Please Don’t Tell

If i could I would give this place zero star. I’m giving this place zero stars as my friend got food poisoning and the manager still charged us for everything. He was very not professional and was not willing to accommodate. He was very rude and mean. The water was dirty and she felt immediately sick after moments of drinking water. Also no one told us that there was a one drink minimum so we were charged for very overpriced drinks that were full of ice and not good. The manager was very rude and we felt scammed. Do not go here unless you are willing to pay a lot of money for not a good time and to get sick. There are so many better bars around it that serves clean water. If i

step 1: surrender to old age and look for «quiet bar nyc» on Unilocal.
step 2: go to a hot dog shop in the east village.
step 3: go into the phone booth and dial 1.
step 4: try to contain your excitement when the wall opens up to reveal a small, quiet speakeasy with good music and less than a dozen people inside.
step 5: order the red velvet bourbon cocktail!

Cute speakeasy. Loved the telephone booth setup. Drinks were good. We didn’t have a reservation, just took a chance walking in. It was during the week around 8 and we only had to wait 30 minutes. Not bad. Not as fancy inside as Raine’s, Dear Irving, Employees Only but I still liked the atmosphere. Also much smaller than the above so may be harder to get into at busier hours. It’s not my favorite speakeasy but it’s a must try at least once to cross off your speakeasy bucket list. May be one of the more authentic speakeasy vibes (after the much missed Milk & Honey)

I’ve only been here once. And it was awesome. But first, the bad. The missing star is because I’ve tried to come here at least 5 more times with no luck whatsoever. Unless you call the day of, at the exact time they open, good luck getting a reservation! I know it’s part of the allure and all and maybe I just don’t like waiting, but I wish there was an easier way to make a reservation.
The good — the place is amazing. Getting here is so creative (they’ll tell you how over the phone.) Once you are here, the lighting is what sets the mood and the atmosphere is absolutely amazing. Very low key, very professional, very classy. The drinks are made by bar tending PROS, some of the best I’ve had. Pricey, for sure but worth it for the experience.
Staff very friendly and accommodating once inside and overall just a great time.

Went here for a pseudo-​date. The date was awful. PDT was a riot. I’ve been dying to try it since I was a high schooler, 5 years later on a whim, I begged my date to bring me. It was around 8pm on a Friday. We had no reservations and the girl let us in! It was a good crowd, not too packed.
We grabbed a seat at the end of the bar (right by the moose!) and the bartender was quick to greet up.
Cocktails are expensive, not crazy expensive just NYC average expensive I don’t remember them being exceptionally brilliant. But I’m a huge sucker for atmosphere and it’s delightful. Very swank. I dropped I believe 70 dollars on four drinks for the two of us.
You can also order from Crif Dog’s menu, which is always a plus in my book.
I would love to make PDT a regular place of mine, but experiencing it once or twice is probably enough for a lifetime.

I recommend making reservations if you don’t have a reservation the wait is usually between 1 – 2.5 hours! You can start calling at 3pm when they open to make same day reservations. The beers are all $ 7’s and craft beers. The cocktails are all $ 15. They have a limited food menu that consists of food from Crif Dog. You enter through a phone booth that is located inside Crif Dog.
I’ve heard of this place and always wanted to go. With my friend from Washington State visiting I saw it as a perfect opportunity to take him, my brother, and my one other friend to see this «speak-​easy».
Knowing that you could only make reservations the day of I called to see if they had any availability. I called at around 9:30pm and told them that we were a party of four. They told me that unfortunately they didn’t have anything available however if I wanted to leave my name and phone number with a window of my availability they would call me if they had something available. Around 11:30 I called them back and asked if there was any change with availability. They said if my party could get there with in 15 minutes we would be seated. So my party and I finished our drinks at the bar we were at to get to PDT.
After arriving they needed additional time to get our table ready but within five minutes our table was ready and we were able to go through the ‘secret’ entrance of the phone booth into this dimly lit bar/​restaurant.
The staff was so accommodating and friendly. I would definitely recommend this place for the experience alone.

In case you haven’t noticed, bars are legal in New York City. The people who run PDT haven’t noticed; hence this speakeasy. To access an alcoholic beverage at this venue, you must do the following:
1. Travel to New York City.
2. Head down to the East Village, St. Marks Place.
3. Find the hot dog shop between 2d Ave. and 1^st.
4. Enter the phone booth.
5. Dial 1. Once.
6. Wait for the hostess to open the secret door. She will seat you.
Way fun. Nice place with good, well made drinks, friendly service. Small and packed, so you may wish to reserve a table for your party, but I’ve always managed to find a seat at the bar. There is a secret passage at the bar with direct access to the hot dog place, so you can order food and it will be delivered. How cool is that? Cocktails run about $ 15.

Very cool little speakeasy in the L.E.S. You enter into Crif Dogs (sad I didn’t get one) and use the red phone in the phone booth to the left to call granted you know the «secret» code. They were booked up for the night so we left our number in hopes of a cancellation and grabbed a drink next door. After waiting for about a half hour, we got a call that we’d be able to get in and have a table for about 45 minutes. Already feeling invested after we waited just to go to this place, our group of five obliged.
The interior is dark and the walls are covered with various taxidermy. We opted for tots for the table and drinks all around. I got the Paddington which was named after the taxidermied bear with the driver’s hat overlooking the bar. I enjoyed it, but didn’t feel like it was worth my $ 15. I dug the shattered glass walls in the bathroom. Service was fine. We were told that the group who reserved our table cancelled also and we could stay longer but we chose not to. Cool concept and I definitely would recommend it to check out if you’re in the area though I don’t think I would return.

