Jeff Bell of Please Don’t Tell opens Kees, a new subterranean cocktail lounge at One Cornelia Street in the West Village. The debut marks the third and final concept at the corner location, which also houses Tacos 1986 and Mixteca, Bell’s agave-focused bar developed with fellow PDT alum Victor Lopez. Guests enter through the street-level space before descending to Kees below.

Positioned not as a speakeasy but as a modern homage to post-Prohibition New York, Kees draws on the glamour and elegance of the era. Designed by Post Company, the lounge features a plush, intimate interior and a menu centered on classic cocktails executed by an all-bartender team.

The drinks program includes martinis, negronis, highballs, manhattans, and sours, each offered in its traditional form alongside three seasonal variations. A selection of classic bar fare accompanies the cocktail list, including prawns with cocktail sauce, chips and dip with trout roe, gilda and oysters Rockefeller, served within a dimly lit setting defined by green velvet banquettes, drapery, marble and brass finishes.

Image courtesy of Kees