The building in which 21 is located is comprised of three townhouses -- 17, 19 and 21 W. 52nd St. -- that have been combined into one singular structure. Probably the most popular part of that structure is located at the bottom of it, where one of 21's most notable rooms -- the wine cellar -- is located. Steeped in history, the wine cellar is located through the kitchen and downstairs. Upon entering it, you'll feel like you've stepped into a different world. Of course, to get into that world you'll first need to pass through a three-ton camouflaged door that must be unlocked with an 18-inch meat skewer, which then ultimately opens to a few stairs that lead to the once secret and now immensely popular room, in which are 2,000 cases of wine! While 21 has grown over the years to include 17, 19 and 21 W. 52nd St., it wasn't always so large. During Prohibition, 19 W. 52nd St. was rented separately in order to house the secret wine cellar; so when restaurant employees were asked if liquor was on the premises, they could honestly answer no. The cellar is an oenophile's paradise. Toward the far corner of the mood-lit room is former New York Mayor Jimmy Walker's Prohibition-era booth, where he could drink in peace even as federal agents were searching the actual restaurant for contraband liquor. (Interestingly enough, there's a story about Mayor Walker: While he was at 21 enjoying his "grape juice" one night, the feds came in to check for liquor. Obviously, they found nothing, but while they were checking, local police ticketed their cars. We wonder who could have been behind that one?!) Filling most of the room today is a large highly polished wooden table emblazoned with "21," which itself is flanked by jockeys on either side. Meanwhile, large comfortable arm chairs with curved backs line the table. Of course, most importantly, this room houses 21's collection of rare wines, along with private collections belonging to several of its most famous patrons, including Presidents Nixon and Ford, businessmen such as Ivan Boesky, actors like Elizabeth Taylor and even notables such as Jackie Onassis. While 21 no longer houses wine for new customers in that manner, if the legacies or their designated beneficiaries come in, their wine is poured freely for them upon proper identification. These days, the wine cellar is open to 21's patrons, as it now includes a private dining room that can seat between 14 and 22 patrons. For guests dining there, there's a special seven-course tasting menu paired with wine for dinner, or a three-course lunch without wine. Either way, if you want to reserve this room, know that it's highly popular, so you'll have to reserve it early.

Even more well known than the wine cellar at 21 is what's known as the bar room, which features long lists of celebrity guests and their favorite seats, as well as a ceiling full of toys that have been donated by them. The mahogany bar itself is long and stretches most of the width of the room. Upon entering the room, however, the first thing you will note is not the bar, but rather the ceiling, from which hang multiple toys. The toys are gifts from loyal patrons and represent over a generation of history, as 21 received its first toy -- a model of the British Airways "flying boat" -- in 1931 and has continued to receive gifts ever since. Among the gifts are numerous corporate logos, Chris Evert's tennis racquet, a golf club from Jack Nicklaus and a model of the PT-109 given to the restaurant by President John F. Kennedy. Indeed, the ceiling is a wealth of history and fun, and it would take many, many meals just to decipher all the toys. The bar room is not only known for its toys, however, but also for its celebrity guests, each of which has his or her own special table (although they do share, of course). For example, Frank Sinatra and Nancy Reagan favored table 14, while Humphrey Bogart favored table 30. Today, a new slew of celebrities enjoy the tables; Donald Trump's favorite, for example, is 11 and Joe Torre's is 12. Another interesting fact about the bar room is that during Prohibition the doorman would alert the bartender with a secret buzzer that federal agents were outside, prompting the bartender to spring into action and activate the collapsible shelves that disposed of the booze without a single trace! The bar room, with all its history, is located on the ground floor of 21, adjacent to the cocktail lounge. Both rooms have a very clubby atmosphere and each has a wonderful view of the toys and of the mahogany, somewhat curvilinear bar, which makes its way into a portion of the lounge. The bar has a brick-like base while the back wooden walls are decorated with multiple plaques and bottles. Round barstools with mahogany backs and a brass footrest (now that's comfort) await your arrival.The bar room is semi separated into three areas by red leather banquettes that line white stucco walls on either side of the room. Toward the back, meanwhile, the white stucco gives way to warm wood panels. Throughout, plaques sit above popular patron's favorite tables -- all covered with red- and white-checkered tablecloths with grape and leaf motifs -- marking them as local landmarks.