Please Don’t Tell is the most well-​known Speak Easy in Manhattan. It is pretty hyped up, especially after being featured on Anthony Bourdain. If you haven’t heard of it, it is basically a small prohibition-​themed bar that’s hidden behind a phone-​booth in a hot dog restaurant
The speakeasy is small and packed so the only way to get in is through a reservation. I was able to make a reservation for a party of 2 on a Wednesday night by calling the number 46 times in a row right when the reservations open at 3pm. It took about 15 minutes but I was able to get through.
The entrance in the phone booth to get inside seems to be the most unique part about Please Don’t Tell. It has great drinks and atmosphere, but everything else was similar to all other nice speak easies in New York. Atmosphere is cozy and dimly lit. It’s hard to differentiate the drinks between the various speakeasies, but the bartender was nice enough to offer drinks suggestions depending on our mood. I tried a sweet mango drink, and also a bacon style old-​fashioned and both were great.
One of the perks of Please Don’t Tell is that you can also order the Crif Dogs (also featured on Anthony Bourdain). Me and my friend ordered two crif dogs (kimchi dog and Spicy redneck) — but it took a while to come out.
It’s a fun concept with awesome vibe and drinks. Although a little overhyped, you feel part of an exclusive club by going through a telephone booth and into a bar. I definitely recommend checking it out once in New York, as it is definitely a «bucket list» item, but don’t waste your time waiting 1.5 — 2 hours in line because they are plenty of other speak easies in the area.

I am a sucker for a speak easy and this place is the definition of the whole experience! The m phone booth really adds to the experience. Normal priced drinks for a place like this. The hostess or the guy that answers the phone was the cutest thing. Service was great. The only reason it isn’t 5 stars is because I have seen more inventive cocktail menus at other places. Definitely a place we had to check out while in New York and worth it!

If I could give this 3.5, I would, but hey I’m feeling generous and Unilocal’s scoring system can’t handle halfsies. Overall, this place is 80 percent hype and 20 percent overpriced drinks. The drinks are well executed variations on traditional cocktails, but nothing out of the box.
Location (⁴⁄₅):
It’s inside a hot dog joint with a giant hot dog sign that says «eat me» outside. The actual speakeasy is behind a phone booth in the restaurant. You call them on the phone and they will open the door. Gimmicky? Yes, but can you even be a speakeasy without the gimmick?
We called at 3pm to make a reservation so we didn’t have to wait to get in when we showed up at 11pm. Definitely try to call ahead if you can because a lot of people got turned away because PDT was full. They might not answer the first few times, but keep trying (you’ll feel like lucky caller #100 when you finally get through!).
Service (⁴⁄₅):
The host and server were very nice and attentive. They would promptly come over whenever we needed them, but they didn’t hover unnecessarily, which I appreciate. They never came over to ask how we liked our drinks though so I never had a chance to tell them how under impressed I was with the drinks.
Drinks (³⁄₅):
–The Paddington: the absinthe in it makes it taste like a tart concoction with an aftertaste of gasoline. Yum!
–The Old Fashioned: this bacon infused drink was definitely my favorite of the night. You can definitely detect the maple smoked bacon flavor underneath the bourbon when you take a good whiff of the drink. Very delicious.
–We had two other drinks that were just pretty good, but I can’t remember the names now.
–Overall the drinks were perfectly decent, but nothing mind blowing given the amount of hype around this place.
Value (²⁄₅):
–All the drinks are $ 15, which I guess isn’t terrible for nyc, but still they were too expensive for how ordinary the drinks are.

Unfortunately, this review will not be about my experience with the drinks or food, but with how the process at the door went last night.
We were told that the wait time was one and half hours. I said ok. The doorman keep asking was «I really willing to wait a hour and half, because if I wasn’t don’t add my name to list because of the impact on others wait times.» I kept repeating, add my name to the list. I told the doorman that we would hangout in the area and come back when I got the call that a table was available. I literally had to argue with him to get my name on the list. I should’ve taken this as a red flag!
About an hour or so later we got the call that a table was available and did we still want the table. I explained to the doorman that we were in the middle of a drink at Death & Co (which was amazing!). I asked could we have 20 mins to finish our drink, pay the bill and walk over. He said that he could not hold a table for 20 mins but would give us 15 mins to arrive. I said no problem, we would try to make it in time.
We did not finish our drinks at Death & Co (mistake) to make it to PDT within the 15 mins window. When we arrived the doorman told me the table was not ready yet! WTF! I was livid! He rushed us to get there and the table wasn’t ready! He threaten to give the table away and it wasn’t even available??? He told us it would be a few more minutes as the table was in the process of paying?
We waited another 10 – 15 minutes, then he came out to tell me that the table was no longer available at this time because the people at the table decided to stay and order another drink! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! I tried to get an explanation from him on why would he call state that the table was available and pressure us to make it in 15 mins or less for a table that was never open. I explained to him that I’ve never had this happen at some of the best cocktail places in the city (Raines Law Room, Dear Irving, Death & Co, Attaboy, Nitecap, etc). Anytime I’ve gotten the call at these places when we come back within the timeframe allowed we are sat immediately! He never apologized. I as I could to ask about when we would be sitting, he keep threatening to close the door now in my face! I was in shock. I couldn’t believe how rude he was, especially since there are so many amazing cocktail places in NYC! As I walked off, he slammed the door shut!
I’m very disappointed bc I was really looking forward to trying the drinks here! I know this place is hot, but it’s no excuse to treat people any kind of way and to be rude. I’ve seen many of places fall because of this type of rude and ignorant service issues.

Finally got to visit this spot… there is always a wait (1hr) so plan to walk around or eat a snack somewhere else while you wait. If you have 4 people you can get a booth, otherwise you will likely be seated at the bar.
The secret entrance is through a phone booth, not really a secret anymore, but if you have friends from out of town, they will def. be surprised.
Drinks are strong and well made. You can order some special hotdogs from Crif, but I didn’t find them all that special (good, but nothing wow).
Overall, great service and good drinks, very laid back atmosphere.

They take phone reservations starting at 3pm, day of. If you don’t have the foresight to call beforehand, do what we did and check in before dinner. It’s usually a 1.5−2hr wait, so it works out well.
Inside is super empty. They only allow as many people in as there are seats and there are very few seats. There’s plenty of standing room, but nobody stands. It’s really quiet and dark and the vibe is pretty sad. Drinks were strong but not incredibly unique. I honestly don’t see what all the fuss is about.

The drinks are really good here and you can tell they put a lot of effort into it. Would recommend trying to come by.
The whole calling in thing to set a reservation is annoying, but understandable to build hype.
Was walking by and thought me and my friend would just pop in and put down our reservation since the line was busy though (as usual.) Dude inside dickishly told us that it’s «PHONE ONLY» though. Went outside and called again and they picked up and we put down the reservation…
The whole speakeasy thing walks the line between über pretentious and cool. This place teeters on the edge.

