I Know You Know is a Speakeasy Success in New Britain 

“995187” — I type these numbers into the keypad at the nondescript storefront and wait for the buzzer. The storefront’s windows are blocked out, and it’s impossible to get any idea of what is inside from the street. When the buzzer sounds, I open the door and enter a small room with nothing in it except a bookcase. I walk to the bookcase and push. I know what to expect but, somehow, I’m still surprised.

The bookshelf opens up into an expansive 1920s-style speakeasy space with a marble bar and lofty ceilings. Though I didn’t see anyone enter the space from the outside, inside is surprisingly busy given that it was early afternoon on a weekday. The staff is finishing up their pre-service meeting and other customers have already begun trickling in. I’ve arrived at I Know You Know, a New Britain cocktail bar that has taken social media by storm and is drawing fans of the Roaring Twenties from across the state and beyond its borders.

While the craft cocktail revolution has firmly enmeshed itself in Connecticut, and serious cocktail bars and menus can be found in any city and many towns, no bar of which I am aware has dedicated itself as fully to recreating a true speakeasy vibe in all its secret code and hidden-space glory as I Know You Know.

(top) Andres Soriano making a Tom Collins cocktail; (bottom left) Avocado toast with egg; (bottom right) Pouring a delicious Royal Passion cocktail

Entrance hall one you're through the bookcase; Bartender making magic; Diners enjoying the fare

Marlon Soriano, who owns the establishment along with his brother Andres Soriano, explains he and his brother fell in love with the concept of creating a modern Connecticut speakeasy after visiting similar establishments in places like New York City and D.C. These modern speakeasies are inspired by the clandestine liquor establishments that appeared in the 1920s and early 1930s when the sale of alcohol was prohibited in the U. S. due to prohibition. Today the nuevo speakeasies are often found in parts of town you don’t expect to find restaurants, sometimes they’re hidden behind secret passageways or phony storefronts. Other times they require passwords to get in as I Know You Know does. Speaking of codes readers be warned, that the code I used to get in no longer works — though don’t worry, each day’s code is posted to I Know You Know’s social media page. It all may be bit silly and unnecessary now that prohibition has long since been repealed, but it’s also fun.

“I like the mystery of the speakeasy,” says Marlon, who also owns the Assembly Room in New Britain with his brother.

Beyond that mystery, Marlon, and the team at I Know You Know have embraced the cocktail culture of the speakeasy era, with lots of gin-forward drinks and shaken cocktails featuring lemon juice not lime. “Back in the day, we didn’t use lime,” Marlon says.

Andres and general manager Atilo Lopez have created the bar menu which features a mix of classic cocktails and new creations utilizing classic ingredients. One showstopper is the Clover Club, a cocktail featuring gin, raspberry syrup, fresh-squeezed lemon juice and an egg white. Beautifully presented with a frothy, pillowy head and sprinkled shaved raspberries, it is wonderfully balanced and not as sweet as it sounds or looks. The Tom Collins is another classic gin cocktail executed to perfection here. But gin is not the only spirit on display here, also excellent is the tequila-powered Royal Passion and the rum-forward Ya Tu Sabe. The latter is Marlon’s favorite drink on the menu and is perfect for any guest looking for something different and intriguing. The Bumbu rum is mixed with Averna Amaro, Velvet Falernum and Fernet Branca, creating a booze-forward earthy and herbal drink that hits the right balance between drinkability and complexity.

From left: Brothers and partners Marlon Soriano and Andres Soriano with General Manager Attilo Lopez: Marlon making an Old Fashioned cocktail

The food menu is focused on small plates and shareables that are designed to complement the drinks. So, you’ll find empanadas as well as sliders and roasted cauliflower.

Marlon and his brother are natives of El Salvador. When they moved to this country, they both got jobs at restaurants as dishwashers and began working their way up the industry ladder. “The idea was always to open our own bar,” he says.

Now they’ve accomplished that dream twice over. The Assembly Room is an established success and I Know You Know is rapidly following in its footsteps. For a restaurant with a “secret” passcode and semi hidden location, I Know You Know hasn’t been able to keep the crowds away.

“We went viral, and we couldn't stop. Sometimes we have like a three hour waitlist,” Marlon says. It’s pretty safe to say, the secret is out.

I Know You Know Speakeasy is located at 69 Arch Street in New Britain. 
@iknowyouknowcocktailbar