  Peggy has been and raves about it.  Tucked behind a bookcase in a working barbershop (hence the name, duh), this literary themed cocktail bar is near perfection.  Not only is the entrance hidden, but you need a password to get in – it can be found on their social media.

It is an intimate, local experience where the bartenders seem to know everyone and are super friendly and chatty.  Also, worth noting that it also makes Fifty Grande magazine’s list of the Coolest Speakeasies in America. 

Colorado Conclusion

In closing, this is our first speakeasy blog focusing on an entire state.  Most of these are still just in the “speakeasy style” and not true to our definition but there were a few standouts – Canary, Bookcase & The Barber, Minturn Whisky Co. And yes, we are still missing one or two around the state (specifically we had to skip Aspen and Vail). 

We love Colorado and all there is to see and experience.  It’s gotten a little long, but hopefully this will continue as a new trend to cover bars outside of a major metropolitan area.  We know some of you are anxious to explore cool places outside of urban expanses.  And we are here for it!

Please reach out and let us know where you think we need to cover next, or if you have any inside information on places, we need to get on our list to visit!

Other Speakeasy Guides

• Ultimate Speakeasy Guide – Ratings & Rankings
• Denver
• Las Vegas
• Chicago
• Austin
• Kansas City
• Seattle
• Paris
• Bali

Please enjoy our annual travel awards and highlights in our Best of 2025 year end wrap-up. Looking forward to more sisbehaving in 2026!

Best Moments

Most Sisbehaving Moment

Best View

Little Sister – My Son Getting Married and Our First Grandchild

Originally, I was going to do the dinosaur footprints embedded in rock we stopped to see in Colorado.  Then I got sappy and realized my best views of the year were far more personal – the marriage of my son to his high school sweetheart, and also the birth of our first grandchild (thanks to our daughter).  Watching my son, so young and so nervous, but so happy will warm my cold heart forever.  But nothing compares to your first grandchild. However, if we are talking non-personally, I’m definitely going with the coolness of the dino prints for the year.

Big Sister – Lemaire Channel, Antarctica

Without hesitation, my best view was the Lemaire Channel in Antarctica. This might be the most beautiful sight I have ever witnessed. Breathtaking is an understatement, it literally brought tears to my eyes (and it wasn’t the cold air).

This channel is nicknamed “Kodak Gap” for its photogenic beauty. We had a sunny, bright day with mirror-like water – it was incredible.

Best Food & Drink

Best Bite

Little Sister – Aux Merveilleux de Fred, Belgium

365 days ago, I never would have guessed my best bite of the year would have been a sweet one.  But here we are. I saw pictures of Merveilleux one morning in Ghent as I was looking for a bakery for morning coffee and pastries. Aux Merveilleux de Fred looked good, and sweet, and I was low-key obsessed (if you know my obsession are usually loud and hyper-focused, this was more, ooooohhhh, I really want one of these).

A few days later I noticed that same bakery had a Brussels location.  We saw them through the window as they were making them, it is basically a disc of meringue topped with flavored whipped cream (chocolate, coffee, vanilla, cherry) then rolled in shaved chocolate.  And O.M.G.  – OMG!  They’re light and sweet without being too sugary, and they are just absolute perfection!  And I drug Peggy into my obsession – we had to go back the next day for more (ps, they also come in large size).  Exquisite is barely the tip of the iceberg in describing Merveilleux.

ssn – she’s right on this one. I was sooo not interested. We were in Belgium and it wasn’t chocolate so I was not into it, it looked like it was all show. I should never have tried it because damn!!! It was insanely delicious. Obsessed – I would fly there tomorrow for another one.

Big Sister – Golden Roosters, Seattle

When we were prepping for our Seattle Speakeasy tour, we were jotting down recommendations from all the foodie creators on IG and came across the Korean Fried Chicken from Golden Roosters in Pioneer Square. Bonus, it was like a speakeasy, it has an unmarked back alley entrance to the bar!

We ordered our chicken but were intrigued with the Bulgogi Creamy Udon menu item. We ordered it and were left staring wide-eyed at each other with how good it was. Just that look we give each other and, “shut your whore mouth”. That is the ultimate compliment.

Even today, 11 months later, when I crave comfort food, it is these noodles! Patti tried to go back and have these before a Mariners or Seahawks game but they aren’t on the game day menu. We just didn’t have time when we were downtown this past fall either. But hopefully soon…

ssn – these creamy udon noodles were the best thing on the menu, and I need to go get some more. But everything else was great there too, and you should definitely go try the chicken that they bill themselves for serving.

Best Brunch

Little Sister – Woo Bar & Kitchen, Seattle

The weekend after my son’s wedding we stayed in Seattle for a baseball game (Go M’s).  I was feeling yucky after something I ate (not drank, shockingly), but I found an Asian fusion spot that had congee.  One thing I love about our trips to SE Asia is congee for breakfast.  So, feeling poopy, this was the one thing that sounded good and we were off in an Uber.  Back behind the Seattle Center, just at the base of Queen Anne neighborhood is where we found the Woo Bar & Kitchen.  A beautiful, open, Asian upscale restaurant that had just started serving brunch.  Gorgeous room, our server was super friendly and informative, and our food was amazing.

I felt so much better after a warm bowl of chicken congee, Peggy had this amazing crab (fresh crab, naturally) omelet and Pat had the steak and eggs.  We did NOT drink, but they did have breakfast cocktails.

Side Note:  we didn’t have a lot of brunches this year, which seems weird as it’s the best meal of the week, but we were focused on building our speakeasy brand.

Honorable Mention

And I really want to give an honorable mention to the Marriott Grand Brussels.  It’s a breakfast buffet included with our room, but like most European buffets it was so much better than anything you get included with a hotel in the US.  The reason they are getting an honorable mention is these amazing scrambled eggs they had.  They were like crack!  I consider scrambled eggs the perfect comfort food, and I do not know what they did to theirs, but it still lingers in my memory of the best scrambled eggs I have ever had.  AND IT WAS AT A BUFFET!!!

P.S. Gordon Ramsey, if you would like to challenge this assessment and make me some of YOUR scrambled eggs, I would gladly take you up on the offer.

Big Sister – Suerte, Austin

If you are going to Austin, everyone will tell you to go to Suerte. And those people will tell you to order the wagyu brisket tacos. Those people will be right.

We were only able to fit Suerte into our schedule for brunch but thankfully, they serve these popular tacos on all menus! My friend Roger was gracious enough to meet us for brunch and with three of us, we really ordered up the menu! We had the Suadero tacos (the confit wagyu), a cold salmon tostada, chilaquiles, and the surprise hit of the meal – refried lentils y crema! And let’s talk about the brunch cocktails…Nitro Carajillos! So good!

Best Sip                                          

Little Sister – Phocific Standard Time, Seattle

The Khoa Was here from Phocific Standard Time (PST) in Seattle.  PST is a speakeasy above a ramen restaurant.  It was late, we were “slightly” intoxicated (interpret your own sisbehaving image of slightly, I admit to nothing).  We decided that we were going to finish off the night with a shot and head for bed.  We were unprepared.  Completely unprepared for what we had done with our Khoa order.

It is a pho-fat washed Jameson shot, served with a pho broth back.  And Pho-ck me!!!  It was amazing!  Absolutely amazing.  That broth, I still drool thinking of the warmth, the earthiness, the clarity. Our lust for it was not subtle, and the warm broth was a great pre-bedtime shot.  And I need to go back for another one.  It was the perfect ending of a fantastic night.

ssn – I second this…I’m sure people got tired of hearing about how good this shot was. And I hope we didn’t let the secret out because we told EVERYONE.

Read our Seattle Speakeasy blog!

Big Sister – Jupiter Supper Club, Austin

We ended up with some time to kill before reservations at Here Nor There in Austin and had been wanting to try Jupiter Supper Club but thought we wouldn’t have time. Happily for us, we made it work. This is a gorgeous space! And you know I love the tagline, Timeless Maximalist Luxury. Two floors of unique decor and vibey elegance. I chose the Osaka Seagrass – a little risky but right in my wheelhouse – sesame vodka, Meletti, nori seaweed, ginger, blood orange and lemon. It was perfection – so savory and umami.

And highly recommend the beet crisps with avocado mousse!

Read our Austin Day Drinking blog!

ssn – she is seriously underselling the beet crisps with avocado mousse; they could have easily been our best bite of the year (and P.S. go to our Seattle Speakeasy blog that is linked to see the video of how much we loved the Khoa Was Here).

Best Speakeasy

We hit a lot of amazing speakeasies this year.  A LOT!  So, this category has some tough competition.  We checked off quite a few 4.5 and 5-shaker venues.  Therefore, we decided the only fair thing to do was divide this category up into Foreign and Domestic (which is kind of a copout for us, but it’s our blog, we do what we want).

Little Sister – Foreign – Cahoots Postal Office, London

My international standout of the year came down to two:  Cahoots Postal in London, and Cloak & Dagger in Canggu, Bali.  Both fantastic concepts:  One post office (obviously) and one serial killer theme.  While the serial killer them speaks to my wheelhouse, I ultimately chose Cahoots Postal for my annual award.

From the first moment to the last, Cahoots sucked us in.  The host peeking out the door asking “have ya seen any coppers lurking around?”, the call for a “package delivery”, full décor with mail slots, and cocktail delivery via postal tubes – all of it, every single thing was done with sheer perfection.  Cahoots is a fully immersive experience and deserves my best speakeasy of the year.

Little Sister – Domestic – Red Headed Stepchild, Austin

If you’ve been following our blog, you already know what I’m going to say (if you aren’t, shame on you, go follow us!!!).  My choice is very obviously Red-Headed Stepchild in Austin. First, they made us work to get the code to the door. The door code is only given to insiders but they are free to share, so you have to find an insider to get the code from to enter this bar (thanks, Paul).

It is horror movie themed.  The extensive cocktail list is all themed into categories.  The bathroom was one of my favorites with a Shining theme, axes for door handles, and there is always a horror movie showing on the tv in the corner.  The service was great.  We met a couple of local industry people that helped make recommendations for us for the rest of our trip, and ran into them later when they were working, which is always fun to be in the know with people when you aren’t a regular. I absolutely loved RHSC.

Read our Austin Speakeasy blog!

Big Sister – Foreign – Spy Bar, London

Like Patti, my choices came down to two – Spy Bar in London and Little Red Door in Paris. This was a really difficult decision and I ultimately went with Spy Bar for the elevated, special experience.