This place is a really awesome speakeasy on St. Mark’s Place. It actually is located in Grif dogs where you have to go through a payphone booth and pick up a phone and walk into the speakeasy that way.
The atmosphere is really cool inside it is dark and intimate and a great spot for a date. They have a variety of different drinks to choose from. They also have a cocktail book that you can specifically ask for that lists so many more assortments of drinks. Not many people know about this book so if you’re really interested in trying new and unique concoctions you should ask for it.
The service is great and the waitstaff really knows what they’re talking about when they’re talking about the drinks. They also make great recommendations. The place never gets overly packed so they are attentive to your needs.
The only thing about this place that I would complain about is the fact that it takes so long to get a reservation here. The first time I went here on a Friday night we I had to call at 3 PM on the dot as soon as they Open up the phone lines to take reservations to make a one for later that night. The other time I went was on a Monday night and we had to get there at 6 PM exactly when it opens to get in. It’s just too much unnecessary effort. They also keep you waiting outside for quite a while even though you have reservations before letting you come inside. Other than that it’s a really fun place and definitely worth trying

Please Don’t Tell has a very cool vibe. It’s inside the famous hot dog joint, Crif Dog. There’s a phone booth inside you call to make a reservation or you can call ahead to reserve your spot. Once you enter through the phone booth, you’re in a different world. Crif Dog is very casual, but Please Don’t Tell (PDT) is a dark, chic speakeasy.
My friends and I were seated at a booth and our server instantly came over to welcome us. We each ordered a drink and enjoyed it. They have something for every palate. I couldn’t decide so our server made me a sweeter drink off menu. All cocktails are $ 15.
The best thing about PDT is that they serve Crif Dog’s full menu granting you permission to enjoy a hot dog with your fancy cocktail. I ordered the 2Pak Dog and it was AMAZING! Order two to fill one person up.
Also, be sure to use the restrooms while here and take a few photos of your reflection in the cracked wall mirror. It’s very Instagram worthy!

Super cool place! I came here on a Tuesday for a party of two and apparently there wasn’t too much of a wait (I didn’t go inside the phone booth to make the call), but we must have waited about 20 min before entering Crif Dogs and into the phone booth to go to this dark and intimate place. Don’t we all love to believe a little magic? It all felt very Whovian to me.
The cocktails were delicious and very polished (only adjective I could think of describing them). They go down smooth, and they aren’t too much of any particular flavor. I tasted about three, but ordered one: the Mezcal Mule. If I wanted more drinks I would have ordered the jasmine cocktail (forget the name), but basically you can’t go wrong here judging by the drink menu (also I think the cocktail menu for drinks changes — so it might not be the same menu if you venture here).
That hot dog was amazing! They are after all located inside of a hot dog place. I got the one the bartender recommended which was the Chang dog with the kimchi (I mean I wish I could have ordered them all!)
Service was good. I think they got a bit antsy when we stopped ordering drinks and food — and sure enough as soon as we left, many more people came in to the phone booth

They do same day reservations here. Definitely get a reservation because the wait can be hours long.
Cool concept, chill vibes. Dark and intimate space inside: good for dates or to grab drinks with friends.
However, the drinks were average. They have some really innovative flavors here, but go with the classic flavors! I would recommend anything fruity. I tried the rice milk & honey (horchata inspired) and that was a bit overpowering. My friend ordered the red velvet and please do yourself a favor and don’t order that one!
I think I would come back to give the other drinks a chance because the place itself is very cool.

I’m not going to tell you to not go here, I am telling you to at least experience it once. There’s at least one hour wait if you try to go here any day of the week, obviously Friday and Saturday night are the worst.
You’re best best is to limit your group size to a max of three so you can walk-​in and leave your name since usually they will seat those with reservation first, then walk-​in. If you have group more than three, highly recommend to make reservation by phone, after 3PM.
Space is very limited and it’s very small so if you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to wait, I don’t think that you’re going to enjoy the experience.
The drinks are good, all of them are $ 15, however if you add the wait. it will make you feel it’s not worth it and don’t want to come back. It almost feels like, you can get better drinks with less wait, like Death & Co or NiteCap.
Try it once and see for yourself.

YEEESS! Ahhhh, it feels so good to finally be able to step inside PDT. My friend was able to score a table of 5 at 11:30pm on a Tuesday. Tuesday night drinking you say? Why yes, if that is what it takes to get to experience this speakeasy at least once in my life!
First thing I notice: The telephone booth is really small. I actually wonder how the more circular folk get in. I’m pretty thin, and I still felt a little claustrophobic for the 3 seconds that I was in no mans land (from Crifs into PDT). Also, the whole «secret telephone booth» is kind of dead. We waited a little bit at Crifs for our table to be cleared, and there were people going in and out the entire time, the hostess was coming out to grab guests, and it never looked not busy. I’m sure it would have been different at 4pm before PDT opened.
Service: (5 stars) Our waitress was unbelievably warm and awesome. She gave a great quick description of the more popular menu items and it was incredibly helpful. The menu was a little intense at first glance, but after a few items she listed off I knew what I wanted to get. **Don’t be shy to say what you’re in the mood for… it beats spending time reading the entire menu!
Tip: Can’t bring outside drinks into the speakeasy (aka beers you buy at Crifs)
Witch’s Kiss (5 stars) — The first drink of the night was a spicy apple/​cinnamon/​grapefruit seasonal «margarita”-like concoction. Is this the worst description ever? Yes. I am so sorry bartender for butchering whatever this drink is made of. It is the perfect feel good drink, and while it might not look as picture-​perfect as other drinks on the menu, it was the best drink of the table (if I do say so myself). It felt like a heavier marg with tequila and had delicate notes of grapefruit which made it sweet but also slightly bitter. I would definitely order again.
Cranberry Cobbler (2 stars) — Okay… harsh? Yes, honestly, it tasted like cranberry vodka. «Fancy» cranberry vodka because this did look picture-​esque unlike the witch’s kiss and it was much more costly than a cranberry well drink during freshman college days. If you’re a fan of cranberry cocktails, this would be ideal for you… but for me it just wasn’t worth it and there was too much ice! By the time I got halfway down my drink, it was watered down. I would go for a more intricate cocktail if you’re shelving the $$$.
Overall: Will I be back to PDT? Probably not (mainly because I refuse to go through the hassle that is calling in at 3pm) but I am still desperately needing to try one of their hot dogs at least once. I was at an event earlier with free food, but next time I’m in the St. Marks area, I’m going to get a hot dog!

