Tagged: Mike Satsky

New York City’s Toughest Doors

With 2012 coming to a close, it is safe to say that it is time for another round up of New York City’s Toughest Doors. We’ve had quite a few openings this year with EMM Group’s Lower East Side mega-club Finale and who can forget Andre Saravia‘s super exclusive fashion week pop-up Chez Andre. Some places in New York have had a difficult time keeping its once strict door policy but in New York that is only natural. Others however have had better luck with this and still only allow entry to regulars or those with table reservations. With that we bring you, what is probably the last edition for 2012 of, New York City’s Toughest Doors. [Photo via]

 

199 Bowery#1. Bow – Since Bottoms Up at Tribeca Grand has come to a close, Travis Bass‘ new nightspot is at the new Lower East Side location 199 Bowery. Soon to be nightlife’s one stop shop, 199 Bowery combines a high energy “Meatpacking-esque” nightclub, Finale, a more downtown underground lounge, Bow, and a soon to open modern Asian restaurant, The General. However, Travis Bass’ reputation in New York and Bow’s capacity limits (the moveable walls allow Bow to hold about 100 people on weekdays and about 200 people on weekends) have made Bow a tough spot to get into. Bow opened to rave reviews and great feedback so it’s only natural that this spot will be popular for a while. As per Travis’ other clubs such as Red Egg and Madame Wong’s, you can not buy tables nor make reservations which makes this the toughest door in New York City. [Photo via]

 

 

#2. Sunday Funday at GoldBar – After a brief hiatus, New York City’s original Sunday party is back. Funday at GoldBar has grown to become a staple of New York nightlife and Jonny Lennon‘s Soho nightclub is easily one of the most beautiful spots in the city. Despite it’s popularity, GoldBar is a small venue (the capacity is only about 150) which doesn’t allow much leeway in terms of entry. Especially since this party is only one night a week you can be sure that everyone will be trying to gain entry to this party whether it be through table reservations, knowing the door staff or just by just being beautiful. DJ Sinatra and Jesse Marco of Lennon’s own 4AM DJs are usually behind the booth so rest assured the music will be up to par with the stunning decor and gorgeous crowd. [Photo via]

 

 

#3. The Boom Boom Room – At the top floor of the Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking lies New York City’s most exclusive rooftop lounge. The Boom Boom Room, The Top of The Standard or whatever you want to call it is home to New York’s most exclusive private parties especially during fashion week. Unfortunately this beautifully designed lounge with excellent cocktails just is not that fun consistently. Despite the more reserved ambiance, the door is just as strict as when it first opened and just as many people are trying to gain entry. The Boom Boom Room has not lost it’s appeal and we’re glad as it is one of the city’s most unique venues. [Photo via]

 

 

#4. Le Baron – Le Baron coming in at the bottom end of our round up will certainly surprise many but the door has certainly become far more lenient than when the Chinatown spot first opened. Le Baron’s main policy was that one could not buy table service in order to gain entry but this sadly is not true anymore. We have seen people get rejected even after hotel concierge services have “called in” before hand, but we also have seen people buy $400 bottles of Belevedere in order to get in. While Le Baron may not be the toughest door in New York anymore, it certainly is one of the most fun clubs around. In a city filled with loud and pretentious bottle service clubs, it’s nice to be able to head to Le Baron for a true downtown New York experience. [Photo via]

 

 

#5. Provocateur – Once the toughest club to get into in New York, Provocateur’s door policy has not changed much in all actuality. It is just now more spots have sprouted up that do not use money as a factor for entry. But at Provocateur, especially with bar minimums starting at around $500, money is king along with 6 foot blonde European models of course. Progressive and Deep house are usually played in the nightclub with state of the art effects and lighting while indie rock is played in the more serine lounge. On nights with big headliners such as Avicii or Tiesto, we’d suggest calling ahead as the lines are long and the table minimums are high. [Photo via]

New York City’s Toughest Doors: Post Fashion Week

We’re mainly interested in New York Fashion Week (NYFW) because we get to see all of the new nightspots that open during this week. While we didn’t see as much Fashion Week traffic at the newly opened Le Baron or No. 8. as we had anticipated, the new pop-up brought to us by Andre Saravia, Chez Andre, was certainly a hit for the fashion crowd. The Darby also received a lot of press during NYFW and hosted a few Fashion Week parties both in the restaurant and lounge space such as the Marchesa Spring 2013 Presentation and After Party which featured guests such as Harvey Weinstein and Georgina Chapman. The Hanky Panky Club also just opened in the same building as the New York staple Webster Hall. But with Fashion Week over, the public now gets to try their luck at these newly opened venues. With that, we bring you New York City’s toughest nightclubs to get into post fashion week. [Photo via]

