From Hidden Freezers to Underground Sex Shops: A Tour Through the World’s Most Secretive Tequila Speakeasies

Decades after the Prohibition era, speakeasies have reemerged in the 21st century as a viral TikTok darling.

More often than not, there seems to be a competition for the most obscure hideaway. To find New York City’s La Noxe, you need to knock on an unmarked door hidden within a subway station on 28th Street. For No Vacancy in Los Angeles, you’ll track down a specific hotel room in one of the city’s oldest Victorian mansions then whisper a password to a bouncer lying on a bed.

It’s obvious why the concept has provoked so much intrigue. Though some excel at presentation and little else, others dedicate themselves to perfecting spirits and cocktails that otherwise wouldn’t get the limelight.

Today, we’ll take a look at six secretive speakeasies across the globe that specialize in tequila, mezcal and agave spirits of all calibers.

Black Rabbit Rose – LA

Few bars commit quite as hard to the bit as Black Rabbit Rose, the only magic-themed lounge in LA. Decorated with an abundance of velvet red curtains, smoldering candles and portraits of Harry Houdini, the bar serves up magic shows, live music and cabaret throughout the weekend.

Most unexpectedly of all, the speakeasy is located behind Thai/Chinese restaurant Crying Tiger — while watching an unlucky magician’s assistant get sawed in half, you can order heaping plates of shu mai and crab fried rice. Truly, an experience to behold.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Black Rabbit Rose (@blackrabbitrose)

At the bar, you can sip top-shelf brands like Fortaleza and Tequila Ocho alongside themed cocktails like the Honey Bunny (mezcal, lime, honeydew and habanero) and the Drunken Noodles (tequila, Aperol, blood orange, chili salt and luster). Depending on your patience for smoke and mirrors, Black Rabbit Rose may be right up your alley.

Mezcaleria Tobala – Austin

One of the rare bars within a bar, Mezcaleria Tobala is located up a clandestine staircase within the patio of Whisler’s, Austin. While Whisler’s serves up all manner of tequila, gin and bourbon cocktails seven days a week, its Mezcaleria opens for a scant five hours on weekends to offer niche mezcal expressions.

Underneath a pair of taxidermy bobcats, you’ll find agave varietals ranging Mexicano, Tepextate, Jabali, Pechuga and more. If you’re thirsty for cocktails, look elsewhere; Mezcaleria Tobala specializes in curated flights served from traditional clay copitas, usually accompanied by a side of sal de gusano (worm salt) sprinkled orange slices.

The Woo Woo – NYC

Aesthetically, The Woo Woo has nothing in common with the speakeasies of old. A few blocks north of Times Square, you’ll find a graffiti-plastered staircase that winds down to this hybrid sex shop/bar/restaurant buried beneath Midtown Manhattan’s The Mean Fiddler. Before arriving, you’ll have to know the daily password found on its website — previous phrases have included “Eat me out,” “It ain’t gonna lick itself” and “The wetter the better.”

From its passwords to its neon signage to its french fry nachos, The Woo Woo is unabashedly gimmicky. But, let’s be real, so are all speakeasies.

If you’re patient enough to wade through the Instagram photoshoots and mountains of conspicuously placed sex toys, The Woo Woo offers a fun variety of agave-based cocktails. Consider ordering a Donkey Kong (mezcal, tropical syrup, lemon and banana bitters served with a side of banana chips) or an ever-trendy Barbie Marg (tequila, dragon fruit syrup and lime).

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by LI, BK, & NYC FOOD & FUN (@cousin_cuisine)

La Mezcaleria – Paris

Hidden behind a heavy fridge door at Hotel 1K’s Inka Kitchen you’ll find the largest mezcal selection in France. La Mezcaleria is a colorful celebration of all things agave, brimming with endless tequila and mezcal options alongside niche selections of raicilla, sotol, bacanora and more.

Unlike many library-style bars where your best bet is to order a flight, La Mezcaleria wows with absurdly unique cocktail recipes. Consider ordering a Maya Dulce, made with reposado tequila, sweet potatoes, oat milk, vanilla liqueur and galanga spice. Many of the bar’s signature recipes lean toward unexpected savory and spicy combinations, a must-try for adventurous drinkers.

Best of all, La Mezcaleria is cozy as could be. Tightly packed couches and stools bustle beneath a massive skylight adorned with a rainbow assortment of paper decorations. La Mezcaleria is, in the best way possible, the exact opposite of the dark dingy basements we usually associate with speakeasies.

Mezcalista Miami

Self-described as one of South Beach’s “chicest upscale lounges,” Mezcalista Miami can be found nestled at the back of Mexican marisquería Como Como. The bar, headed up by mixologist Christian Rubio, offers over 200 agave spirits and counting.

If you order a cocktail (famously secretive and ever-changing), it’ll be served alongside a one-ounce pour of the featured spirit. Though the experience is clearly tailored for agave spirits aficionados, the vibe doesn’t lean hoity-toity; on weekends, DJs spin records from a raised booth surrounded by leather couches and an abundance of bespoke pillows.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mezcalista (@mezcalista_miami)

Blind Barber – LA, NYC, Chicago, Philadelphia

The very concept of a chain speakeasy may inspire disgust in some of our readers. Surely, this isn’t what Al Capone intended!

Nonetheless, Blind Barber has established a name for itself from coast to coast with delicious drinks, bites and a showstopping gimmick. At each location, you’ll find a well-lit barbershop up front and a moody Prohibition-style speakeasy tucked away in the back. If don’t have time to sit at the bar, every haircut comes with a complimentary cocktail (be warned, however, that even the cheapest of haircuts will run you $60).

 

The menu varies from city to city, though you can usually expect a wide assortment of agave-based signature cocktails. In New York, you might find the Savage Detective (mezcal, amaro Montenegro, lemon, honey, IPA and mole bitters), while in LA you might be treated to a Wake Up Call (tequila reposado, coffee liqueur, vanilla liqueur, cold brew and cinnamon).

So long as the barbers aren’t drunk, we don’t have any complaints.

Read More: 

7,200 Mezcal Bottles Filled With 9.5 Tons of Liquid Meth Intercepted En Route to Australia

Tequila Ready-To-Drink Roundup: Reviewing Espresso Martinis, Juice Boxes, ‘Dad Water’ and More

Here at The Daily Pour, we do more than write about current events in spirit. We are the only media property reviewing spirits and aggregating the scores and reviews of other significant voices in the spirit world in one place. If you’re interested in getting a shot of spirit in your morning email, sign up for our Whiskey Deal of the Day Newsletter