Conceptually, this is a place that really stands out. It’s worth coming to once, and have the experience and laughs. I did not eat any of the food, but it seems youre gonna pay about $ 15 and up for pretty much everything. maybe $ 9 for fries. Anyway, the drinks are beyond creative, some even combine some of the stouts and liquors they have. if youre a fan of budweiser or blue moon, this isnt the place for you.
Just a heads up, the place has unique hours, such as opening 6PM on Sunday – get here a few mins before and line up right in front of the phone booth. I was lucky enough to jump in line and be the first on the list. AND YES THEY TAKE RESERVATIONS. i did not know that! Even on a sunday evening, the place was 95% packed by 6:30.
So yeah, the place is small, narrow, dark, intimate and quiet for the most part. what youve heard is right, you go into a small wooden phone booth, press the #1 and wait to be brought in. Service was alright. However, i sat at the bar. Another thing – even if youre sitting at the bar, you dont pick your seat, you are seated in a specifc spot. The bathrooms are small but something in itself to look at. Love the décor and broken glass on the walls in there.
Come here for a drink at least once, its worth it!

I wasn’t sure if Please Don’t Tell would live up to the hype (and I still don’t know if it does) but I ended up having a very nice time here. Ironically, it’s one of the more «famous» speakeasies in the city. The place is super classy/​intimate/​small (as it should be) and they have a huge selection of beautifully unique, mixed-​to-​perfection cocktails to chose from.
Our bartender was phenomenal. She didn’t just make these drinks — she put every ounce of her being into these drinks. The service was the best, it is obvious that they all take pride in what they do. Furthermore, no one there was pretentious AT ALL which I was wary of considering all the hype and the fact that people apparently travel from all over and wait absurd amounts of time to come here.
Getting into this place on a regular basis is crazy although I’m not sure if it was more insane because we went Saturday, the day before Valentine’s Day. Reservations were full for the day when we called at 4pm (they start taking them at 3pm) so we went a little before they opened at 6 and there was already a line (they take walk ins at the bar). Thankfully, once we got to the telephone booth, we only had to wait 5 minutes or so before they were able to accommodate us. The host at the door taking names/​reservations/​seating people was excellent, efficient and although he was a smaller, younger guy, he was better at controlling the crowd than any other host/​bouncer I’ve ever seen. EVER.
As everyone already knows, the entrance is inside of Crif Dogs through a telephone booth which is obviously cool but the girl working at Crifs was ~constantly~ shouting that if you’re waiting for PDT to form a line going out the door. Which makes sense because the space is ~extremely~ small and the line was blocking the walkway to the counter (aka fire hazard) BUT this also took away a lot of PDT’s «speakeasy» appeal. There must be some connection between the two businesses because they serve Crif’s food inside of PDT as well. I regretfully didn’t try a hotdog but the tater tots with cheese and pickled jalapeños were MOUTHWATERING (and I am in no way a tater tots kinda person).
After all the hassle, I did end up loving PDT and do hope I find myself here again. HOWEVER, I don’t know if I genuinely enjoyed it solely because of what the place had to offer or if part of me was just caught up in the excitement of it all. I don’t know if I would’ve been as happy if we had to wait longer than 5 minutes (which is normally the case, I think we just got lucky). The only truly unique aspect of PDT is the entrance, everything else is just like a normal NYC speakeasy/​lounge/​cocktail bar in terms of quality, pricing, service, and ambiance. Regardless, they attract a ton of people and it’s definitely a great bar experience.

Please dont tell is the third best bar experience in the area (per my hubbie and my exploration of the area) but THE SECOND BEST ONE for quality cocktails.
You enter the hotdog spot, pick the phone, dial 1 and get ur reservations. Pretty cool. Wait time was 45 mins. We utilized the time to explore caracas arepa bar (pls check my review for this amazing gem). When we came back, warm welcome. Dark, lil, cozy seating. We sat at the bar. I got old fashioned bourborn and my husband got absinthe cocktail. Loved both our drinks. These guys are magicians. Quite skilled. You can get a hotdog in here as well but I wanted to look at the extended menu outside. We had the avocado veggie hotdog. Good. Overall great cocktails, worth a try def.
Tips: Must try cocktails esp absinthe cocktail. Great place for friends to hang out with.

So after hearing about this place it has been on my list of to do’s. The hype surrounding it far outweighs it’s actual delivery. Unfortunately it was not what I expected.
This review is in no way a reflection of the staff. The host was extremely nice and accommodating as well as our bartender. The bartender was very professional and engaging and the drinks were delicious. They take pride in the products they serve and it’s nice to see a visually attractive beverage that tastes as good as it looks. The drinks are 15 bucks which in all reality isn’t bad because the bartenders take their time in making them and they are made perfectly.
The problem I have with this place is it has no feel of authenticity. You enter through the phone booth and then you are just in another Nyc bar. Nothing sets it apart. It’s cramped and there is nothing to look at that makes you feel as though you are in a speakeasy. There is no flare or pop. The vibe I got from the rest of the customers was kind of snobby. As if everyone felt that they were exclusive just because they were able to get in. This was apparent as we were waiting on line and I asked a young woman if she was on the line for hotdogs or the bar and she just looked at me and rolled her eyes.
Another negative is that you wait in the hot dog store to get to the booth. It’s cramped and there is a ton of young kids in there yakking loudly and being typical drunken annoyances. It takes all the character away from the place.
In conclusion PDT has delicious beverages. Other than that it is not entertaining at all and has no real flare. When you make a place like that you want to immerse your customer in the theme you are trying to convey. PDT falls short. We went to McSorleys after and that place delivers. It’s an old Irish pub through and through. You come to eat drink and be merry and from the minute you walk in the door you just get sucked in to that place. You really feel as though your back in an old pub. I won’t be going back to PDT not because it’s a bad place, just because there is nothing there that draws me back. Nothing happened to warrant a memorable experience.
Thanks to the staff there though, you guys do great

Worth the wait to get in! The beverage selection was on point.

