Bar: Milk and Honey

Milk and Honey
134 Eldridge Street
Daily, 9pm-3am
F at Delancey St.; J, M, Z at Essex St.; B, D at Grand St.

Yes, they have an ever-changing secret number. You need a reservation. (Although I've shown up looking respectable and been given a slot.) And there's a long list of rules, like no more than 4 to a party. And it kind of started the horrible "speakeasy" trend. But the cocktails are so good. And thanks to all those rules, you can have a quiet conversation over a perfect drink on even a Saturday night at 10. Oh, and cash only.

Other bars, same owner, also great and no reservation but get crowded:

Little Branch
20 Seventh Ave. South, at Leroy
West Village


East Side Company Bar
49 Essex St.nr. Grand St.
Lower East Side