1. Back Bar, Minneapolis
Before opening Young Joni restaurant in 2016, being the chef-owner of a speakeasy wasn’t part of the plan, says Ann Kim. “It was a bigger space than we wanted, so we decided to create a separate concept in the back,” she says. That concept is Back Bar, a cozy lounge with plush seating and a craft cocktail selection that doesn’t group beverages in classic groups but rather has each stand on its own.
Guests enter through a separate door in the alley beside Young Joni; a red light in the entryway signals the bar is open. “Our intention was never to be secretive or exclusive, but to offer an element of surprise,” says Kim. “It’s connected to the restaurant, but provides a totally different experience.” That experiential element is one differentiator of modern speakeasies. At Back Bar, its vintage decor evokes a North Dakota cabin, and the music plays on a reel-to-reel tape player.
Photo credit: The Restaurant Project