From the unique «secret» phone booth entry way to the amazing cocktails and gourmet hot dogs (and other bar food) conceived by some of NYC’s hottest chefs, it’s no wonder this place consistently gets listed as not only one of the best bars in NYC but also the entire world. I’ve been here twice now and both times have been great. The mixologists are fantastic and provide you with help in picking out the right cocktail you’re in the mood for. I’ve never gotten a pretentious or snobby vibe from any of them. The house cocktails have always been on point and they aren’t too expensive for NYC ($ 15 each). The food is also great, I recently had a Chang dog, created by David Chang of Momofuku as well as a 2Pok dog by Andy Ricker of Pok Pok. The latter being probably the best hot dog I’ve had in my entire life. I love how this place has a limit on customers, it helps keep the vibe very very chill and relaxing, however, if you don’t make a reservation beforehand I would suggest arriving about 15 minutes before they open to get a good seat, especially if it is on the weekend. Keep in mind this place is very tiny, I wouldn’t recommend it for large groups of people. Please Don’t Tell is a must try if you are visiting NYC or if you are a local and haven’t been yet. One of the hidden gems of the city.

Wooohooo!
Please Don’t Tell is probably one of the most popular speakeasies in NYC, but please don’t tell anyone! ;)
Even though it’s extremely popular, it is possible to get a reservation and experience some of the best cocktails in the Big Apple.
Going through the telephone booth, dialing a number, giving your name, being let in, eeee, you can say whatever you want but I LOVED IT! :D
The bar itself is very small, but because it’s per reservation only, the extremely skilled door man manages to really keep it quiet and intimate.
I was fascinated by the very inventive take on Gin and Tonic, inspired by The Star Wars and encouraged by Jimmy Fallon himself. How cool is that!
As a Polish, I had to polish my Polish and I did try the Zubrowka cocktail, but sadly, it wasn’t really great.
The highlight of the evening was definitely their version of Margarita, perfect combination of sour and sweet!
Would recommend to every adventurous drinker!

Love this bar and the food. However, the hostess was awful. Be wary of her. Yelled at me for picking up the phone (which I was told you were supposed to do), then yelled at me for not having the number of people on my reservation. I explained that we had lost a few people, she told me I should’ve called, I explained I tried calling multiple times, then she yelled at me that she was busy and can’t always answer every phone call… Let that exchange sink in for a sec…
Beyond that — really enjoyed it. A little over hyped but very cool spot. Good cocktails, bartender was cool. food was delicious. And can’t deny that the phonebooth entrance is awesome. It’s just the hostess on the other side of it that is kinda heinous.

It’s hard to get to, but not really, especially since it seems like the line to get in gets super crowded as the night wears on and then if you try to call on a regular phone you’ll be put on hold for 20 minutes or more if you don’t hang up first. I’m not saying that the cocktails aren’t delicious, they are. The ambiance is pretty cool, sitting next to taxidermy is fun until you keep getting scratched by the bear claws since the stool is seated right near the bar. The bartenders though were friendly and unpretentious which makes it easy to forget the hoops you go through.
However, waiting two hours after being told 90 minutes but told to ‘stay close’ was more than a little annoying. I can say that I’ve been there and that it was fine but after the hassle of getting in it’s okay. If you’re going to entertain guests from out of town it will be fun and they’ll talk about it for weeks so I guess that’s a plus.

Great place, and so happy I booked a table here. Had my birthday drinks and spent quite a while trying to get through to make the reservation.
The table was booked and we arranged for everybody to meet at the bar next door before heading inside. The telephone booth entrance was a great idea but they do open it a little too readily. We got inside and were shown to our table, at one end of the room, which thankfully was not the busy area, we therefore didn’t get bumped around by people coming in and out.
Drinks were ordered and were really good, standard pricing for the area and more and more were ordered. The décor inside was pretty straightforward.
Glad we booked as there were plenty of people trying to get some space for a drink that evening.

Ah the great PDT, the place where if you don’t get a reservation you are 99% likely NOT to be seated. And in order to get a reservation, you need to call on the day of (and only on the day of) at 3pm is when the phone line opens, and you keep calling and fighting the busy tone until/​if you get through and reserve for whatever party size you have. I think the largest they do is 8 but that probably fills up instantly especially since there are about 20 people total that fit in the place.
The location itself is the bar located inside Crif Dogs, and you go to the red phone booth and dial 1 (if i recall correctly) then the hostess shows up and you enter. Drinkwise the menu is all $ 15 cocktails which is fairly standard pricing vs other speakeasies like Raines and Angel Share. I had the Mezcal Mule and that was pretty good, it doesn’t taste at all like a Moscow Mule just FYI and I know it is a different twist on it, it was still good. I don’t remember the names of the other drinks we got but we did get a Chang dog. I’m a big fan of David Chang and the Chang dog it seems is a collab (with Momofuku Kimchi) and that was delish. It has a really good smoky flavor if you like that.
The décor on the outside, the phone booth entrance is much cooler than what is on the inside. The inside is pretty much a typical bar setup and some other tables on the side. The bartender is very attentive and nice as well.

PDT is still nailing cocktails, but they hired a server who’s about 95% Luna Lovegood and 5% Bellatrix LeStrange and it was real weird. She got our drink orders correct but delivered them to the wrong people (twice), kept touching our friend, came to our table about 3 times to ask about our first round of drinks within 5 minutes of getting them, and almost got our food order wrong (she repeated the order back 3 times and got ¹⁄₃ right). I like to be left alone when I’m hanging out with my friends and it was almost as if she was trying everything she could so that we didn’t have a moment to ourselves.
Sit at the bar!

