damnlines.comdamnlines.comOne of only two NYC speakeasies still operating today that actually ran during Prohibition, hidden behind an unmarked "Lower East Side Toy Company" gate on Norfolk Street.
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Per Time Out, The Back Room is "one of NYC's last true speakeasies" and one of only two Prohibition-era speakeasies in the city still operating today; it began life as "The Back of Ratner's," tucked behind the old Ratner's kosher dairy restaurant, per HelpNewYork.com. The hidden entrance up an alleyway stairwell, the unmarked toy-company storefront gate, and cocktails served in teacups on saucers (a nod to how bootleg drinks were disguised from police in the 1920s) are cited by Time Out as central to the room's enduring draw.
Time Out advises getting there "before 9" on weekends "if you want a chance at a seat," noting the room fills up heavily around that hour. The same review describes midweek visits as having "plenty of room," while weekends bring "a much more lively crowd" — a clear signal that crowding is night-of-week dependent rather than constant.
The venue's own site states that walk-ins and reservations are both accepted nightly starting at 6pm, with no cover charge, unless the room is closed for a private buyout; reservations for the upper-level couch and cocktail-table areas can be requested by email. The site also lists a rising door bar on the busiest nights — the minimum age climbs from 21+ Sunday-Thursday to 25+ on Friday and Saturday — alongside a dress code (no baseball hats, flip-flops, or tank tops for men) that functions as an informal filter on peak nights.
Patterns as reported by press and regulars — not measured by damnlines.
Reservations: Reservations accepted for the upper-level couch and cocktail-table areas alongside walk-ins, no cover charge, requested by email — per the venue's own site.
Walk-ins: Walk-ins welcome nightly from 6pm alongside reservation guests, unless the room is closed for a private event — per the venue's own site.
Sun-Mon 6pm-1am, Tue-Thu 6pm-2am, Fri-Sat 6pm-3am — per the venue's own site.
No specific wait-time figure in minutes is publicly reported, but Time Out advises arriving "before 9" on weekends "if you want a chance at a seat," since the room fills up heavily around that hour. Time Out also notes that midweek visits typically have "plenty of room" compared with the "much more lively crowd" on weekends.
Yes — the venue's own site states reservations are accepted for the upper-level couch and cocktail-table areas alongside walk-ins, with no cover charge, and can be requested by email through the site.
Yes — per the venue's site, walk-ins are welcome nightly starting at 6pm alongside reservation guests, unless the space is closed for a private buyout. Time Out notes the room is calmer midweek, so walk-in odds are best Sunday through Thursday or before 9pm on weekends.
Per Time Out, it's one of only two NYC speakeasies still operating today that actually ran during Prohibition, sitting behind the site of the old Ratner's kosher dairy restaurant with a hidden "Lower East Side Toy Company" gate entrance. Drinks are served in teacups on saucers, a nod to how bootleg cocktails were disguised from police in the 1920s.
Yes — per the venue's own site, the bar disallows baseball hats, flip-flops, tank tops on men, and real fur, though leather, suede, and faux fur are permitted. The minimum age is 21+ Sunday through Thursday and rises to 25+ on Friday and Saturday nights.
Sources: Time Out New York · The Back Room official site · The Back Room reservations page · HelpNewYork.com