Charlotte's Speakeasy Of Farmingdale Wins Best Nightclub On LI: 'Awesome'

FARMINGDALE, NY — Charlotte's Speakeasy of Farmingdale was named Best Nightclub on Long Island for the second year in a row in the Bethpage Best of LI Awards.

The Farmingdale lounge was actually used as a speakeasy during Prohibition in the 1920s and 1930s after brothers Nick and John DeVito found it under their frozen yogurt and ice cream store in 2017.

Patrons walk through the shop, past tubs of ice cream and frozen yogurt handles, to a bookcase on the left side of the shop. They say the weekly password to the bouncer, who then opens the bookcase, revealing a flight of stairs descending to the speakeasy — where people actually drank when alcohol was banned during Prohibition.

"You’d be surprised how many people come here for a year, and they never know about the history," Nick DeVito told Patch.

Some customers are perplexed to see DeVito walk through the escape room with a group of people.

"They go, 'What’s through that door in the back there?' And I explain, 'This is how they used to get out when the cops came,'" DeVito said. "And they’d go, 'When did the cops come?' and I’d say, '100 years ago.' 'Wait, this is a real speakeasy? I didn’t know!' Somehow, that message gets lost a little bit, so I would want people to know, yes, we have all the modern conveniences, but when you’re in our place, you’re standing where people were hiding from the cops 100 years ago. That’s one thing that somehow I miss with people sometimes."

DeVito said it is a mix balancing today's comforts with the authenticity of a speakeasy from the 1920s.

"It’s a modern speakeasy," he said. "We have some of the original furnishings from 100 years ago, and we have some modern stuff. We have some of the drinks that are reminiscent of that time, but also modern drinks. We have some of the music of that time, but also a little modern music. It’s something for everybody. We’re not going to play rap or heavy metal music downstairs. We’re not going to go that far in one direction, but we find there is a balance, and we’re meeting somewhere in the middle. This kind of satisfies what most people are looking for."

The DeVito brothers seemed to have found the pulse of what makes most people tick, as voters rewarded Charlotte's Speakeasy with its second straight award.

"We were so happy to win in 2023, and to win the next year again was just awesome," Nick said. "We don’t really push the voting that much. We’re not telling our customers, 'Hey, you’ve got to go out and vote for us.' I’m not telling my employees to vote for us. I didn’t tell anybody. But somehow or other, the public got the votes in there, and we won again, which is a great honor for us."

Charlotte's serves stone-fired pizza and appetizers, including fried mozzarella, chicken wings, stuffed mushrooms and baked clams oreganata. Cocktails sell for $15 each, with offerings ranging from an old fashioned, mule or margarita to martinis and other creative cocktails.

DeVito said Charlotte's has a "wonderful new staff" where most employees are new this year.

"I would say a lot has to do with them and the great job they’re doing," he said.

Otherwise, the Charlotte's experience has been mostly status quo.

"The great bands that have been playing here from the beginning are still playing," DeVito said. "We’ve brought in some new bands. We tried to get some fresh blood in here and there. But it’s still the same feel. The same kind of jump blues and jazz music with a little rockabilly and old rock ‘n roll mixed in. So that’s a big hit with people."

One of the DeVito brothers is at the speakeasy every night, Nick said.

"We watch over everything that’s going on. It’s good to have an owner on the premises the whole time that we’re open," he said. "We used to try and leave a little early sometimes, but I found it’s best for us to be here."

A customer recently told Nick that it is nice that they can rely on an owner being at the bottom of the stairs.

"By doing that, they know that if there’s any issue, if there’s a question, if they want to switch tables or they want to ask for a tour, if they want to ask for the history, if they need some kind of help, they know where the owner is," Nick said. "He’s standing at the bottom of the stairs."

Charlotte's also offers private parties in its speakeasy, DeVito said. Every day or night except Friday or Saturday nights — when the speakeasy is open to everyone — people can book the room for private gatherings. Bands are available to play private parties, too.

"It’s an incredible atmosphere for a private party. You get the speakeasy and patio outside," DeVito said.

The price for private parties vary depending on different food or drink packages.