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Please Don't Tell (PDT)
East Village, New York City
Bar in New York City, United States
The Read
Phone Booth Entry Speakeasy
Why go
Please Don't Tell (PDT) is worth the effort for cocktail drinkers who care about bar pedigree and want a date-friendly East Village booking. It is a poor fit for loose group plans or anyone needing easy access, flexible timing, or outdoor seating.
About Please Don't Tell (PDT)
For a first-timer, the safest way to evaluate Please Don't Tell (PDT) is as a recognized New York City bar. It has a smart casual dress code and recognition including World's 50 Best Bars #1 in 2011, Top 500 Bars Best Bars #235 in 2025, and Pearl Recommended Bar in 2025.
That recognition is the strongest reason to consider it. Beyond those accolades and the smart casual dress code, specific details such as current menu, prices, seating, service format, reservations, hours, food, or outdoor space are not provided here. Plan with that uncertainty in mind and confirm practical details directly with the venue before going.
A recognized New York City bar with limited planning details
Book this when the confirmed appeal is the venue's bar reputation. Without current food format, price range, menu details, seating information, or service style, the safer recommendation is to plan around the fact that PDT is a bar rather than treating it as a full dinner plan.
For broader planning in New York City, use Our full New York City bars guide; for cross-category planning, see Our full New York City restaurants guide, Our full New York City hotels guide, Our full New York City wineries guide, and Our full New York City experiences guide.
Who should book it, and who should skip it
Book if the priority is a New York City bar with international recognition and a smart casual dress code. Skip if your decision depends on details such as group suitability, outdoor seating, a specific menu, food options, prices, or flexible service expectations.
For alternatives, compare the choice against Death & Co NYC, Goodnight Sonny, Ladybird, The Grafton, and The Lions Bar & Grill depending on the kind of New York City night you are planning. Other New York City dining and bar options can also be reviewed generically through Pearl's city guides.
The takePDT is best for intimate evenings and moments when the bar itself is part of the experience. Its phone-booth entry and compact, speakeasy layout make it well suited to date nights and special-occasion cocktails, and its reputation draws visitors who want to witness an influential moment in cocktail history. The venue appeals to people who appreciate craftsmanship and provenance in their drinks, and to those who enjoy discovering a storied, tucked-away East Village bar rather than a bustling mainstream cocktail room.
Venue detailsBooth Seating
Know before you goBefore you book
Recognition and awards3 sources
Also considerAlternatives
Planning details
- Location
- 113 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009
- Website
- pdtnyc.com
- Phone
- +1 212-614-0386
Bar contextNew York City, United States
Explore New York CityNearby
Around this placeMore Pearl picks
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Please Don't Tell presents itself as a discreet, high-caliber speakeasy that helped define New York’s cocktail era. Entering through a phone booth off St. Marks Place sets the tone: small, intentionally private, and rooted in craft. The bar’s rise through international rankings underscores a culture of exacting technique and serious cocktail work, while its East Village location keeps the experience feeling guarded and slightly underground. Overall, PDT reads as a sophisticated, historically significant spot where provenance and ritual matter as much as the drinks themselves.
Best For
PDT is best for intimate evenings and moments when the bar itself is part of the experience. Its phone-booth entry and compact, speakeasy layout make it well suited to date nights and special-occasion cocktails, and its reputation draws visitors who want to witness an influential moment in cocktail history. The venue appeals to people who appreciate craftsmanship and provenance in their drinks, and to those who enjoy discovering a storied, tucked-away East Village bar rather than a bustling mainstream cocktail room.
Ordering Tips
Expect carefully composed cocktails that reflect the era of the craft-cocktail revival: the text highlights house-made syrups and forgotten spirits as part of the wider movement PDT helped popularize. Order with an eye toward classic technique and subtle innovation rather than loud theatrics—this is a place built on restraint and precision. Also treat the entry as part of the outing: the phone-booth approach is an intentional, theatrical element of the visit and signals that the bar values ritual and discovery as much as the drinks.
Venue details
Ambiance
Dimly lit, intimate space with leather booths, taxidermy decor, copper bar top, and herringbone wood ceiling creating a secretive, Prohibition-era atmosphere.
Tags
Vibe
IntimateCozyClassic
Best For
Date NightSpecial OccasionCelebration
Experience
SpeakeasyStandaloneHistoric Building
Format
Booth SeatingSeated BarStanding Room
At the Bar
- Bar Category
- Speakeasy
- Late Night
- Open Until 2am
- Music
- Ambient Background Music
Signature Pours
- New York Sour
- Old Fashioned (PDT twist)
- Blue Shark
- Pear Excellence
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- 113 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009
Planning details
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Where to Go If You Can't Get In
Try Death & Co NYC if the priority is cocktail seriousness and the group is willing to plan. Try Goodnight Sonny if the night needs to stay in the East Village with less booking pressure.
Bar context
How It Compares
Against Death & Co NYC, Please Don't Tell (PDT) is the more novelty-driven first-timer choice, while Death & Co NYC is the cleaner pick if the only priority is a serious cocktail room. Both sit in the hard-booking end of New York drinking, so neither is ideal for a last-minute group plan.
Goodnight Sonny and The Grafton are better fallback choices when ease and casual energy matter more than cocktail-world status. Choose Goodnight Sonny for a more relaxed East Village night, and The Grafton when the group wants a bar that feels less appointment-based.
Ladybird and The Lions Bar & Grill make more sense when the mood is broader than cocktails. Please Don't Tell (PDT) is the sharper choice for a two-person drinks plan; those peers are safer when the night needs more flexibility.
Explore New York City
Around this place
Read more on Pearl
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Please Don't Tell (PDT) guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Please Don't Tell (PDT)
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Please Don't Tell (PDT) | New York City | Top 500 Bars 2026 · #372Top 500 Bars 2025 · #2352016 World's 50 Best Bars · #452015 World's 50 Best Bars · #372014 World's 50 Best Bars · #182013 World's 50 Best Bars · #132012 World's 50 Best Bars · #22011 World's 50 Best Bars · #12010 World's 50 Best Bars · #2 |
| Ladybird | New York City | No published awards |
| The Lions Bar & Grill | New York City | No published awards |
| Goodnight Sonny | New York City | No published awards |
| The Grafton | New York City | No published awards |
| Death & Co NYC | New York City | Top 500 Bars 2025 · #3372013 World's 50 Best Bars · #212012 World's 50 Best Bars · #62011 World's 50 Best Bars · #42010 World's 50 Best Bars · #72009 World's 50 Best Bars · #10Pearl Recommended Bars |
How Please Don't Tell (PDT) compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Please Don't Tell (PDT) good for a date?
It may be a fit if you want a recognized New York City bar with a smart casual dress code. Its World's 50 Best Bars #1 (2011) recognition gives it strong bar credibility.
What's the crowd like at Please Don't Tell (PDT)?
The crowd isn't described here. What is confirmed is the venue's recognition, including World's 50 Best Bars #1 (2011), Top 500 Bars Best Bars #235 (2025), and Pearl Recommended Bar (2025).
Does Please Don't Tell (PDT) have outdoor seating?
Do I need a reservation at Please Don't Tell (PDT)?
Because PDT is a recognized New York City bar, it is sensible to confirm current booking or entry guidance directly with the venue before going.
Is Please Don't Tell (PDT) good for groups?
If you are planning for multiple people, confirm current seating and booking details directly with the venue; you can also compare the plan with Death & Co NYC, Goodnight Sonny, Ladybird, The Grafton, or The Lions Bar & Grill.
