It’s a scene straight out of Midnight in Paris—or maybe Back to the Future—all golden-age yearning and space-time shuffling. This dapper Gramercy lounge, from Raines Law Room operators Alberto Benenati and Yves Jadot, is a railroad space divided into period-piece quarters, including a tufted Victorian parlor and an ashtray-dotted hooch den worthy of Don Draper. Spend an hour at this luxe oasis and you’ll completely lose track of time—no DeLorean required.
ORDER THIS: The cocktail menu, created by Raines’ booze maven Meaghan Dorman, features tried-and-true classics (Gibson, Paloma) and house creations like the Hero of Little Venice, an elevated rum-spiked root-beer float capped with fluffy egg whites and a sprinkling of nutmeg. The well-balanced Whiskey Business highlights rye’s spicy bite with smoky ancho chile, tempered with bright lemon, while the baking-spice backbeat of the lime-and-hibiscus Santa Rosa—garnished flamboyantly with mint sprigs and a cherry—imparts a bitter, earthy finish.
GOOD FOR: Feeding your nostalgic whims. The era hopping begins with black-leather club chairs and vintage glamour shots in the meticulous mid-20th-century room, flowing back into a Gatsby-esque display of decadence—crystal curtains veil banquettes, and art deco splashes everything from the gold-striped floor to the glittering tin ceiling; beyond that, a rococo, gold-leaf-kissed salon that would make Marie Antoinette swoon. Fittingly, the tunes run the gamut of Parisian accordion riffs, big-band ditties and ’60s elevator muzak.
THE CLINCHER: Cocktail waitresses in floor-length gowns appear on demand: When you’re ready for another round, just flip the small orange switch on the wall. Those firmly ensconced in their time-bending experience need not be fussed with the hubbub of newly arriving patrons—all guests must wait in the lobby to be ushered inside in a civilized fashion. That way, everyone can party like it’s 1967—or 1923 or 1885. You decide.