You’re standing inside a hot dog joint in the East Village. It smells like grease and snapped casings. Crif Dogs is a local staple, sure, but you aren't here for the Jersey-style franks. Not tonight. You look for the vintage wooden phone booth tucked against the wall. You step inside. You pick up the receiver. You dial a single digit. Suddenly, the back of the phone booth swings open, and you’re ushered into a dim, leather-bound den that feels miles away from the neon lights of St. Marks Place.
This is Please Don’t Tell bar New York City, or PDT as the regulars call it.
It’s been around since 2007. In "bar years," that’s basically a century. Most gimmick spots die out after eighteen months once the Instagram crowd moves on to the next shiny thing, but PDT stayed. Why? Because underneath the "secret" entrance—which, let’s be honest, is the worst-kept secret in Manhattan—there is a level of hospitality and mixology that most places just can't replicate.
The Origin Story of the Phone Booth
Jim Meehan, the founder, didn't just want to build a bar; he wanted to build an experience that felt earned. Back in the mid-2000s, the "speakeasy revival" was just starting to simmer. Milk & Honey had paved the way for serious cocktails, but PDT added a layer of whimsy that felt uniquely New York.
It’s a tiny room. Maybe 45 people can fit if everyone breathes in at the same time. The walls are adorned with taxidermy, and the seating is primarily plush, chocolate-colored leather booths. It’s intimate. It’s dark. It feels like a place where you could discuss a heist or a marriage proposal, and nobody would overhear you.
Honestly, the connection between Crif Dogs and PDT is what makes it work. Brian Shebby and Chris Antista, the owners of Crif Dogs, teamed up with Meehan to create this weird symbiotic relationship. You’re drinking a $20 cocktail crafted with precise ratios and artisanal ice, and you’re eating a deep-fried hot dog wrapped in bacon. It’s high-low culture at its absolute peak.
The Reservation Gauntlet
If you want to get in, you have to play the game. For years, the only way to secure a spot was to call a specific phone number starting at 3:00 PM on the dot. If you called at 3:01 PM, you were probably too late. You’d just hear a busy signal until your thumb got tired.
Nowadays, they’ve moved toward digital platforms like Resy, which has made it slightly more accessible but no less competitive. If you’re a walk-in, your best bet is showing up right when they open or late on a Tuesday. Weekend walk-ins? Forget about it. You’ll be waiting three hours, which is fine if you like hanging out on St. Marks, but less fine if you have a life.
Why the Drinks Actually Matter
A lot of speakeasies focus on the "secret" part and forget to make good drinks. PDT is the opposite. Jim Meehan literally wrote the book on this stuff—The PDT Cocktail Book is essentially a bible for modern bartenders.
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Take the Benton’s Old Fashioned. This drink is legendary. It’s basically the reason "fat-washing" became a thing in bars across the world. Don Lee, one of the original bartenders there, took Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Ham, infused the fat into four roses bourbon, and mixed it with maple syrup and bitters.
It sounds gross. It tastes like a campfire and a dream.
It’s that kind of innovation that keeps Please Don’t Tell bar New York City relevant. They aren't just riding on the coattails of a hidden door. They are constantly iterating. The menu changes seasonally, though they keep the "Hall of Fame" drinks available because people would riot if they took the Benton’s off the list.
Beyond the Bourbon
If you aren't into whiskey, they have drinks that use everything from mezcal to house-made kombucha. The "Shark" is a fan favorite—a refreshing, tropical-leaning drink that usually comes with a little plastic shark garnish. It’s a bit of playfulness in a room that could easily feel too self-serious.
The ice is another thing. You won't find cloudy, half-melted cubes here. They use clear, hand-cut ice. It keeps your drink cold without diluting it into a watery mess in five minutes. It’s a small detail, but it’s the difference between a "cocktail" and a "beverage."
The Etiquette of the Secret Bar
There are rules. Not annoying, "wear a suit" rules, but "don't be a jerk" rules.
- No Flash Photography: It’s a dark bar. If you start popping off flashes for your TikTok, you’re going to get a very polite, very firm talking to from the staff. It ruins the vibe for everyone else.
