Inside the Carlyle Hotel on the Upper East Side, Bemelmans is an NYC night out that everyone should experience at least once—even if it means toughing out an hour-long line to get in. Murals by Madeline illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans decorate the walls of the piano bar, open since 1947, and the ceiling gleams with gold leaf. If you’re lucky, you might spot Bill Murray having a martini in the corner, or crashing a set. Expect to spend north of $26 for a drink. They make a stellar martini with a sidecar, and serve some of the city's finest free snack mix, which features dainty, extra-small potato chips. Neither the $10 live-music cover charge, nor an influx of influencers have dulled Bemelmans' timeless charm. We don't even mind when a corner of our neighbor's Louboutin shopping bag pokes us in the ribs.