The Back Room, New York NY

This place is so fun! It really does feel like a prohibition era bar. I heard the previously only played jazz, but now they play all kinds of music, especially dance. Dance. There's a lot of space to hang out in. The drinks are okay, a little more on the sweet side. By far the best part is that atmosphere. You cannot beat it! This is the kind of place you take out of towners to impress them.

We understand the notion of a hidden bar when we try to access it! Typically in the prohibition theme!

Good place for drink it is a well hidden bar in Newyork. The bar is classic, they serve in classic way the cocktail are served in tea cup. They also got room through a book shelf which is cool. Just being used to all the fancy place around it’s nice to be in a place still give you a back in time vibe. They could probably up their game by accepting card. Over all great place, good cocktails, nice classic ambiance.

This past weekend I threw my wife a surprise birthday party here. Over a six month period, the event coordinator couldn’t have been more helpful answering a mountain of questions and getting this thing put together. The night of the party was simply perfection. The staff were all beyond accommodating. The venue itself was spectacular. The decor and vibe you feel really puts you back in the 1920’s. Overall I can’t rave enough about this place. I will be back soon for an evening of some cocktails in teacups in one of the best speakeasy’s I’ve ever been to!

It really makes you feel like you are in the 1920’s, came here with my best friend to celebrate before my wedding and it was a hit place. The cocktails were strong but very good and the vibes were amazing! Highly recommend and will come back here!

This place was quite cozy five years ago when I last visited. Tonight, while the bartender was nice, the rest of the staff were rude. We ordered drinks and proceeded to a table only to be told off in an impolite manner by a staff member that we can’t sit because it’s waiter service only. If that is the case there should be signs by the bar indicating that drinks should be ordered at tables. Interesting place for 5 minutes with mediocre drinks and no place to sit - i.e. Does not justify the pretentious climate.

Cool vibes in an old building with a hard to find entrance.

Not a lot of seating, so most people will end up standing, there are some high tables to lean against.

The drinks are fine, nothing special. It's cool they serve them in tea cups, but it's just a gimmick.

Not very tasty and very few cocktails.
No table service.
Cheesy atmosphere.
Absolute disappointment.
Cocktails in teacups just for show.

Great bartender and an authentic speakeasy from the prohibition days. While they offered food, we just enjoyed their beverages. Drinking specialty drinks from coffee cups added to the authentic atmosphere.

The Back Room was an actual speak easy during prohibition and is a very popular spot. They serve most drinks in coffee cups. The menu isn't too crazy, but they can make whatever you want. The bar is usually busy, but once you get your drink, you can head up the stairs to the seating area. There's about a dozen tables but people come and go pretty often. Overall it's a great vibe, would highly recommend coming here to at least check it out.

They didn't let me in today because I wasn't 25 and older. I'm not sure what the reasoning is here, but it seems like discrimination by age even though we are all over 21.so, one star from me.

Very cool, speak easy. Was are orginal speak easy during prohibition. You enter though a gate that says toy factory.
The decor inside is from the 30's

Might be my own ignorance, but this place really disappointed me. My husband and I went here or should I say tried to go here on Saturday evening and what I saw when I walked in was definitely not what I was expecting. Since this place was advertised as a speakeasy, I was expecting to walk into a place with soft jazz playing and unique drinks and some classiness. Instead we walked in to a packed bar, (probably beyond fire code regulations), people drinking out of tea cups and dancing to club music. It just seemed weird and out of place for a so-called "speakeasy". I could just tell by how crowded it was that there would be no place to sit and it definitely would have taken forever to get drinks, so we just walked out. Maybe that's normal since it was late on a Saturday but it just wasn't what I was expecting.

Drinks are served at the Back Room in tea cups, and beers in brown paper bags. They even still use the old cash registers for computing your bill.

The Back Room is one of only two speakeasies in New York City that operated during Prohibition and is still in existence today. It's a timeless example of the underbelly of New York past.

The original 1920's speakeasy, known simply as "The Back of Ratner's, " played host to many theater and movie actors of the "Roaring Twenties, " as well as famous gangsters of the era. A few of the wise guys included Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano, and Meyer Lansky who were known to use the space for "business meetings. "

The front entrance is marked simply by a sign for the "Lower East Side Toy Company" and no other markings. Then visitors walk down an old flight of stairs through a tunnel, a courtyard, then back up another flight of stairs into the bar.

20230904

Prohibition era bar
It seems that there are two stores in New York City, but this is the real thing.
Great interior and concept
Because the box is small, it seems that you can not visit on the tour
The threshold is not so high (everyone is friendly), so I recommend visiting on your own rather than on a tour.

If you get lost in the menu, say Beer or White or Red Wine please and something will come out!