1. Chez Andre – This pop-up club inside of the Standard East Village brought to us by Andre Saravia of Le Baron and Andre Balazs of the Boom Boom Room and The Standard Hotels was one of the most anticipated openings of NYFW. The grand opening party was a huge success and featured guests such as Waris Ahluwalia, Olivier Zahm, Nicole Miller and Theophilus London. Of course these parties were guest list only but don’t expect entry to be any easier post fashion week. Since Chez Andre is a pop-up it will only be open for 22 days and they do not not take table reservations which means you can’t buy your way in here. Expect an especially tough door since Chez Andre will be open for less than a month with a beautiful and fun crowd. [Photo via]

 

 

2. Le Baron – While we didn’t see as many fashion week parties hosted at Le Baron as we thought we would, that doesn’t mean that the door has become less strict. William Takahashi is not longer at the door which means that Julio and Steve will be making the decisions until a new door-person has been found (which we heard will be very soon). Like Chez Andre, you can’t buy your way into this Chinatown nightclub, but feel free to buy $300 bottles of vodka once you get in. Owner Andre Saravia has even gone on record stating that he would rather keep Le Baron empty than let a sub-par crowd inside. Our suggestion would be to arrive early and if Le Baron doesn’t work out for you that night head a few blocks up to Apotheke or Pulqueria for some cocktails in a fun and lively atmosphere! [Photo via]

 

 

3. The Boom Boom Room – After some brief renovations, which probably included the screens on the bathroom windows, The Boom Boom Room reopened for business and just in time for fashion week. Purple Magazine hosted their 20th birthday at this exclusive rooftop lounge atop the Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District. The guest list included the likes of  Chloë Sevigny, Jared Leto and Waris Ahluwalia. Gaining entry into The Boom Boom Room during fashion week and during “normal hours” is guest list only though we have heard a few reports of people showing up with a good ratio and being allowed in. Unfortunately, as much as we love this venue, the Boom Boom Room can be quite dead if there isn’t a private party going on but feel free to walk on over next door to Le Bain in case you’re looking for something far more wild and out there. [Photo via]

 

 

4. Provocateur - After a brief summer hiatus in Cannes and Ibiza, Provocateur reopened just in time for fashion week. Mike Satsky and Brian Gefter‘s exclusive nightclub booked a stellar line up for their fashion week parties which included Avicii which attracted the likes of Paris Hilton and River Viiperi (we also spotted River at 1Oak the Sunday prior). While we have seen very good looking people get in, usually in small groups, entry is almost impossible. However, you can purchase bar minimums for $500 or book a table in advance which will usually make those doors open pretty easily. But if you don’t have that kind of cash to be spending every night, at least door-women Sheena and Ruby are nice to look at when you’re stuck outside. [Photo via]

 

 

5. No. 8 - Was it just us or did Amy Sacco‘s newly opened No. 8 seem pretty quiet for Fashion Week? Aside from J.Mendel’s Fashion Week party, which included guests such as Frank Ocean, Jerry Seinfeld and Mary J. Blige we haven’t really heard much going on at this new Chelsea nightspot. Never the less, the door is still as strict as ever.  While those on a guest list can gain entry anytime they want, anyone else would have to book a table through No. 8′s management (info@no8nyc.com). Tables for two are about $400 (which can be spent on food and liquor) which is definitely on the lower side when comparing it to other upscale venues such as Provocateur or even PH-D next door. The reason why we bumped No. 8 down to the #5 spot is that tables can be reserved very easily and are relatively cheap in comparison to other venues. At Provocateur, tables are usually in the $1,000 range and it’s certainly much more difficult to reserve a table at The Boom Boom Room than it is at No. 8. [Photo via]

