Patent Pending is truly one of our favorite speakeasy bars in NYC. It’s hidden behind a fake wall, inside a small Nomad coffee shop in Manhattan! As they say: “Paying homage to thinking outside the box.”
Hidden behind a fake wall, inside a tiny coffee shop in the heart Manhattan, Patent Pending has one of our favorite speakeasy bars in NYC. And, with one of the most creative cocktail menus in town!
The specific neighborhood is Nomad and it’s housed inside the famous Radio Wave Building, a historical landmark in NYC. The building gets its name from the years that the world-famous inventor and engineer, Nikola Tesla, lived there.
During the day, you’ll just see a normal NYC coffee spot in action, called Patent Café. But, by night, the secret comes to life!
When you find the entrance, type 4-9-2-7 # so that the host opens the glass doors for you.
There are no lights when you walk inside and the coffee shop is closed, but just risk it and you’ll be fine! Ha!
As you walk down a few steps, it all seems odd, since there is no visual sign of a bar and it’s a bit dark. Unfortunately, they don’t accept reservations, so be sure to go early, otherwise you might just end up waiting for quite some time – over 1 hour!
When the time comes of you to enter, the host will lift the countertop and spread open a sliding door that leads to this beautiful, underground, dim lit bar…
…and the door closes behind you.
The place is quite small with only a couple tables, and the bar area is obviously always our preference to sit.
They just added 4 new Fall drinks to their menu, so we decided to go and try them.
Their names?
- Illuminated Manhattan: With Campfire Whiskey, Aged Rum, Scotch, Madeira…smokey, chocolatey, smooth;
- Emulating Edison: Their take on a traditional Mulled Wine…warm, spiced and silk;
- Static Pet Theory: Genever, Shochu, Islay Single Malt, Tomatillo, Egg White and Umami…smooth and savory;
- Flash of Inspiration: Roasted Corn Mezcal, Sherry, Islay Single Malt, Smoked Maple Syrup, Green Hatch and Chipotle…spicy, smokey and tart!
Cool, right?
We obviously also had some of their classics as well! And, if you get hungry, they have a few small bites, and even a vegan sandwich option. I tried it and it was delicious!
The spot is always full, but it’s definitely worth the wait!
Have fun and let us know what you thought of it!
More about the Radio Wave Building:
“This is the building in which Nikola Tesla lived and performed his experiments on radio waves, transmitting them to his laboratory near present day Trinity Church in downtown Manhattan.
The ‘waves’ which guided you here (GPS) and surround you now (WiFi) were envisioned by Tesla more than a century ago. Born during a lightning storm, Nikola Tesla was a child of light.
An immigrant, an innovator and a patriot, Tesla dreamed of a world which few others could imagine. He was an eccentric genius, an ‘Electric Messiah’.
We toast to him and the countless others that think outside the box, persevering against all odds.”
If you enjoyed this post, take a look at these other 9 speakeasy bars in NYC!
Hours:
Sunday – Wednesday: 5pm – 12am
Thursday, Friday & Saturday: 5pm – 2am
Location: 49 West 27th Street
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Patent Pending
*Last Update on March/2020.*
