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History
In 1920, over three-quarters of a century ago, Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment ushering in the Prohibition Era.
In New York, as in every American city, 'speakeasies' mushroomed, but none was more celebrated than "Jack and Charlie's '21'", founded by two collegian cousins from the West Side, Jack Kriendler and Charlie Berns.
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Historical Timeline
Discover the fascinating history of '21' through an interactive historical timeline.
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The Jockeys
Lining the signature grand staircase and ornate wrought iron balcony of '21' proudly stand 30 jockeys. Inside there are two more. The story behind this often-photographed statuary has been subject of much rumor and misinterpretation, including tales that they represent real riders, and that they are mysteriously linked to the Jockey Club, a private organization started in 1894 by a group of horseman on New York's East Side.
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The Toys
Like the 33 jockeys that line '21's exterior, the toys in the restaurant's legendary Bar Room are gifts from loyal patrons. Throughout the decades, '21' has assembled an eclectic collection of museum-worthy items devoted to the landscape of America.
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Secret Wine Cellar
Perhaps the most elaborately disguised vault in New York City, '21's Wine Cellar was built to be invisible. Behind several smoked hams that hung from the basement ceiling and a shelved wall filled with canned goods, stood a perfectly camouflaged 2 1/2 ton door that appeared to be part of the wall. Opened only by inserting a slender 18" meat skewer through one of many cracks in the cement wall, the secret door silently slid back to reveal '21's most coveted treasure: two thousand cases of wine.
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(212) 582 7200 