Spy Bar is James Bond themed and is housed in Raffles London at the OWO (Old War Office) – Ian Fleming actually worked in the building. It is a very exclusive experience, with hard-to-acquire reservations required. And not only is it completely hidden, but no photos are allowed – adding to the mystique. I won’t say more other than we were treated like honored guests from the front desk to the Spy Bar door where we were greeted by Eugene (one of our favorite people of the year, see below).

Big Sister – Domestic – Lincolns, Denver

This Denver speakeasy is one of my absolute favorites! So far, I have taken every one of my Denver visitors to it because it is just so enjoyable.

Here is the deal. It is completely hidden, and the people of Denver seem pretty intent on preserving that secrecy. It is rare to see the location outed anywhere. There is no task to get in but the door and entrance are very cool!

Once inside, the theme is…Abe Lincoln. But super cozy and friendly. All drinks are $5, cash only. No frills – there are around 10 liquors, standard mixers, beers on tap, and a barreled old fashioned.

Read our Denver Speakeasy blog!

Best Overall Bar

Little Sister – Connaught, London

One of the classiest places we have ever had cocktails at was the Connaught Bar at the Connaught Hotel in London.  The hotel is gorgeous and high end and I would love to stay here next time (hey, Connaught, give me a call, let’s talk!).

The bar is famous for its martinis.  And you absolutely must get a martini from The Connaught.  It’s prepared tableside, choice of gin or vodka, a choice of bitters, a choice of olive or lemon twist.  It is exquisite! There will be a wait for your martini, because they are ordered by dang near everyone. 

We got super lucky as we got there at opening time, and our server took our order second, so after the guy next to us had his prepared, we were up next.  I heard them tell other tables the wait for a martini was 20-30 minutes, and they walked in minutes after us, but ended up 5 tables back by the time their server took their order.  But it is worth the wait and it is an experience.

Side note – if you are looking for a not so classy recommendation The Nickel Bar in Austin gets a nod, for being the best dive bar of the year if we had that category.

Big Sister – Minturn Whisky Co, Minturn, Colorado

If you have been around me in Colorado this year, you know I have not shut up about Minturn Whisky Company’s Wee Dram and their amazing seasonal speakeasies.

The Wee Dram is an adorable little tasting room is located in Minturn, CO, the cutest town between Vail and Beaver Creek.

Patti and I were seeking out speakeasies around the state this summer and decided to go to the Wee Dram on our way to the Minturn speakeasy in Beaver Creek, mostly because it opens early (noon!!) and we had some time to kill. We fell in love with this place! Plus Kyler was the best and introduced us to their Scottish inspired whisky and their story.

We reluctantly left Minturn and headed to Beaver Creek village to see their seasonal speakeasy. It was so impressive – an 1970s-ish real estate agency. So well done!!

And now, they have just opened a winter season speakeasy – built by hand – that I cannot wait to visit!

Best Experiences

Best Hotel

Little Sister – Sofitel London St. James, London

For this I went with the Sofitel London St. James.  It’s on the higher end of the Accor lines, yes, and it lives up to the Accor standard.  The staff was friendly, the room was beautiful, the lounge, the bar, everything was pretty close to perfect (including its Michelin Star restaurant although we didn’t get to try other than breakfast).  There is a reason people pay the higher prices for these types of hotels.

When we checked in Anna and Jasmine awesomely upgraded our room.  Then out came Jinny to give us a full tour of the hotel, with history and bar and restaurant recommendations – she could be our sister, she should have just moved a rollaway bed into the room with us.

The room was amazing, with tea and turndown service.  All the little personal touches that make you feel like a treasured guest.  The bar at the hotel is fantastic, and the bartenders are all funny and engaging, and apparently Jose is on the list of best bartenders but we never got to meet him (but see our People We Met section about G).

We were settled in like a second home. We discovered GoggleBox on TV when we camped out in bed with a fantastic room service delivery one night. And special shout out for Josue at the bell desk for handling our luggage, getting us taxis, and making sure we were taken care of during our stay.

This place was incredible, but I’m sad we never made it to their afternoon tea, because it looked amazing (and Jinny highly recommended it).

Honorable mention

Honorable mention this year has to go to Populus for their outstanding commitment to sustainability and fabulous staff, AND to Marriott Grand Brussels for those scrambled eggs and also because we checked in the day before my birthday, and the staff noticed, and thought to send up cheesecake for us – it really is the little things that make the biggest difference.

Big Sister – Willow House, Terlingua, Texas

If you have been to Big Bend National Park, or anywhere in West Texas, really, you know it is hot, dry and dusty. But just because it is a National Park doesn’t mean there aren’t some luxury lodging options – there are glamping tents, yurts, star-gazing tents, the coveted cave hotels, and our splurge-find, Willow House.

This little concrete sanctuary in the middle of the Texas desert was heaven at the end of a long, dirty day exploring the area. Absolutely comfort and tranquility.

The Willow House consists of 12 casitas and an absolutely beautiful main house. Each casita has a concrete patio and a sunrise view of the Chisos Mountain Range. The main house has group seating areas, tables, a well-appointed kitchen with storage for each casita, complimentary coffee, espresso, water filling stations. Outside there are a couple of outdoor kitchens, a large firepit area with plenty of seating, and a large pool area with showers and seating but a small pool.

Best Cultural Site

Little Sister – Catacombs of Paris, France

Absolutely amazing!  This was something I always wanted to see but was never a bucket list from me.  It just appeals to my dark and disturbing side.  Our two quick days in Paris was sure to include this tour.  It was everything I wanted, except for the other people there.  Centuries ago, they moved Parisian bodies from the cemeteries into one central location.  And they are now all stacked up in the catacombs.  Tunnel after tunnel, bones stacked along the walls – skulls, femurs, all of it, wall to wall stacks of bones.  It was cool, and completely creepy.  And the horror on Peggy’s face was just a bonus.

ssn – I, too, have always wanted to visit the Catacombs but was not prepared for the unending, vast quantity. It was shocking!

Big Sister – Palace of Versailles, France

A visit to Versailles is something I’ve been trying to do for multiple visits to France, and it was finally happening. Unfortunately, Patti wasn’t feeling well and wasn’t able to come with me so I didn’t get to share the experience with her.

The Palace and grounds were so impressive, as expected. I’m not sure you can be fully prepared for the scale, the grandeur and the opulence. That said, the Hall of Mirrors was everything. And I enjoyed the guided tour very much – super interesting history!

However, even in this shoulder season, the crowds were unbearable. I now understand the appeal of the private stay that includes early/late access to the Palace. I’m so glad to have seen it and it was worthy of my Best of 2025, but will not be returning!

Best Bucket List Checkoff

Little Sister – Swimming with Dolphins, Bali

I did not know this was on my bucket list, but here we are.  I tend to shy away from interacting with animals, I don’t believe it’s our part. But here we were, swimming with the Dolphins in Bali.  I started out hating it.  There were about 20 boats, and I felt like we were interfering with their world, the world we don’t belong in.

Then I was in the water, on a pull rope, when I looked down and thought I saw a school of those silver fish.  Then as they started to swim up, I realized they were all dolphins, and they rose up and jumped out of the water all around me. And it was majestic, and amazing, and I felt this sense of euphoria.  I was surrounded by the beautiful creatures just jumping all around me and playing, and for moment I was one of them.  It was breathtaking.

I will still avoid animal interactions when traveling (especially to those who have never looked into it:  do not ever hold sloths or visit interactive experiences that are not ethically treating the animals – yes, you can google this)

Big Sister – Eric Church at Red Rocks, Colorado

I have been trying to see Erich Church for YEARS! For some reason, each time, something comes up. Four times now, I have had tickets and not been able to go. So when he announced three nights at Red Rocks in July, I set alarms, had my browser ready to go and was ready! I mean, Red Rocks is iconic so this HAD to happen.

I got tickets to night 3 (each night at a different musical style) – Eric Church vs The Guitar. Just him, alone on stage.

And it happened! It was amazing. Even with torrential rains, and delays…the show went on. Hands down, one of the best concerts I have ever seen.

Best Overall

Best Overall Destination

Little Sister – Belgium

This year for me, it was Belgium.  I have always wanted to visit Belgium.  Not only do they make my favorite beer, there was always this draw for me to a smaller country, with a medieval feel, old buildings, culture, and cobblestones.  And Belgium did not disappoint. I was very worried when we boarded a train to Ghent that took us through the seedier side of Brussels and I was skeptical of my dreams.  BUT, it got better, so very much better.

I wish we had time to do Antwerp and Bruges, but just Ghent and Brussels made me happy.  And I loved them.  Belgium is so underrated as a destination, and I am glad this trip got to happen (even if it turns out you can’t brew beer with the Monks or tour inside the brewery inside the monastery, which is bullshit, I want to do that!).

Read our Ghent blog!

Big Sister – Antarctica

My favorite destination is a no-brainer, Antarctica. This was a bucket list, once in a lifetime trip for me and one month after returning, I am still in awe.

I traveled with Viking Octantis and everything about the trip was top tier. The ship, the amenities, the staff and excursions. We had fantastic weather, Drake Lake for both crossings, ate delicious food, and of course, saw amazing wildlife. We saw humpbacks and penguins everyday and a huge pod of about 30 orcas one afternoon. Life changing!

I say once in a lifetime, but I would go back! Is anyone interested??

Best People We Met

This was a great year for meeting people, and we certainly don’t want to play favorites, so we decided to include all of our standout people, and try to do it in order we met them.

Abby – Rich Rich, Seattle

So cute!  We got to Rich Rich as she was opening. So she chatted with us while she was setting up and followed us on socials.  And she was fun (and hungover) and we loved her.

JP – {Unlisted}, Seattle

JP responded to our social media post that we would be there that evening.  When we got there, he had a table set up for us, with a welcome drink.  He was awesome and spent some time chatting with us about the theme and décor (and the fact the elephant moved), he made me one of my best drinks of the year which was a purple lavender vanilla vodka-y drink which I failed to get a picture of.  But we talked about his background and concept, and it was a great visit with him.

Jeff – Blind Big Horn Bar Salida, CO

This was one of our big surprises of the year.  We saw a sign that said cocktails outside of the Rocky Mountain Mercantile in Salida, Colorado. At the back of this upscale Colorado western shop was a beautiful bar.  So naturally we asked if the bar was open.  Jeff is happy to pour a drink, and share with us some infused cocktails a friend of his had made (cherry soaked vodka is my favorite!).

