Please Don't Tell (PDT)
East Village, New York City
Bar in New York City, United States
Book with PearlThe 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 with limited verified public details in this guide. It has a smart casual dress code and confirmed recognition including World's 50 Best Bars #1 in 2011, Top 500 Bars Best Bars #235 in 2025, Pearl Recommended Bar in 2025.
That recognition is the strongest verified reason to consider it. Beyond those accolades and the smart casual dress code, this page does not verify specific details such as current menu, prices, seating, service format, reservations, hours, food, or outdoor space. Plan with that uncertainty in mind and confirm practical details directly with the venue before going.
A recognized New York City bar with limited verified planning details
Book this when the confirmed appeal is the venue's bar reputation. With no verified food format, price range, current menu details, seating information, or service style available here, 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, Our full New York City experiences guide.
Who should book it, who should skip it
Book if the priority is a New York City bar with confirmed international recognition and a smart casual dress code. Skip if your decision depends on details not verified here, 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, 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.
Planning details
- Location
- 113 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009
- Website
- pdtnyc.com
- Phone
- +1 212-614-0386
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.
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, 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
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 2027 · #372Top 500 Bars 2026 · #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 2026 · #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 confirmed bar credibility, but this page does not verify seating style, reservations, ambience, or current service details.
