Vancouver Would Be Cooler If is a column that advocates for things that either exist in other cities and/or could otherwise serve to improve and celebrate life in our own.

The door to La Noxe, New York City’s newest speakeasy bar, can be found on the landing of a staircase that leads down to the 1 Train platform inside the 28th Street subway station. The unique 15-seater operates as a counter coffee shop during the day and a cocktail lounge at night.

From Travel & Leisure:

La Noxe is now serving food and drinks Tuesdays through Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. But even if you know where to look, getting a reservation is the bigger challenge, since the venue can only hold 15 people at a time right now due to COVID-19 restrictions. “Every day, we are hosting amazing new guests, many of whom I hope will become regulars,” Perie tells T+L. “Our goal is to build a strong community of people who love great food, cocktails, wine, and music.” He adds that the goal is to eventually open until 4 a.m. to truly embrace the nightlife scene. “We are definitely not trying to be a tourist attraction,” he says. “We believe the right people will always find their way to La Noxe.”

On the dinner menu are seafood options like daily catch ceviche, bass tiradito, and shrimp vuelve a la vida with tostones. The house drinks include Forbidden Love (aloe, cucumber, lemon, and vodka) and the La Noux Banana Daiquiri (banana liqueur, Jamaican bitters, and charanda).

Perie says the focus of La Noxe is its drinks, but it’s the atmosphere that truly stands out. “The size and location of the room will make you feel like you are partying for a few hours in the apartment of an eccentric artist circa 1977,” he says. “But first and foremost, La Noxe is a New York experience.”

Diversity of drinking venues is something we could always use more of here in Vancouver, so let’s imagine something similar hidden inside Waterfront or Stadium skytrain stations. I’m not sure if either has 400 sqft rooms to spare or rent, but if they did…surely a tiny cocktail bar wouldn’t be the worst use of it!