
Modern speakeasies offer a taste of the Prohibition Era.
A century after Prohibition, craft cocktail lovers in the Sacramento region remain fascinated by the mystery and allure of speakeasies. Speakeasy-style cocktail lounges and taprooms, complete with secret entrances and passwords, are popping up throughout the area.
“We’re seeing a renaissance,” says Tony Hicks, bar manager at the Trophy Club, a members-only speakeasy with intermittent password access announced via social media. Modern speakeasies are far from the dangerous, dark alley dens that earlier generations snuck away to. A satirical twist on the clandestine past, speakeasies today are a fun, themed spot to order an old-fashioned drink – including an actual old fashioned.

These days, word of mouth, smartphone apps, TikTok, and Instagram offer clues to the lair of libations. At the Trophy Club, members benefit from discounted rates and reserved seating. Inside, you’ll find marble, black velvet, gold chandeliers, and a book ladder to reach the top shelf gems. Members have priority while others may have to wait to get a table in a room with a 50-person capacity. It’s a charming, friendly, unpretentious place where everyone is welcome, dressed casual or to the nines.
“It’s very atmospheric … a bookish, Great Gatsby vibe,” Hicks says.
A seasonal drink menu rotates every three months, and syrups and bitters are all made in-house. Artisan ice cubes stamped with the house brand add a classy finish. “My cocktails come from a blast of inspiration. It’s not one concurrent stroke of lightning. I’m constantly writing cocktail recipes,” proclaims Hicks, who invites people to share their flavor profiles.
The modern global speakeasy trend came to life in 1999 when Milk & Honey, a New York City bar, helped usher in a craft cocktail movement that is still going strong today. But historically, Speakeasy bars, also called “blind pigs” or “blind tigers,” were illicit establishments where alcoholic beverages were sold.
They rose to prominence in the United States during the Prohibition Era, roughly 1920 to 1933. During the Roaring Twenties, the sale, manufacture, and transportation of liquor – “bootlegging” — was illegal in the States. The term “speakeasy” literally meant “speak easy” or quietly so as not to alert the police or neighbors. With its opposition to “the great experiment” and rumrunning up and down the West Coast, Sacramento became one of the “wettest” cities in California and the nation with more than 30 known speakeasies throughout downtown, just inside 10 blocks from the federal Prohibition agent headquarters. “Sacramento has always been a speakeasy city,” says Hicks.
The Delta King served as a floating hotspot on the waterfront for illegal drinking and gambling, while the lower level of the historic Ryde Hotel offered bootlegged whiskey and jazz to clientele in search of a good time.
A trap door in the floor led underground to the river’s edge. It’s that air of secrecy that remains so fascinating to patrons today. “The secret entrance is like a portal to somewhere far away,” says Peter Hoey, co-founder of The Roost, a speakeasy in downtown Sacramento. It can be found in a space in the rear of the pub, BAWK! by Urban Roots.

“Once you are inside, it is private and away from the bustle and energy of downtown, like an oasis. There is something about not having a storefront that makes it more exciting and elusive, and it really facilitates escapism. It’s transporting; you could be anywhere in the world.”

Bartenders at The Roost curate a list of spirits from all over the world with more than 700 unique bottles. The speakeasy is known for being a bourbon and American whisky forward bar.
“Something about the old brick walls, copper bar, and exposed truss ceiling makes an old fashioned or Manhattan just feel right in the space,” Hoey says.

Curious drinkers can try a flight of three cocktails featuring one spirit or make a custom request of the bartender. It’s a place where anyone, from experienced rare bourbon hunters to cocktail novices, will feel at home. “We have curated experiences and special dealers’ choice cocktails for guests who want our talented bartenders to take care of all the decision-making. Or we can take you on a deep dive into our spirit collection for those who are more experienced,” Hoey explains.

For a more rustic evening, try Placer County’s Lincoln Speakeasy Taproom, which is situated inside the old historic brick Lincoln feed store. “If you were walking on the street, you would never know there is a speakeasy inside,” says co-owner Debra Freeman. She opened the speakeasy in 2021 with husband Ben Freeman, along with John and Holly Buechler. This one-of-a-kind drinking establishment resembles a 1920s general store. Step behind the red curtain to find good food, local wine, and craft beer from Crooked Lane and Knee Deep breweries. The taproom carries 20 beers on tap and hard ciders. “We like to highlight local wineries because we feel a speakeasy is supposed to bring people together and create community,” Freeman says.

For a new twist, try its mixed drinks made with sabe, a Japanese fermented rice beverage that’s similar to sake. It’s aged in barrels with a lingering flavor of vodka, tequila, and rum. For some sustenance, order the cheese curds, fried pickles, or burgers and sandwiches before a game of pool, trivia, karaoke, or live music on weekends. “Our speakeasy is more casual. We even have a gentleman who rides his horse to the speakeasy,” says Freeman. “He’ll tie it up outside on a parking post. I don’t know if you get that in Sacramento. It’s nice we have ranchers come in, IT/tech people. It ranges and nobody knows what your socioeconomic background is. Everyone comes together for a good time. I like that. That’s the community I’m trying to build.”
