The first thing you'll notice is the 32 (yep, not 21) jockeys decorating the front facade and adorning the stairs and the balcony. This will intrigue you, once you enter the legendary Bar Room you will enjoy the comfort and imagine what is was like back in the early days when the likes of Humphrey Bogart frequented often.

The walls are full of pictures and the ceiling is full of model planes. You won't know where to direct your eyes. Take in the 21 Club and all its rich legacy!

Don't forget to take really cool matches that sport a big '21' on the matchbox cover.

The food is magnificent, as you would certainly expect for $30-$40 per entree. The American/British cuisine is about as fine as American/British cuisine can get. One of the headliners is the Club 21 Burger, which is purportedly the best in the city. I can at the very least certify that it is the most expensive in the city: $26! I ordered the magnolia honey duck, which was succulent and delicious.

The ambience looks as if it has changed very little from the days when New York's rich and famous came to get their licquor fix. The whole place oozes of history and images of federal agents knocking on the doors in a surprise raid are easily elicited.

If you can, try to get a tour of the wine cellar. You go down the stairs, through the kitchen and several hallways until you arrive at an ordinary-looking brick wall. But if you place a long, thin metal wire in one of the barely noticeable holes, a two-ton door swings open.

Behind the door is a large wine cellar, which has bottles of wine reserved for past customers such as Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Elizabeth Taylor, Leroy Neiman, etc. At the back of the cellar is a beautiful room where you can enjoy a six-course tasting menu for a mere $450.

First some history:
The 21 Club is a New York institution. It has been around since the times of Prohibition. I have a friend who works with the 21 Club so we were lucky enough to get a tour of the coolest part of the restaurant...the wine cellar. This wine cellar served as a "speakeasy" in the personality. Located in the basement, the wine cellar has a brick door that was used to fool police. It was amazing seeing how the key worked and how people found the right hole. You would never know a door was there if you didn't know the secret. Once inside the wine cellar, it is amazing! Bottles are reserved for famous patrons (both alive and dead). We saw name tags for stars such as Gregory Peck, Richard Nixon and many, many more stars. A private dining room that sits in the middle of the wine cellar is exquisite (and can be reserved for private dining). Another interesting piece of history, all types of items (toys, sporting gear, etc.) hang from the ceiling in the main dining room. Loyal customers bring in these items and on a case by case basis they are selected to be displayed. At first I thought this was a little too much like a sports bar, but the items are actually pretty neat if you look closely.

Now on to the food:
We enjoyed a wonderful four course meal. I had the rabbit salad (very tender and tasty), the ahi tuna (fantastic), and the rice pudding dessert (some of the best I have had). Everyone else had a very nice meal as well. It was a bit pricey (so be prepared), but you will enjoy your meal.
The service was great (albeit a little overwhelming). It seems there are more staff members than diners, so you will be well taken care of. This is true from the moment you walk in the restaurant. Ask your waiter about some of the history of the place. He has probably worked there a long time and he will be happy to talk about some of the history.

After the meal, we used the comfortable lounge area for a quick meeting. Sitting around the fireplace was nice.

My overall assessment: A great place to try, especially if you have a nice expense account and you know someone that will take you on a tour of the wine cellar. The crowd seemed a bit older, but we had fun nonetheless.