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Chinatown just got a new leading lady and she’s dramatic in the best way. Opera House, the sultry subterranean bar from the team behind Chinese Tuxedo, has taken over the former Peachy’s space at 5 Doyers Street, channeling the address’s past life as New York’s first Chinese theater.
The new destination is serving something even more intoxicating than history: a drinks menu that reads like an operatic program, with 12 cocktails inspired by iconic Chinese operas and classical literature.
Step inside and it’s clear this isn’t your average speakeasy with a theme. The 80-seat space glows in amber light, anchored by a bar aptly dubbed The Stage and backed by a hand-painted opera mural. Plush booths, moon-shaped sliding doors, gold accents and exposed beams complete the “hidden jewel box under Doyers” vibe. It’s dramatic without being theatrical-for-Instagram and that’s kind of the point.
Beverage director Beau Bradley pulls from Chinese herbs, teas and pantry ingredients in playful (and occasionally wild) ways. Think salted-egg-and-chestnut syrup in a flip, sesame and black bean in spritzes and Sichuan peppercorn in a martini that hums like opening-night nerves. The White Snake Legend leans botanical and savory, landing with a “gently numbing, peppery sensation from the Sichuan peppercorn,” while Dream of the Red Chamber goes spirit-forward with five-spice duck fat-washed bourbon and pu-erh-tea Campari. Tale of the Moon even arrives crowned with a custom mooncake from Brooklyn bakery Kitsby because dessert-tini culture deserves an elegant reboot.
Guests sipping along the operatic arc can nibble on complimentary mala-spiced chickpeas and lotus chips or order dim sum from upstairs, including teacup scallop and shrimp wontons and braised black pepper oxtail buns. You can go light and floral (Flower Princess), bold and smoky (Drunken Beauty) or dive head-first into the funky-savory-sweet world of Butterfly Lovers, which promises a balance of sweet, sour and savory.
The concept isn't just decorative nostalgia: the program celebrates the history of the original Chinese Opera House on Doyers Street, reframing a slice of Chinatown heritage with downtown swagger. It feels like a Chinatown time capsule, dusted with citrus, baijiu and sesame.
Opera House is open daily from 6pm to 2am. Reservations are on Resy, but walk-ins are welcome if you’re willing to brave a dramatic entrance. After all, what’s an opera without a little suspense?