New York City, New York story
A Secret in the Lower East Side
To find the real party during the 1920s, you had to know where to look. On Norfolk Street, you might see a sign for the Lower East Side Toy Company. But if you pass through the ga…
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To find the real party during the 1920s, you had to know where to look. On Norfolk Street, you might see a sign for the Lower East Side Toy Company. But if you pass through the gate and walk down a hidden alley, you'll find The Back Room.
This wasn't a themed bar; it was a genuine speakeasy operating during the Prohibition era. It's one of only two surviving speakeasies from that time left in New York. Even today, the mystery lives on.
If you look closely in the main room, there's a hidden bookcase that opens to reveal a secret VIP-only lounge known as the real back room. It's a dimly lit slice of the city's outlaw history, hiding in plain sight.
Updated June 2026