From an award-winning bar inside a pastrami shop to a fake barber shop boozer – nine stunning hidden bars in Europe revealed

Some of Europe’s best bars are tucked away in unlikely locations. 

They’re reminiscent of speakeasies that popped up in the 1920s when prohibition laws in the United States meant that alcohol was made illegal. 

Instead of the intended effect of creating a sober nation, prohibition resulted in the emergence of an underground drinking culture. 

A hundred years on, the concept – and the creative cocktails – have spread across the pond in the form of sophisticated underground lounges.

Here, MailOnline Travel rounds up nine of the very best in Europe – from a 1940s bar  with train carriage seating to an award-winning speakeasy inside a pastrami shop.  Scroll down to decide which one is your favourite. 

Inside Panda & Sons is a classic drinking den with barber stools, old advertising posters and plenty of cocktail options

You might easily walk past Panda & Sons, which takes the guise of an old-school barber shop on Edinburgh’s famous Queen Street. 

While you won’t find the advertised 25¢ haircut and shaves inside, you’ll find a bookcase opening up to a classic drinking den with barber stools, old posters and plenty of cocktails.

Find out more information at pandaandsons.com.

The Washhouse – Manchester 

The Washhouse – Manchester: This is a speakeasy disguised as a laundromat. Guests can enter through the washing machine or vending machine as seen here

Within The Washhouse is a dimly lit bar featuring an extensive cocktail menu 

The entrance to The Washhouse is disguised as a laundromat, but you’ll struggle to find somewhere to wash your clothes.

Instead, you’ll find two passageways – one taking the shape of a washing machine and the other a vending machine – leading to a dimly lit bar.

All sorts of surprises await inside, from a ‘disco loo’ to an extensive cocktail menu. 

Find out more at washhousemcr.com.

Little Red Door – Paris

Little Red Door – Paris: Guests can enter through a side door located to the left of the red door seen in this image

Since opening in 2012, Little Red Door has appeared 10 times in The World’s 50 Best Bars list. The photo above shows the interior of the bar

The name of this Parisian bar might give you a clue as to where it’s located. Once you reach the bright red door, you aren’t far off. The real entrance is through a door located to the left of the red door. 

Guests will enter to find warm lighting, exposed brick walls and chic furniture. Since opening in 2012, Little Red Door has appeared 10 times in The World’s 50 Best Bars list. Reservations aren’t necessary. The bar only accepts walk-ins. 

More information can be found at lrdparis.com.

Cahoots – London 

Cahoots – London: This 1940s cocktail bar is located in Soho’s Kingly Court. Its three sections replicate a ticket hall, signal station and tube carriage

The Underground seating area in Cahoots (above) sees guests relax in vintage train carriage with seats and booths

This 1940s cocktail bar is located in Soho’s Kingly Court. It replicates a disused tube station and is made up of three parts: the ‘Ticket Hall’, the ‘Underground’ and the ‘Signal Station’. 

The Underground section sits guests in vintage train carriage seats and booths, the Ticket Hall is a faux black market for liquor and cocktails, and the Signal Station – the apparent base for a pirate radio station – is covered in flashing lights, old switchboards, danger-marked levers and webs of wires. 

To book visit Cahoots’ website at cahoots-london.com.

Paradiso – Barcelona

Paradiso – Barcelona: This Spanish speakeasy bar is accessed through a vintage fridge door inside the pastrami shop pictured

Paradiso’s interior (pictured) is encased by wood that elegantly weaves through the bar and across the ceiling 

This cocktail bar is accessed through a vintage fridge door inside a pastrami shop. 

Though hidden, it’s not exactly a secret. Paradiso was voted number one in the World’s Best Bars list in 2022. 

Its interior is covered in wood that elegantly weaves through the bar and across the ceiling illuminated by warm lights. 

Guests can expect innovative and over-the-top drinks, many of which are accompanied by smoke, fire and dry ice. 

Reservations are not made in advance at Paradiso. Visitors must sign up for a virtual queue that is accessed through a QR code at the door. 

Visit: paradiso.cat/.

Mercy Brown – Krakow

Mercy Brown – Krakow: This bar is located above a restaurant in Poland and transports guests to a ‘world of madness’, according to its website

This bar may be hidden, but there’s nothing discreet about it. Located above Smakolyki restaurant in Krakow, Poland, Mercy Brown serves live jazz and burlesque shows as a main course. 

It’s location is so protected that the bar would not share any pictures of the entrance with MailOnline Travel. However, we’d recommend you check out the restaurant’s cloakroom (hint, hint).

Decked out with soft lighting, velveteen couches, and golden drapes, its 1920s-themed interior takes guests to a ‘world of madness’ and ‘exudes the ‘decadence of the olden age’, according to the bar’s website. 

Visit: mercybrown.pl.

Door 74 – Amsterdam 

Door 74 – Amsterdam: The interior of this hidden bar features dark leather seats, wooden tables and tasselled lamps

This Prohibition-style bar is hidden in plain sight in the centre of Amsterdam behind a nondescript green door covered in vines, which is not typically photographed, the bar’s manager told MailOnline Travel. 

Its art-deco interior features dark leather seats, wooden tables, tasselled lamps and plenty of antique furnishings. 

Guests must ring the bell outside to enter, securing their seats through Door 74’s website: finddoor74.com.

Bar Tausend – Berlin 

This late-night bar is not easy to find. Its entrance is hidden behind an unmarked door under the Friedrichstrasse train station in Berlin. 

The futuristic bar sits in a long tunnel decked out with circular lights, mirrors and black sofas. On the menu are cocktails, live DJs and dancing. 

In the backroom is an even more exclusive spot, Tausend Cantina, a restaurant offering a range of dishes from black mashed potatoes to premium steak.

Reservations for Cantina are a must and can be booked here. 

Club Derriere – Rome 

This speakeasy club is tucked within the back of Osteria delle Coppelle – a popular restaurant in Rome.

Reservations can be made at clubderriere.superbexperience.com but walk-ins are also accepted.  

You can enter through a hidden door in the back of a restaurant or through an unmarked doorway on a narrow street near the Pantheon. Expect unfinished walls, vintage sofas and candelabras.