Sure, Rusty Knot’s well-known owners — The Spotted Pig’s Ken Friedman among them — may have you thinking “hotspot” (and not in a good way), but cheap beer and bar eats like the pretzel dog — a twist (ha!) on the standard “pig in a blanket” help foster Rusty Knot’s (welcome) dive bar vibe.
Rusty Knot
425 West Street / at West 11th Street
West Village / New York City / map it
212.645.5668
The only thing hotter than throwing a highly-anticipated party or getting a reservation at an acclaimed new restaurant is hiring someone to do it for you. This members-only concierge and event-planning service dedicated to helping busy urbanites maintain their social lives.
Insider
212.685.4113 / website
New York has been called “the city that never sleeps,” but it’s easy to wonder how true that slogan is when the club closes its doors at 2 a.m. We sent Pedro Andrade to find the parts of the city that really don’t sleep — a nightlife tour that took him from one of the city’s hottest nightclubs to the karaoke mic to the pool table — all between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.
Check the video to see how you can take your nightlife into the early morning.
Mansion New York
50 West 28th Street / near 10th Avenue
Chelsea / New York City
212.629.9000 / website
Space Billiards Cafe
34 W 32nd Street, 12th Floor / between Broadway & 5th Avenue
Koreatown / New York City
212.239.4166 / website
Chorus
25 West 32nd Street, 3rd Floor / between Broadway & 5th Avenue
Koreatown / New York City
212.967.2244 / website
Sara turns to stress relieving sports to shake off a stressful work week, but George takes a quirkier approach with a few afterwork spots that won’t leave you calling in — ahem — sick the following day.
In less than one week, George brushed up on his spelling, ping-pong, tetris and bocce ball skills. Who says you have to wait for the weekend to party?
These activities will have you saying T.G.I.N.F. Props to anyone who can spot the celebrity cameo in this segment — tell us who you see in the comments section below.
Pete’s Candy Store
709 Lorimer Street / between Richardson and Frost Streets
Williamsburg / Brooklyn
718.302.3770 / website
Naked Ping Pong
487 Greenwich Street, 5th Floor / between Canal and Spring Streets
Tribeca / New York City
website
The Blue Seat
157 Ludlow Street / at Stanton Street
Lower East Side / New York City
212.614.1494 / website
Union Hall
702 Union Street / at 5th Avenue
Park Slope / Brooklyn
718.638.4400 / website
At LX.TV, we’ve showed you some of the hottest nightspots in the city — but trust us, that’s only half the battle. Our nightlife authority, Pedro Andrade, headed to some of the city’s most exclusive club to get the facts on how to get past the velvet ropes.
Soak up the atmosphere de old-school Habana at Socialista. This West Village hotspot is usually limited to members and guestlisted visitors, but come with the right attitude (confident, sexy and polite) and Cuba won’t seem so far away.
Socialista
505 West Street / at Jane Street
Meatpacking District / New York City
212.929.4303 / website
Night owls dance into the wee hours at the Meatpacking District’s Kiss and Fly, and you can too – if you come correct at the door. Remember, the earlier the better.
Kiss and Fly
409 West 13th Street / between 9th Avenue and Washington Street
Meatpacking District / New York City
212.255.1933
Also in the Meatpacking District, the infamous Tenjune is notoriously tight roped. It pays to have reservations here. But once you’re in, don’t be surprised if you spot a celeb or two – Tenjune is a Hollywood favorite.
Tenjune
26 Little West 12th Street
Meatpacking District / New York City
646.624.2410 / website
With hundreds of nightclubs in the city, it’s hard to find one that caters to your interests as well as your drink preferences. Enter Susie Wong and Le Royale, two new clubs that have everyone buzzing – including our nightlife expert, Pedro Andrade.
Named after a Japanese Madame, Suzie Wong exudes a burlesque atmosphere, alternating between flirty hot pink and seductive deep red lighting. And unlike the throng of nightclubs on 27th Street, when Suzie Wong says “bottle service,” it doesn’t mean champagne – it means premium sake.
Suzie Wong
547 West 27th Street / between 10th and 11th Avenues
212.268.5105 / website
You already know that the West Village knows how to party. Two-level Le Royale turns up the heat even further with an electronic soundtrack for its energetic dance floor. The club has already gotten a hint of a forthcoming stamp of approval, with New York Magazine’s Grub Street Blog proclaiming “Le Royale might just bring nightlife out of the doldrums.”
Le Royale
21 7th Avenue South / between Carmine and Leroy Streets
West Village / New York City
212.463.0700
At Broadway Dance Center, George perfected his Tango. Make a day of dance lessons with your favorite dance partner, or bring your friends for a fun hip-hop dance class.
Broadway Dance Center
322 West 45th Street, 3rd Floor / between 8th and 9th Avenues
Midtown West / New York City
212-582-9304 / website
Having worked up an appetite, George headed to the Institute of Culinary Education for some chocolate. But George didn’t just pick out a beautifully-wrapped box. He learned how to make truffles himself – starting with the crunchy ganache center and wrapping it with creamy chocolate.
Institute of Culinary Education
50 West 23rd Street / between Broadway and Sixth Avenues
Flatiron / New York City
800.522.4610 / website
Going out to dinner is nice, but a homemade dinner is even more romantic. George checked out an Astor Center class on wine and food pairings that will make a homemade meal even more special. Whether you’re new to wine or you’re an amateur sommelier, you can impress your sweetheart with your wine expertise.
Astor Center
399 Lafayette Street / East 4th Street
East Village / New York City
212.674.7501 / website