Then we talked about how they came to add a bar to their shop (they were drinking there anyway, might as well put a bar in), their desire to make this a true, hidden speakeasy, and we shared with them our favorite speakeasies and why they stood out, gave them some tips, and shared our backgrounds. We are rooting for Blind Big Horn to become the best new speakeasy in the US and hope to be invited to the grand re-opening party!

David – Eden Room, Austin

David started out by telling us he didn’t have a favorite cocktail on the menu; they were all his babies.  But after we ordered and got to chatting he admitted to having four favorites, and we ordered two of them (hello, round two for the other ones).  The bar was almost empty that night so we had great conversations about our speakeasy experiences, and his life and journey to speakeasies (including having worked at the Franklin Mortgage in Philadelphia, our #1 anticipated speakeasy).

Monica – Watertrade, Austin

Monica doesn’t work for Watertrade, she just happened to be there for a Sake tasting.  Her company, Kome Collective, was in charge of organizing and executing a tour for a group of sake brewers from Japan.  She was amazing, so fun and friendly, and so knowledgeable.  We cannot wait for our New York Speakeasy adventure to reconnect with her (and oh, yes, we will be reaching out to her when we are there).

Paul – Powder Room, Austin

One of our big standouts (and we aren’t playing favorites, but if we were Paul would be at the top) of the year, but especially for Austin.  It’s rare that you meet someone so nice, helpful, funny, so knowledgeable, and still so good looking (yes, Paul, I said it, you are a good looking man).  Please go read our Austin speakeasy blog.

He couldn’t get us into The Powder Room until after the private party, but made sure to get us on the guest list for later, but he did make sure we got the door code to Red Headed Stepchild, such a winner.  The Powder Room is fantastic, and Paul treated us to a VIP experience that was a highlight of our long and extensive bar hop of Austin.

Gianmarco (G) – The Sofitel London St. James Bar

G makes an amazing cocktail.  We visited him multiple times during our London stay.  He was shocked the first time we came back when we said we would.  G recommended a couple places for us and loved our feedback.  He also shared his experience as an Italian immigrant in London, and his desire to travel.  So hopefully, he will reach out to us when he does get stateside, we would love to see him again.

Eugene – Spy Bar, London

You walk into the unmarked door of Spy Bar and you’ve basically walked into someone’s office, only it’s a very old school looking office with a classic typewriter and décor.  This is where you find Eugene.  Who will look surprised that you have found his office.  And if you have a reservation, he will grant you access to The Spy Bar.  He came back a little later to check on us, how our experience was going, and to chat with us about our blog.  He gave us his card, so naturally I gave him ours, and he made a great impact on our visit and our entire experience was enhanced because of him.

Roger – Big Bend NP & Austin

Do you ever meet those people on vacation that you immediately connect with? That was Roger! My friends and I met Roger over breakfast burritos in Marfa, TX! We got to chatting with him and his son and he was delightful! Then we ran into him in the liquor store (bonus!). Then in Big Bend NP, twice! It was fate that we were supposed to be friends! So naturally when Patti and I were in Austin, I reached out to see if he wanted to have brunch. He did and we had such a great visit. He is just an incredible human – warm, funny, engaging, entertaining…I’m not sure he’s ever met a stranger!

Bonus – Favorite Picture (of each other)

ssn – the horrified look on Peggy’s face at the Catacombs! It kills me every time! And my picture OBVIOUSLY needs no explanation.

A recent work trip took me to Brussels, Belgium for the week. There would be plenty of free evenings for exploring the drinking scene of Brussels. But first we decided to spend the weekend prior to my conference in Ghent. This blog was dedicated to drinking, but we also want to give a couple of our favorite finds in Ghent because it was a great weekend and a beautiful city.

Why Should I Go to Ghent?

Well, I’m glad you asked. We debated between Ghent and Brugges. It was a struggle of a decision, but we ultimately decided that Ghent was easier and we could take the train on a day trip to Brugges if we wanted to see it. Side Bar:  the train system in Belgium is super easy to navigate and pretty cheap – make sure you get the Train+ pass, our $3 pass for the month ended up saving us almost $40 by the time we left Belgium.

But I didn’t answer your question, did I? Ghent is a super cute little town, with a fairy tale/medieval feel to it. We stayed right downtown at the Novotel Ghent Centrum, and could walk our way through all the cobblestones, cathedrals, and around the canal system. Yes, I said canals. It’s like mini-medieval Venice.

But Let’s Talk Ghent Drinking

Jiggers

The one everyone says to go to is Jiggers. It WAS a speakeasy, so we were excited to try it. It is no longer considered a speakeasy, although they do have a slightly hidden basement bar. We do not rank or rate this as a speakeasy since it is not hidden and there is no challenge. But the drinks were fantastic, and the service from Gianni was awesome (and he and Eduardo provided us with new ideas for Brussels). We recommend Jiggers as a place you must find for a cocktail in Ghent.

Galgenhuis

On our canal tour we were informed of the smallest bar in Ghent – which used to be the smallest bar in Belgium until they put in a patio. In reliving our theme from Austin at The Smallest Bar in Texas, we decided The Hangman Bar had to happen. Technically called ‘T Galgenhuis, inside is definitely tiny. We loved the small, welcoming atmosphere.

We were not down for the patio, it seemed too common (and chilly), we wanted inside. The inside was full, but then we noticed the second-floor windows from the outside. Up a set of very steep, curved stairs was a loft with seating for 8 people. Bonus was that it overlooked the main floor, so we could people watch. Then our new friends arrived, two couples had taken the train in from their own small town to simply spend the afternoon day drinking. We were friends immediately! The service was great, and everyone was so friendly.

The Alchemist

Crossing the bridge to the other side of the canal, we happened by the cutest sign reading “Forgive me father for I have ginned” and that seemed a good sign that we needed to be there. Turns out it was a bar called The Alchemist. We have a history of finding some amazing bars called The Alchemist (London, Washington DC, Glasgow – The Alchemist is a pretty common bar name). Specializing in Gin and Tonics, it’s a small little hole in the wall, with a great wood-clad, homey feel. A little loud, a serious after work with the co-workers you like kind of place. The bartenders would all know my name and gin preferences if we lived in Ghent, it is definitely a place I would want to be often.

Bar Bonnie

During our walk exploring the city we passed Bar Bonnie. Assuming it was named after our mother, we popped by for a quick espresso martini. We ended up having to have their signature Bonnie cocktail, which was a peach and vodka based spritzer and and fit perfectly into our wheelhouse. Their warm Camembert with rosemary and thyme was amazing with warm sourdough bread as our snack time approached.

Jaggers

Not to be confused with Jiggers, we next found ourselves at Jaggers. Jaggers came highly recommended for a traditional Belgian mussel and frites. They have a great outside heated patio. Inside is a warm ambiance with an upscale, but slightly rock and roll feel (as in, great artwork, subtle colors, but famous artist pictures and guitars on the walls) The service was great, and they were lovely to engage two Americans and their need to speak English. Peggy found her usual Porn Star martini hit the spot, and we then figured out how awesome shrimp croquets are in Belgium – and yes, we snuck in a few more of these around Ghent that weekend.

Pui Piu

We stopped into Piu Piu, which came highly recommended. But it was packed and we didn’t love being cramped, it was the end of our night, we were tired and had quite a few cocktails by this point. However, they do have private karaoke rooms. Then we remembered that we didn’t need privacy to sing. It was a pretty bar, with a great cocktail list. So we recommend it, even though we didn’t have the best experience. But that night there was a big loud table, and we were crowded into a corner. However, it is a cool bar and worthy of you making your own decision.

But then there was ONE Speakeasy

And Peggy was so ready for 1898. We really wanted to stay at 1898 The Post. It looks so amazing. It also looks so fancy. But, as much as we love a luxury hotel, 1898 The Post was a little out of our budget considering the length of this trip. However, The Post is home to The Cobbler.

We are giving this speakeasy credit, as it is tucked away and not obvious. It does not have any task to get in, but reservations are recommended. Hidden behind a curtain, just down the hall from The Post check-in desk, The Cobbler is dark and moody, with couches and barrel chairs, wood, and fantastic old décor.

Our server was adorable, and we happily overlooked the fact he forgot us for a good 20 minutes. But he was an almost exact replica of my youngest child, mannerism, and all, and treated us to a sample of some great Belgian liquor. When I mentioned how much he resembled my son he smiled and said he loved Americans because we are so friendly and willing to share our lives so openly- and he manged to sound genuine about it! We scored a great candlelit table by the window where the server told us we had really scored the best seats in the house. It was a bit of a waste as it was very romantic for two sisters.

Books and Booze, Oh My

Last stop of the night was just across from our hotel. Books and Booze is a bookshop with cocktails. Kind of a mini paradise, actually. It’s set up amazingly so that the booze reflects the book topics. Hard to explain, but see the pictures, shelves of books, with bottles interspersed, and yes, you can get a shopping cocktail. We defaulted to a Gin and Tonic with a local brand called Dada Chapel. The owner was fantastic and fun to converse with. It was one of my favorite stops in Ghent, and I bought a book on the History of Drunkenness.

And all the other cool things in Ghent

So many cool things: street art, canal boat rides, statues, and gothic chapels. The city is very walkable. Let’s talk about some things other than the internet famous stops, like Frites Atelier, which provides fries with plenty of toppings (we will talk about Belgian frites in our Brussels blog).

The Castle of the Count

It’s a great central part of the city. Turns out the count who built it wanted it to be impressive, which it is, but it ended up being too cold to live in or host events in. The highlight: there is a dungeon room!!

Street Art        

One of our favorites was the giant Neptune over what used to be the entrance of the fish market. It was impressive. But then I found my Ghent obsession. . . because you know there had to be one. This was a little bit of a walk, but also creepy AF. It’s simply called Jonas. It is in a local neighborhood, and it is a seriously creepy statue of a little boy hanging on a wall. And I had to see it. Turns out, it was completely unsettling.

Apparently, there are a couple more statues we missed, most specifically The Little Girl with the Knitting Needles was just too far for our tired feet to walk (but too close to respectably Uber). However, we did find the diving lady, but neglected to get a picture, but she was cool in her own right (a simple statue of a naked woman about to dive off a balcony).

