21 Club's Famous Secret Wine Cellar

Every kitchen holds the key to a successful restaurant. Here at the famed 21 Club, their kitchen is no different. Yet this kitchen holds a secret key that opens a two and a half ton door back to the time of Prohibition and its legendary hidden wine cellar. Jack and Charlie opened 21 on New Year's Eve 1929 so we're kind of still in the heart of Prohibition. Well the feds came on that fateful day. They searched for five hours and they found nothing. Now when they came down here right through the kitchen the same way we did they found a series of these archways because this was refrigeration of the day. It was very cool down here. These were lined with shelves. There were hanging meats and this archway looked the same as any other but what they didn't know was there was a secret and then this very small 18 inch meat skewer. is actually the key to the secret wine cellar at 21. This door is built into the foundation of the building so we're actually standing at the foundation wall of number 21. So they had to know that this meat skewer got in the right crack and this door was covered at the right angle to pop it all the way through and it went all the way in and if you can hear it pop the lock on the other side. Now once they did that the door would be unlocked but then they still had to get the thing open. And welcome to the wine cellar at 21. Now within this space there were 2,000 cases of some of the world's best wines and liqueurs. Jack and Charlie were no slouches. They were serving the finest French wines. The finest liquors from South America. They were very creative about their importing. Well another tradition here at 21 was actually laying down a bottle in private stock. As I mentioned the who's who used to dine here. There's a certain cachet to saying bring me a bottle of my wine. Well as you'll see here at 21 we still have a few famous bottles popping around. A couple presidents, Nixon and Ford. We have a little bit from Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor. So the tradition is still alive. Though we no longer take new bottles for private stock we do certainly keep those existing. Now this space though a little different than it looked during prohibition is still quite special as you can see. But here at 21 you were coming for a dining experience and that has certainly continued through to today. So this exceptional table, this exceptional room is our jewel and this is where Chef John Greeley showcases his finest cuisine. This is actually Mayor Jimmy Walker's booth. Now Jimmy Walker was a very notorious character and he didn't think that it was necessarily appropriate to be drinking in public. So he created this little booth for him, Jack and Charlie were very kind so that he could dine in the privacy of the wine cellar and not be seen in public openly consuming alcohol. In addition he kind of had a hobby of dining with his mistress instead of his wife. So just as Jack and Charlie had an exceptional collection during prohibition our collection today as I mentioned more than 20,000 bottles not including all of the fine liquors that we serve throughout the property is actually worth an estimated 2.5 million dollars. So if you're looking for a little nostalgia with your next glass of wine stop over to the 21 Club, choose from its award-winning selection and ask to see their wine cellar. You'll be taking a step into New York City history.