There was a time when scoring a seat at the Pump Room's notoriously hard-to-book Booth One was akin to a mention of your name on the E! Channel. Photographs of glitzy folk who have sipped martinis at the Ambassador East's swanky restaurant form a wall of fame near the bar; everyone from Bette Davis to Humphrey Bogart has sashayed through the place. Today, the A-listers have found other VIP rooms to roost in, though they can still enjoy cocktails at the famed bar should they choose (there's currently no dinner menu or live entertainment as the hotel has changed hands, but expect that to change soon).

Average cost: $21-$30

Centerstage Reviewer: Jennifer Berg