Prohibition

Upper West Side, New York –

Given its sidewalk café tables with mod green chairs and candlelit paper bags, Prohibition may look like a classic Upper West Side restaurant from the outside, but the muffled sounds of live rock music emanating from within tell a different story.

A swanky spot seductively lit by wine bottle lighting, the upscale venue hosts live bands seven nights a week and attracts a clientele of young professionals and neighborhood regulars who gather at the checkered bar or congregate with friends on the lime green leather banquettes to chat until the music starts.

Early evenings find young urbanites dining on a menu of New American cuisine and sipping classic cocktails, like Black Cherry Cuba Libres and Guatemalan Sidecars, in one of two cozy seating areas on either side of the stage, which itself is flanked by floor-to-ceiling murals that evoke the flagrant charm of the Jazz Age.

The cool after-work vibe definitely takes a turn toward rowdy once the band takes the stage, as the cocktail-influenced crowd gets on its feet to gyrate and sing along with everything from R&B and hip-hop to lively rock covers. A smaller back lounge offers a place for tipsy guests and nine-to-fivers to relax on red leather couches or shoot a game of pool on the funky red table.

Jail-like iron bars framing the scene can’t help but make visitors feel like they’re doing something delightfully naughty – and given the level of wildness at Prohibition on the weekends, some of them probably are.