What if you could enjoy one of your favorite burgers while sipping on expertly crafted cocktails and occupying a bar stool in a buzzy speakeasy? If that sounds like your ideal Friday night, it’s time to venture out and find the bar hidden inside a Manhattan Five Guys location. You can only access this speakeasy, known as The Garret, from inside the burger joint’s digs in the West Village neighborhood. If you’re curious about its quality, you might be interested to know that in 2023, we voted it one of the 15 best speakeasies in New York City.
The term “speakeasy” refers to the illegal, clandestine bars that popped up throughout the U.S. during Prohibition. These days, there’s no legal need to keep a drinking den covert, so “speakeasy” is used playfully and incorporates all manner of fun entrances — through telephone booths, shop shelves, and more — into bars to provide a kind of scavenger-hunt thrill. The term is sometimes applied a bit loosely, referring to bars that are barely hidden at all, but The Garret fits the bill in an exciting way with no sign or separate entryway. Patrons have to walk through the Five Guys and spot a flight of stairs in the back. Once upstairs, they’re treated to a chic but welcoming space, opened by founders Adam Fulton and Gavin Moseley in 2014. And yes, you’re encouraged to grab a burger and fries and bring them up to the bar to eat.
What’s on the menu at The Garret
You may know how to elevate your Five Guys order with DIY dipping sauce, but a whole secret bar to hang out in is easily the ultimate order boost. The Garret isn’t just a fun gimmick in one of the burger chain’s over 1,500 U.S. locations — it’s a cozy, high-end cocktail bar. The menu includes some familiar favorites with a fresh twist, as well as some new and creative tipples. The classic margarita, which the bar has dubbed “Bruce Banner in the Barrio,” gets an update with a cilantro spirit, tomatillo, and worm salt. The vesper, or Clear as Day, incorporates clarified fennel pollen vodka, yellow Chartreuse, Suze gentian root aperitif, lemon, and grapefruit. There are also clever takes on the carajillo and an iconic old fashioned. Meanwhile, you’ll find original gems like Sweet Gin Music (made from gin, plum liqueur, Maraschino Luxardo, quince, pear, and lemon) and a tiki cocktail called New York is Blue (which includes popcorn-washed rum, blue curaçao, toasted almond, cream, pineapple juice, and Cracker Jack salt).
The Garret also offers tasty non-alcoholic cocktails like Strawberry Fields Forever — this includes Seedlip Spice 94, strawberry, lime, mint, and grapefruit soda — as well as a selection of craft beer and wine. There’s truly something for everyone, and you can even ask the bartender what pairs best with your Five Guys meal. Stop by on your next NYC visit: The Garret is located at 296 Bleecker Street.
