Repeal Speakeasy, the new 1920s-themed cocktail bar at NOVA Live in Manassas, Virginia, officially opened February 10, 2026, bringing Prohibition-era glamour to Northern Virginia's entertainment scene. Located inside the brand new Tempo by Hilton Manassas at 9849 Discovery Boulevard, this hidden gem offers craft cocktails, live jazz, and an immersive speakeasy experience that transports guests back to the golden age of cocktails.
Manassas is transforming into one of Northern Virginia's most exciting entertainment destinations. If you're considering living in Manassas, developments like NOVA Live are just one reason why buyers are flocking to the area.
But first, you have to find the door.
Finding Repeal: Manassas's Newest Hidden Speakeasy
There's a pristine 1929 Bentley parked outside the Tempo by Hilton in Manassas. Yellow spoke wheels gleaming under the parking lot lights, running boards polished to a mirror shine—the kind of ride a bootlegger-turned-legitimate-businessman might've driven after December 5, 1933.
That's the date Prohibition ended. The date America collectively exhaled. And it's the date that inspired Repeal, the speakeasy that just opened its doors (well, its hidden doors) at the NOVA Live campus.
Repeal is tucked inside the brand new Tempo by Hilton at NOVA Live, which opened at the end of December 2025. The hotel itself is sleek and modern, all wellness-focused design and spa-inspired bathrooms—which makes the contrast with Repeal even more striking.
Let's be honest: speakeasies aren't actually secret anymore. You can Google them. They have Instagram accounts. But Repeal still manages to capture that thrill of discovery. There's a hidden entrance—because of course there is—and walking through it feels like crossing a threshold between eras.
The interior hits you immediately. Dimmed amber lighting. Velvet seating in deep burgundy and gold. Black-and-white photos of jazz legends lining the walls—trumpet players frozen mid-note, drummers caught in the ecstasy of a solo. Behind the bar, leather-bound books sit on shelves like they've been there since the New Deal, and the whole space has this lived-in glamour that feels more like a private gentleman's club than a hotel bar.
Which is exactly the point.
Repeal's Prohibition-Era Cocktail Menu: When Your Drink Comes with a Rubber Ducky
The cocktail menu at Repeal Speakeasy is described as "a love letter to the golden age of cocktails," and that's not hyperbole. These aren't just drinks—they're theatre.
Signature Cocktails at Repeal Manassas
Case in point: the Bathtub Gin Fizz arrives in an actual miniature porcelain bathtub. Complete with a tiny rubber ducky floating in lavender foam. It's whimsical and absurd and utterly perfect, a playful nod to the bathtub gin that defined the Prohibition era (though this version tastes infinitely better, with grey whale gin, lemon juice, pineapple juice, sparkling water, and lavender foam).
Then there's the Pomegranate Royal—a deep burgundy cocktail garnished with a perfect blackberry, gold leaf, and a sugar rim that catches the candlelight. It looks like something Jay Gatsby would sip while brooding over Daisy.
The menu reads like a who's who of Prohibition-era classics:
Classic Cocktails:
- Old Fashioned - Two ways: Remus straight bourbon with cherry syrup and Fee Brothers old fashioned bitters, or Old Forester 1920 with cherry syrup and Fee Brothers bitters
- Martini - Your choice of Tito's vodka or aviation gin with a drop of dry vermouth
- Gin Rickey - Tanqueray, St. Germain, lime juice, and sparkling water
Signature Creations:
- Blackberry Sidecar - Hennessy cognac, Patron Citronge, lemon, and muddled blackberries
- Mary Pickford - Diplomatico rum, pineapple juice, housemade grenadine, and Luxardo maraschino
- French 75 - Empress gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and sparkling wine
- Last Word - Imagination gin, Genepi, Luxardo maraschino, and lime
- Scofflaw - Michter's rye bourbon, dry vermouth, lemon, and housemade grenadine
The bartenders know their craft, and each drink is executed with precision and flair.