I finally got a chance to check out Please Don’t Tell («PDT») this past Wednesday night. PDT is one of the most famous and beloved speakeasy bars in New York City and for good reason.
First off, it’s not your typical bar. You walk into Crif Dogs (a fancy, dare I say gourmet, hot dog eatery) in the East Village and to your left sits a phone booth. It’s the type of walk in phone booth that Clark Kent ducks into before changing into Superman. Inside this mystery phone booth is the legendary red rotary phone. You dial 1 and within seconds a magical door appears with a hostess waiting to seat you. I didn’t have a reservation so I dialed the phone with some trepidation fearing a typical two hour wait, but much to my surprise, the lovely hostess said there just happened to be a seat open at the bar and walked me right in.
The room is tiny! But to me, that’s cool. If I want to drink at a crowded bar there are thousands to choose from in the city. No, I wanted to experience something more unique. PDT did not disappoint. I sat at the small bar, which sits about six or seven people. There are also several small tables near the phone booth entrance that were all full. I was immediately greeted by a friendly bartender who handed me a menu of their amazing cocktails.
After flipping through several pages of the drinks menu (cocktails priced around $ 15), I settled on the Even Hada made up of NY Distilling Ragtime Rye (I love my whisky), Nonino Amaro (no idea what this is), Physical Graffitea Apricot Tea (this is the ingredient that caught my eye), and Mandarine Napolean (again, no clue what this is). After a few minutes, my drink came out and I was surprised to see steam coming out of it. It was very hot. Huh? I re-​read the menu and this time paid closer attention to the description, which said it was a blood orange and plum accented toddy. Ok, so my fault. I was hesitant at first but the drink was delicious. I really enjoyed it. The people next to me all commented on my cocktail and later ordered one themselves.
I was chatting with the bartender and asked him what the most famous cocktail on the menu was and he immediately said the Benton’s Old Fashion. PDT’s menu changes quite often, but the Benton’s Old Fashion is one of a handful of drinks that’s always on the menu. It’s made of Bacon Infused Four Roses Bourbon (the bacon infusion is done by the PDT bartenders), Grade B Maple Syrup, and Angostura Bitters. They had me at bacon. The drink was delicious.
Another bonus is that you can actually order a selection of Crif Dogs from inside PDT. I liked the symbiotic relationship between the two establishments.
PDT is not made designed for large groups of people. But if you want to get a great cocktail with a friend in one of the coolest bars in NYC, head over to Crif Dogs, duck into the phone booth, dial 1, and enjoy!

I took friends here who were visiting from the UK. Everyone loved it. The entrance is very novelty and fun and makes the visit an experience.
There is a large variety of cocktails on the menu and we also got some food for the table. I wasn’t a huge fan of the food (it comes from the hotdog shop next door), it wasn’t the best quality. They could definitely improve on the food, they need more sophisticated options to match the ambience of the bar and better quality.
The bar is dimly lit and intimate and full of taxidermy, it has a classic speakeasy feel.
I would recommend booking as groups are not allowed to sit at the bar as a walk-​in and you have to reserve a table/​booth. The place isn’t huge and I assume they don’t want it to feel packed.
It isn’t the sort of bar you would frequent regularly but it is great if you have visitors as a bit of surprise. (Unless there is a line, which kind of gives it away!).

PDT– I promise to be quiet. This place has been on my bucket list and I’m glad that it has been checked off.
Good things to know
1– Small groups (3 or less) are generally seated at the bar. If you want a table, it’s usually 4 or more. If you are planning ahead, you could call and get a reservation.
2– It’s a classy/​chill atmosphere. The drinks are made well and quite delicious. It’s going to cost ya $ 15 a drink so just be prepared. It’s a great place for a date.
3– The hots dog and food are made next door. It’s pricier at PDT. If you are really hungry, you are better off eating at crif dogs (more economical options). Otherwise, ordering dogs or snacks at PDT is fine.
4– The restroom doors slide. Otherwise, you are going to standing there awkwardly waiting.
The service was great. It’s great place to experience at least once.

I had a good night of fun at the PDT. But I paid the bill, and yes it was expensive. Even more than usual in NY. No other «drawback» in my opinion.
Yes, the place is fun to get in, and real good for a date once inside.
Had the occasion to drink a wonderful Japanese whiskey and that was a discovery which I still hold dear to this day.

This place was on my friends «to-​do list» while we were in NY earlier this week and so we hit it up… we got in without wait so I guess that was the only good thing.
The whole phonebooth thing inside the hot dog joint I get, obviously it’s a speakeasy but the rules on the wall I found hilarious and I don’t think they were meant as a joke. The hostess; some short curly-​haired chick was pretty rude and uninviting.
The drinks– we were a group of four and we all got something different. They were all pretty below par and mine had a bug in it and was still charged for it.
2 words.
NOT IMPRESSED

Tips/​notes:
–MAKE RESERVATIONS. It starts at 3 pm and just keep redialing until you get through.
–Enter through Crif’s dogs and you enter through some phone booth.
–Would not recommend for large parties. Super small and dark inside.
–Drinks were decent. I had some bacon old-​fashioned, but did not taste the bacon flavor at all, but drink was good nonetheless.
–Animal heads all around as décor. PETA lovers not advised to come here.
–Overall experience was whatever. The bar equivalent of Shake Shack… kind of just something you have to try, but not really anything «wow».

Let’s get it out of the way: yes, this is novel. Solution: Go super late, as any good bar should be properly attended. 2:45AM till close (on a Sunday) was the sweet spot.
Unlike Employees Only, I was not impressed by just the atmosphere. Please Don’t Tell’s cocktails were remarkably memorable. Some of the more experimental concoctions here were unlike anything I’ve ever had, while still managing a bafflingly high level of refinement.
This place will satisfy your most touristy of impulses and your most demanding of sensibilities, simultaneously. I cannot wait to pay PDT another long late Sunday night visit.

