Employees Only Bar

What Employees Only Bar does

Employees Only Bar is a privately held speakeasy-style cocktail bar and restaurant founded in 2004 by five industry friends — Dushan Zaric, Henry LaFargue, Igor Hadzismajlovic, Jason Kosmas, and Bill Gilroy — all of whom trained under cocktail legend Dale DeGroff at Keith McNally's Pravda. The flagship operates from a concealed West Village location at 510 Hudson Street in New York City, disguised behind a fortune teller's lair and featuring Art Deco interiors, white-jacketed bartenders, and a tableside Steak Tartar preparation. The venue runs from 6PM to 4AM seven days a week, with the kitchen serving the full menu until 3AM nightly. The business has expanded internationally with locations or licensed operations in Los Angeles, Singapore, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Miami.

The core product offering is an integrated hospitality experience combining a signature cocktail program (EO Classics at $21, Fancy Cocktails at $24, Spirit Free at $18, Modern Hits at $21, plus dessert cocktails), a curated wine program with verticals up to $750 for Dom Pérignon, and an elevated New American dinner menu with Eastern European influences (appetizers $18-145, entrées $26-125). The venue also offers branded merchandise through an online Shop channel. Customers access the dining room via Resy reservations (6PM-11PM), while bar service and appetizers operate on a walk-in basis; after 11PM, all seating is first-come-first-served.

The revenue model is direct-to-consumer, with all revenue flowing through on-premise food and beverage sales at the flagship venue and (where owned/licensed) international locations, supplemented by branded merchandise. The GTM motion combines walk-in traffic, Resy-driven reservations, founder and documentary-driven earned media (Hey Bartender, podcasts, NY Times/WSJ coverage), industry award recognition, and event-driven pop-up collaborations with luxury hospitality partners. Customer segments span cocktail enthusiasts and hospitality professionals seeking an authentic speakeasy experience, dining customers booking for special occasions, and aspiring mixologists viewing the bar as a career and mentorship destination.

Name

Employees Only Bar

Legal name

Employees Only

Website

https://employeesonlynyc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Employees Only Bar is a privately held speakeasy cocktail bar and restaurant founded in 2004 in New York's West Village, serving craft cocktails, elevated New American cuisine, and late-night dining to cocktail enthusiasts, dining customers, and hospitality industry professionals, with international locations in LA, Singapore, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Miami.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Speakeasy Cocktail Bar and Restaurant

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Cocktail Bars & Speakeasies (THAFAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cocktail Lounges & Speakeasies (MPAGAIAD), Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD), Cocktail Experiences (Mixology Classes, Cocktail Tours) (THAJAGAG)

Keywords

• Craft cocktail bar
• Speakeasy bar
• Craft mixology
• Late night dining
• New american cuisine

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Primary revenue from selling cocktails, wine, beer, and full dinner menu including appetizers, entrées, and desserts. Late-night kitchen open until 3AM nightly serving full menu. Separate revenue streams from bar service (drinks and appetizers on walk-in basis) and dining room (reservations required).
2. Merchandise/Shop: Online shop selling branded merchandise (implied by Shop link in navigation).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Employees Only Bar operates a speakeasy-style cocktail bar and restaurant in New York City's West Village, disguised behind a fortune teller's lair entrance. The venue offers an industry-defining craft cocktail program (EO Classics at $21, Fancy Cocktails at $24, Spirit Free non-alcoholic options at $18, Modern Hits at $21), an extensive wine list, a full dinner menu featuring New American cuisine with Eastern European influences, tableside Steak Tartar preparation, dessert program, and late-night dining until 3AM nightly. Reservations for the dining room are managed through Resy from 6PM to 11PM, with walk-in bar service available throughout the night.

