New York City's nightlife was hopping even during Prohibition. The clubs of the '20s and '30s ranged from glamorous to seedy to dangerous. The most famous had stories to tell, of celebrities, mobsters, and murder.
El Fey owner Larry Fay’s other venture, the Casa Blanca Club, was a haven for gangsters that started to lose popularity in 1931. On New Year’s Day in 1932, Fay announced to his staff that they’d be getting a 30% pay cut. The doorman wasn’t too pleased, and came at Fay that night with a gun, shooting him dead and putting a permanent end to Fay’s bootlegging and racketeering career.
Some of those nightclubs are still open today. Read about ten of them at Flavorwire. Link