Rao's.

Opened in 1896, Rao’s is a small Italian restaurant that’s catered to New York City’s elites for over a century. The likes of John Gotti, Eli Manning, and Mariah Carey have all been regulars at the Harlem restaurant.

Thanks to the constant demand Rao’s has become one of the hardest reservations to get in New York City. The tables are so exclusive that longtime owner, Frank Pellegrino, was given a nickname, Frankie No.

In an interview before his passing, Pellegrino said every table at Rao’s has been booked for the last 38 years. So how do you get your hands on the most elusive reservation in New York City? You pray you befriend a celebrity!

Rao’s is a 10-table restaurant in Harlem that’s long been the most exclusive restaurant in NYC. Since opening in 1896 it’s been a hotbed for the rich and powerful in New York City, including those in the mafia.

In 2003 the restaurant was the scene of a murder, spurred by an argument that could’ve been out of a movie. Actress Rena Strober was singing at the restaurant when a patron, Albert Circelli, criticized her performance.

Louis Barone, an associate of the Lucchese crime family, told him to shut up and when the Circelli didn’t Barone shot him in the back. Moral of the story? Treat everyone with respect.