The Back Room

"At least one of your friends thinks The Back Room is really cool. And maybe they’re right. Another old-timey, 1920s-style spot, this LES bar is located down an alley on Norfolk Street, and it’s surprisingly casual for a place with couches, armchairs, oil paintings, and chandeliers. The cocktails here are served in teacups, and, while this does seem impractical, it’s a fun gimmick. If you want a rowdier experience and don’t mind being surrounded by people who just graduated from Oberlin and now spend every weekend drinking their way through the Lower East Side, this place is a good choice." - bryan kim, sonal shah

"Sometimes, speakeasies feel too quiet and serious, like they’re trying to memorialize some period in the early 20th century when everyone was probably way more productive. But at the Back Room, you can walk around with a teacup full of alcohol and make conversation with some people who will most likely be eating dollar pizza on a sidewalk somewhere at 4am. This place is hidden down a secret alley on Norfolk Street, and it’s a big room filled with paintings, chandeliers, and furniture that looks like it was purchased at a yard sale outside Ebenezer Scrooge’s townhouse. Bring a group, claim a couch or two, or hang out near the bar and make new friends." - bryan kim

"If you’re with someone who’s easily impressed by secrets, you could tell them about your middle school nickname. But maybe that nickname was too embarrassing, in which case, just bring them to The Back Room while you wait for a table at La Contenta. It’s a speakeasy bar next right next door, and it has a fireplace, some embroidered couches, and cocktails that come in tea cups." - Hannah Albertine

"If you’re with someone who’s easily impressed by secrets, you could tell them about your middle school nickname. But maybe that nickname was too embarrassing, in which case, just bring them to The Back Room while you’re hanging out on the LES (or waiting for a table at La Contenta, which is right next door). This speakeasy bar has a fireplace, some embroidered couches, and cocktails that come in tea cups. photo credit: Alex Staniloff" - Hannah Albertine