Celebrating Brand New Belgians

We also loved the cute little square outside the old fish market entrance called Sint-Veerleplein. It’s also across from Castle of the Count, but the cool thing is that the streetlights in the square connect to the maternity hospitals, and the lights will flash when a baby is born.

A Good Sister Giggle

As long as we are talking fun facts to see, the Marriott runs right along the canal that you should check out. There are two geese inlayed in gold high up on the wall. And they face away from each other. For those not educated on the sleezy side of history, when geese face each other, it’s a sign of romance and love. HOWEVER, when two geese face away from each other it is a sign of a brothel! Yes, we giggled. A Lot.

See all the Cathedrals

Grab a map and go on a walk-about. Saint Bavos, Saint Nicholas, St. Michaels. They are tall and gothic and amazing. Between St. Bavos and St. Nicholas there is a belfry that you can climb for an amazing view of the city. But no worries, there is also an elevator to get you to the top. Also, in this space between Bavos and Nicholas is Sint Baafsplein square and the Stadshal Pavillion, we loved that around the pavilion and down the street towards the square is a tourist route known as the Golden Circle of Ghent there are little gold circles engraved with city scenes depicting the trade route of the middles ages.

And speaking of metal spots in the street, keep your eyes out for some bronze squares. These bronze squares memorialize individuals who were victims of the Nazis. The squares were placed on the last known freely chosen residence of Jewish people before they were deported or killed. They are called Stolpersteine or stumbling stones.

And Finally. . .

Graffiti Alley – an alley down a side street about two blocks off the touristy area. The alley is top to bottom, start to finish, graffiti. It is a very cool street art exhibition (more covered than Freak Alley in Boise, Idaho, if you know it). Oh, and find it, take the walk, and find the chocolate shop smack dab in the middle. Get some chocolate made in house, and a cup of coffee that they import, roast and grind on property.

A Few Post Thoughts

We loved Ghent. It was perfect for a two or three-day addition to a trip to Belgium. Get a waffle, get the frites, get the mussels, get the croquets. Take a canal tour and walk everywhere. It is a great, beautiful, historic, marvelous place. It was borderline dreamy. We never did make it to Brugges, but we also don’t feel like we missed out by focusing our time in Ghent.

Other Posts

• Paris Speakeasy Guide
• Salzburg
• Munich Oktoberfest

I recently was lucky enough to be scheduled for a work trip to Belgium. And you do not go spend a weekend in Belgium without taking the train over to Paris for the weekend, I mean, as long as you have come that far. Naturally, Peggy was not going to pass up this opportunity.

First off, I want to give a fantastic nod to Eliza Dumais for her fantastic 2019 article on drinking culture on Thrillist:  French Drinking Culture, Explained: Are the French Better at Drinking? – Thrillist

I found her humor amazing in researching the French drinking culture and experience. But don’t leave my story yet to go read her experience. We did our research, we loved the French way of wine with meals, and the societal views of bars and pubs. Drinking and the Parisian nightlife are cultural experiences.

In our research there were a couple of speakeasies that came up time and time again. So, we started off with just a short list, which grew once we arrived. We will start with the one of the most popular social media locations:

Lavomatic

The Entrance

Looking for a laundromat? Do not go to Lavomatic. Looking for a cute little hidden cocktail experience, absolutely seek this out. A man sitting out front looking a little sketchy, but no, really more like there to check an ID. Inside the door are some washer and dryers. One of the dryer fronts is fake, find that, push the start button, and open the door front to find the stairs.

The Experience

For our first stop, this was a great way to kick off Paris. Enter up a very dark stairway with neon paintings lead up the curved stairs (France loves their spiral staircases), to a two room second floor. Not a big space, not dark, definitely fun and inviting. Small tables with benches and laundry soap label-covered stools.

The service was friendly, they defaulted to English for us, which was appreciated. We were so happy there, it was a great, upbeat atmosphere. But this was stop number one, so off we had to go. 5 Shakers is a strong start in a new city. Creative entry/challenge and the great service. We were happy we chose well for our first stop in Paris.

Sister Side Note (ssn) – we clearly look like Americans because almost everyone, everywhere, spoke to us in English. We are not proficient in French, but we did study up on the basics. We just never really got the chance to use it.

L’Epicier

The Entrance

You are looking for small middle eastern spice shop. More like a quickie mart than a true spice shop but look for a small space with a shelf in the back full of non-perishable goods. Pulling one of those foods from the shelf is your key to the L’Epicier entrance.

The Experience

Through the hidden door and entry way and then a tall bar in a small-ish room with some booths and short stools, the tables were old stop signs in Arabic looking writing. Yes, these old ladies kept finding tiny stools to sit on, and our knees will thank us for it later. The room was pretty fantastic in a close, intimate way (we had to borrow the pic from their website, below). Lots of glass lanterns hanging from the ceiling gave it a back alley, middle eastern bar feel – which you know we are here for.

ssn – more tiny milk crate stools (see pic below)! What is up with this?

I opted for the tiki bar feel of the Rhum Erection. Yes, partly for the name, but also because it came in a ceramic skull. Having just visited the Paris Catacombs that day, I was feeling the day of the dead vibe. Peggy had the Basilic De Ma Teta, a basic gin and Saint Germain lovely and bright drink. It was Halloween, so the servers were feeling the festive vibe, and they were loving the night, which added to our love of them. This is getting a 5-shaker rating, as they checked every box that we like to see.

Candelaria

The Entrance

Look for the small taco shop on a side street, how American of the French Speakeasy scene. But it’s not quite that simple.

We walked up to a line out the door and thought our chances of getting in were slim. But the cute lady out in front and her Day of the Dead face paint asked us “tacos or cocktails”? We said “cocktails”, she walked us straight back along the taco counter to the plain door at the back, and in we went. Yes, the big line out front was people waiting on food. And that is impressive in a food city like Paris.

The Experience

The plain white door leads to a short hallway and into a dark, smokey feel bar (a lot like I felt at Trona in Austin, only darker). We scored two bar seats, sorted through the tequila and mezcal selections but settled on a gin cocktail with little peach oil float on top. I’d love to tell you all about it, except Peggy agreed that we needed some chips and guacamole. And that was the end of all reason. Who knew Paris could do guacamole. But I am telling you, it was among the best guac I have ever had! And now we figure out why there is a line outside for food.

Loved our bartender. We really started to discover the Paris server vibe. First off, English is their second language, and they try hard to accommodate us – but also, they are friendly and pleasant but not chit-chatty like in the USA. They seem to want to honor your experience and leave you alone to enjoy your evening. They were friendly when we engaged, but they never engaged on their own. So, our scoring on service is a little less strict than we judge our domestic bars. But still, Candelaria is yet another 5-shaker rating for Paris.

The Little Red Door

This was a fun last-minute find. While Peggy was touring the Palace of Versailles, I was lazing about a hotel room struggling to stay awake when I found The Little Red Door on a Google search and was instantly annoyed that we had been a mere two blocks away from this doorway when we hit up Candelaria.  But do you know what that means? A chance to go get tacos after a cocktail!

ssn – Yes! We did go back to Candelaria for tacos and more guacamole. It was fantastic!

The Entrance

We walked right by it. We had to turn around and walk back. There is a little alcove painted with blue and white stripes set back with a (duh) red door. True to its name, stepping up to the red door, it is, in fact, little. As in barely even 5 foot tall (1.5 meters). There was no sign identifying what it was, which we love. There was a printed sign on the left wall that said there was limited space and someone would be with you shortly.

The Experience

There had been a group of three men lingering when we arrived, but they seemed a little confused and walked away moments later. But we waited to see what would happen. The red door has a decorative window that you really couldn’t see through. We assumed someone was keeping an eye out to see when someone showed up. And then! AND THEN, the panel wall to the left of the little red door opened and we were welcomed in.

Surprise! We entered a dimly lit room – romantic mood lighting more than dark and gloomy. We scored a table on the second-floor balcony overlooking the speakeasy. Great place for people watching, including the snooty couple next to us, unattached couple at the end table, and the fun-loving French couple across the aisle from us.

It’s a little too dark to read the cool menu at the table center – but it’s super cute. Almost like a floral arrangement where each leaf is a drink with descriptors. The server was super friendly. I had to ask why Little Red Door had suddenly dropped off the 50 Best Bars list two years ago. He was so nice about it and said they had changed directions and were rebuilding, and that it was his first day, so I was overly impressed he handled my question so well.

Each drink comes with a well-conceived accoutrement. My drink came with an amazing, sharp slice of parmesan; Peggy’s came with a confit shitake mushroom (which honestly looked like snot on her glass, but she loved it). Everyone’s drinks looked fantastic.

And Little Red Door is not only getting our 5-shaker rating, but also making our Top 10 Best Speakeasies list, and our vote to return to the 50 Best Bars list!

ssn – I more than loved my drink. It is a strong contender for Sip of the Year. That confit shitake looks gross but it was delicious! Completely unexpected.

Moonshiner

This is a hard one for us. I’ll explain below. But we keep forgetting “what that other bar was”, which is ridiculous, because it was very memorable. I think we are thrown by a very Parisian place having such a low-brow American name, lol.

The Entrance

Find Vito’s pizzeria (Pizza da Vito, en Francais), a working, open pizza restaurant, which smelled absolutely amazing. Enter, give nod to the man making the dough, and continue back to the walk-in refrigerator door at the back. The door opens into what looks like a storage room, but keep going, there is a second door that opens up to Moonshiner.

The Experience

Peggy and I disagree about the décor. I got a very 1920’s Art Deco Vibe, she felt very 1970’s about it. Could the 1970’s be emulating the Art Deco 1920s? Possibly. The staff was in pinstriped dress shirts, ties, and arm garters, very upscale 1920’s garb.

The cocktails were very, what we had discovered, Parisian speakeasy – a prohibition era cocktail menu with some weird ingredients thrown in that we had to ask what they were. They were good, they were strong, we were happy at that bar.

The staff were the real winners. One was from the US, one was Australian, so English was freely spoken, which made us feel more at home in the middle of Paris. And they all seemed to genuinely love their job and each other. The background music was all funky, alternative but pop American hits, and a couple of servers danced and sang along. It felt good in there (hence my earlier comment about not knowing quite why we keep forgetting this place happened, we loved it).

Again, Paris, coming in with another 5-Shaker winner. There are some great speakeasies to be found in this city!

No Entry

No Entry came with great pre-reviews, but it almost didn’t happen due to opening time and location farther away from our other plans. But we pushed through and made it happen. Once again, we showed up and there was a line out the door, one for reservations and one for walk-ins. Luckily, Peggy thought to ask the hostess for entry, and much like Candelaria, the line was for food. If you have not heard of it, Pink Mamma is a pretty well-known must-try spot in Paris.

The Entrance

No Entry is hidden in the basement of Pink Mamma. So, find the curved stairs to the left just as you enter the restaurant. Down the stairs, and down the hall to the freezer door marked with a “No Entry” sign – not like a bar sign, but like a warning sign.

The Experience

Ok, great feel immediately upon walking in. A little bigger than other speakeasies we visited in Paris. Pink lighting, a lighted, mirrored bar to the right and an L-shaped room to your left. Low bench seating with little stools surrounding low tables. They also had these great giant orbs of glass filled with liquid and plant life lit up around the area. Then a server walks by us with a glowing fishbowl. Now, we are ready for No Entry.

We end up at the bar, which we love. Our server is cute, and nice, and there is the hustle and bustle behind the bar. But everyone is nice and greets us. And lots of glowing fishbowls are being made. I love the almost comic book/magazine feel of the drink menu.

The Napolicious was a solid version of the espresso martini with amaretto and limoncello. I loved that it was served with a side of brioche soaked in limoncello that came with it. Peggy, luckily, got the glowing fishbowl and loved it. We did score this only 4.5 Shakers, simply because of a lack of well-developed theme; however, it could also be that we simply could not justify giving yet another 5-shaker in this city and thought maybe we were being too easy on Paris.

Overall

We knew Paris was going to be impressive. It has a great reputation, and we were excited to work our way through the city (yes, work. Drinking is work, lol). Our one hiccup was the traffic, so planning and staying within certain areas will help your adventure. Cabs and Bolts are plentiful, but you will spend way too much time in a car if you try to get across town too often.

But the drinking scene is strong. The speakeasy game is competitive. And we were extremely impressed. We have a few more spots that we weren’t able to hit, I guess that means we have to go back for more, and soon!!!

Other Paris Speakeasies

Here is a list of other speakeasies on our radar that we did not have time to get to. If you have been or have other recommendations, drop them in the comments.

• Gentlemen 1919 – we stopped by this one but they were closed for a holiday. The exterior is beautiful and we would love to go back.
• Rehab
• Mobster Bar

Other Speakeasy Guides

• Ultimate Speakeasy Guide – Ratings & Rankings
• Las Vegas
• Chicago
• Austin
• Denver
• Kansas City
• Seattle

Location

The nightly rate at Populus beat out all our Denver favorite hotels, but it was a little out of our preferred areas. We love the LoHi, RiNo, and Union Station areas.  Populus is just opposite the Capital building, but close to the Denver Art Museum, Colorado Convention Center, and the Denver Performing Arts Complex.  But, what the heck, we had reservations at Casa Bonita, so we were not tied to the downtown area, on a quick one-nighter in Mile High City, let’s try something new. 

Initial Impression

Populus’ mission is a sustainably focused hotel, with the amenities and service of a large hospitality group, but the unique personalization of an independent hotel.  And I cannot stress enough how impressed we were by their level of service, details, and considerations.

The outside of the hotel is unique, and I wasn’t feeling the art deco vibe when we first pulled up.  Later, looking at their website, they detail that the outside was designed after the aesthetic of the local Aspen trees – and now I get it, and it’s pretty cool and very Colorado.

Enter the lobby, restaurant to the left, Little Owl coffee bar to the right, and then the small check-in desk where we meet Nicole.  And she greets us with a big, beautiful smile.   We managed to get an upgrade and then we got the good information: happy hour in the bar, morning coffee in the executive rooftop lounge, water pitchers in the rooms, water fill stations by all the elevators, they will bring you ice if you need it.

And we head for the elevator, where inside the sounds are piping in a recording of a local Aspen Forest noises, it’s very peaceful.

Our Room

Our room, whew, our room was amazing!  The inside is all cement walls, in this smooth grey.  Fantastic wood details, and white linens.  It has a contemporary yet natural feel.  The oval windows line the walls with an incredible view of the State Capital and Civic Park.  We are definitely WOWed and simultaneously bummed that we have reservations and can’t just camp out for the night in this beautiful room.

The Lobby Bar

We had just enough time to grab a drink at the bar before happy hour ended on our way down, we stopped by to tell Nicole how amazing our room is and thank her.  Then we took our free drink token to the bar for a quick vodka soda, before noticing their drink selection.

And we meet Andrea, who was funny and engaging, and she introduces us to Thomas, who tells us how we missed out on his favorite drink:  Milk Punch, Vol 2.  A lemongrass, gin clarified milk punch.  Andrea is just finishing off one of the pre-mixed bottles for another order and poured each of us a taster.  It was fantastic and we were truly bummed we didn’t have time for one (or eight) more.

I loved the nature décor, and above the bar was a strange art installation that looked like animal hides hanging in a row, but it was beautiful and just worked within the space.  Zach was just coming on to shift, and we hated to say goodbye, but plans and reservations called, and we were off.

By the time we returned that evening, everything was shut down for the night, so we were off to a comfy bed and fantastic fluffy pillows.  The next morning was difficult.  It should have been a crime to have to get out of that bed.  It was a happy, relaxed morning just snuggled down under the covers as we both tried to get some work done.

Rooftop Lounge

Finally, the need for coffee and the remembrance of the rooftop “executive lounge access” called us to our feet.  As I mentioned, the hotel is just across from the state capital, the museum, and the Civic Center Park, so the view of the city is nice in the perfect sunny morning.  There was self-service coffee, tea, and water station, as well as a few pastries. 

We had not explored the rooftop restaurant, Stellar Jay, the evening before. This restaurant carries the nature vibes and gorgeous interior as the downstairs more casual dining restaurant, Pasque, but with an upscale elegant, intimate feel.  Two chefs prepping the daily menu ingredients, and even they were incredibly welcoming and nice.  There is an amazing back room for private groups that is done in a gorgeous apricot and cream color with that same beautiful view.  There was a slight smokey wood burning smell in the background which led me to believe that dinner in this elegant restaurant was going to be amazing.  Next time, we will be staying for dinner.

It was an absolutely perfect morning, enjoying coffee on the rooftop patio!

Breakfast Time

Back to the room for showers, with a wonderful walk-in shower with controls to use the wall spigot, overhead rainfall head, or the handheld shower head, incredible smelling toiletries, and finally we needed real food.

Down to Pasque for breakfast, and again, with incredible service. This time, we met Brandon.  He was amazing, funny, and connected with our need for the perfect bite and a cocktail for breakfast.  He was not available for adoption, but I did ask.  We actually spent a good part of the meal trying to figure out what drugs the staff were required to take that they were all so happy and kind.  He assured us that they really did like their job. This speaks huge volumes for us in recommending a place (The Virgin Hotel Dallas had the same vibe).

And Zach (from happy hour) was back tending bar, and we finally scored the Milk Punch, Vol 2.  And it was incredible.  The breakfast menu was fantastic with fresh, local, seasonal ingredients – everything sounded so good, we opted for a couple of the toasts!

Oh, and then we ask about the hanging animal hides.  And Zach tells us that they are actually sheets of wild mushroom processed into leather-like material that is used in their decorating.  Yes, VEGAN LEATHER in their quest to further their sustainability level. This leather is used throughout the hotel and it is gorgeous (no, it doesn’t look like the hides that are hanging above the bar)!!

Our breakfast was running a little long, so without question they extended our checkout time for us.  Yes, sadly, we had to leave, and I was left with the same feeling I had in Langkawi, we screwed up, one night was not enough.

Sadly, Time to Checkout

For those that value sustainability, I wanted to share this from The Populus website: 

“At Populus, we believe protecting the planet is a collective responsibility and journey.  The heartbeat of Populus is a deep reverence for nature.  It started at the beginning with the biophilic architecture and use of locally-sourced, recycled, or sustainably-certified building materials during the construction process.  It extends throughout the guest experience, with One Night One Tree initiative, a commitment to source food from regenerative, organic farmers, and an on-site biodigester that composts 100% of food waste.  At Populus, we have a deep reverence for nature.  As stewards of the built environment, we believe we have a responsibility to offset our impact.  That’s why, for every night you stay at our hotel, we’ll plant a tree.”

This has entered the top of my list for favorite stays.  We cannot thank the staff enough for the incredible service and we cannot wait to make it to Populus Seattle in October.

Check out more: Our Favorite Places to Stay

That is how we will remember Austin for the foreseeable future – lots and lots of eclectic drinking spots with lots and lots of cocktails.  This is a great town for drinking.

If you’ve already read our Austin Speakeasy blog, then you know: our long weekend in Austin was packed with all the places you must drink when you are in the city for a fun girls’ weekend, college friends reunion, or bachelorette party.  But it’s also prime for day drinking.  When you are trying to avoid the humidity, there are upscale places, original and iconic drinking spots, and way more to this amazing city than just the ‘Dirty Sixth’.

Sister Side Note (ssn) – when we say Day Drinking, that is just a place to start and leads into evening. Many of these places don’t open until 5:00 pm, so be sure to check their hours.

The Tiniest Bar in Texas

This was not on the list.  Never planned, a stumble of good fortune.  We were about 45 min early for our dinner reservation and right up the road was a spot on Google Maps listed as The Tiniest Bar in Texas.  How do you pass up something as superlative as that?

Simple and inviting, The Tiniest Bar in Texas is really just a patio attached to a shed.  But it’s covered (read: shaded), has Christmas lights, and a short and sweet menu of drinks and shots.  Perfect for our one and done. But they also have music and TVs, and you could conceivably spend a few hours just hanging out with friends here.  We, however, had dinner plans and opted for the one and done of a couple of quick shots and some waters (stay hydrated in this town!). A disco ball with glitter and a green tea shot and we were off to dinner!

The Cloak Room

You will see this pop up on several lists of speakeasies.  With its dark, downstairs basement vibe, we can understand why.  But according to our rules and regulations, it is not a speakeasy.  It is not hidden, there is no secret to it. It’s a well-known drinking spot for many people working in the blocks around the capital.

It is, however, dark.  Like remember our Seattle speakeasy where we were warned it was dark, and it wasn’t?  This one was.  As in, I almost sat on a hutch thinking it was a bar stool, couldn’t see two feet in front of me until my eyes adjusted dark.  It does however have a jukebox, and intimate seating, and Francis behind the bar was the real gem of this place.