Live Jazz and 1920s Entertainment at NOVA Live's Repeal
The grand opening felt less like a bar debut and more like a full theatrical production. A singer in 1920s attire—complete with finger waves and a beaded dress—crooned jazz standards while a three-piece band laid down smoky, sultry grooves. Upright bass. Piano. Vocals that could've been pulled from a Cotton Club recording.
Servers glided through the space dressed in period costume: flapper dresses with pearls and white gloves, suspenders and flat caps. It wasn't cosplay—it was commitment to the bit.
And then there was the champagne tower. A massive, glowing pyramid of coupe glasses stacked four tiers high, each glass filled with bubbles that caught the golden light. A 1920s flapper stood beside it, posing like she'd just stepped out of a Gatsby party. It was the kind of extravagance that makes you want to throw confetti and toast to nothing in particular.
Small Plates & Food Menu at Repeal Speakeasy
The food menu, while focused on small plates, doesn't phone it in either. These elevated bar bites are designed to pair perfectly with craft cocktails:
- Black & Tan Bread ($10) - Mini loaves of whole wheat stout and miso pullman served with fermented butter and scallion ash
- Parmesan Potato Pave ($16) - Million layer potatoes, roasted garlic crème fraîche, and American paddlefish caviar
- Almond Crusted Goat Cheese ($16) - Biscotti crusted, baked, with pomegranate beet gastrique, rye and nigella seed crostini
- Burrata Bruschetta ($15) - Grilled homemade focaccia, tomato conserva, burrata, flaked sea salt, balsamic pearls, and pinenut pesto
- Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail ($18) - Head-on prawns, bloody mary cocktail sauce, cucumber ribbons
- Bone Marrow Steak Tartare ($22) - Filet mignon, sauce gribiche, torn herbs, frizzled shallots, served with everything bagel crisps
- Ahi Tuna Crudo ($18) - Passionfruit leche de tigre, fresno peppers, citrus segments, cilantro and corn nuts
- Prosciutto, Speck & Manchego Board ($28) - Parmesan pepper croquant, fig preserve, pickled vegetables, marcona almonds, mixed olives and balsamic cipollini
It's elevated bar food that pairs perfectly with cocktails meant to be sipped, not slammed.
The Vision Behind NOVA Live and Repeal
Marcus Silva, the President and CEO of Villagio Hospitality Group, was there celebrating the opening. If you've been to the NOVA Live campus, you know his work: Trattoria Villagio, 2 Silos Brewing Co., The Black Sheep Restaurant, MurLarkey Distilled Spirits. The man doesn't just open venues; he creates destinations.
I told him it was awesome to see all the new concepts coming to life, and Repeal might be the crown jewel. From the curated cocktail menu to the vintage-inspired decor to the commitment to live music, this isn't a theme bar phoning it in. It's an immersive experience designed to transport you—a love letter to the jazz age that shows in every detail.
What Makes Repeal Stand Out Among Northern Virginia Speakeasies
Here's the thing about speakeasy-style bars: they can easily veer into kitsch. Hidden doors and period costumes are fun, but they're not enough to sustain a concept. You need substance behind the style.
Repeal has it. The bartenders know their craft. The cocktails are balanced and inventive without being overwrought. The space itself is intimate enough to feel special but not so small that you're elbow-to-elbow with strangers. And the live jazz isn't background music—it's the heartbeat of the whole operation.
Plus, Repeal benefits from being part of the NOVA Live ecosystem. You can start your night at 2 Silos with a craft beer, grab dinner at The Black Sheep, catch a show at theYard, and end up here for a nightcap. It's the kind of walkable, integrated entertainment district that's rare in Northern Virginia.
Thinking about making Manassas home? The NOVA Live campus is transforming the area into a premier entertainment destination, driving significant growth and investment in the region. Explore Manassas real estate opportunities with the Colgan Team and discover why more buyers are choosing to live near this vibrant lifestyle hub.
