If You Know You Know (IYKYK) speakeasy has been hiding in plain sight since it opened at the start of the year, bringing low-key vibes and an elevated cocktail experience waiting to be discovered in the heart of Flushing.
The bar and lounge, located at 35-28 Farrington St., goes beyond the typical speakeasy experience, offering a perfect date spot or girl’s night out getaway with incredible drinks and late-night Asian tapas, from fried oysters to land and sea lumpia and many more delectable bites.
The space is owned by Mack Chen, the founder and visionary behind the concept of the speakeasy, who also owns a construction company that’s headquartered in the same row of businesses and bars on the street. After seeking a venue with a cozy speakeasy vibe in Flushing and coming up short, the Queens resident decided to bring his own vision to life to share with the community.
“The reason behind this bar was that I didn’t have a place to go that I enjoyed,” said Chen. “Some of the places I went to felt limited, and I wanted more.”
The speakeasy is just up a short flight of stairs, with a small sign on the door to let customers know they’re in the right place. After entering the bar, guests are instantly transported from an ordinary street in Flushing to a low-lit 1920s Shanghai-inspired bar. The bar includes a wall of Chinese opera masks that customers can admire and even wear for photo ops, and decorations along the wall that represent gold coins from China.
“Before the Cultural Revolution, opera was the number one thing,” said Chen. “After, it never really had a revival, so I was trying to think of the best times. Flushing is the largest Chinatown now, so I wanted to do an homage to it.”
The space has seating for every kind of mood, from a cozy bar area in the back of the venue to oval couches set amongst tables for date night or a hangout with friends, as well as a row of small tables and chairs for one-on-one meetups.
The bar has a distinctly unique cocktail menu, including drinks inspired by popular Asian desserts like their Ube All Day, made with Tito’s vodka, ube condensed milk, sake, pineapple and coconut foam. The drink is served on a soft pink tray, ornate with pink flowers and even a small spotlight to show off the drink’s pretty purple hue. There’s also the Velvet Moon, a deconstructed take on a pina colada, made with clarified milk punch, coconut rum, falernum, coconut water and pineapple, inspired by Chen’s mom, who always loved the taste of pina coladas but didn’t enjoy the texture of the coconut cream.
The Saturday Morning Cereals Flight includes three shots inspired by flavors from popular cereals like Fruit Loops, Cocoa Pebbles and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Other popular drinks include their take on the espresso martini, called Evening Coffee, and Agua De Reinas, made with vodka, gin, sparkling wine and orange juice. The bar has one of the largest selections of spirits, with over 60 types of whiskeys and 55 different types of tequilas.
“We take the drinks that are very popular and we tweak them to make them more suitable to us, and we also batch all of our drinks,” said Chen. “I believe quality is the most important thing, especially with food and beverage; it’s got to be consistent.”
Their food menu also has its own personality, with a list of dishes that are suitable for dinner or shared happy hour plates. They have fresh shucked oysters from Long Island, which are served with homemade cocktail sauce and yuzu ginger mignonette, along with “Downtown Flushing”-style grilled oysters, with panko, garlic, parmesan, butter and parsley. Other dishes include the land and sea lumpia, a popular Filipino snack, served with pork, shrimp, crab and crawfish in a spring roll with plum sauce, as well as their signature IYKYK double smash burger, prepared with dry-aged ground beef from The Meat Hook in Brooklyn, with American cheese, BBQ sauce, onions and a side of Truffle salt fries.
“Aside from the burger, everything has a little Asian touch to it,” said Chen. “The whole concept of this menu is food that’s perfect to snack on when you’re drunk. It keeps the night going, and food is something that’s a big passion. I believe food and drink bring everyone together, and that’s what I’m trying to do here. I want people to come here and have a good time.”
IYKYK is open Wednesday through Monday, with hours from 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 6 p.m. to midnight on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. To stay up to date with the speakeasy and any special events, follow them on Instagram at @iyk.yk.nyc
