(Travel)

The Zoe Report’s Readers' Choice Awards: Best Intimate Speakeasies of 2026

An escape from the ordinary.

by Angela Melero

Hidden entrances, hushed atmospheres, and expertly crafted cocktails set the mood at the country’s best intimate speakeasies. These discreet drinking dens offer an escape from the ordinary, whether through inventive menus, transportive interiors, or deeply personal service. From Washington, D.C.’s artful Allegory to New York’s effortlessly cool Attaboy and San Francisco’s storied Bourbon & Branch, these tucked-away bars make every visit feel like discovering a well-kept secret. Have questions?

Read the official Readers’ Choice rules.

Thank you to these terrific brands for participating and, of course, to our community for letting their voices be heard. TZR’s readers have spoken, and their favorite Best Intimate Speakeasies of 2026 are:

1. The Georgian Room

Santa Monica, CA

What TZR readers love about The Georgian Room:

  • Slipping beneath the Art Deco facade into this 🕯️ subterranean room feels like stepping straight onto a vintage Hollywood film set.
  • Such a unique spot! We tucked into a crushed velvet booth for live jazz around the Steinway piano. Every craft cocktail felt effortlessly perfect!

2. Three Dots and a Dash

Chicago, IL

What TZR readers love about Three Dots and a Dash:

  • Their giant flaming punch bowls are an absolute blast to share, and the inventive cocktail presentations never fail to impress.
  • Finding the discreet River North alley and descending the skull-lined staircase immediately transports you into a moody, tropical tiki hideaway.

3. Bourbon & Branch

San Francisco, CA

What TZR readers love about Bourbon & Branch:

  • The vintage pre-Prohibition drink menu and rare whiskey flights are sensational, especially if you snag entry to the secret library.
  • Whispering the password at the unmarked door grants you access to a handsome, historic room lined with dark woodwork and private curtained booths.

4. Death & Co

New York, NY

5. Youngblood

San Diego, CA

6. Allegory

Washington, DC

8. Employees Only

New York, NY

9. Thyme Bar

New York, NY

10. Patent Pending

New York, NY

Photos Courtesy of Bourbon & Branch/Bill Adams/The Georgian Room/Kore To/Three Dots and a Dash/Lindsay Eberly