Not a great place if you are in a party mood, but perfect for a pre-date cocktail or for a happy hour.

Note: no pictures, it was much too dark to photograph.

Nickel City

A fantastic dive bar, yes, please.  There are many dive bars in Austin, but there is one that gets an absolute stop, yes, go, from us!  Nickel City has this homey, friendly, neighborhood bar feeling. But they also have a great bar menu of classic bar fried foods.  And they are not so divey that they don’t have an impressive cocktail list and whiskey selection.  Their martinis were ordered by darn near everyone around us but we opted for simple bourbon and ginger and a vodka soda.

Nickel City makes many lists of The Best Bars in Austin. Both the Infatuation and the World’s 50 Best list it along with Roosevelt Room for their 2025 lists.

ssn – it was so tempting to have a martini but we had many stops and thought it best to start out easy.

The Roosevelt Room

Exquisite, the perfect word to describe The Roosevelt Room.  With a long list of accolades and awards, for both the bar and the bartenders, The Roosevelt Room is sheer perfection in an upscale cocktail bar.  The drinks range from creative and unique to prohibition-era classics.  They have a huge menu, but also an enormous chalkboard above the bar that lists cocktails by era.  This was also a learning experience for leveling up our cocktail knowledge. I was unaware that my beloved Caipirinha is actually from the turn of the century, or that the Moscow Mule is from the post-Volstead time period.

Dumont’s Down Low

If you are into historic drinking spots, and especially if you are into rumors of a haunted pub, hit up Dumont’s Down Low.  We were drawn in for the ghost story, we stayed because it is super cool and sucked us in with their chill, laid back vibe.  Down the stairs off of Sixth Street, into a basement. But not dark basement, more like woodsy, whiskey barrel lined, brick wall elegance without being pretentious.

And never speak badly of Blanche, the former madam of the former brothel that was originally housed in this building.  She is sensitive and appreciates being acknowledged.  I had the Bantha Milk – and heaven knows I can’t remember what was in it, but it was a creamy blue color and dang good.  Peggy opted for the Seasonal Milk Punch, which was a honeycomb-based cocktail.

Dead Rabbit

New York’s famed Irish bar has a location down on Sixth Street, this place is solid.  If you love a good Irish bar, make sure Dead Rabbit is on your list.  Get yourself a perfectly poured Guinness. Or if you just need an escape from the heat, get yourself one of their Frozen Irish Coffees.  Andrew made an effort to connect with everyone at the bar. He was chatty and helpful. There was a constant flow of people coming in and out, making this a great afternoon hangout spot.

In Plain Sight

Among the other downtown bars, In Plain Sight stands out, in that it definitely does not stand out if you are on the street.  It is designed with funky window covers so that you can only see inside from certain angles.  So basically, don’t stop and fix your hair or your panties on the corner of Brazos and Seventh.  Inside, it’s a small 10-seater bar, bright, white, and cheerful.

Now we had the unfortunate luck to be seated in front of some douchey guy looking to impress people. But Nicole and Chad behind the bar made up for it.  They have hand embossed ice cubes, and this machine that makes your cocktail glass nice and frosty cold.  They have a seasonal list of curated cocktails that are color based – a full rainbow of cocktails.  Peggy’s old fashioned was bright red (made with Big Red soda syrup). While I had a purply clarified pear and brandy beautiful drink.  If you want fun, different, and happy, this is your bar!

Jupiter Supper Club

While this had made it on our original list of bars we wanted to visit, we really weren’t sure we were going to have time to fit it in and had dropped it from our itinerary.  However, with a glowing recommendation from Shalay at Red Headed Stepchild, when we ended up with a block of time before our Here nor There reservation, we made the effort and the walk to JSC.

Upscale and fantastic, we are so glad we made the time! We are very in love with their tagline: Timeless Maximalist Luxury.  Every room in the JSC has a different theme and feel, and each is elegant and beautiful in its own way.

We opted for seats at the second-floor blue room bar, where JT made me an excellent Saffron Espresso Martini and Peggy had her best drink of the trip in the Osaka Seagrass, which came with a seaweed salt wrap to give it that salty, ocean-y feel.  We also highly recommend ordering yourself beet crisps with the avocado mousse.  The restaurant is entirely vegan, so try some outstanding culinary creations while you are there – it is a supper club, after all.

ssn – so far, the Osaka Seagrass is in the lead spot for my Sip of the Year!

The Aquarium

I am only throwing this into our list for one reason and one reason only: Giant Snake Slide.  This is right in the heart of Dirty 6^th.  Just another bar lining the street with big bass music blaring into the street, awesome drink specials (yay for $5 green tea shots), friendly service.  But you have absolutely got to jump inside, have a shot, then head upstairs, and then slide down the giant snake and out through the mouth.  You are never too old for a good slide!

ssn- most of the 6th Street bars are open in the afternoons, so pop in and check them out while it isn’t crowded and loud!

Final Thoughts on Austin

There are so many places to drink.  So many amazing restaurants that have great bars, so many bars that have great food.  Austin is a perfect destination for a long weekend with the girls.  Don’t miss the bats at sunset, but then get your butt back to drinking, because there are so many amazing places to drink in Austin, and something for every vibe and mood.  We will go back, we will add to this list, I have no doubt.  Let us know if we missed your favorites, or where we need to hit on the next trip.

Others in the Day Drinking Series

• Boise
• Reno
• Seattle
• Dallas
• Savannah
• Kansas City
• Santa Fe

My day job’s corporate office is located in Austin, TX.  And the fact that the city promotes the “Keep Austin Weird” life, I was ready to explore and embrace the lifestyle.  A work trip presented itself, Peggy was absolutely down to join me. 

Thus, the planning began, and the holy cow there are a lot of speakeasies in Austin. And some seriously cool vibey looking bars.  Our biggest concern was the overwhelming number of options. Well, and the humidity, but that’s a whole other story. But how to narrow it down?  With a full itinerary, and four whole days to cram as much #sisbehaving in as possible, we made reservations where we could, then developed a secondary list of fill-in options.  So, buckle up, babies, this is going to be a long one!

Watertrade

Our first stop of the night was an accidental “experience”.  Watertrade was selected out of Peggy’s love of Asian inspired bars.  It leans heavily on a Japanese theme and an Izakaya feel; it is attached to a small omakase restaurant called Otoko.

The Entrance

We rate heavily on the entrance when it comes to speakeasies.  It must have a hidden entrance to truly be considered a speakeasy.  No big flashy signs, no way to know it’s there unless you know, you know.  Our Uber dropped us off at the South Congress Hotel (side note – gorgeous hotel, we can’t wait to stay there), and we cannot figure out where Watertrade is.  Finally, we just ask the hotel desk. We are told “down this hall, out to the courtyard and up the stairs”.

The side exit from the hotel leads to a courtyard with a restaurant, a bar, and a cute patio area. There was a beautiful fountain, then at the very back, metal stairs.  No marking, no way to know, we just trusted the hotel and went up the stairs. Yes, mom, that’s how you get kidnapped by the cartel in Mexico, but we are just in Texas, so I’m sure it’s fine. A rustic, heavy metal door at the top, with a simple Otoko on the side of the door, and a wooden handle. 

The Experience – Cocktails

The hostess leads us into this beautiful mood-lit room, with heavy wood, dark seating, a smokey mirrored ceiling.  GORGEOUS!!!  She informs us that we picked a good night to be there as they were having a sake tasting that night with several sake brewers from Japan.  So, yay, that sounds amazing (we were excited but completely underestimated how awesome it would be).

Steve brings our menu; Steph comes over and explains that the menu concept is based around the 24 micro-seasons of Japanese agriculture.  The standard four seasons are broken down into micro seasons – the menu, plays on that in a beautifully styled elegance of cocktail creations. 

Dustin comes over to check in with us.  He is the Sake Som, a sake sommelier.  I’m telling you the service at Watertrade was amazing.  We were given great attention, great explanations, they walked us through their concepts, their input, and made the whole visit into an experience for us.  We ordered drinks (Peggy’s played off a grapefruit spritz, mine was cognac with a clarified pineapple liquor – both amazing), but we absolutely needed to take part in the sake tasting, so we split a flight.

The Experience – Sake Tasting

This is where we are introduced to Monica, the brewers host, with Kome Collective.  She is delightful!  We could be friends, we should be friends, we loved her.  She’s also half Japanese, like my sister, so we are like family.  She brings the brewers over one by one to present their sake.  And I have to say: the first sample was the best sake I have ever had.  We are far from experts but love a good sake, this one was amazing.

The brewers, via Monica, shared the history of their brewery, the location, the climate, and the different rice strains used in their product (Chiyonosono uses a rare, ancient, previously extinct rice).  It was amazing.  The brewers were so kind. We thought they were so cute (plus, we were sad we didn’t speak Japanese). We realized this morning that we neglected to buy bottles, because we could have had them signed by the brewer.  I want to be sure to mention them by name, so if you are a sake person or frequent Japanese sake bars, you will want to try them.

ssn – the sake is shown in the last picture. Sake (from left) Tentaka “Hawk in the Heavens”, Rihaku “Dance of Discovery” Junmai, Chiyonosono “Sacred Power” Junmai Ginjo

Eden Cocktail Room

Next stop was one Peggy was excited for with its secret entrance.  Just a purple door with a red light over it, down a back alley.  Side note – we took our very first Waymo – the driverless car – to get there, and that was a full experience with anxiety and a Disney sing-along.

The Entrance

True to the social media rumors, Eden Cocktail Room is down an alley, next to a parking garage, with no signage. Just a purple door and a red speakeasy style light over the door.  Shaker for the hidden entry, no shaker for a challenge to get in.

The Experience

Luckily, it was early, and the place was empty except for one couple sitting at a table.  The bartender invited us to sit at the bar, you don’t have to ask us twice.  David couldn’t tell us his favorites since he curated the menu and has a fatherly love for them all.  I order the Banana Pants, because it sounds like The Banana Stand from Swordfish Tom’s in Kansas City (and there’s always money in the banana stand).  Honestly, it is damn close to cocktail of the year in my world.

Peggy orders their take on an old fashioned.  Then we get to talking.  David was amazing.  Turns out he did have 4 drinks that he was especially proud of, and we had ordered two of them.  So, I admit to breaking the one and done rule, but for a good cause, the Emerald Rodeo Fan.  It looked Oz inspired, green base with pink foam (blackberry) floating on top, it was absolutely beautiful.  This is where I would be later blamed repeatedly for Peggy’s drunk and tired state of mind.