- Be Patient: The cocktails take time. They are measuring things in quarter-ounces. This isn't a "vodka soda" kind of place where the bartender just splashes rail liquor into a glass.
- The Phone Booth is for Entry: Don't hang out in the phone booth trying to take the perfect selfie while there’s a line of people outside in the cold trying to get in for their reservation.
The service is surprisingly down-to-earth. Despite its fame, the bartenders are usually happy to chat if it isn't slammed. They know their stuff. If you tell them you like gin but hate floral notes, they won't just roll their eyes; they’ll find you something you actually enjoy.
The Crif Dogs Factor
Let's talk about the food again because it's vital.
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You can order food from the bar, and it comes through a small slot from the kitchen next door. There are "PDT exclusive" dogs that you can't get at the regular Crif Dogs counter. The Chang Dog, named after Momofuku’s David Chang, is a deep-fried dog with kimchi. It’s salty, spicy, and cuts through the richness of a spirit-forward cocktail perfectly.
Eating a messy hot dog in a high-end cocktail bar is a quintessential NYC experience. It strips away the pretension. It reminds you that even though you’re drinking out of fancy glassware, you’re still in the East Village.
The Competition
New York is full of hidden bars now. You’ve got Attaboy (the successor to Milk & Honey), Death & Co, and Employees Only. Each has its own flavor. Death & Co is more gothic and intense. Employees Only is a party.
PDT occupies the middle ground. It’s sophisticated but fun. It’s a "destination" bar, the kind of place you take someone who is visiting the city for the first time to blow their mind. But it’s also a place where locals still go because the drinks are consistently top-tier.
Managing Expectations in 2026
Is it still "cool"?
Coolness is subjective. If you’re looking for the absolute cutting edge of the underground scene, a place that’s been featured in every travel guide for fifteen years might not feel "underground" to you. Everyone knows about the phone booth.
But "cool" and "good" are two different things. PDT is objectively good.
The lighting is still perfect. The acoustics are designed so you can actually hear your date speak. The air conditioning actually works (a miracle in the East Village). It’s a well-oiled machine.
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One thing to note: it is expensive. Expect to pay $18 to $24 per cocktail. With tax, tip, and a couple of hot dogs, a night for two can easily cross the $150 mark. Is it worth it? For the quality of the ingredients and the sheer "New York-ness" of the evening, most people say yes.
Accessibility and Inclusion
The bar is small, which makes it tough for large groups. If you show up with six people, your chances of getting in are slim to none. It’s a date spot. Or a "two best friends catching up" spot.
They also don't have a strict dress code. You’ll see people in suits next to people in hoodies. As long as you aren't acting like a mess, they don't care what you're wearing. That’s the beauty of the East Village—it’s the great equalizer.
Practical Insights for Your Visit
If you're planning to head to Please Don’t Tell bar New York City, don't just wing it.
- Book Early: Check Resy exactly when the slots open. For weekend spots, this usually means booking a week or more in advance.
- The Late Night Move: If you didn't get a reservation, try swinging by after midnight on a weeknight. The "after-work" crowd has cleared out, and the late-night industry folks haven't quite flooded in yet.
- Order the Tater Tots: Everyone goes for the dogs, but the cheese-smothered tater tots are the unsung heroes of the menu.
- Ask for Recommendations: The menu can be intimidating. If you’re unsure, the "Dealer’s Choice" approach—telling the bartender your base spirit preference and flavor profile—usually results in the best drink of the night.
The legacy of PDT isn't just the phone booth. It's the fact that they proved a gimmick can be a gateway to excellence. They lured people in with a secret door and kept them coming back with world-class hospitality. In a city that changes every five minutes, there is something deeply comforting about a place that stays exactly the same, tucked away behind a phone booth, waiting for you to dial that single digit.
Next Steps for Your Trip
If you're heading to the East Village, plan your night around the reservation. Start with a walk through Tompkins Square Park or browse the records at Academy Records nearby. Once you're done at PDT, if you still have the energy, walk a few blocks over to McSorley’s Old Ale House to see the opposite end of the New York bar spectrum—sawdust on the floors and only two types of beer. This contrast is what makes the neighborhood, and the city, so special.