Banzarbar

"What It Is: A small cocktail bar behind an unmarked door on the second floor of Freemans Perfect For: Drinks And A Light Bite, First/Early In The Game Dates Freemans is at the end of an alley on the LES, and it has multiple dining rooms filled with taxidermy, in addition to an upstairs that looks like the living room of a rich person’s hunting lodge. And now they also have Banzarbar - a speakeasy-type room behind an unmarked door on the second floor. We recently stopped by, sat at a candlelit table along the wall, and had a few of the signature cocktails, which were very good. And, since we were hungry, we also ordered “The Kraken” - a whole two-pound, tempura-fried octopus. Despite looking like a battered sea monster, this massive portion of octopus was actually pretty good, and so were the potatoes that come alongside. The Verdict: A solid date spot for high-end cocktails and snacks in a unique space. We’ve added it to our Bar Hit List." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg, chris stang, matt tervooren

"Here’s the Freemans-adjacent spot where Taylor Swift allegedly had her 34th birthday party. While it was apparently a celebfest, Travis Kelce wasn’t there since he had to be at practice to prep for the game against the Patriots on the weekend." - Melissa McCart

"If you go to the second floor of Freemans (a restaurant at the end of an alley on the LES), you’ll see an unmarked door. Open that door, and you’ll find Banzarbar, a speakeasy with 20 seats and a menu that includes a whole tempura-fried octopus called “The Kraken.” Pair your octopus with a flight of rum or a cocktail served in an urn with four different kinds of alcohol." - Bryan Kim, Neha Talreja, Hannah Albertine

"You woke up this morning in the mood to drink a cocktail out of a teacup in a room that feels like a secret chamber in a 19th-century sea captain’s haunted mansion. That’s what Banzarbar is for. This place is hidden behind an unmarked door on the second floor of a restaurant (Freemans) at the back of a little alley, and it’s just one candlelit room with a couple of tables and a U-shaped bar. The cocktails have names like Even Keel and Deception Island, there’s an optional five-course tasting menu, and - if you really want to feel like a 19th-century sea captain - order the whole fried octopus called The Kraken." - bryan kim

"The LES bar inspired by early 20th century explorers and 1930s Antarctic expeditions Banzarbar is now open every night except Monday." - Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya