The Best Speakeasies in Boston, MA
Looking for a speakeasy where the password is spoken with a Boston accent? Beantown has some great unpublished pubs offering steady pours and good company. Check out the eight best speakeasies in Boston, MA for a lovely night out.
Wink & Nod
3 Appleton Street, Boston, MA
(781) 435-0394
Wink & Nod gives off the vibe of an old Boston Ivy League secret society when you first darken its door. Let’s just say that the robust drink menu will make you want to give it the old college try when it comes to sampling as many libations as possible. Wink & Nod offers a premier whiskey list featuring dozens of varieties from around the globe. There’s also a world-class food menu full of contemporary American fare with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences. Consider the Hasselback potato with lobster and cream sauce when looking for something that’s both light and filling.
Next Door Speakeasy & Raw Bar
107 Porter Street, Boston, MA
Located behind a secret door attached to Pazza On Porter, Next Door Speakeasy & Raw Bar is a place for sipping cognac and scotch with flair. It’s obvious that careful planning and creativity went into the aesthetics of this transportive bar. When ordering oysters, the presentation is 10 out of 10! Cocktails are served with flair that calls to mind the glitz of flappers. The must-try drink is the Love Language cocktail that is served in a heart-shaped glass that pulsates with rum and sweet dragon fruit. When the craving for something with a slight “crisp” to it kicks in, the salmon crudo served with plantain chips hits the spot with tasty salmon roe and microgreens.
Hecate
Public Alley 443, Boston, MA
A night out in a dapper cave is exactly what visitors at Hecate get to experience. This mystical and moody speakeasy features a gorgeous drink menu where every drink comes with an explainer on its mythology. Most of the drinks also come with charcuterie and dessert-inspired decorations. The Emerald Tablet made with African gin, fig leaf cordial, honey, and black lime is just one of the many potion-like libations that make the menu memorable. Due to a seating limit of 24, it’s necessary to anticipate a slight wait before being welcomed inside.
1928 Beacon Hill
97 Mount Vernon Street, Boston, MA
(857) 233-5662
No bar or speakeasy in Boston has a cozy-meets-classy ambiance like 1928 Beacon Hill. Offering classic New England cuisine and Prohibition-era cocktails in a speakeasy-style space, this popular spot is ideal when looking for a place to bring a group. Unlike places that make you feel like you’ll need to bar hop to get a full night in, 1928 Beacon Hill invites guests to linger and nibble on grilled octopus, crab, spinach and artichoke spread on warm pita, steak frites, lobster tail, a seafood tower, oysters, and so much more. The dessert menu’s tiramisu is decadent enough that it should have been banned during Prohibition!
Roxanne’s
6b Beacon Street, Boston, MA
(857) 338-1113
Roxanne’s has a speakeasy theme that’s fueled by flamingos and neon signs. For those who love all things perky, it’s a great alternative to some of the brooding speakeasies in town. While there’s a speakeasy vibe going on, a cocktail list that includes the Staycation, For the Girls, Fever Dream, and Naked & Instafamous appeals to a generation that’s more attuned to bans on social media than bans on alcohol. Whites, reds, and rosé are also heavily represented on the drink list. For nibbles, the salt and pepper wings are known to be the crowd favorite here. The pretty dessert plate with colorful macaroons and lemon squares is an amazing treat!
The Wig Shop
27 Temple Place, Boston, MA
(617) 338-6333
This adorable Boston speakeasy is disguised as a wig shop! There’s no better place to drink an amaretto sour or bubbly bergamot spritz in style. In addition to getting all the points for its awesome theme, this little treasure also dazzles with a first-rate menu of shareable favorites. The ultra-classy food menu features caviar over potato chips, dolled-up oysters, salon crudo, and crowd-pleasing lobster pancakes. This is also one of the few spots in Boston where you can order up an absinthe ritual with a minimum of two guests!
OFFSUITE
5 Utica Street, Boston, MA
(617) 631-7064
Nestled in a back alley in Boston’s Leather District, OFFSUITE is an incredible cocktail spot with a small, word-of-mouth vibe. A dark interior with red walls definitely creates the illusion of walking into a forbidden establishment! Every drink on the menu works just perfectly with oysters, shrimp, steak tartare, or a charcuterie board. However, OFFSUITE has quietly earned a reputation for having the best espresso martinis in Boston.
The 21st Amendment
150 Bowdoin Street, Boston, MA
(617) 227-7100
A staple spot on pub crawls weaving around the Freedom Trail, the 21st Amendment is a beloved Beacon Hill bar that offers a crowd-friendly menu and great drinks. The drink menu features wines, several kinds of beer, and cocktails. The food menu offers wood-grilled tavern pizza, steak and cheese spring rolls, short rib quesadilla, salads, soups, and sandwiches. While this bar isn’t quite as hidden as other speakeasy-inspired watering holes, it’s a great mainstream option when trying to make everyone happy.
For more recommendations on where to eat and drink in the city, check out our Boston page!
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