Welcome To The House Party – New York City’s Top Clubs For House Music

With Electronic Dance Music (EDM) taking over the club scene right now, many operators are looking to book big name DJs to perform at their venues. Some venues hire the actual producers themselves such as Avicii or Afrojack to play sets while clubs get DJs to spin popular house tracks. To be honest, as long as the performer play a good set we don’t really care whether or not Tiesto is performing himself or if it is a lesser known DJ as the track still sounds the same but what changes is the ability of the DJ to select songs and blend them together. With that, we bring you some of New York City’s top clubs for house music. [Photo via]

 

 

1. Provocateur: Though some aren’t too fond of Provocateur’s air tight door policy, you can’t deny that this club owned by Mike Satsky and Brian Gefter books some of the best house DJs around. The venue (that is not called “Provacateur” or “Provac”) is split into two parts: the cafe and the club. The cafe offers an intimate atmosphere and features different DJs than the club such DJ Danny Rockz (who has a residency at the cafe). However the nightclub is a completely different scene. When the club first opened it was known as the spot where Deadmau5 would come and perform a surprise set after a concert but we think it’s safe to say that the majority of the big names in electronic music now have performed at Provocateur. From Steve Aoki to lesser known producers such as Otto Knows, Provocateur always books the best names in house music to perform. What we like most about Provocateur is since the space is small, watching a DJ here is pretty much like having your own personal viewing. Better start getting to know doorwomen Sheena and Ruby if you haven’t gotten to already! [Photo via]

 

 

2. Lavo: New York finally gets a piece of Vegas with the Midtown house mecca: Lavo. Strategic Group not only build a beautiful club that has an expertly trained staff but Lavo also books some of the biggest names in house music to play at the venue regularly. Lavo hires some of the best DJs to perform such as the EC Twins and DJ Paolo and top producers Chuckie, Tiesto and Avicii have performed here multiple times. The line to get in is often beyond chaotic and for certain events (specifically the first time Steve Aoki performed at Lavo) the NYPD actually closed the block down. Cover on regular nights is usually $30 for guys but on nights with bigger name performers, it’s often only those with table reservations who can get in. [Photo via]

 

 

3. Pink Elephant: New York was anticipating the re-opening of the former Chelsea nightclub but we weren’t sure what to expect as the concept was quite different from the original Pink Elephant. Though Pink Elephant wanted to still stick to playing solely house music, the new venue was much smaller than the original and wanted to focus more on cocktails than bottle service. While some give the new club a bad wrap for being overly strict and pretentious at the door (the capacity is around 200 people), the talent here is top notch. On the opening night we got to hear Tatiana Fuentes play an astounding set and DJ NVM (also a resident at Provocateur) plays at Pink Elephant quite often. We suggest getting here early as the space does tend to fill up quickly depending on the night. [Photo via]

 

 

4. Our House Party at Avenue: While DJs at Avenue are usually known to play an open format, Tuesdays are strictly house music. Compared to other nights at this Chelsea club, the door guarded by Wass Stevens is very strict so unless you know a promoter or have a table don’t arrive any later than 12:30 AM. The party itself is always at capacity and prominent DJs such as David Berrie and The Chainsmokers have performed at this weekly house party. Our House Party at Avenue is easily one of the best Tuesday parties around but like we said, arrive sooner rather than later.

 

 

5. Pacha: We absolutely despise the layout and the crowd who comes here but Pacha’s saving grace is the talent they book. Pretty much every big name in house music has performed here from Alesso to Thomas Gold to Madeon. While Provocateur does book a lot of the same performers, there really is no door policy at Pacha which makes it accessible to anyone as long as they purchase tickets/pay cover. In case you don’t like standing in a sea of people on the main dance floor you can purchase bottle service and have your own area to yourself. [Photo via]

 

Provocateur Closes For The Summer

It’s that time of year again! Provocateur is officially closed for the rest of the summer and has relocated to Ibiza and Cannes to host pop-up parties. Since the summertime is known to draw lack-luster crowds due to the cream of the crop either being in Europe or the Hamptons. Provocateur owners Mike Satsky and Brian Gefter (also of the late Hamptons hotspot Lilly Pond which is now SL East) would much rather temporarily close its doors than have to let sub-par patrons into the club regardless of how much money they spend. With Provocateur, one of the best clubs in New York City for house music, now closed until late August we’ll now see an influx of people at other New York house clubs such as Lavo and Pink Elephant. While all the rich guys who order Ace of Spades parades at Provoc won’t exactly be stuck in the city for the summer don’t worry, they won’t be gone for too long. [Photo via]

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