9. Gage and Tollner (1879)

Famed for its chandeliers and red-cushioned seats, Gage and Tollner opened in 1879 on Fulton Street, Brooklyn. Until 2004, the restaurant served its prized seafood and chops, including an extensive raw bar menu. However, Gage and Tollner closed in 2004, and a T.G.I. Friday’s moved into the space. Then came an Arby’s. Then came a costume jewelry store. And New Yorkers for the most part forgot about the restaurant’s antique fixtures, which had been replaced by modern lighting and decor.

However, in 2018, a crowdfunding initiative was set up to restore the restaurant to its former glory. In the same space, the crowdfunding organizers envisioned a “70-seat dining room, a 40-seat bar area, two combinable private dining rooms seating up to 60, and a separate 30-seat tropical cocktail bar upstairs.” After three years of construction and planning, Gage and Tollner officially reopened on April 15, 2021. All the brass and woodwork stayed because the whole 1892 interior has landmark protection, but many of the antique relics were reintroduced or remodeled — even its graceful chandeliers, which now are electric.