Apotheke NoMad

"One downside to being a speakeasy with an unmarked door? People don’t know you’re there. Apotheke opened a Nomad location in 2022, and it’s still pretty under-the-radar. Their subterranean lounge is great for when you want to sit somewhere dark and listen to live jazz, but if the weather’s above 60 degrees, head to the little penthouse terrace where you can sink into an armchair and stare at the Empire State Building. Reservations aren’t tough to snag, so make one the next time you want to drink an impeccable cocktail in peace." - bryan kim, neha talreja, kenny yang, molly fitzpatrick

"Apotheke has two locations, the first of which opened in Chinatown in 2008. Both serve elaborate cocktails, but we prefer the newer one in Nomad because fewer people seem to know about it. The entrance on 26th Street is unmarked, although it isn’t hard to locate, because there’s usually a host out there who will say something like “Yes, this is Apotheke.” Located in a dark basement, the bar looks like a 19th-century apothecary populated by people who work in marketing, with some big booths and an elevator that leads to a penthouse with a serene, underrated terrace. " - bryan kim, sonal shah

"We’re 99% sure that 99% of people in New York City don’t know that Apotheke Nomad exists and has a rooftop. The main bar area is down a set of stairs behind an unmarked door on 26th Street, but there’s an elevator that’ll take you to a small 11th-floor penthouse with a standing-room bar and a little terrace that has an up-close view of the Empire State Building. The terrace is calm, dark, and quiet, with just a handful of tables surrounded by armchairs. Do the cocktails cost $20? Yes, of course. But if you need to impress someone who hates crowds, this is one of your best options." - Bryan Kim, Kenny Yang

"The original Apotheke in Chinatown is part of the reason why there are speakeasies in every New York City zip code. Now, there’s an Apotheke near Flatiron where you enter through an unmarked door on 26th. The subterranean interior is lit mostly by candlelight, and there are several huge booths along with a central seating area that consists of what is essentially a large, partitioned ottoman surrounded by wobbly stools. Unstable stools aside, this is a fun place to drink, especially if you’re looking for something low-key but fancy." - Hillary Reinsberg, Neha Talreja, Bryan Kim, Kenny Yang

"Descend into one of NoMad’s best underground bars at subterranean Apotheke, a candlelit cocktail den hidden behind an unmarked door."