Hidden cocktail bars, commonly referred to as speakeasies (paying homage to their Prohibition-era counterparts), are a trend now found in almost every crevice of the city. New Yorkers love feeling exclusive as much as they love avoiding tourists —  which makes private door entrances, keys and passwords sought-after parts of the experience of getting a drink. If you want to give your night more of a “members-only” feel, here are some tips for the NYC speakeasy scene, and some hints on where to find a not-so-secret sip.

NYC Speakeasy Do's and Don'ts

1) Don’t go with a big group (take it a party of 4 or less).

2) Do research the specific venue’s protocol before you head out.

3) Don’t expect a cheap tab… but be wildly appreciative (and tip appropriately) if you do somehow get one.

4) Do avoid prime-time hours to get ideal space and service (for example, after 10 PM on a Friday or Saturday it's not going to be easy to get a drink).

5) Do dress like you give a damn (but don’t try too hard). Our specific advice: go ‘understated chic’. Too sloppy means you don’t know where you are; too fancy means you’re not from the city and this is a really big night out for you.

6) Don’t cause a fuss at the door. Yes, that’s right. Accept the bouncer’s decision as your fate. Though if you followed rules 1-5, you’ll probably make it through to the other side without too many scars.

NYC Speakeasies: Where to Go

The rules above generally apply at the following spots:

PDT (Please Don’t Tell): Take the steps down to Crif Dogs, go inside the phone booth and beg for admittance. (113 St. Marks Pl.; 212-614-0386).

Little Branch: Once you find the nondescript entrance, and pass the tough door, you’ll descend into one of the coziest, dimly-lit cocktail bars (22 7th Ave. South; 212-929-4360).

Milk &Honey: A members-only key, or a reservation at the least, used to be needed to enter,  but this bar has relaxed a bit since moving to its new location in the Flatiron District (30 E 23rd St.; 020 7065 6800).

Employees Only: Look for the glowing, neon “psychic” sign (510 Hudson St.; 212-242-3021).

Raines Law Room: Expect to leave your cell number with the doorman, go to a nearby bar and wait for a ring (48 W 17th St).

Hidden gems that are more “speakeasy-like” than full-on speakeasy, so tend to have a more low-key vibe:

Lovers of Today: Go "downstairs" through a gate marked with 132 ½.  Dim lighting, soft-cushioned booths, and dark alcoves fit for two sets a romantic scene  (132-1/2 E 7th St.; 212-420-9517)

No Name Bar. A hidden relaxed bar (as well as a secret downstairs kitchen) in Greenpoint, with a huge backyard garden (597 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn).

Dutch Kills: This speakeasy-style bar off the beaten path in Long Island City sports killer cocktails and food,  reasonably priced (27-24 Jackson Ave., Queens; 718-383-2724).

Mayahuel: Home to the best bar tacos and tequila cocktails in NYC (304 E 6th St.; 212-253-5888).

Old Rabbit Bar: A super chill, exclusively beer, basement bar hidden below one of the busiest streets in the West Village. Look for the black doors marked with a white rabbit (124 MacDougal St.; 212- 254-0575).

Hotel Delmano: You guessed it, not a hotel — rather, it’s a swanky bar tucked away in Williamsburg. Try The Rattlesnake cocktail, which consists of whiskey, absinthe and egg (82 Berry St., Brooklyn; 718387-1945).