The Garret

Absolutely loved this place. So much fun to wend our way through a Five Guys and head up the stairs to the Garret. The drink menu is great, and the prices are not crazy at all. I found the service to be outstanding — casual, yet attentive. My first drink was a bit too sweet for my taste and the bartender was really lovely about scrapping it and getting me something completely different. Very fun, young-​ish clientele and a sweet space. Closing at 1am is the only bummer!

I expect good drinks at a speakeasy and was pretty disappointed. Tried the First Lady — such an artificial taste– pretty disappointing. Also tried one that was whiskey with lavendar or something– better, but still not unique/​good enough for a house cocktail at a speak easy– Especially for $ 15 a pop. Pretty cool décor– but really tough to find seating. I’ve been to much better places.

First off — yes it’s a speak easy, and you get in by walking through the Five Guys.
Second — yes, it’s a beautiful décor, great location, and awesome drinks (well, not the first round… read below…)
Why the 3 star review? Man, the service STINKS. It wasn’t that busy (but still a full bar), so I went up to order and the bartender was on his cell phone. I stood and waited, and when he finally acknolwedged me, he said «one sec», then continued to text. He finally asked me what I wanted – and after ordering, he went back to his phone! Seriously! I went back to my table and sat down, saying to my friends, «This’ll be awhile». I went back up in 5 minutes and he had barely started our drinks. When he finally made our drinks, he didn’t pour enough, as the glasses were half full. So he put them back in his shaker, added more ICE – and ONLY ice! – shook the hell out of the drink, then poured it back it. They were now ¾ full. For a $ 13 drink, seriously? Total bs.
I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt: maybe something really bad was going on and he needed to respond. Maybe he was distracted by this unknown event and that’s why he underpoured our drinks. If this was the case, then, move from behind the bar and go take care of it outside or in the back. There was a second bartender (who was working), so there’s just no reason to make customers wait while you text, nor to serve shitty drinks.
I’d still return, just don’t expect quick service.

I read about this when it opened as a speakeasy, since it was an actual speakeasy historically. We got up there via the staircase at the back of Five Guys, and came up to a beer stinking, sticky floor crowded bar full of hipsters. The décor was speakeasy, but the scene was ultra hipsters jumping around and falling on the floor. The bar at a glance was lined up with beers. I did have a decent cocktail, but if you’re expecting a cocktail club, this is the wrong place.

My friends and I met up at The Garret for our first speakeasy experience. You will find this bar on top of a Five Guys. You walk into the Five Guys, walk past the counter, and turn left up the stairs. We got there pretty late — around 11:30pm. (They close around 1am. I assume because it’s connected to a Five Guys.)
The atmosphere was like any other low-​key bar. The drinks were unique, but not awesome in my opinion. I read that they had «gourmet Five Guy burgers», but in reality, we had to order from the Five Guys below and bring our food upstairs.
There’s not a ton of space in the bar, so if you have a large group, it will be difficult to find space to sit/​stand.
Even though The Garret is categorized as a speakeasy, there was no password or secret door or anyone «guarding» the area. You just had to know the bar was located upstairs and to look for the stairs.

There is nothing speakeasy about this bar — there was no door, we just walked right up a stairwell in to the bar. And asides from how easy it was to walk in, the bartenders were extremely rude and had no class. They were these young punks who didn’t care at all about your drink but just stood behind the bar on their phones — there was one who looked like the younger snowboarder, Shaun White, who was the worst. I will never go back — too many other bars where there are bartenders who care and are not jerks. Nothing special about this place at all except for that you can get a Five Guys burger downstairs.

Very cool that this place is above a five guys burger joint. When you go, definitely check out the bathroom door, it’s decked out a whole door’s worth of door knobs! It’s pretty small and intimate so I’d say go with four people max. It’s not as high brow as some of the other speakeasies, which I like (didn’t need a reservation, can go in casual clothes, etc.).The drinks are really strong, definitely worth a visit!

I love how there’s a hidden bar above a Five Guys! It’s accessible by a set of dark and dingy staircase by the bathroom in the burger joint. We came on a weekday and the crowd mostly consisted of those coming off from work in their suits and dresses.
There’s a skylight, which I found to add to the charm. But otherwise the wooden tables were too wide making it difficult to have a conversation with the person sitting across. It’s a bit noisy as well, similar to that of a regular dive bar. They do have a more intimate lounge in the back with 2 – 3 small couches.
Overall, a pretty cool place for some strawberry wine cocktail while you down an Everything burger brought up from downstairs. Not exactly a speakeasy but it does have a unique entrance.

The idea of speakeasies is so intriguing to me so when I had heard about a bar on top of a Five Guys I knew I had to check it out. You walk straight through Five Guys all the way to the back and theres a man there checking IDs and leading you up a flight of stairs. You probably picked up the stench of fried oil by walking through Five Guys, but don’t worry so did everyone else :)
We came on a Saturday night which was probably our first mistake. It’s very small with sparse seating but luckily we were able to grab some stools by the bar. I figured it was best to order a cocktail off the menu, even though it was $ 14 and I prefer to not pay that much. I ordered the Paloma, which was tequila with grapefruit juice and lime juice, or so I thought. What they really gave me was a glass of tequila. It was undrinkable, at a point I had to go back to the bartender and ask him to add some cranberry juice. The bartender was very accommodating about it and even came back up to me later to make sure it was ok.
I’m sure this place would have been a lot better on a weekday when not as crowded. Left The Garret with a tequila hangover, an empty wallet and a stench of Five Guys so don’t know if I’ll be back.

