Hidden Manhattan nightspots recall speakeasies

BY ANNE MACHALINSKI | Special to Newsday

November 14, 2007

At PDT (or "Please Don't Tell"), patrons sip cocktails after entering through a vintage phone booth in the Manhattan hotdog joint, Crif Dogs. (Newsday / Bruce Gilbert)

When The Volstead Act was passed in 1919, Americans everywhere looked for clandestine places to imbibe. Now, nearly 75 years after Prohibition ended, one of the original New York speakeasies, Chumley's, was recently shut down after sustaining structural damages. But other secret watering holes remain.

Here's a sampling of Manhattan's hidden nightspots where you can safely sip a cocktail without fear of police raids.

PDT
113 St. Marks Place,

212-614-0386

Open: Monday-Thursday, 6 p.m.-2 a.m.; Friday-Saturday, 6 p.m.-4 a.m.

Find it: Walk east on St. Marks Place and look for the "Eat Me" sign in front of the famed hot-dog joint Crif Dogs. The vintage phone booth inside seems to lead nowhere, but pick up the phone and press the button, and the hostess will open the secret door to PDT, provided you have a reservation.

Back story: Short for "Please Don't Tell," this hidden lounge, which opened earlier in the year, is cozy and inviting. A raccoon, owl and other stuffed and mounted animals share wall space with old family portraits. Climb into a booth and sample one of the specialty drinks.

Drinks: The "19th Century" cocktail is a mix of bourbon, Lillet Rouge, white crème de cacao and lemon, served in dainty stemware. Piping hot tater tots and hot dogs wrapped in bacon cut the bite of the cocktails.

Recommendation: Tell friends to meet you for a quick bite and hustle them through the phone booth to a world they probably didn't know existed.

ANGEL'S SHARE
8 Stuyvesant St., 2nd floor,
212-777-5415

Hours: Monday-Sunday, 6 p.m.-2:30 a.m.

Find it: Go through the unmarked door, up a flight of stairs into a bustling Japanese eatery. The entrance is past a few tables on the left.

Back story: The cacophony of voices and other noise from the restaurant is muffled by soft jazz. Dim lights create a serene environment. Bartenders outfitted in crisp white shirts, vests and ties serve Japanese-inspired drinks.

Drinks: Plum wine, Elderflower liquor, Earl Grey infused vodka and other exotic spirits. For the less adventurous, the 10-page menu includes Scotch, whiskey, wine and sake.

Recommendation: Get there early and grab a window seat for a warming cocktail on a cold night. Be forewarned - no parties larger than four and no standing at the bar.

THE BACK ROOM
102 Norfolk St.,