Apotheke

Apotheke is such a cool concept- an apothecary-styled bar where the bartenders wear white pharmacist coats and shake up concoctions claiming to cure various ailments ranging from stress relievers to aphrodisiacs (but most will just get u a bit buzzed which is a good cure-all!). The menu is intriguing- organized into various ailments and containing interesting ingredients.

My friend and I went on a Friday early evening and were able to stand at the bar with no wait. I got the Moonage Daydream which was interesting- tasted a bit like soap, but in a good way? I loved the little seeds. My friend got the Lawyers Guns and Money, and it kinda tasted like a fancier negroni.

Overall the vibe is immaculate and the drinks are interesting (if a bit pricey ~$24), but worth a try if you're in the area!

Drinks were fire. Service was great.

Good ambiance in the spot. Was surprised the music was so good too. Definitely pulling up there again.

An amazing find in Chinatown! A bit hard to find because of the small sign but we were with NY natives. Upon entering, imagine a dimly lit space with a warm, inviting atmosphere. Behind the bar, shelves are stocked with with bottles of various shapes and sizes and the mixologists are dressed in pharmacist-style garb ready to mix up some crazy cocktail concoction.

I ordered the Devil's Playground - a mix of gin, dragon fruit, prickly pear, lime and absinthe mint. My friends ordered the Sitting Buddha, Here Comes the Night and Siren's Call. Tried a few of their drinks and you really can't go wrong.

We came in past 10pm on a Sunday so there was no line. We were lucky enough to find the last seat. By 11:30PM, there were more available seats.

It's definitely the perfect background for a post-dinner date drinks or a small group. Music is playing a little loudly (not deafening) in the background and patrons lean in close to talk creating an intimate yet lovely vibe. A little bit on the pricey side for cocktails but the ambience more than makes up for it. I would definitely be back when I come back to New York!

Such a cool, moody bar in chinatown. This spot is dark with yellow ambient lighting and live music. The bartenders are really helpful with recommendations and suggestions on drinks. Their beet cocktail, last train to brooklyn is a mix between a beet juice and whiskey. They also do standard cocktails like martinis and whiskey sours well.

Need a late cool spot to go on a Wednesday Night? Worth the wait if you are visiting New York. Open til 3am.

Unfortunately we were a bit disappointed with this Speakeasy located in Chinatown. It's very unassuming from the outside so fits the definition of speakeasy. The front signage says "Chemist". There was security in front checking IDs so you don't have to look for any type of hidden or trap door. Once you walk it it's actually quite spacious with decent amount of seating. We were disappointed with the drinks. We were told it was quite a show from the mixologist but we didn't get any of that. The drinks were weak and a bit watered down. It was cool but not memorable.

The atmosphere was very warm and vibey. It's definitely a hole-in-the-wall are to impress your date. We both ordered cocktails (I got the blue velvet), and that drink was a safe choice with some flavors but lacking in the fruitiness and sweetness I was expecting. I also would never comment on the bathrooms, but having what looks like a speakerphone as a sink faucet was very interesting - definitely was worth at least a 5 minute conversation.

Overall: B) - Apotheke is a speakeasy located in Chinatown and it was actually quite hard to find as the sign outside was very discrete. I ordered the Shadow Roll, which demonstrated expertise in infusing strong fruits into bourbon, a naturally strong drink, which I enjoyed. Their menu also contains some notably interesting options worth trying as well.

However, one thing I disliked about their atmosphere was that the seating is first come first serve and there's not that many seats so it's almost more of a traditional bar vibe than the intimate speakeasy atmosphere I was expecting based on other places. Furthermore, the music got progressively louder throughout the night, making it that much more difficult to talk. Finally, there is a hidden step in the middle of the room where people easily trip on, which is obviously unideal.

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Food: +1
Presentation: +1
Price: E
Atmosphere: -1
Service: E
Menu: +1
Overall: +2 B

IG: @amei.eats

The drinks were amazing. I tried out the shadow roll. Even though it's always packed the service was good. They bartender try to get to me as quickly as they can. Ambiance at the place is amazing for a date for sure. I remember last year when I took a date here, she would love the speak easy vibe. If you want a place where there's not just music blasting but a good vibe of just the right music then I would totally recommend. The drinks are amazing as well! I'll have to go back to try other drinks here.

Bouncer declined me at the door because my florida drivers license looks fake. Never had an issue at any other bar in NYC. Disappointing.