Cocktail Bar · Speakeasy

PDT (Please Don't Tell) Menu, Cocktails & Prices 2026

PDT — short for Please Don't Tell — is one of New York City's most celebrated cocktail bars, tucked behind a working telephone booth inside Crif Dogs, a hot dog shop on St. Mark's Place in the East Village. Since opening in 2007, it has earned a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program and is widely credited with launching the modern speakeasy movement in American nightlife.

NYC's most famous speakeasyJames Beard Award winnerCraft cocktails ~$20Reservations required

Jump to full menu Cheapest items

Sample · $$$

Signature items

Benton's Old-Fashioned~$20

The Shark~$20

Chang Dogprice varies

Torres Totsprice varies

Jump to: Quick answers Full menu Signature cocktails Non-alcoholic drinks Compare prices About PDT FAQ

Quick answers

What to order — at a glance

How do you get in?

Enter Crif Dogs at 113 St. Mark's Place, step into the phone booth, and pick up the receiver. Reservations via pdtnyc.com are required.

Cocktail price range

Craft cocktails are approximately $20 each ~$20

Most famous drink

Benton's Old-Fashioned — bacon-infused bourbon, maple syrup, Angostura bitters ~$20

Food available?

Yes — gourmet chef-designed hot dogs and bar snacks from the adjacent Crif Dogs kitchen price unverified

Full menu with prices

Please Don't Tell (PDT) full menu and current prices

Signature Cocktails 10 items

Non-Alcoholic Cocktails 3 items

Gourmet Hot Dogs (Chef Dogs) 4 items

Budget picks

Cheapest items on the Please Don't Tell (PDT) menu

1Non-alcoholic cocktails (Life's a Garden, Phoenix, N/A Michelada)Estimated; NA cocktails are typically priced below alcoholic drinks~$14–$16
2Bottled beerBeer typically the lowest-priced option at craft cocktail barsunverified
3Draft beerunverified
4Wine by the glassunverified
5Tater TotsBar snack from Crif Dogs kitchenunverified
6French Friesunverified
7Hummer (veggie dog)unverified
8Classic craft cocktailsPublicly reported average price per drink~$20

Most ordered

New and limited-time items on the Please Don't Tell (PDT) menu

Seasonal

Rotating Seasonal Menu

PDT refreshes its ~18-cocktail menu using the Japanese sekki calendar — 24 micro-seasons per year — so the list changes more frequently than most bars.

~$20

Price comparison

How PDT cocktail prices compare to NYC peers

Like-for-like comparison of craft cocktail prices at celebrated NYC bars.

Bar / Venue	Avg. cocktail price	Food available	Reservations
PDT (Please Don't Tell)	~$20	Yes (hot dogs & snacks)	Required
Attaboy NYC	~$18–$22	No	Walk-in only
Employees Only	~$17–$20	Yes (full menu)	Recommended
Death & Co (NYC)	~$19–$22	Yes (snacks)	Recommended
Angel's Share	~$17–$20	Yes (Japanese)	Walk-in, limited capacity

About

About Please Don't Tell (PDT)

Please Don't Tell — universally known as PDT — opened on May 24, 2007, in Manhattan's East Village, conceived by bartender Jim Meehan alongside founders Brian Shebairo and Chris Antista. The concept was deceptively simple: hide a world-class cocktail bar behind a fully functional telephone booth tucked inside Crif Dogs, a beloved hot dog stand at 113 St. Mark's Place. Guests wishing to enter must step into the booth, pick up the receiver, and wait to be welcomed through the hinged back wall — a ritual that remains unchanged nearly two decades later.

Under Meehan's direction, PDT quickly became one of the most decorated bars in the United States. In 2012, it earned the inaugural James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Bar Program, the first time the foundation had recognized a drinking establishment at that level. The bar's cocktail philosophy — rigorous technique, seasonal ingredients, and a deep respect for classic forms — influenced an entire generation of American bartenders. Meehan codified much of this approach in The PDT Cocktail Book (2011), which became a foundational reference text in high-end bar programs worldwide. After Meehan relocated to Portland in 2014, Jeff Bell — a longtime PDT bartender — took the helm, and officially purchased the bar in 2020.

Today, Bell continues PDT's tradition of rotating its approximately 18-cocktail menu through what the bar calls a hyper-seasonal cycle inspired by the Japanese sekki calendar, dividing the year into 24 distinct periods. The food menu draws directly from Crif Dogs: chef-designed gourmet hot dogs created in collaboration with luminaries like David Chang (the Chang Dog) and Wylie Dufresne (the Wylie Dog) share billing with bar snacks like the Torres Tots. A second location, PDT Hong Kong, operates at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, bringing the phone-booth concept to Asia. The original East Village location remains one of the most sought-after reservations in New York nightlife.

2007Year opened

2012James Beard Award

$$$Price range

~18Cocktails on menu at once

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Ready to visit PDT?

Reservations are required and open up to 7 days in advance via Resy. A limited number of bar seats are available walk-in for parties of 4 or fewer.

Reserve at PDT on the official site

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do you get into PDT?

Enter Crif Dogs at 113 St. Mark's Place in the East Village, walk to the back of the restaurant, and step into the wooden phone booth. Pick up the receiver — a host will answer and open the false back wall to admit you. Reservations are required and must be booked via pdtnyc.com up to 7 days in advance.

How much do cocktails cost at PDT?

Based on multiple published reviews, cocktails at PDT cost approximately $20 each. PDT does not publish its menu or pricing online, so prices may have changed. Expect to spend $60–$100+ per person for drinks and food over the course of an evening.

Does PDT require a reservation?

Yes. PDT is a small bar with limited seating and almost always requires a reservation made through their official website or Resy. A limited number of bar seats (for parties of 4 or fewer) may be available on a walk-in, first-come-first-served basis, but these are not guaranteed.

What food does PDT serve?

PDT serves a menu of gourmet chef-designed hot dogs sourced from adjacent Crif Dogs, as well as bar snacks like the Torres Tots and French fries. Notable dog options include the Chang Dog (bacon-wrapped with Momofuku kimchi), the Wylie Dog, and the Hanoi Dog. The food menu is abbreviated — PDT is primarily a cocktail bar.

What is PDT famous for?

PDT is famous for three things: its secret entrance through a phone booth, its James Beard Award-winning cocktail program (the first bar to win the award in 2012), and the Benton's Old-Fashioned — a bacon-infused bourbon cocktail that became one of the most replicated drinks in the modern cocktail revival.

Does PDT have a dress code?

PDT does not enforce a formal dress code, but as an upscale cocktail bar in the East Village, smart-casual attire is appropriate. The vibe is sophisticated but not stuffy — jeans are fine, but athletic wear or flip-flops would be out of place.

How often does PDT change its menu?

PDT changes its cocktail menu more frequently than almost any other bar in the United States. The menu rotates according to the Japanese sekki calendar, which divides the year into 24 micro-seasons. This means the menu can shift every two to three weeks, so what you drink on one visit may not be available the next time you go.

Is there a PDT outside of New York?

Yes. A second PDT location operates at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong, bringing the phone-booth speakeasy concept to Asia. The Hong Kong bar maintains PDT's core cocktail philosophy while incorporating local and regional ingredients. The original East Village location remains the flagship.

What is the cancellation policy at PDT?

PDT charges a cancellation fee of $15 per person for reservations cancelled less than 12 hours before the scheduled reservation time. Make sure to cancel or modify your booking with adequate notice through the Resy platform to avoid the fee.