One of the Upper West Side’s longest-running nightlife institutions is marking a major milestone this week — and they’re throwing the neighborhood a party to match.
Prohibition, the beloved bar and restaurant at 503 Columbus Avenue (between 84th and 85th streets), is turning 30 years old. To celebrate three decades on the Upper West Side, the speakeasy-themed staple is hosting an anniversary blowout running through Sunday, April 19, featuring extended happy hours with throwback pricing, a stacked live music lineup, and a special anniversary menu.
The headline deal: Prohibition is rolling prices all the way back to 1996. That means $4 draught beers, $5 glasses of wine, and $7 specialty cocktails during extended Happy Hour — through Friday from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. and again on Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to close.
The cocktail list alone is worth the trip. The anniversary Happy Hour menu features six specialty drinks at $7 a pop, including a Bootlegger Old Fashioned made with Old Forester Rye, a Frozen Cosmopolitan, and the Giggle Water — a tequila-grapefruit number with agave nectar and pink Himalayan sea salt. On the beer side, seven draught options are pouring at $4, including Lagunitas IPA and Founders Mortal Bloom Hazy IPA. Wines — including a Hampton Water Rosé and a fitting red blend called Kings of Prohibition — are $5 a glass.
A $9 snack menu built for the occasion includes Cheeseburger Sliders, Speakeasy Shrimp with bang bang Thai aioli, Baylander’s Fish & Chip Tacos, Corn Ribs with cotija and tajin, and Double Cut Bacon Steak with a maple glaze.
The music lineup runs through the weekend. Thursday kicks off with Piatt Pund from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. followed by the Alex Miller Band from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday brings Kelsey Pierce at 7:00 and AffinityNYC from 9:30 to 1:00 a.m. Saturday features three acts — Jonathan Fritz, Wayne and Andy, and Jet City, New York’s premiere alt-rock tribute band, closing out the night from 9:30 to 1:00 a.m. Then on Sunday — the big celebration day — the Andy Mac Trio plays from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., followed by Brian Halloran and Friends from 6:30 p.m. onward.
That Sunday lineup is fitting for a venue with Prohibition’s musical pedigree. Over the years, the bar has hosted residencies and performances from artists including Gavin DeGraw, Rachel Platten, Chaka Khan, Ashford & Simpson, and even Dan Aykroyd. Few Upper West Side venues can claim that kind of history — and fewer still have survived 30 years in one of the toughest restaurant markets in the country.
Prohibition is located at 503 Columbus Avenue, between 84th and 85th Streets. The 30th anniversary celebration runs through Sunday, April 19.
