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Some of Europe’s best bars are in unexpected locations.
They are reminiscent of the illegal drinking establishments that sprang up in the 1920s, when Prohibition in the United States made alcohol illegal.
Instead of the intended effect of a sober nation, Prohibition resulted in the creation of an underground drinking culture.
A hundred years later, the concept – and the creative cocktails – have spread across the ocean in the form of sophisticated underground lounges.
Here, MailOnline Travel rounds up nine of the very best in Europe – from a 1940s bar with train-carriage seats to an award-winning speakeasy in a pastrami shop. Scroll down to decide which is your favourite.
MailOnline Travel has rounded up nine of the very best hidden bars in Europe. First up? Panda & Sons – Edinburgh: This bar is hidden behind a vintage barbershop on the city’s famous Queen Street
Inside Panda & Sons is a classic watering hole with barbershop stools, old advertising posters and plenty of cocktail options
It’s easy to pass by Panda & Sons, which looks like an old-fashioned barbershop on Edinburgh’s famous Queen Street.
You won’t find the advertised 25-cent haircuts and shaves here, but you will find a bookcase that opens onto a classic bar with barber stools, old posters and lots of cocktails.
For more information, please visit pandaandsons.com.
The Wash House – Manchester
The Washhouse – Manchester: This is a speakeasy disguised as a laundromat. Guests enter through the washing machine or vending machine as seen here
The Washhouse has an atmospherically lit bar with an extensive cocktail menu
The entrance to The Washhouse resembles a laundromat, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a place to wash your clothes.
Instead, you’ll find two passageways – one shaped like a washing machine and the other like a vending machine – leading to a dimly lit bar.
Inside, all kinds of surprises await you, from a ‘disco toilet’ to an extensive cocktail menu.
For more information, please visit washhousemcr.com.
Little Red Door – Paris
Little Red Door – Paris: Guests enter through a side door located to the left of the red door seen in this image
Since opening in 2012, Little Red Door has appeared 10 times in the list of the world’s 50 best bars. The photo above shows the interior of the bar
The name of this Parisian bar might give you a clue as to where it is. Once you reach the bright red door, you are not far away. The real entrance is through a door to the left of the red door.
Guests enter to find warm lighting, exposed brick walls and chic furnishings. Since opening in 2012, Little Red Door has appeared on the World’s 50 Best Bars list 10 times. Reservations are not required. The bar accepts walk-ins only.
For more information, please visit lrdparis.com.
Cahoots – London
Cahoots – London: This 1940s cocktail bar is located in Soho’s Kingly Court. Its three sections are a replica of a ticket hall, signal box and tube carriage
In the Underground seating area at Cahoots (above), guests can relax in a vintage train car with chairs and booths
This 1940s cocktail bar is located in Soho’s Kingly Court. It is a replica of an abandoned tube station and consists of three parts: the ‘Ticket Hall’, the ‘Underground’ and the ‘Signal Station’.
In the Underground section, guests sit on old-fashioned chairs and booths in train carriages, the Ticket Hall is a mock black market for drinks and cocktails, and the Signal Station, ostensibly home to a pirate radio station, is covered in flashing lights, old switchboards, hazard-marked levers and a web of wires.
To book, visit the Cahoots website bee cahoots-london.com.
Paradiso-Barcelona
Paradiso – Barcelona: This Spanish speakeasy bar is accessed through a vintage refrigerator door in the pictured pastrami shop
The interior of Paradiso (pictured) is surrounded by wood that runs elegantly through the bar and across the ceiling
This cocktail bar is accessed through a vintage refrigerator door in a pastrami shop.
Although it is hidden, it is not really a secret. Paradiso was voted number one in the World’s Best Bars list in 2022.
The interior is clad in wood that elegantly runs through the bar and ceiling, illuminated by warm lamps.
Guests can expect innovative and over-the-top drinks, many of which are accompanied by smoke, fire and dry ice.
Paradiso does not take advance reservations. Visitors must sign up for a virtual queue accessible via a QR code at the door.
Visit: paradise.cat/.
Mercy Brown – Krakow
Mercy Brown – Krakow: Located above a restaurant in Poland, this bar takes guests to a “world of madness,” according to its website
This bar may be hidden, but there’s nothing discreet about it. Located above Smakolyki restaurant in Krakow, Poland, Mercy Brown serves up live jazz and burlesque shows as its main course.
The location is so private that the bar wouldn’t share photos of the entrance with MailOnline Travel. However, we recommend checking out the restaurant’s cloakroom (hint, hint).
Outfitted with soft lighting, velvet sofas and gold curtains, the 1920s-style interior transports guests to a “world of madness” and “exudes the decadence of the old days,” according to the bar. website.
Visit: mercybrown.pl.
Door 74 – Amsterdam
Door 74 – Amsterdam: The interior of this hidden bar features dark leather chairs, wooden tables and tassel lamps
This Prohibition-style bar is hidden in the centre of Amsterdam, behind an inconspicuous green door covered in vines. That door is not usually captured in photos, the bar’s manager told MailOnline Travel.
The Art Deco interior features dark leather chairs, wooden tables, tassel lamps and lots of antique furniture.
Guests must ring the bell outside to enter and reserve their seat via the Door 74 website: vinddoor74.com.
Bar Tausend – Berlin
This late-night bar isn’t easy to find. The entrance is hidden behind an unmarked door beneath Berlin’s Friedrichstrasse train station.
The futuristic bar is located in a long tunnel, decorated with round lamps, mirrors and black sofas. The menu includes cocktails, live DJs and dancing.
In the back room is an even more exclusive spot: Tausend Cantina, a restaurant serving a range of dishes from black potato mash to prime steak.
Reservations for Cantina are a must and can be made via: here.
Club Derrière – Rome
This speakeasy club is located behind Osteria delle Coppelle, a popular restaurant in Rome.
Reservations can be made at clubderriere.superbexperience.com but you can also just walk in.
You can enter through a hidden door at the back of a restaurant or through an unmarked doorway on a narrow street near the Pantheon. Expect unfinished walls, vintage couches and candlesticks.
