The Back Room

On our lists of the best speakeasies and live music venues in New York.

The current bar opened in 2004 in the space behind Ratner's, the kosher restaurant where Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel are said to have held meetings during Prohibition. Getting in still follows the original route: down a flight of stairs from Norfolk Street, through a tunnel, and in through an unmarked back door. Inside, 1920s chandeliers and paisley wallpaper surround a working Mutoscope, and a rotating bookcase hides a small VIP room. Drinks come in teacups, beer in a paper bag, and there's no kitchen, so come having eaten, or bring your own cake.