You have to walk through the Five Guys and up the stairs. Upstairs is a completely different world with plush seating and dim lighting, which gives the bar a rustic look.
The cocktail menu is pretty simple, but the drinks tend to be on the stronger side. The cocktail menu is seasonal and there’s always Stella on tap. My favorite is the layover, which is basically a Negroni with whiskey instead of gin.
I prefer coming during the week to avoid the large crowds as it gets busy on the weekends. Ideal bar for date night, catching up with friends, or much needed alone time. You can bring your food from five guys upstairs as well.

The bar is located above a 5 guys and the entrance is though 5 guys which is kind of bizarre when you are waiting on a line next to a cook making fries and calling out orders.
While waiting on the line I decided to chat up the bouncer who seemed kind of bored but he got completely insulted when I asked him a question. NOT a good sign …
When we entered it was very crowded and difficult to get to the bar. My friends and I got a «Hey Lady» which wasn’t my favorite. The décor was nice with chandeliers and some vintage décor such as an old fireplace, etc. I would skip this one, there are better speakeasies out there especially when drinks are $ 15+.

Arrived to NYC two weeks ago and my GF took me to The Garret to meet up some cool friends. It feels exclusive to walk through the back of a burger joint, a big guy checks your ID before you can enter the doors and up a flight of stairs. It’s kinda dark so make sure you can see clearly. Everyone is mellow and with big friendly smiles. The bartenders were attentive and got our drinks quick. Lots of bar seats and some tables in the back. Make sure to pay the bathroom a visit… lots of doornobs to play with =)
Locals hang out! I loved the vibe.

Not a bad spot for a quiet drink. A few house cocktails, but also beer and wine. It feels a bit speakeasyish but without the lines and the sometime-​pretense. On the downside the cocktails are not that great, so if you do want the full monty better off trying somewhere else. I hear you can get burgers from Five Guys downstairs. Hopefully people rarely do that, because the last thing I want is my bar to stink like grease.

Loved this hidden gem. It’s above a Five Guys burger joint. The décor and the drinks were fancy, just how I like it. Cool for day drinking and chatting.

Entrance is via the Five Guys fast food joint in West village — go past the counter, head up the stairs and you’ll find a classy establishment! Really lovely bar staff, a nice selection of cocktails (albeit the list is on the slightly small side) and cool décor. Best thing is you can people watch the hustle and bustle of bleecker street from the first floor :)

Speakeasies are aplenty in NYC.
This spot is pretty chill and the cocktails are refreshing.
Small-​ish spot with patrons that are of the local west village variety.
I’ll hit it again.

A unique bar with a speakeasy sort of vibe. And you can’t help but feel a little cool as you bypass all the oblivious burger eaters in Five Guys to access The Garret’s unassuming stairway.
I’ve heard rumors about the pushy bouncer — but I’ve always gone on weeknights and have yet to meet the man. Weeknights are the way to go, anyway, because this place isn’t much fun once it gets jam-​packed.
Drinks aren’t particularly cheap — but the atmosphere is worth it. And they serve Stella Cidre, which is a win.
Don’t forget to pay a visit to the bathroom to see the unusual décor that seems designed to confuse people who have, let’s say, enjoyed a bit too much of what The Garret peddles.

If I was comparing the Garett to all other bars, I might give it four stars. But given that I’m a speakeasy fanatic I have a slightly skewed frame of reference and can only give it three.
Pros: Love that it’s on top of a Five Guys. Very unassuming (though if you’re seeking it out, you can tell that there’s some sort of establishment on the second floor). The atmosphere is awesome. Some speakeasies can be a bit uppity, but this place is laid back and down to earth. Though the cocktail menu is limited, their specialty drinks are unique and very tasty. My personal favorite was one with a SEAWEED garnish (not a typo). Good music, good vibe, good drinks, good people.
Cons: Bartenders seemed overextended and stressed (and I went on a Monday night). It can also be difficult to find seating as it’s a pretty small establishment. I was on a date when I went, and even when you do get seating at a table, you’re sittingly oddly far apart from your companion. My date went well but regardless, I felt like I was sitting this person down for an interview. And as I said: because speakeasies are one of my «things», I’ve had better experiences at most of the other speakeasies I’ve been to, so I can’t give this one four stars. I like a pristinely crafted cocktail, and while the drinks at the Garret are delicious, they pale in comparison when up against drinks from other speakeasies I’ve visited.

Beautiful Ambience. Cool speakeasy entrance (located in the back of the Five Guys — INSIDE, by the registers, up the stairs). Cool artwork on the walls. Giant skylight in the middle of the bar. So-​so drinks. And for too much money.
Normally, when I come to a craft cocktail bar, i usually expect to have a great drink or two that’s been perfected by the bar’s mixologist. Not here. We tried a round of drinks, and unfortunately they were just so-​so. As I came with a group of about 5 others, and we each got a different cocktail, none of them were that amazing. So we chose to move on after only one drink each. The décor is definitely cool though, and who knows — maybe their menu will change and will bring with it some better cocktails.

This place used to be Bleecker Heights Tavern and occupies the same space with some key renovations. Yes, it’s still a «speakeasy» in as much as you need to walk through the Five Guys to get there, but the big neon sign in the window is a dead giveaway.
To say it’s classier would be an understatement. Bleecker Heights Tavern was basically a sports bar, and The Garret is a bit fancier. Better decorations (interesting framed photos on the walls), encyclopedias just hanging around, skylights, chandeliers, and of course, a decent cocktail menu.
I tried the Rosarito Stick Up (a tequila fizz cocktail). It was pretty good and priced about right at $ 14. Also had a sazerac, and it wasn’t that good. 1 for 2, I guess.
Only complaint is that this place is narrow, and it can get crowded. Prepare to throw elbows to get to the bar, and a wait for the single bathroom.