NYC Speakeasy Tour
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Speakeasy tour NYC: hidden doors, history and cocktails
In New York, a speakeasy tour NYC means slipping through unmarked doors, following a guide along side streets between bars that survived Prohibition or echo its spirit, and settling into low-lit rooms where stories of gangsters, dry laws and bootleggers share space with carefully mixed cocktails; in our offer of experiences you can choose between social walks that focus on Prohibition history, hidden-bar crawls tuned to nightlife energy and private speakeasy adventures that you can combine with daytime routes through neighborhoods like Soho, Greenwich Village or Brooklyn.
📚 Choose your experience
NYC speakeasy drinks and Prohibition history tour
On this shared walk you move between historic bars and modern speakeasies while a local guide unpacks Prohibition history, the Gilded Age and the immigrant stories that shaped New York’s drinking culture, with enough time at each stop to enjoy a cocktail, talk to the group and feel how the city reinvented itself once the dry years ended.
The pace is relaxed: short walks between venues, focused storytelling at the bar and priority entry arranged by the guide so you skip guessing which door to try or where to sit, something that can save you a lot of time if you are in New York only for a few nights.
Many travelers like to balance nightlife with daytime exploration, so it works well to pair this experience with a Greenwich Village walking tour and build a full day that goes from quiet brownstone streets and cafés to low-lit speakeasy counters after dark.
🍸 Scene and rhythm
- Groups tend to be social, with people chatting between bars.
- Stops are curated to mix older institutions and newer speakeasies.
- Walking distances stay moderate, suitable for most visitors.
🧭 Practical tips
- Bring an official ID; venues check age at the door.
- Dress smart-casual rather than beachwear or sports gear.
- Eat a light meal beforehand so you can enjoy drinks comfortably.
Expect dim lighting, music that gets a little louder as the night advances and a guide who manages reservations, seating and timing so you do not spend half the evening standing in line, which is key if you want to maximize how many speakeasies you experience in a single night.
For travelers who love design and shopping by day and cocktails after sunset, combining this night route with a Soho walking tour in New York creates a neat contrast between cast-iron façades, galleries and the glow of hidden basement bars once the lights come on.
🍹 Night-time mood
- Ideal for friends or couples who enjoy bar-hopping.
- Focus on ambience: lighting, music and presentation.
- Plenty of photo moments at doors, interiors and skyline corners.
🧳 What to bring
- Compact layers; interiors can be warm, streets cooler.
- Comfortable closed shoes that still look polished.
- A small card-only wallet instead of bulky bags or backpacks.
Private speakeasy adventure in New York
A private speakeasy tour in New York gives you a guide just for your group, with the route and pace adjusted to whether you care more about cocktail craft, deep historical context or simply a relaxed, tipsy trip through history, so conversations can go deeper and you can linger longer at the bar that steals your heart.
This format works especially well for small groups of friends, couples celebrating something special or colleagues on a team night, because you choose the starting window, the level of walking involved and how formal you want to dress, while the guide keeps the logistics invisible in the background.
If you want to turn it into a full New York immersion day, build your schedule around a Brooklyn walking tour and end across the river on this private route, connecting daytime street art, waterfront views and after-dark speakeasy corners into one continuous story.
🥂 Who this suits best
- First‑time visitors who want guidance but no big crowds.
- Groups with mixed interests in history, cocktails and nightlife.
- Celebrations like birthdays, honeymoons or work milestones.
🧠 Planning advice
- Mention your priorities when booking so the route adapts.
- Share any mobility needs to adjust walking distances.
- Check GuruWalk's activity catalog to see the latest prices.
Frequently asked questions
How do people get into speakeasies in NYC?
On most tours your guide handles reservations, door policies and passwords, so you simply follow the group, show your ID when asked and walk in together without worrying about whether you are at the right entrance or if there is a minimum spend.
How would you enter a speakeasy on a tour?
Typically the group meets at a clear corner nearby and then the guide leads you to an unmarked door, stairwell or back room, explaining how people would have entered during Prohibition while you experience the same sense of stepping “behind the curtain” into a different New York.
What is the etiquette for speakeasy bars?
Speakeasies value low-key, respectful behavior: keep voices at a conversational level, avoid flash photography in people’s faces, listen to the bartender’s recommendations and settle the bill together at each stop so the group can move smoothly to the next hidden bar.
What should I wear to a speakeasy in NYC?
A smart‑casual look works best: think dark jeans or trousers, closed shoes and a neat top, with optional vintage touches like suspenders, a dress with clean lines or accessories that nod to the 1920s without turning the night into a costume party.
Can you wear jeans to a speakeasy?
In many New York speakeasies dark, well-fitted jeans are perfectly acceptable as long as you pair them with polished shoes and a tidy shirt or blouse; avoid ripped styles, flip‑flops and sportswear if you want to match the mood of the bar and feel comfortable in photos.
Are there any original speakeasies left in NYC?
Today most venues are modern bars inspired by the Prohibition era, but some tours include stops in long‑running establishments that operated or evolved during those years, with architecture, stories and regulars that still hint at their more secretive pasts.
Are NYC walking tours worth it for speakeasy nights?
For many visitors a guided route is the most efficient way to discover several speakeasies in one evening, learn the backstory behind them and avoid trial‑and‑error queues, which makes the experience feel richer than simply picking random bars from a map.
What are the best walking tours in NYC for nightlife?
The best options combine small groups, strong storytelling and curated bar choices, like Prohibition history walks, hidden‑bar crawls around central Manhattan and private speakeasy adventures; check GuruWalk's activity catalog to compare formats and pick the mood that matches your night.
What do you say to get into a speakeasy?
Outside of themed venues that play with passwords, most modern speakeasies simply expect you to give the name of your reservation or your guide’s name at the door, greet the staff politely and follow instructions on where to wait or sit so the room stays calm and organized.
Author: Bel\u00e9n Rivas, GuruWalk
Publication date: 2025-12-05
Data updated as of December 2025
