Double Happiness

(212) 941-1282

173 Mott St
New York, NY 10013 40.7201 -73.9962

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Neighborhoods: Little Italy, Downtown

Last updated 4.01.09

Category:

Bars & Pubs, Nightclubs, Bars & Clubs, Restaurants, Lounges

Payment Methods:

Visa, MasterCard

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Happy Hour

Bar & Club Special Features:

After Hours, Romantic Nightlife, Specialty Cocktails, Live Music

Smoking Permitted:

No

What People Are Saying About Double Happiness

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – This super-dark basement lounge retains the secret, illicit appeal that drew crowds during its past incarnations as a speakeasy and Mob-run gay bar. A large Chinese abacus borders the intimate wooden bar, while the rest of the exposed-brick space yawns into a silky blackness flecked with candlelight. Come early to snag one of the plush alcove booths or low tables before they're crowded with regulars, European tourists and cozy couples. – – The Draw – DJs start spinning a smooth mix of soul, rock and house most nights after 10pm. In the meantime, the staff…

Editor's Tips

Save Money:
"Happiness" is a good-luck symbol traditionally seen at Chinese weddings, but from 6pm to 7:30pm weekdays, it could also refer to the two-for-one drink special.
Where to Sit:
For extra privacy, push past the curtain of wooden beads to the left of the bar to find a secluded, skylight-topped seating area.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. Very nice atmosphere- dark and mysterious, lots of ambience.
  2. You will see quite a cast of characters in this dimly lit, eerily romantic cubby hole.
  3. The decor is a fushion between authentic, historic chinese and downtown cool.
  4. Good atmosphere - kind of dark with lots of good crevices for you & your date to sit & get to know each other, but still overall a hoppin' place, so its also fun to people watch.
  5. like to cozy up in one of the booths with some friends, but the dance floor is always fun too.
  6. Tasty unique cocktails, nice staff, VERY mysterious, dimly-lit and cozy atmosphere.
  7. This is a really cozy place to chill out with a date or with your friends.
  8. Nice and cozy underground bar, you'd definitely miss it if you blinked.
  9. Place has a great late-late night vibe, with the small dance floor quickly becoming overcrowded and swarming with fun-loving and laidback people who just want to have a good time.
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. Tasty unique cocktails, nice staff, VERY mysterious, dimly-lit and cozy atmosphere.
  2. and have some tasty cocktails.
  3. Nice and cozy underground bar, you'd definitely miss it if you blinked.
food quality
100.0% positive
  1. The decor is a fushion between authentic, historic chinese and downtown cool.
  2. and have some tasty cocktails.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. The DJ's always play a great variety of music that always seems to tend to the mood of the crowd.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. Good atmosphere - kind of dark with lots of good crevices for you & your date to sit & get to know each other, but still overall a hoppin' place, so its also fun to people watch.
  2. This is a great place for a date!
  3. good place to relax, dance and hang out.
  4. It woulda been a nice place if it wasn't so damn packed!
service
100.0% positive
  1. Good atmosphere - kind of dark with lots of good crevices for you & your date to sit & get to know each other, but still overall a hoppin' place, so its also fun to people watch.
  2. Tasty unique cocktails, nice staff, VERY mysterious, dimly-lit and cozy atmosphere.
  3. Speak-easy feel in the middle of Chinatown make this a pretty impressive hidden spot ideal for impressing the people you're hosting over the weekend.
  4. Place has a great late-late night vibe, with the small dance floor quickly becoming overcrowded and swarming with fun-loving and laidback people who just want to have a good time.
  5. We had a great table to people watch(always the best spectator sport in nyc!)
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/27/07

That Soft Touch of Happiness

by one_trick_pony

Ruined careers, shattered lives, broken dreams; in its day this place was accused of the works. Looking back, the scope of its influence is nothing short of epic. And now, you, the lost lambs of double happiness, where shall you congregate? Lest the flock be gobbled by the corporate wolves with their eyes on your golden fleece, let us go underground once more! Below the radar of the ogres of the Old World, we shall carve a new space of liberation, where anything can happen. Let us make the end of an epoch into a Happy Ending. Join me there, comrades, and we will once again relive that soft touch of happiness.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

01/29/07

Nice Underground Feel

by moineau

Nice and cozy underground bar, you'd definitely miss it if you blinked. I like to cozy up in one of the booths with some friends, but the dance floor is always fun too. The DJ's always play a great variety of music that always seems to tend to the mood of the crowd. Sometimes the crowd seems a little to "sceney" for my tastes, but it's not always like that. Drinks are good and relatively priced. Nice place to go to if you're bar hopping, probably not a place where you'd want to stay all night... sometimes it gets too crowded late in the evenings.

  • Pros: Nice Underground Feel
  • Cons: Quite small, can get crowded quickly
3 Star Rating: Average

01/14/07

Don't miss this lower-level gem of a bar!

by stlsunshine

My husband and I went for the first time last night, I'd heard this was a fun hangout. We had a great time! Tasty unique cocktails, nice staff, VERY mysterious, dimly-lit and cozy atmosphere...not to be missed! We got there at 10PM on a Saturday night and scored seats at the bar, by 10:30 it was standing-room only so we're happy we got there when we did. The crowd was a good mix of people, thankfully missing the overly-drunken early 20-somethings that tend to spoil a mood by staggering and shouting. We will definitely be back, would like to try a weeknight as well. Great music and sound system too!

  • Pros: wonderful drinks, atmosphere and drinks
  • Cons: small space fills up fast
4 Star Rating: Recommended

05/23/06

Ultra Chill Hipster Lounge

by qtgurljny

Double Happiness used to be a big hipster lounge, and still somewhat is. The decor is a fushion between authentic, historic chinese and downtown cool. Drinks are pretty low priced and people are pretty attractive. A good place to relax, dance and hang out.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/21/06

Great

by fchor

I love this place. The bar's name is very appropriate. Highly recommended.

  • Pros: Atmosphere

The Details on Double Happiness

Place Categories:

  • nice place
  • unique drinks
  • recommended highly
  • very nice atmosphere
  • nice underground bar
  • tasty unique cocktails
  • great sound system
  • best spectator sport
  • eerily romantic cubby hole
  • great vibe
  • nice staff
  • pretty impressive spot
  • very good dj
  • good tunes
  • good martinis
  • great music
  • authentic downtown cool
  • good crevices
  • big hipster lounge
  • always fun dance floor
  • happy ending
  • great variety
  • authentic historic chinese
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