Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/1546381
P H OTO BY Z AC K B E N S O N , C O U R T E S Y R A I S E D BY W O LV E S COMINGS & GOINGS Call them neo-speakeasies. That hoary old hidden bar idea, so popular in the cocktail revival's first flush in the early aughts, has returned to the forefront of nightlife, albeit reimagined and reinvigorated. The new breed isn't as much hidden as playfully tucked away. "It's a treasure hunt in many places, which is the secret to their success," says Maurizio Maestrelli, author of "Speakeasy: Secret Bars Around the World," who describes this new class as "for a lot of people but not for everybody, and a perceived exclusivity—it's not a question of money, but of friendship or contacts." So we've prepped a primer to help anyone score access to the best in class of these boîtes. BY MARK ELLWOOD chin-chin The hidden bar at Raised by Wolves RAISED BY WOLVES Where San Diego In a nutshell Moulin Rouge does mixology How it works The startling Euro-style decor of the liquor store that appears to occupy the site should be the first clue, as it evokes less SoCal sunshine and more absinthe-soaked Paris on a wintry night. But you won't quite learn the secret until you sit in one of the spindle-style chairs by the fireplace at the rear: a concealed motor then spins the chairs on a platform into the secret bar hidden behind it. Vibe The Art Nouveau–inspired interior pergola is a nod to those classic Guimard Métro entrances in Paris, another hat tip to that same era. The maximalist mood, which includes oversized Victorian-style sofas and mural- wreathed walls, is reassuringly retro. Drink to sip Splurge on something from the Reserve Cocktail list, the bar's elite menu featuring rare and vintage spirits, like a $175 French 75 made with 1950s-era gin. 142 142