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"When I push through slightly sticky dark double doors at 27 Temple Place into a dimly lit cocktail bar, I’m immediately transported into a gin-soaked time warp that pays homage to the space’s former tenant, Wig World. Inside, blue velvet couches face each other in semi-private nooks curtained by sheer yellow drapes, a neon window display features named wigs like the long-haired ice-blue “Vivian” and Donna with her curly bright-pink ’do, and cheeky mini wigs top some liquor bottles while brass lamps illuminate low gold-and-glass coffee tables. The team, led by manager Oscar Simoza (an alum of Silvertone Bar & Grill), turns out elaborately staged drinks — think an updated Remember the Maine (rye, sweet vermouth, Cherry Heering, absinthe) finished with glitter foam and cotton candy — with an expeditor on the bar to handle the theatrics. A retro, crowd-specific playlist and a focus on performance-level service complete the vibe; the 36-seat spot shares a liquor license and back-of-house infrastructure with JM Curley and Bogie’s Place, and generates roughly 25–30% of the restaurant group’s revenue." - Celina Colby