What's the password? New Sparkill speakeasy will transport you back in time

Jeanne Muchnick, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
Updated ·4 min read

Denis Whitton has opened dozens of restaurants in his 25-plus-year career (he owns Pier 701 in Piermont) but nothing has been turned around as fast as Six23 Social, his new speakeasy that opens Saturday in Sparkill.

The 70-seat restaurant, with lots of antique sofas and loungey spots to sit — including an old barber chair — had previously been Autumn, the French-inspired restaurant he opened in September 2020. Now it's been transformed into a Prohibition-themed dimly lit spot dotted with Depression-era lights and walls filled with black and white photos from the 1920s and '30s.

Denis Whitton, the owner of Six23 Social, a new speakeasy on Main Street in Sparkill photographed July 13, 2023.
Denis Whitton, the owner of Six23 Social, a new speakeasy on Main Street in Sparkill photographed July 13, 2023.

There's even a hidden bookcase leading to a private dining room in the back as well as the kind of peep-hole front door that existed during Prohibition — when you needed a password to get in.

Blast from the past

Whitton has gone all-in on the theme. Everything here, from the suspenders and bowties on the bartenders to the old movies playing on TVs behind the bar, from the black rotary phone placed just so near a sofa to the deck of cards on a table towards the front, have been hand selected like props on a 1930s movie set. Adding to the fun: you'll have to ring a buzzer when you arrive and then have a password, which you're given when making a reservation.

The cocktails, too, are a blast from the past, with drinks that were popular back in the day such as "The Cat's Meow" (Casco Viejo Blanco tequila, Giffard triple sec, fresh lime juice, salt), the "Bee's Knees," (London dry grin, local honey syrup, lemon juice), a Brandy Alexander and the traditional Old Fashioned, complete with smoke.

Whitton wanted to bring fun to the place so other drinks are aptly named like "Bonnie & Clyde,"(Agave de Cortes Joven Mexcal, Contratto Aperitif, Yellow Chartruese and fresh lime juice), "The Flapper," (Wodka vodka, grapefruit juice, Giffard Pamplemousse Liquer and club soda) and the "Sparkill Sidecar," (Cognac Park, VS Cognac, Giffard Triple Sec, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup).

One of the lounge areas at Six23 Social, a new speakeasy on Main Street in Sparkill photographed July 13, 2023.
One of the lounge areas at Six23 Social, a new speakeasy on Main Street in Sparkill photographed July 13, 2023.

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As for the food, he's eliminated the classic French touches that were hallmarks of Autumn and made the menu tapas-style with dishes in the $9 to $13 range. "That way, diners can have a better culinary experience by getting to try more than one thing," he said. Among the choices: deviled eggs, pepper-crusted steak with a peppercorn cognac sauce, pan-seared branzino with roasted potatoes, green olives, tomatoes, capers and lemon, and cast iron chicken pot pie.

There's also lobster sliders, a flatbread pizza of the day, chilled oysters and oven roasted beet salad.

Desserts feature old-time favorites like an egg cream and ice cream sundae.

Why the change?

Whitton said he made the changes for a few reasons, one of which is that people seem to prefer small plates these days to one entree. They're also looking for more of a dining experience, which he hopes to provide.

Opening during the height of the pandemic, he said, wasn't the best way to start a business. As a longtime restaurateur, he realized Autumn wasn't doing as well as it should have. After playing around with a couple different concepts, he settled on a speakeasy — and did his research.

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The new name is a reference to the restaurant's address, but spelling out the "Six" and using "Social" are nods to what was done during the Prohibition era.

"Sparkill has so many options," he said. "I wanted to offer something different."

The beef filet with peppercorn cognac sauce at Six23 Social, a new speakeasy on Main Street in Sparkill photographed July 13, 2023.
The beef filet with peppercorn cognac sauce at Six23 Social, a new speakeasy on Main Street in Sparkill photographed July 13, 2023.

If you go

Address: 623 Main St., Sparkill, 845-836-3398, six23social.com

Hours: 3 p.m. to midnight Tuesday to Thursday; to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m; dinner from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. (the bar will be open later)

Good to know: There's a 22-seat private dining room behind a bookcase in the back. Also brunch is regular entree-size portions that draw on past Autumn favorites.

Mark your calendars: Whitton is already planning a big party on Dec. 5, the day Prohibition was repealed, and hopes diners will come dressed in outfits from the day.

Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @lohud_food or via the lohudfood newsletter. 

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Six23 Social speakeasy restaurant opening in Sparkill NY