David was from New York City, had been to Denver several times, we talked about Death & Co, and places he had worked.  He started as a bar back at Franklin Mortgage in Philadelphia.  He has mad skills and a great point of view, and we loved hearing about his inspiration and cocktail development process.  It was a great experience for us.  We also were fortunate to meet Ariana, she runs a speakeasy tour in Austin, so we will be hoping for a collaboration in the future!

Small Victory

Our last stop for the night. Although it seems like a quick night, that last round of cocktails was serving us well, and it was definitely time for a shutdown.

The Entrance

Bonus points to them that we had trouble finding Small Victory.  We stopped into a bar that was close to where the location was, which was awkward and I don’t want to out them for the strange interaction, but they did tell us to look for the red gate.

Passed two parking garages there was a red metal gate door with a dim neon sign that just said BAR.  Inside the red gate were curved cement stairs.  Top of the stairs there was an unmarked wood door, and boom there we were.  Shaker for the hard to find.

The Experience

It was fine.  No real theme, but it was a pretty room.  The long room style with a bar on one wall, and one-sided bench seating spanning the other wall.  I think there was just no standout WOW factor.  Looking back, I think what was throwing me off was this beautiful, almost elegant bar, and then the staff were in shorts, T-shirts, and ball caps.  It just didn’t go with the aesthetics.  But our server was nice and personable, nothing special, but friendly and helpful.

They have a good cocktail list but will definitely go off-menu if you tell them what you are feeling, what you like, and what is in your wheelhouse.  I have nothing bad to say about Small Victory, we liked them, but it wasn’t a standout experience.

Trona

Trona is a stand-out experience (spoiler alert: we loved it). We Ubered over to Trona in East Austin for our reservation at 5:00.  Little neighborhood street, we were walking past the doorways, one says “Trona entrance use back alley” or something close.  We were a tad sad about the sign, but can’t fault them for making sure people could actually find them. The block they sit on looks like it used to be an ecclectic fun area that just got a little run down.

The Entrance

We make our way around the block and into the back alley. Where we see a plain metal door with a huge metal lightening bolt on it.  We ring the doorbell, viewing window slides open, and we have to give them the code word (they will text it to you if you have a reservation).  The hostess walked us down a long, pretty hallway, giving it a very remote feel to what was coming at the next doorway.

The Experience

From the moment Maddie opened the door, we were enthralled.  The room we were led into had a smokey feel to it, almost like a smoked cocktail, but there was no smokey smell or burnt wood feel.  It had a very Oaxacan feel, adobe walls, a large bobcat stuffed over the bar.  They specialize in Mezcal, Tequila, and Japanese Whiskey.  However, Blake explained to us that the owner has a passion for drinking culture, and he was fascinated with both Japanese drinking culture and Mexico’s tequila culture.

After our initial drinks, Samuel made us a couple of “samples” from the menu that he felt we should try, Maddie joined in, and suddenly we were sitting with old friends, just catching up.  Service was outstanding, and we felt like a couple of regulars always welcome and always with a bar stool ready for us.

The Treasury

Mark this one as a “right place, right time” visit. It was on our list, but we happened to notice Shangri-la while on our way to The Nickel Room, and decided we better hit this up while we were there. We loved Shangri-la, and are disappointed we didn’t have time to stay and experience this place, apparently it’s quite the Austin iconic bar. However, The Treasury needed to be visited

The Entrance

We had to ask the Shangri-la bartender where to find The Treasury, so that checked the hidden box for us. Go through Shangri-la, out to their back patio, head around to the left and start looking around. You’ll find it. It’s a door, you need to be let in, call them up and beg for entrance.

The Experience

They did a great job on the theme of an old bank vault. You enter the door, down the stairs, and walk through a safety deposit box hallway to a vault door and into the back bar area. My personal favorite part was the restrooms being marked as “Deposits”. It was dark and moody, like an old stuffy banker would expect – and I don’t mean that in a bad way, more in a “cool, create the theme” kind of way, velvet and dark wood.

The service was a bit awkward, I’m just not sure I can give them a shaker for mediocre service, and I hate to do that to the bartender, but they were awkward and not friendly. I am hopefully that someone else will chime in with a cooler experience; maybe when it’s later in the evening and there are more people and better energy.

Milonga Room

In case you were wondering:  A “milonga” is a tango dance party or event, usually held on a regular basis, where tango enthusiasts gather to dance and socialize. The venue itself may also be referred to as a milonga. So, while this was a positive review, I’m now left questioning why in the world we didn’t get to tango.  And, frankly, feeling slightly ripped off.

The Entrance

Sadly, not hidden.  It had great potential, it’s off street, in the back basement of street level restaurants (The Buenos Aires Café) with an entrance that is technically in the parking lot.  It has a doorbell.  But disappointingly, it had a sign outside pointing you to the door. We are still awarding ½ shaker because the sign in the parking lot is not immediately visible and the doorbell gets another ½ shaker.

The Experience

Holy cow, it is cute.  Pretty room, low ceilings with big white deco tiles.  The theme is South American, and yes, now that I realize the meaning of Milonga, I can absolutely see where this could be a South American bar that would have a dance floor in the next room.

Loved the seating and the feel.  LOVED that instead of shots they offer “pequenos” – little baby drinks of the day.  Of course, we had them and sent two over to the couple in the corner who looked like they needed a little fun in their life.  Our server was excellent.  The fries from the upstairs restaurant were amazing.  And yes, our drinks were fantastic.  This place is a win, it hits our “must do” list for Austin Speakeasies, but unfortunately it only hits a 4-shaker, without a secret entrance or a task to complete.  But full shakers for quality of service, theme, and cocktails.

Firehouse Lounge

Firehouse Lounge was our first stop on day three, it opens at noon, and yes, it is in an actual hostel. 

The Entrance

There was a “Bar is Open” sign on the sidewalk but doesn’t say anything else giving you any insight.  You step into the lobby of the hostel and there is simply a bookshelf on the wall.  And the bookshelf has a handle.  Slide it open, boom, speakeasy. To be fair, there is a sign with “Firehouse Lounge Hours” right next to the bookshelf so we are only giving 1/2 shaker.

The Experience

It was dark, it was hidden, it was cool in a laidback way.  The chairs at the bar were super tall, there was a DJ booth. But it was early afternoon, so we were happy that it wasn’t going, and we were alone in the bar.  Gabriel was nice enough, but seemed busy with set up and prep work, so we were easily sticking to our one and done.  Solid drink selection, solid execution, and presentation.  Minimal service, but hey, disco balls!

Powder Room

This is a whole story that starts with the bummer news that the Powder Room was closed for a private party on Friday night (day 3 for us) but ends with a personal invitation to return and a VIP-like experience.

The Entrance – Attempt 1

Powder Room is located behind Manny’s sandwich shop.  The entrance to Manny’s is beautiful, with plants and arches, and a patio.  We had decided to alter our schedule and fit this stop in a day early since we had a break in our schedule.  As we are taking pictures from the front, we meet Paul.  Paul apologizes, but they are closed for a private party.  And they are setting up currently, so no, we can’t even go in to see it.

Paul recommends a few other stops, which we had already been to or had reservations for already.  I feel like at this point he starts to take us seriously.  Then Paul says that if we want to stop by after 10, they will open back up after the party and to text him if we can make it, and he will get us in to Powder Room. We ask about Red Headed Stepchild, he say oh absolutely go there.  Peggy asks if he has the code, and he says, “Hold Please”, picks up his phone and makes a call for us.   One of his bartenders also works there, shares the code, and we are off to RHSC. 

The Entrance – Attempt 2

We texted him later in the evening to say we were on our way; he responds that he let his “people” know.  We show up, and it is total big city club-looking, with rope lines and pretty people.  One line for “Reservations and guests” and one line for walk ins, for this we are unprepared and have no idea what we are doing there.  So, we walk up to the security guy, with his earpiece and pretty suit, and say “Can you let Paul know that Peggy and Patti are here”, he responds with “He’s expecting you, I’ll let him know you are here” – like WOW, we felt special.

Paul comes to get us, and this adorable man in jeans and a sandwich T-shirt is now decked out in black dress shirt and tie and looking like Whoa!  So, boom, we skip the line, and he takes us on in! (and we are enamored with Paul!)

The Experience

Through the industrial kitchen doors, into a cloak room, where a lovely person ensures you hand over your phone before entering.  No phones allowed inside.  She checks it like a coat, and hands you a key for when you are done.  Through the next set of curtains, and WOW!  It is gorgeous, this room is beautiful.  Pink, gold arches, mirrors etched with flamingos, plants, and a giant stuffed cheetah above the bar.  We were super sad not to be able to take pictures.

We find a space at the standing room only bar, order our drinks and I realize my drink order perfectly describes the ambiance: Miami Vice-ish!  It was so Miami Vice retro elegance!  I loved it.  There was a DJ, so it was loud, and there’s plenty of tables and seats around the edges, and the ability to reserve tables and bottle service, and it was fantastic. 

Additional cool details, Paul, the Operations Manager, after he walked us in, was bar backing.  Like he saw the need and jumped in to help his people.  He also took the time to make us a couple of shots he deemed important for us to try – as he stated, they were from their original menu, not on the current menu, but he really wanted us to try them.

We woke up the next morning to a thank you from Paul for coming by and an invitation to come back on Monday to experience Powder Room as it was intended, as a cocktail lounge, not as the nightclub we experienced.  We were disappointed we were not going to be there on Monday!

Red Headed Stepchild

This place hits every single list, every single recommendation article we read, everyone says “Go to Red Headed Stepchild”. So, naturally, we were skeptical that it would live up to the hype.  No reservations, but you have to know the secret code.

The Entrance

Disguised as a Floppy Disk Repair shop, Red Headed Stepchild is hidden behind a side door.  You’ll know it when you see it.  There is a huge ax door handle.  As I mentioned, you must get the code.  We were fortunate enough to have run into Paul at Powder Room, who had a bartender who also worked at RSC, and he gave Shalay a call and hooked us up.  Clicks that hidden and challenged box for shakers.

