Please Don’t Tell is one of the most popular speakeasies in New York. It’s so popular it could take you up to five different tries to get in. The bar is located in Lower East Manhattan, inside of a hotdog store called Crif Dogs.
In true speakeasy fashion, the entrance of the bar is a phone booth on the left side of Crif Dogs.
How To Get into Please Don’t Tell, New York
To get into the bar, enter the Crif Dogs shop and walk inside until you see a phone booth on the left. Enter into the phonebooth and you’ll find a red payphone. Pick up the phone and dial 1 to call a hostess and one will be right with you.
A door will open, and you’ll have to put your name down on a waitlist (if your table isn’t ready or you just walked in). They might give you an idea of what the wait time will be and you’ll receive a notification when your table is ready.
Please note that you’ll have to present a valid ID and vaccination card to be allowed in. Once everything checks out, you’ll be ushered into the Iconic bar.
What’s Behind the Phone Booth?
The inside is a cozy, dimly lit space with brick walls and taxidermy décor. The main bar with seats is at the center and there are leather booths toward the sides. Since the bar is quite narrow, not that many people are allowed inside at a time.
You can enjoy urban pop music with a small group of friends at one of the booths or you can watch the mixologists work their magic at the bar.
Please Don’t Tell Tropicale
Please Don’t Tell Tropicale is the bar’s outdoor sitting option. It’s their little East Village oasis. As the name implies, it sports a tropical theme. PDT Tropicale’s cocktails are designed to be light and refreshing.
Their menu features favorites like Piña Colada (made with real coconut), frozen gins, and tonics. PDT Tropicale is available from Friday evenings to Sunday evenings. Tropicale reservations can be placed from Resy.
Please Don’t Tell Menu
The bar’s menu features seasonal cocktails, original cocktail recipes, beer, wine, hot dogs, burgers, and tots. Some recommendations from the menu are:
Paddington
This citrus/marmalade cocktail is named after the taxidermy bear on the wall. It includes lemon juice, blanc Rhum, Lillet blanc, grapefruit juice, barbancourt orange marmalade, and St George absinthe.
Chang Dog
This Crif Dog’s special is bacon-wrapped with Momofuku kimchi
Mezcal Mule
The Mezcal Mule is one of Please Don’t Tell’s classic cocktails. It’s made with ginger beer, Del maguey mezcal Vida, lime juice, passionfruit, chili spice, and cucumber. They call it a backyard barbecue in a glass.
Shark
This laid-back cocktail features, lemon juice, pineapple, cream, Bacardi silver, Wray & Nephew overproof rum, and senior blue curaçao Frangelico.
Truffle Shuffle
The truffle shuffle is a combination of tater tots, parmesan cheese, herbs, and truffle oil.
Benton’s Old Fashioned
This cocktail features Benton’s bacon-infused w.l. better special reserve, angostura bitters, and maple.
You can follow their Instagram stories to learn how to make some of your favorite cocktails from home.
The Bar
If you sit at the bar, you can watch the bartenders work and converse with them. They’re skilled, knowledgeable, and willing to give you recommendations of what to try.
You can even ask the bartender to create something off-menu. But you have to be very specific with what you’re going for.
Crif Dogs
Any mention of Please Don’t Tell would not be complete without mentioning the hot-dog store that conceals its entrance.
There’s no getting into the iconic bar without getting into Crif Dogs first. And if you have to wait for your table, there’s a high chance you’ll do it here.
But make no mistake, Crif Dogs is not just a mere placeholder. They sell delicious hotdogs and burgers too. You can choose to order directly from the shop or order from within the bar.
If you order from the bar, The hot dogs would be passed through an opening in the wall.
What you need to know when making Reservations
- Reservations can be made by calling their phone number between 3 pm and 4 pm or online through Resy.
- Resy reservations can be made up to 7 days prior.
- Online reservations will accommodate no more than 4 people.
- Reservations are made on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- Lateness may cause your reservation to be given up.
- Reservations canceled less than 12 hours before the reserved time will attract a fee of $15 per person.
- Reservations are for one hour.
- To book private events, you can submit an inquiry form on their website.
Achievements
Please Don’t Tell is a seriously hyped speakeasy and some would even say it’s overhyped. But the bar has a couple of achievements that live up to the hype. Some of which are:
- Please Don’t tell won the James Beard Award-winning bar program in 2012
- It topped the World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2011
- The bar has served as a Coachella vendor 4 times.
Location: 113 St Marks Pl New York, NY 10009
Phone or email: (212) 614-0386
Opening hours:
| Mon | 5:00 PM – 2:00 AM | |
| Tue | 5:00 PM – 2:00 AM | |
| Wed | 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM | |
| Thu | 5:00 PM – 3:00 AM | |
| Fri | 5:00 PM – 3:00 AM | |
| Sat | 5:00 PM – 3:00 AM | |
| Sun | 5:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Who owns Please Don’t Tell?
A: The bar is currently owned by Jeff Bell.
Q: Do I need identification to get in?
A: Yes, you’ll have to present an ID card proving that you’re over 21 and proof of vaccination.
Q: Can I pay with Apple Pay?
A: The accepted means of payment are cash and credit cards.
Q: Does Please Don’t Tell only sell cocktails and wines?
A: No, the bar partners with other local shops to sell hot dogs, burgers, and tater tots.
Q: Does the bar have outdoor dining?
A: Yes, it does. The outdoor sitting option is called Tropicale and you can make reservations on Resy.
