Door 74

Rembrandtplein, Amsterdam –

True to the speakeasies of 1920s America, the exact location of Door 74 is somewhat clandestine and one definitely worth investigating.

The sleek, upscale setting is the place for classic cocktails, flutes of champagne, and “proper late-night drinking,” as the bar itself says. It’s evident from the moment the swanky black-suited barman checks groups of people off the list and escorts them through the unmarked door into the dimly lit lounge that the bar’s Golden Rule of “Behave as ladies and gentlemen” is respected without question by the sophisticated clientele.

The bar itself is something of a marvel with its lustrous countertops and shelves lined with a spectacular array of liquors. A glass brick ceiling reflects the glow of 20s-inspired globe lights and casts a soothing light over the modern chocolate leather banquettes and tables.

One of Door 74’s main attractions is the solicitous staff whose impressive cocktail knowledge and mixing skills are surpassed only by the generous service that charms patrons and encourages them to take the time to thoroughly enjoy the experience.

The leather-bound menu offers fifteen seasonally changing creative cocktails that guests would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere, from classics favored by Hugh Hefner and his Playmates in the 1960s to drinks with creative ingredients like oyster mushroom infused bourbon, or cornwine with lemon and egg whites.

A place of beauty blended with a welcoming ease, Door 74 is open to all who, as their motto states, seek “pleasant conversation over decent, grown-up drinks.”