Best Cocktail Bars in Manassas: Why Visit Repeal
Is Repeal a true speakeasy? No. There are no passwords, no cops to worry about, and you don't need to know a guy who knows a guy. But it is a damn good cocktail bar with a sense of occasion, a commitment to craft, and just enough theatricality to make every visit feel like an event.
Manassas needed this. Northern Virginia needed this. We've got plenty of breweries and wine bars and sports pubs, but sophisticated cocktail culture? That's been harder to find outside Arlington and Alexandria.
Not anymore.
Why Manassas Is Northern Virginia's Next Hot Market
The opening of Repeal Speakeasy and the Tempo by Hilton at NOVA Live signals something bigger: Manassas is evolving into a premier lifestyle destination. With walkable entertainment districts, new dining concepts, live music venues, and growing residential developments nearby, the area is attracting buyers who want more than just proximity to DC—they want a place to actually live.
Considering a move to Manassas? The Colgan Team specializes in helping buyers find homes near the best lifestyle amenities Northern Virginia has to offer. Whether you're looking for townhomes within walking distance of NOVA Live or single-family homes in established Manassas neighborhoods, we know the Manassas real estate market inside and out.
So grab your pearls (or your suspenders), make a reservation, and step through the curtain. The jazz is playing, the bathtub gin is flowing, and for a few hours, you can live like it's 1933 all over again.
Just with better cocktails. And indoor plumbing.
Repeal Speakeasy Manassas: Hours, Location & Reservations
Address: 9849 Discovery Boulevard, Manassas, VA 20109
Inside Tempo by Hilton Manassas at NOVA Live
Hours:
- Tuesday – Thursday: 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
- Friday – Saturday: 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM
- Sunday: 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
- Closed Monday
Reservations: Highly recommended
Website: https://repealthe18th.com
Dress Code: Smart casual (Think Gatsby, but make it 2026)
Age: 21+ only
Parking: Available at NOVA Live campus
Nearby Attractions: The Black Sheep Restaurant, 2 Silos Brewing Co., Proof Kitchen + Bar, MurLarkey Distilled Spirits, theYard outdoor stage
See the Newest Manassas, VA Real Estate
" Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends. Visit repealthe18th.com to book." "Smart casual is recommended. The atmosphere is upscale, so dress to match the 1920s glamour." "Yes! Live jazz performances are a signature feature, with musicians performing in period attire to complete the Prohibition-era atmosphere." "Don't miss the Bathtub Gin Fizz (served in a miniature bathtub with a rubber ducky), the Pomegranate Royal, and the classic Old Fashioned made with Remus bourbon." "Absolutely! Repeal is open to the public—you don't need to be a hotel guest." "Friday and Saturday nights offer the most energetic atmosphere with live jazz running until 2 AM. For a more intimate experience, visit Tuesday through Thursday."Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservation at Repeal Manassas?
Is there a dress code at Repeal?
Does Repeal have live music?
What are the best cocktails to try at Repeal?
Can I visit Repeal if I'm not staying at Tempo by Hilton?
What's the best night to visit Repeal Speakeasy?
Ready to step back in time? Visit Repeal Speakeasy at NOVA Live in Manassas for an unforgettable night of 1920s glamour, craft cocktails, and live jazz. Book your reservation at repealthe18th.com and experience the best new speakeasy in Northern Virginia.
Love the Manassas lifestyle? Discover homes near NOVA Live and other premier entertainment destinations. Contact the Colgan Team to explore Manassas real estate opportunities and find your perfect home in Northern Virginia's most exciting up-and-coming market.
About the Author: The Colgan Team at eXp Realty specializes in Manassas and Northern Virginia real estate, helping buyers and sellers navigate the market while showcasing the best lifestyle amenities the region has to offer. Follow our blog for more local hotspots, neighborhood guides, and market insights.
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