10 of the World’s Most Alluring Hidden Bars (And How to Find Them)

What’s the enduring appeal of drinking in a hidden bar? During Prohibition, concealing your establishment made sense — if you wanted to stay in business and out of jail. But since then, the legal imperative that gave rise to speakeasies has all but vanished. So why are so many people still seeking out what lies behind those inconspicuous doors?

Part of it is the thrill of the chase: finding something where you thought there was nothing but a wall. But the allure of the back room goes beyond that, evoking a bygone era of socializing, of being part of the club.

Prohibition may be long gone, but the intrigue of the speakeasy is going strong. Here are 10 hidden bars with vibes and cocktails that are worth the pursuit.

London

The Natural Philosopher

The Natural Philosopher, in East London, is a Victorian-like space one level down from a computer-repair shop called the MacSmiths.Credit…Jeremie Souteyrat for The New York Times

The old-school electronics on display at the MacSmiths, a computer repair shop on an unremarkable road in the East London borough of Hackney, stand in sharp contrast to the analog world one level down. If you don’t see any staff upstairs, ring the doorbell at the top of the steps, then descend into a sprawling parlorlike space packed with Victorian-style furniture, paintings, clocks and curiosities. The foliage that grows and hangs throughout the room signals the fresh-ingredient-centric cocktail list. Cocktails can be made with fennel, chamomile and other plants that the bartender-owner Josh Powell forages from as close by as Walthamstow Wetlands.

Open Tuesday through Sunday, reservations recommended on weekends; drinks from 12 pounds, or about $16.

Hong Kong

Lockdown

The entrance to Lockdown is on the side of a Hong Kong storefront marked by a toilet and a ladder, and near Lockdown’s popular sister bar, Penicillin.Credit…Anthony Kwan for The New York Times