Ok, this place is pretty touristy… but still one of the most iconic speakeasies in the city. I give this place 5 stars, because it’s still a place I tend to take out-​of-​towners when they visit.
Some people may be annoyed at the reservation system, but I am actually a fan of it. As already mentioned at length in other reviews, the joint only accepts same day reservations, which opens at 3PM each day by phone. You’ll often get a busy signal, but if you keep dialing you’ll eventually get a person — I don’t think I’ve ever had to dial more than 15 minutes (although one time I did dial over 40x haha). The advantage of their strict reservation system is that the place is never overcrowded. This helps greatly in terms of ambiance, noise level, and service.
The drinks are always on point here, and the mixologists are top notch. Service has always been excellent as well. One time I was chatting with my server about how I had seen Jeff Bell doing a short residency at Ounce (a cocktail bar) in Taipei that I had just recently visited. Apparently the server told Jeff (who was working behind the counter that day); and even though it was real busy, Jeff Bell actually came out to say hi and talk to us for a bit — super nice guy, and that’s the type of friendly service I’ve always gotten here. The hostess is also a champ too — she’s always friendly despite the buzzer going off every ten minutes haha.
Food is available from Crif Dogs next door, and for me I usually like to get some tator tots to munch on. Cocktail prices are usually $ 15, which is in line with what most other places in the city charge.
Would I come here on my own with other locals? Probably not… but I’d still recommend this as the speakeasy to go to if it’s your first time visiting the city, and that’s why I still give it 5 stars.

As a speakeasy fan, a visit to this place was inevitable. Yes this is probably the most overhyped speakeasy ever, but I still really enjoyed the experience.
Got a reservation for 6 at midnight after I called starting at 3 pm same day. Took 15 minutes of intense redialing to get through-​their telephone lines must never stop ringing once 3 pm rolls around. In classic overbooked fashion, they delayed our reservation by 20 minutes. When we finally got in though, they remedied this by offering us free tater tots and waffle fries, which were DELICIOUS. I really appreciated this gesture-​restaurants/​bars who do this win major points in my book.
Getting into the place was fun but sooooo overly hyped up. Yes the telephone booth inside the hot dog shop is a fun concept, but it’s definitely not super magical.
In terms of the drinks themselves, they were very strong but tasty. I got the Paddington, which was fruity and smooth. I didn’t really think it was super unique or anything though. Didn’t really rise up to the standard of my all-​time favorite speakeasy nearby: Angel’s Share.
Overall, really glad I finally tried this place. It was fun to come here with a group of 6 because we got to sit in a half oval type booth, which made it really easy to talk. I would definitely recommend trying this place at least once and then maybe bringing unsuspecting friends here from time to time.

I finally made it to PDT after wanting to check it out for years! A friend’s friend invited and I was able to stop by on a Saturday night and had couple rounds of drinks. And I gotta say, I was not impressed at all.
The place is just too old, dark, dirty, and small, and the drinks weren’t any special at all. The supply of speakeasy in NYC right now is super high, so there are plenty of other places to grab a good cocktail at.
PDT is not cool anymore, I rather enjoy a good hotdog outside than going in for a drink.

Is this place still a speakeasy if the whole world knows about it? I can’t believe I never wrote a review on this place! If you plan on coming here on a Friday or a Saturday night, seriously call and make reservations. Start calling at 3pm and keep calling until you get through! Don’t give up! I was lucky to snag the last time slot at 3:45 on Friday for 11pm which was perfect for me.
Upon entering the bar, it kind of smelled like a bathroom so it kinda put me off but it faded away after a couple minutes. Per my co-worker’s suggestion and my bf’s hungry stomach, we ordered some hot dogs that they serve from next door. However, these hot dogs are exclusive to PDT. I forgot what my bf got drink wise (some Japanese one from the menu) but I got a mix on the gin & tonic. They added all these cool ingredients like cucumber to make the drink even more crisp and sweet. Very well done. I suggest people to do the same and ask for a variation on your favorite bar drink.
Hot dogs were so good! We got the first one and the second one – I definitely recommend the first one. The kimchi one is good but may not be what everyone likes because of the sourness. Hot dogs are pretty small but worth it so don’t be afraid to order two or more! Service is also great here and I’ve heard people say negative things about the girl waitress but she was fine to me so idk what people meant :(You absolutely must try this place out if you have time! Plus, for the price of drinks in NYC, this place is very affordable!

Please Don’t Tell, el famoso bar ubicado detrás de la cabina de teléfono de Crif Dogs en St. Marks Place, es uno de los bares de cocktails mas famosos del mundo. Probablemente un 25% overhypeado, es chico, y suele ser muy dificil entrar sin reservas. Si tenés suerte, puede ser que en la cabina te de la bienvenida Santi, la hostess mas amable que podés llegar a encontrar en el bar (cuando ella no está… buena suerte). Es un clásico que hay que visitar, pero es uno de los que menos visito cuando voy. El dueño del bar editó hace unos años un libro sobre cocktelería que tiene una edición preciosa, y que es difícil conseguir en otro lugar que no sea el bar. No es tan caro como souvenir, y siempre es mas elegante comprar el libro que intentar robarte una carta de tragos.

Para los viajeros a NYC quienes quieren disfrutar un lugar único, hay que ir a este bar «speakeasy» escondido adentro un puesto de dogos. Busca el dogo marcado «EAT ME» y entras a Crif’s. Buscas el telefono al lado izquierdo y tocas para entrar.
PDT es un bar con tragos excelentes (casi sin rival por todo EUA) y un ambiente muy intimo. Durante cada visita sentía muy feliz por venir y mostrar a mis amigos este tesoro verdadero de NYC.
1. Reservaciones son OBLIGATORIOS. Necesitas marcar a los 3:00 en punto el día querido para reservar tu mesa. Varios intentos son a veces necesarios para conseguir la mesera/​hostess (pero totalmente vale la pena). PDT 100% merece su fama!
2. Hay que ser puntual! Se abren a los 6:00 (mientras puedes disfrutar un Crif dogo). A lo mejor hay que venir ~20 minutos~ antes de tu horario elegido. Si vienes tarde hay un alto riesgo se van a ser lleno.
3. Hay que respetar los reglas (no fotos, apagar el celular, no fumar etc. etc.) y dar propina adecuada (minimo 20%) al bartender.
DISFRUTALO!

