Katie Warren/Business Insider
Bar Centrale is in an unmarked converted brownstone apartment in Manhattan.
- January 16, 2020 is the 100th anniversary of the start of Prohibition, when alcohol was banned across the US for 13 years.
- During Prohibition, hidden "speakeasy" bars became popular spots where people could illegally drink alcohol.
- One of New York City's most exclusive and iconic speakeasy-themed bars is Bar Centrale.
- Bar Centrale is hidden in a converted brownstone apartment in Midtown Manhattan, steps from Times Square.
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January 16, 2020 marks the 100-year anniversary of the start of Prohibition, when alcohol was banned across the US for 13 years.
During this time, hidden bars called "speakeasies" became a popular place for people to go to illegally drink alcohol.
Even though alcohol is legal today, New Yorkers still love their "speakeasy" bars hidden in places like the back of Chinese restaurants, behind art galleries, and underneath other bars.
Mere steps from the neon lights and bustling crowds of Times Square is one of New York City's most exclusive speakeasies. If you aren't specifically looking for Bar Centrale, you won't know it's there. It's hidden in a converted brownstone apartment that's surrounded by other brownstones.
Steven Gottlieb, a real-estate agent at Warburg Realty, said it's his bar of choice to bring clients.
"There's nothing like a nightcap at Bar Centrale," Gottlieb recently told Business Insider. "It's chic and unmarked, and never fails to impress. Perfect for an after-theater drink."
I recently stopped by Bar Centrale for a cocktail. Here's what it's like inside the speakeasy bar.