Although its official opening date is still in flux (our source says as soon as midweek; stay tuned for updates), we scored a sneak peek of The Red Canary, a new “gastro-lounge” in the old Avenue M address, at a preview party late last week. Gone is the previous tenant’s airy interior; the look is now va-va-voom velvet, inspired by the Prohibition era but with a list of classic cocktails that would make any teetotaler blush. Read more about the menu in Dish; then check out our photos of the space, including the 2,200-square-foot ivy-covered patio, which owners no doubt hope will regain its former status as River West’s see-and-be-seen central.

Photography: Megan Dodge