This was a tremendous find when it comes to speakeasies. When you think about these types of locations -- needing a password to be allowed inside, a hidden entrance to the actual bar, a cool, slightly sleazy theme (or, in this case, a very sleazy one) -- this embodies what I at least search for when seeking a speakeasy. The Woo Woo is class.
Located on West 47th in the Theater District, you have to look for the subtle signage on a narrow strip of building to find the door. When it's not peak establishment hours, you can approach the front door, which has a speaker box. After you press the speaker button and receive a response from the person downstairs, you need to provide a password -- it's located on the website if you can find it. Once you're accepted for entry, you descend a largely graffiti-covered stairwell that sets the tone for the 1980s Times Square vibes, where a hodgepodge of risqué bars and theaters once stood. Once you make it the equivalent of two or three floors down underground, you reach the main greeting area that resembles an underground sex shop with deep red lighting and neon lights, with a barrage of sex toys arranged like they would be for sale.
Upon giving my name for the reservation I had made, the hostess led us through a dark, cloth-like, red curtain that revealed bookshelves filled with what seemed to be old videotapes. While it looks like a dead end at first, some lever is pulled that I didn't see, and a door with one of the shelving apparatuses opens, revealing the stunning 80s-style bar that seems inspired by the British gay bar Heaven from that time frame. There was a space in the area that looked set up for a dance floor based on the lighting, but it was still early enough in the day for additional tables.
Upon being seated, we settled in and reviewed the various craft cocktail options, which had names with sexual innuendos (Sex Cure Anxiety, for example), as music played from the speakers and the movie "Back to the Future" played on one of the TV screens. My first drink was called the Spit or Swallow, which was served in a swallow bird-shaped glass with an opening in the tail end for a straw to be inserted for drinking. Made with tequila, blue curaçao, jalapeño, pineapple, and lime, the drink was quite delightful and ensured there would be no spitting... only swallowing. My second drink was called Just the Tip, which was the opposite of my first drink. It was a bourbon-based cocktail, made with rosemary, winter spices, black walnut, lemon, and torched cinnamon -- yes, they use a small flame thrower to light the cinnamon stick on fire, allowing the flavors to take off. More than just a tip, I would say!
The staff was lovely, especially the server who served us, who gave us a complimentary set of Woo Woo Shots, their trademark, made with vodka, fresh peach, cranberry, & lime, served in a 1980s-style shot glass. The shots come with a small record-like board that has cut-up lines of what looks like powdered sugar that is supposed to resemble a drug -- use your imagination.
The Woo Woo is quite the delight of a bar if you like a little bit of sleaziness and fun times, with some quirky drinks that allow you to live your best life. read more