Entry No. 44 — the New York City file — filed under: speakeasy
Please Don't Tell (PDT)
To get in you walk into Crif Dogs, a grungy hot dog joint, step into a vintage wooden phone booth, and pick up the receiver; if there is room, the booth wall swings open into a dim, taxidermy-lined cocktail lounge. PDT helped launch the modern speakeasy movement and you can order hot dogs delivered into the bar through a hatch.
The story
You walk into 113 St Marks Place expecting the grease, neon glow, and arcade machines of Crif Dogs. But if you walk up to the vintage wooden phone booth tucked near the wall, step inside, and lift the black receiver, the script changes. Press the button once. If you have a spot reserved—or if fortune favors your walk-in timing—the booth's back wall swings open like a secret door, pulling you straight into the dark.
Opened in the mid-2000s, Please Don't Tell (PDT) pioneered the modern speakeasy revival, setting off a wave of hidden entrances across the city. Renowned bartenders like Jeff Bell built the lounge's reputation on rigorous craft cocktail technique, yet the room retains an unpretentious, conspiratorial charm. The interior is small, dimly lit, and lined with low leather banquettes, exposed brick, and mounted taxidermy staring down from the walls.
The real draw is the high-low collision at the heart of the experience. While you sip meticulously crafted cocktails in the shadow of a stuffed bear, you can order deep-fried, bacon-wrapped hot dogs from the hot dog kitchen next door. The food arrives through a tiny service hatch built right into the bar wall, letting you pair world-class mixology with greasy fast food without ever leaving your seat.
What it's like
Space inside is tight and dark, so don't count on casually rolling in with a crowd. Reservations drop seven days in advance on Resy and sell out within minutes. If you are winging it, arrive right when doors open at 5:00 PM to snag one of the few first-come, first-served bar seats—just note that walk-ins are strictly limited to parties of four or fewer.
The move: Pick up the phone-booth receiver inside the hot dog shop, slip through the secret wall, and pair craft cocktails with a deep-fried hot dog passed through the hatch.
📍 Before you go Reservations open 7 days ahead on Resy and go fast; limited first-come bar seats for parties of 4 or fewer.
- 📍 East Village
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 113 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- McSorley's Old Ale House — Trade PDT's hidden phone booth and craft cocktails for wood sawdust on the floor and two-at-a-time mugs of light or dark ale at Manhattan's oldest continuously operating saloon.
- Attaboy — Keep the speakeasy crawl going by heading south to Eldridge Street, where you ring an unlabelled door buzzer for custom, off-menu cocktails.
- The Office of Mr. Moto — If you enjoy secret entrances in the East Village, pair PDT with this cipher-locked sushi lounge located right down the block.
Good to know
How do you enter Please Don't Tell?
Go inside Crif Dogs at 113 St Marks Place, step into the vintage wooden phone booth, pick up the receiver, and press the button once to ring the host. If your table is ready or a walk-in seat is open, the back panel of the booth opens into the lounge.
How hard is it to get a reservation?
Reservation slots go live seven days in advance on Resy and book up almost immediately. Limited walk-in bar seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis for parties of four or fewer.
Can you eat food inside PDT?
Yes. You can order hot dogs and sides directly from the Crif Dogs menu, which are passed into the cocktail lounge through a small wall-mounted kitchen hatch.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · Time Out · Yelp · chowhound.com
last checked: 2026-06-23