J’avais longuement rêvé ma visite du PDT, ce petit bijou caché en plein East Village et considéré comme l’un des meilleurs bars au monde.
Inspiré des speakeasy (bars clandestins) de la Prohibition, on y accède par un petit restau de hot dogs situé en «basement» d’un immeuble de ce quartier éloigné de l’agitation touristique et des gratte-​ciels vertigineux.
Une vieille cabine téléphonique vous attend à l’intérieur: entrez-​y, décrochez le téléphone, composez le 1 puis patientez… le mur de la cabine s’ouvre et l’hôtesse du Please Don’t Tell vous accueille !
Il est impératif de réserver afin d’être certain de pouvoir accéder à cet antre de l’excellence en mixologie. Pour cela, appelez le bar dès 15h00, ou bien tentez votre chance directement sur place à vos risques et périls: la liste d’attente est longue !
Pour les voyageurs étrangers, cela se complique un peu car l’hôtesse est sensée vous rappeler sur votre téléphone portable lorsqu’une table se libère (mais elle né peut malheureusement appeler que des numéros américains).
Serviable, prévenante et francophone de surcroît, elle note notre réservation et nous propose de revenir une heure plus tard tenter notre chance.
Après un tour à la découverte du quartier et 20 minutes d’attente supplémentaire, nous accédons enfin à ce magnifique bar très cosy, décoré avec goût à mi-​chemin entre esprit moderne lounge et classicisme.
Installés au bar, nous avons pu apprécier (aussi bien avec les yeux qu’avec les papilles) les délicieuses créations maison, exécutées avec talent par un barman et une barmaid infaillibles.
Impossible de me souvenir des noms ni de tous les ingrédients des cocktails que nous avons bus, mais je crois me souvenir qu’il fut tour à tour question de gin, de Chartreuse, de bourbon infusé au bacon, de rhum infusé au beurre… À chaque fois c’est un régal, tantôt sur des notes classiques, tantôt dans un esprit espiègle et aventureux.
On aimerait y rester toute la nuit, y revenir tous les soirs, mais il faut bien se rendre à l’évidence: il né faut pas abuser des bonnes choses !

Bar caché accessible chez un vendeur de hot-​dog, le Please Don’t Tell est un lieu idéal si vous recherchez branchitude, cocktails délirants, bonne musique et originalité.
Il est préférable de réserver !

«Please don’t tell», ou nom de code: «PDT».
Please don’t tell, c’est la meilleure expérience de notre dernier séjour à New York, en Mai dernier, celle qu’_on raconte à tout le monde_​!
Please don’t tell surfe sur la tendance branchée des bars secrets et cachés, que l’on né découvre que par le bouche à oreille. Cette tendance a fait florès au temps de la prohibition, et la mode actuelle des bars ou restos secrets semble un revival de cette époque.
Please don’t tell, c’est en fait la discrétion assurée.
Leur carte de visite: un carton noir gansé de rouge avec juste le nom du bar et un numéro de téléphone.
Leur site internet est tout aussi discret: une seule page sur fond noir, avec une seule photo, et le même numéro de téléphone pour les réservations. Pas de menu affiché, pas de pricelist, pas de «pour nous contacter», pas de photos de l’ambiance, RIEN !
Tout pour cultiver le mystère d’un lieu rare. Et ça marche !
Notre ami Max, qui distribue des boissons et connait les endroits où il faut être, s’est assuré de la résa. Quant à Peter, le cousin de JeanK, il nous a pressés d’être à l’heure, au risqué de voir notre table disparaitre.
Vite, un taxi, et on arrive à St Marks Place, le quartier où échouaient nombre d’immigrants il y a 150 ans, resté mal famé jusqu’à ce qu’il devienne un nouveau lieu de la branchitude newyorkaise et qui regorge aujourd’hui de restos et bars en tous genres.
Max nous fait entrer dans une échoppe de hot dogs en contrebas de la rue, le Crif Dogs.
(Voir photo ci-​dessous)
Populaire, trèèèèèès américain, et assez quelconque, quand vous attendiez un endroit «select»: plusieurs tables, des pubs de bières, des néons, et un comptoir au fond. A l’extérieur, une ridicule saucisse vous invite «eat me». A noter, quand même, le A affiché en devanture pour signaler l’excellente appréciation des services d’hygièné.
Bref, tu rentres dans la gargotte, sauf qu’à gauche, se trouve une cabine téléphonique. Oui, une cabine téléphonique avec un vieux téléphone à cadran.
Max entre, compose un numéro, et là, miracle, une porte s’ouvre de l’autre côté de la cabine et nous sommes accueillis par une vestale de type asiatique en longue robe blanche, qui nous fait entrer dans le bar à proprement parler.
Superbe !
(Voir photo ci-​dessous)
Un speakeasy hyper cosy, à la lumière très très tamisée s’offre à nous.
4 alvéoles de banquettes, soit 4 tables en tout et pour tout, carrées et destinées à accueillir 8 personnes chacune. Quelques tables de 2 personnes de l’autre côté de l’allée centrale. Et quelques personnes accoudées au grand et long bar au fond. C’est tout !
La déco a la sobriété des années ’50: murs en briquettes, un animal empaillé sur une étagère, et quelques photos de familles bon chic bon genre.
Très chic !
(Voir photo ci-​dessous)
Arrive la carte des cocktails, longue, très longue, et créative, très créative. On né sait que choisir entre le cocktail au concombre, à l’œuf cru, au sirop d’érable, au tabasco, ou au basilic.
La mixologie est presque un art de ce côté de l’Atlantique, et les barmen ont ici un talent débridé et ont créé des boissons très originales.
Chères, certes, dans les 15 $ (ou 10 EUR), mais une expérience unique, car vous né trouverez pas ailleurs de telles mixtures !
La classe !
On se laisse aller, on goûte les verres des uns et des autres, on compare les goûts.
Et qu’est-ce qu’on mange? Ben, des Hot Dogs, pardi ! Mais pas n’importe lesquels !
Les recettes servies ici ont été créées par de vrais Chefs: il y a le sucré-​salé, celui qui est enroulé dans du bacon, le corndog, l’asiatique, etc. Accompagnés de waffle fries dégoulinant de fromage, mmmh !
Très chouette !
Please don’t tell a été noté «Best Little Secret» dans les guides américains en début d’année, et n’est surement plus un secret pour grand monde aujourd’hui. Mais si vous visitez New York, je vous le recommande sans conteste !