The Experience

Like I said, we were skeptical.  And we were proved wrong, as it absolutely lived up to the hype.  You enter the door, there is a chain mail style curtain into a small-ish room with three swing seats at the bar, some normal bar stools, and a wall of booth seating.  On the wall, is a stuffed deer head wearing a Silence of the Lamb mask, a TV showing the original Nightmare on Elm Street.  The menu was extensive, great drinks, great names, great bylines.  Baby dolls hanging from the corners, and demented looking carnival décor.  The bathroom is a tribute to The Shining with bloody splatters and REDRUM sprawled across the mirror.

Jello shots, great bartenders, great regulars popping in.  It was so much fun, so well done, it topped our list.  And Shalay!  Loved her!  I mean Joe was great too, but Shalay double checked our itinerary and provided us with input, asked us to check back in with her and let her know how Kinfolk was, and was just an amazing person in a fabulous lace skirt!

Bar Hacienda

Bar Hacienda we later found out is owned by the same people as Here Nor There and In Plain Sight.  Inside Tiger Lilly, it is well hidden staircase down to a beautiful speakeasy atmosphere with curtains and a luxurious Havana feel.

The Entrance

While it is definitely hidden, there is no challenge to get in, no reservations needed, just walk in and try to get a seat.  Tiger Lilly is magnificent with a curved staircase up to the second floor once you pass the bar, but continue on past the bar to the left, and there is a staircase, slightly hidden behind a half wall.  It is dark and moody, but in an elegant way, not a creepy way.

The Experience

We were not feeling very welcome, the bartender was clearly distracted and was like “sit wherever or stand over there, whatever” spiel.  We opted for two loveseats by the door to people watch, where they had the softest, brushed lambs wool pillows.

And that’s when we were approached by Terrance, who saved our experience.  He was fantastic, made great suggestions, let us know about our Happy Hour special flub (not ordering a third drink on their buy 2 get one free special) and overcame that flub by splitting us a Hemingway Daiquiri.  He lived up to the standard set by other Austin establishments of impeccable service.  Well-themed, good cocktails, a second room that expanded the length of the basement, so plenty of comfy seating for all. 

Garage

Great concept.  Hide a bar inside a parking garage.  It includes free parking, right in the middle of a heavily tourist area in a heavy tourist town.  But how can we make this feel more upscale?  Candles and subway tiles?  Sure, that would work.

The Entrance

If you pass a parking garage, and over the entrance it says “cocktails” you should immediately be suspicious.  There is a big neon sign inside that reads “Garage”, but you are standing in a garage, so you really don’t question it.  Until you walk around the side by the pedestrian ramp and notice the lit candles.

The Experience

We struggled with this one.  It was like we should have loved it.  But it was a “did we really like that?” kind of feeling that created doubt in our mind.  On theme, for sure.  The walls are cement like a parking garage, there is some beautiful teal subway tile, that kind of looks old school in the setting it has been placed.  The bar is beautiful; the lighting is beautiful.  But we started off with a reservation snafu.  The host was lovely about it, and gracious, and escorted us to bar seating, which we prefer anyway.

The service was just ok, not overbearing, not ignoring us, but not friendly, just doing their job, here you go, don’t make too much effort, but just okay.  The drinks stick with the moto-theme, and we enjoyed the selection.  But that was about it.  It was fine.  It comes highly recommended by others in the service industry, so we think maybe we just caught it on an off night, because it wasn’t a standout, and as I believe I stated, Just Okay.  Would it make our list again?  Probably not.  But was it worth the visit?  Probably. 

Kinfolk Lounge & Library

We kind of felt like our Friday night was just off beat.  Not one of our best.  The Powder Room being closed for a private party, The Garage just being meh, I mean I did get to slide down a snake slide and out it’s mouth at a bar in the on 6th Street, and I did get shots from one of my children’s old high school friends.  But we were kind of ready to be done with the night, and getting to Kinfolk 45 minutes early and having to wait at the bar of Moonshine that left us just over it.  And then Kinfolk happened!!

The Entrance

The host came to get us at the bar, back by the restrooms is a gate leading down a staircase that is lined with beautiful stained-glass windows with a martini in one, an old fashioned still inlaid into the other.  Bottom of the stairs to a standard speakeasy style door: metal, heavy, and with a sliding peep hole.

The Experience

And this is where our night takes a 180˚.  We walk into this amazing cave like room, carved out of stone.  Through a small room with 4 little two-person cocktail tables and a small bar, into the backroom cave with a long community table.  It is known as a spirits library, the walls are lined with a wide array of spirits, old new, common, and rare, beautiful glass shelves built into these amazing white stone walls.

We are squeezed in between two small groups into the only two chairs left, I’m skeptical and irritated that we are being squeezed in.  But the two groups are talking and laughing, and Cameron walks up with our “welcome drinks”, and you KNOW we love a welcome drink.  Cameron, with his long hair and funky hat tells us that it is based on an apricot liquor from Austria, and we are like “omg, we had apricot liquor in Austria” and get excited.  The men next to us chat with us about our Austria experience, we talk about our travels and our blog, they are tabbing out and leaving.

We turn our attention to the women at the other end of the table, who are loud and full of laughter.  We play a little game they invented called “guess which one of us is a lesbian” and we laugh and talk, it ends up being an amazing time.  Bringing two extroverts’ new energy, these women were a blessing.  They leave, we meet a lovely couple and chat with them, they need to go to Bali with me next year.  We are sad that we are now alone at our community table, but know we have a night that needed to finish off strong!

The Case Room

Our last day started with a little road trip. The Case Room is admittedly, not in Austin.  But when we promoted our trip on Instagram, they were cool enough to reach out and personally invite us down to Lockhart to experience their small-town speakeasy. Lockhart is about 30 min south, and be sure to leave yourself extra time for the best BBQ in Texas and for the first ever Pudding Bar (yes, pudding, non-alcoholic, but freaking fantastic pudding – World Famous according to Southern Living Magazine).

The Entrance

Hidden within a guitar shop on a side street in the little town, it did sadly have a sign out front directing you to the back alley.  Once again, mom, Peggy made me go into a back alley to drink with strangers.  The alley is cute, then you get to the back of the stone building, and there are little patios and signs. So, not exactly hidden, and no task to get in, but still super cute and we were happy we made the trip.

The Experience

We fail to get our bartenders name, but shoutout to him. He was a musician from Seattle, and he was great!  We had just missed Lockhart’s “First Friday” celebration the night before, but he said they were packed last night, and that was probably why they were so dead while we were there.  They have several drinks made with “Hay Liqueur”.  Sounds gross, but we, of course, must know.  Turns out it’s a liqueur from the hills of Italy, and it’s actually sweet, much like you would expect a corn liqueur to taste (no, not Bourbon, but a fancy liqueur).  It was a great basis for a sweet tea.

The Case Room has an old school jukebox in the corner, they even provide the quarters.  How do you pass up Loretta Lynn and Waylon Jennings, they also had a little Don Williams, Chubby Checker, and CSN, and SURPRISE, one Sabrina Carpenter record (the old fashion kind with two sides).

Jenn checks in for work and shows us puppy pictures and their local fuzzy customers.  They keep dog treats on the bar and your well-behaved furry friends are loved there.  A great bar, we are glad we took the time to visit them and can’t wait to go back (and will get more pudding from the corner store).

Midnight Cowboy

In a bygone era, Midnight Cowboy was a brothel disguised as an “Oriental Massage” parlor.  Now, how do you pass up an opportunity to go here, with a history like that.  And for hoping for a few ghost stories.

The Entrance

The location of Midnight Cowboy is right in the middle of what’s known as the “Dirty 6^th”. On 6^th street, in the blocks that turn into a party scene at night, with bar after bar, big thumping music filling the streets and gimmicky drink specials.

However, at a certain location, there is just a wall, and a door.  There is a little buzzer list like you find in city apartments to be let into someone’s home, little buttons with names next to them.  Right next to the door is a doorbell.  You simply need to know what you are looking for, and which button is the right one to push.  There is absolutely no other sign you are in the right place.

The Experience

A small room, with about 4 booths on either side, and a bar at the back.  Until a party of 6 showed up, we didn’t realize that the hallway past the bar led to not just the restrooms, but three private rooms, with alcoves that seat 6-8.  But it’s small, and intimate, and not made for big parties, like a good speakeasy should be.

The current theme was Cowboys and Aliens, with great drinks in a menu reading much like an old-timey comic book.  This menu has smoked cocktails, spirit-forward, and also a light and fruity selection.  There are also a few cocktails they will prepare tableside; these are not marked on the menu because they want you to order based on what you want, not based on the presentation.  We loved this and we loved them.  Midnight Cowboy nailed it, and it scored our second 5-Shaker review of the Austin Experience.

Here Nor There

Our last stop finished strong.  It had been a long trip, and we were shockingly still standing, and coherent enough to make our 9:00 pm reservation, these old(ish) women were pushing their curfew limits. 

The Entrance

Hidden, check.  A metal gated door, you need the door code texted to you, so reservations are needed and must be requested through their app.  Through the gate, check in with Austin, the person not the city.  He was fantastic, personable, friendly, and makes sure they are ready for you. 

The Experience

Enter down a few steps to a small room with a giant stuffed wolf standing on 2 legs.  Luckily, our wolf friend is holding a tray of “palette cleansers” in the form of bubbly.  Check-in with the hostess, grab your welcome beverage, and follow through the curtains. 

Dark room, yes, but velvet walls and ceilings, plants and vine/root structures. Old photos, cozy booths, this place had a fantastic intimate feel of a speakeasy.  Their menu and theme celebrate endangered and indigenous cultures.  Each menu item includes the heritage of the cocktail.  It was really a full experience, and our third (and final) 5-Shaker rating of the trip!

Our Speakeasy Wrap Up

Our Austin Speakeasy Tour was an amazing experience.  It is weird, slightly wild, has its seedier parts, but the people cannot be beat. Austin has some great neighborhoods, from the “Dirty 6th” to South Congress to East Austin, the Warehouse District, and Rainey Street. Austin has amazing, themed bars, live music, and culture, just something for everyone.  They know how to do bars, clubs, and speakeasies.

It was a challenge to push through it all, our livers need to be wrung out and hung to dry.  However, we met so many amazing people, so many stories were told; the staff were all supportive of other establishments, loved their jobs, and were happy to send you on to their favorite recommendations. Absolutely, book yourself a trip to Austin!

As a bonus, if you want some of the best Day Drinking spots in Austin, check out our Day Drinking post!

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• Ultimate Speakeasy Guide – Ratings & Rankings
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