Product overview

Employees Only is a speakeasy cocktail bar and restaurant offering a unified hospitality experience centered on expertly crafted cocktails and elevated New American cuisine with subtle Eastern European influences. The core offering comprises a cocktail program (EO Classics, Fancy Cocktails, Spirit Free, Modern Hits), dinner service with appetizers through desserts, an extensive wine program, and late-night dining. The bar is disguised as a psychic shop and features Art Deco décor. Reservations are managed through Resy. Founded in 2004, the venue has earned industry recognition including Spirited Awards for Best American Bar Team, World's Best Cocktail Bar, and World Best Drinks Selection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dinner Service Full dinner menu featuring appetizers, salads, entrées, and desserts with New American cuisine and Eastern European influences. Menu items include East Coast Oysters, EO Steak Tartar prepared tableside, Bone Marrow Poppers, Reuben Croquettes, Lamb Chops, Tuna Crudo, Caviar ($145), Burrata salad, Cavatelli, Half Chicken, Trout, EO Burger, Truffle Grilled Cheese, and Bone-In Rib Eye ($125). Entrées range from $26 to $125.
• Cocktail Program Extensive craft cocktail menu divided into four categories: EO Classics ($21 each, including Manhattan Cocktail, Billionaire Cocktail, Besos Calientes, Fraise Sauvage, Ready Fire Aim, West Side, Amelia), Fancy Cocktails ($24 each, including Cherry On Top, Short Story Long, No Politics, Yankee Notions), Spirit Free non-alcoholic options ($18 each, including Buzzkill and Spirited Away), and Modern Hits ($21 each, including Ash On My Tomatoes, Deli Run, Ticket To Paradise, Isabella, Lost In Translation, Mamma Mia). Features house-made cordials and syrups with seasonally adapted offerings.
• Wine Program Curated wine selection including sparkling wines and champagne, rosé, red wines, white wines, and dessert wines from France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Argentina, Greece, and the United States. Sparkling/Champagne ranges from $16/64 (Prosecco) to $750 (Dom Pérignon 2013); red wines $18-220 per glass; white wines $17-180 per glass; rosé wines from $17/70.
• Dessert Program Dessert menu featuring items such as Butterscotch & Mascarpone Cheesecake, Chocolate & Banana Bread Pudding, Ice Cream Sandwich, and dessert cocktails including Merci Ciao and Upside Down ($21 each) plus EO Espresso Martini ($24).
• Late Night Menu and Bar Service Kitchen open until 3AM nightly serving the full dinner menu. After 11PM, no reservations are necessary and all diners are seated on a first-come-first-serve basis. Indoor dining and bar service operate from 6PM to 4AM, seven days a week, with outdoor dining available nightly from 6PM to 11PM weather permitting.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of only 3 bars globally with uninterrupted presence in World's 50 Best Bars for 8 consecutive years (2016)

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Rosewood Mayakoba - Zapote BarminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2021Yucatán-inspired day-to-night cocktail and culinary destination from Rosewood Mayakoba in Mexico hosted a pop-up at Employees Only for two days. Guests enjoyed a selection of Zapote drinks and bites showcasing traditional Mayan ingredients, tools and techniques alongside EO's regular menu.
• Grand WaileaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2021The famed NYC speakeasy partnered with Grand Wailea resort in Hawaii to take over the Botero Lounge for a weekend pop-up event, bringing EO's signature cocktails to the resort's guests.
• Virgin AtlanticminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 February 2016Employees Only created three signature cocktails for Virgin Atlantic's JFK Clubhouse lounge, bringing their craft cocktail expertise to air travelers seeking premium drinking experiences.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Maison Premiere: Williamsburg cocktail bar and oyster house with absinthe-focused program. Comparable as a destination cocktail venue combining craft drinks with elevated cuisine in a vintage-inspired setting serving overlapping high-end cocktail enthusiasts.
• Angel's Share: Hidden speakeasy located above Village Yokocho in the East Village, accessible through an unmarked door. Directly comparable as a NYC speakeasy cocktail lounge with similar concealed entrance concept and craft cocktail focus.
• Death & Co. NYC East Village cocktail bar frequently ranked among the World's 50 Best Bars. Directly comparable as a destination craft cocktail venue with industry-leading bar program, similar price points, and overlap in the same craft cocktail enthusiast customer segment.
• Attaboy: No-menu, conversation-based cocktail bar on the Lower East Side founded by former Milk & Honey bartenders. Directly comparable as an intimate speakeasy-style craft cocktail bar with similar unmarked entrance and bespoke cocktail experience.
• Mace: Spice-themed cocktail bar in the East Village from former Death & Co. team. Comparable as a destination cocktail bar offering innovative themed cocktail menus and elevated bar bites in the same NYC craft cocktail tier.
• Little Branch: Village speakeasy-style cocktail bar operating under similar hidden-entrance speakeasy model with craft cocktail program. Comparable as a West Village-adjacent competitor targeting the same cocktail enthusiast segment.
• The Dead Rabbit: FiDi NYC cocktail bar and restaurant that won World's Best Bar multiple times. Directly comparable as a multi-floor cocktail destination with Irish-American gastropub format, comparable pricing, and parallel industry recognition profile.
• Please Don't Tell (PDT): Iconic NYC speakeasy accessed through a hidden phone booth entrance inside Crif Dogs in the East Village. Directly comparable as a craft cocktail speakeasy operating under the same World's 50 Best Bars Legends of the List designation as Employees Only, with similar hidden-entrance concept and craft cocktail positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Bemelmans Bar: Iconic Art Deco cocktail bar inside The Carlyle hotel on the Upper East Side. Comparable as a long-established NYC cocktail institution with art deco aesthetic, classic cocktail program, and similar celebrity/industry following, though operating under a hotel umbrella rather than independent.

Regional players

• Black Pearl: Melbourne-based cocktail bar also holding Legends of the List status on World's 50 Best Bars. Comparable as a peer Legends of the List holder operating in a different geography (Australia), with similar sustained industry recognition profile though competing in a regional market rather than NYC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EmployeesOnlyNY
• Facebookfacebook.com/EmployeesOnlyNYC
• Instagraminstagram.com/employeesonlyny
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/employees-only

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Employees Only Bar