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    Basement

    4.1 (190 reviews)
    Fri 5:00 pm - 4:00 am (Next day)
    Sat 5:00 pm - 4:00 am (Next day)

    Basement Photos

    BASEMENT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for dancing

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    Recommended Reviews - Basement

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    Reviews With Photos

    Phil B.

    Pure luck finding this cool speakeasy bar. No kidding, just walking down the street and saw the sign and then a vintage coke machine that had to be the secret passage to this dope bar/lounge. It's spacious and with very cool vibes. The bartenders were cool and can whip up your faves. Came here on a weeknight after dinner and it was pretty empty which was awesome since it felt like we had it all to ourselves but imagine this place gets busy on the weekends. Really enjoyed this place.

    Aya R.

    My order: Diet Coke The Review: A Diet Coke for $5 wtf! Okay now that I got that out of my system, basement is a cool speakeasy vibe serving steaming hot Asian dishes. My friend loved her shrimp. It had a peanut sauce that smelled amazing. There were no gluten free options, so I just had an expensive and very small Diet Coke. I'd recommend going for a casual bite and hang in a dimly lit environment.

    Front door
    Erin H.

    We stumbled upon this bar after eating dinner in China Town. What a great little speakeasy. The cocktails were great, the bartender was friendly, and we were given free kettle corn! There were games to play too, we just didn't partake. So fun!

    Jungwon K.

    Oof, I had a pretty bad allergic reaction from the smoke and mirrors cocktail. Not necessarily the bar's fault since I don't really know what I was allergic to, but probably won't be back. The interior is cute! Not sure what the target audience is though. When we were there, there were only 3 other parties and one was a bunch of business men in a meeting, one was a young group, and one seemed like a rowdy bachelor party playing beer pong. I like the concept, but something missed the mark.

    margarita
    Alana L.

    Very vibey and cute speakeasy in Chinatown. The music was a bit loud too loud to have a conversation. There is free popcorn (Boom Chicka Pop kettle corn flavor) which is fun. The decorations are cute & there are some games scattered throughout. There is shuffle board (or cup pong) and darts that I saw. Always nice where there is entertainment other than talking and drinking. My only complaint regarding the staff was the waitress was being pushy when I said I was not drinking and did not want water. Everyone else at the table had drinks and If i said twice I was not ordering something, please stop asking. I was only going to be there for a few.

    Anthony P.

    The drinks were just okay, but I would come here for the vibe and the reprieve that this place offers from the sometimes hectic Chinatown streets. If you're planning a food crawl, this place is perfect as a pit stop if you need to grab a drink or two, use the restroom etc in a cool speakeasy space. Or even if you want to end up here after dinner in the area. It's a nice loungey space, with cool tables and dim lighting. The space is located downstairs and behind a coke fridge, which is a fun vibe. The drinks were standard - nothing to write home about, but they meet a need that the neighborhood desperately benefits from - a fun speakeasy watering hole for people to enjoy in the heart of Chinatown. I do wish this place success, and would give them another shot.

    Jillian B.

    Stopped by early on a Saturday, and it was empty. The bartender told us to take a seat and she would come by and take our order - I got a coffee cocktail (Java Ink, $16) while my partner ordered a beer. The complimentary popcorn was good (it was kettle corn!) and is always a fun touch. I'm sure it can get crowded, but it was the perfect first spot to grab a drink before our dinner reservation.

    Chinatown Old Fashioned.
    Cindy Z.

    This little speakeasy bar in Chinatown is located in the basement through a vending machine door. If you didn't know about it, you'd walk right by without noticing. Once inside, the space had plenty of seating with beer pong tables. Since it was still early, it wasn't busy at all when we arrived. I got the HK Milk Punch ($16) while the boyfriend had the Chinatown Old Fashioned ($25). I also love that they offer FREE popcorn. And this isn't just regular butter popcorn, but a bit of a caramel-glazed popcorn. This is perfect with the drinks. While I didn't think the HK Milk Punch didn't really taste like a milk tea (if that's what they're going for), it was still refreshing and good. The Old Fashioned was strong too albeit quite pricey. The little popcorn that came with the cocktail was adorable, but a little pointless when you get complimentary popcorn anyways. Good, chill spot to hang out with some Asian-inspired cocktails. Seriously love the free popcorn here too. It was a hot day, so the AC was also blasting here and felt amazing. Great bar to hang out at while in Chinatown area.

    Mike K.

    Excellent drinks. Fun vibe. Games. Friendly bartenders. Oh and a secret entrance! What more could you ask for? Came here with the spouse and it was a big hit. First you have to find the place, and I'll leave that for somewhere else. IYKYK. You walk in off the street and piw you're in a cool speakeasy. Comfortable seats. Great music (80s/90s new wave the night I went.) The drinks were superb. Get the ones with Mezcal! Or not. They were all good. Have fun with the games, we played their version of sorry. The food was unique as well. Just the sauce for the fries was having us guessing what was in it.

    Atmosphere
    Mia H.

    I came here for a mixer event one day and loved the space! Hidden behind a coca cola machine, this speakeasy is a nice gem in Chinatown. The space is lively, has multiple areas where you can chill or play games with friends and a live DJ. The drinks here are pretty good, and I would love to come back again.

    Mary A.

    Not sure of the address but the food was great! I absolutely loved the mapo tofu, the beef chow fun was sooooo flavorful, definitely top tier, the fried rice was great, and the dumplings in hot oil had an incredible texture but too much vinegar for me.. the bartender was a little rude but my friend is not from around here so she took his hand wave as inappropriate or something? Idk.

    Shanghai Mule
    Gloria Z.

    Super cute underground speakeasy behind a coca cola machine. It has a lot of asian inspired cocktails and the one I had was very good! There's also small party games like darts and pong. I went on a Tuesday at 8PM so there weren't too many people but it seems like a nice place to chat and hang out with your friends. Would love to come back on the weekend.

    Rob H.

    Stopped by the bar for a drink before dinner. A very cool spot with a Coca Cola fridge door as the entrance. When you walk in your in an underground bar with about 20 tables and some beer pong tables in a dark setting. Plenty of lit signs on the wall. The bartenders provided great services and the drinks were relatively cheap and had plenty of draft beer options. Would definitely come back for some drinks and to try their new food menu.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Basement

    What time/ day is happy hour?

    No happy hour

    Can an 19yr old enter? With an adult

    Nope

    Is there a coat check?

    No there isn't. Make sure you leave your stuff close. My friend got his bag stolen

    Do they have a happy hour?

    Doesn't seem like it. More just a set menu of cocktails.

    Are they open on Sunday/Monday?

    Open 7 days a week

    What time do they open?

    5pm.

    What is their phone number?

    (929)777-1388

    View All 8 Questions

    Review Highlights - Basement

    Located centrally in Chinatown, this speakeasy has plenty of parking at night, which is definitely a plus for NYC.

    Mentioned in 45 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Vig Bar - Bar

    Vig Bar

    3.9(225 reviews)
    0.5 miNolita
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    A bit too young for my taste but the bartenders here and nice and work quickly…read more Music was fine from what I remember, a little fratty. They have sports playing on TVs above the bar so that's nice if you want to dissociate a bit. Came here after a birthday dinner and had a El Spicy Rico which was actually pretty good. I wouldn't choose to come here just because the demographic and music, but if I were 21, I could see myself coming here.

    I recently had my birthday party in the back room at the Vig Bar and 100% recommend! Cancion, the…read moreevent coordinator, was extremely responsive beforehand and answered all of my questions in detail which made the planning process super easy. Upon arriving, I was immediately greeted by the manager and other staff to make sure I was all settled for my party, which I really appreciated. This space has a partnership with a pizza place up the street to order food but also provides flexibility to bring in your own food which a lot of places do not allow. They also allowed me to bring balloons and cake which many places also don't allow. I had around 40 people and there was plenty of space to sit down or stand. It wasn't too loud so I was able to have a conversation with friends while also enjoying the music. The music was great and we even stayed afterwards to enjoy the DJ and the vibes were still strong. If you're looking for a private space, this is the perfect spot for your party! My friends are still talking about how cool this space was and were very impressed!

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    Vig Bar - Bar area

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    Vig Bar - Pickle back shots

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    Pickle back shots

    Proletariat - Entrance view

    Proletariat

    4.1(323 reviews)
    1.1 miEast Village
    $$

    Great beer bar. The draft menu has a lot of great options to choose from. The bartender was helpful…read morein making selections, if need be. The bar is pretty tiny and intimate. Most of the seating is along the bar, with a table in the front and a table in the back. I will definitely stop back in the next time I am in NYC.

    Proletariat is a craft beer bar and vegan gastropub that opened in Manhattan, New York in 2012. It…read morewas founded by the Overthrow Hospitality group, which is run by restaurateur Ravi DeRossi. After opening a number of successful bars in New York City, including Death & Company and Cienfuegos, DeRossi decided to open a new bar with a focus on rare, new, and unusual craft beer offerings. Originally opening in the St. Marks section of the East Village, Proletariat quickly earned a reputation for being one of the best craft beer bars in NYC. In June 2022, Proletariat moved to a new, larger space just two blocks away on East 7th Street. In addition to the excellent beer selection, the new location also features a kitchen that offers an array of plant-based dining options. I recently visited Proletariat while I was in the Village to see a concert. I arrived a few hours before the show so I could grab some beers and bites beforehand. Proletariat has been on my NYC craft beer bucket list for a while; they have an excellent reputation. There were maybe four other customers there when I arrived; I felt like I was entering a secret craft beer club. I really liked the wolf featured on the bar's logo. It was clearly a reference to the Latin botanical term for hops: "humulus lupulus", which roughly translates as "the little wolf that comes from the Earth". There were 20 impressive beers on draught during my visit. I decided to order a pour of The Drowned Lands Brewery's "Winnow" (Festbier). It was an excellent example of the style: light and malty. Afterwards, I went with a pour of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales' "The Sky and the Sea" (Blueberry Saison). This was a fantastic beer: nice and tart with delicious notes of blueberries. If you're looking for some great craft beer bars in NYC then add Proletariat to your list!

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    Proletariat - Draught Menu

    Draught Menu

    Proletariat - Interior

    Interior

    Proletariat - The kitchen

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    The kitchen

    Basement - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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