Meatpacking District Clubs

Meatpacking District clubs are the scene to see and be seen in New York. It is exclusive, expensive, and the hottest part of town to go to. Here are some good places to visit in Meatpacking District:

Biergarten, The Standard and Le Bain

Going to this trio, all of them part of the Standard Hotel, offers a complete night out, with lots of variety and without having to search for it. It’s sort of the holy triad entertainment event in Meatpacking District.

Biergarten

Would you like to eat at the Standard? Think of going there in advance to book a table. You usually have to wait quite some time for a table, and there is no better place to do that than in the Biergarten. This actually has an additional benefit, since the Biergarten is relatively quiet around dinnertime. Later at night, you might have to wait at least twenty minutes.

Biergarten is exactly as the name suggests: a German beer garden, including long picnic tables. Not fond of beers? Don’t worry, they do have wine and other drinks as well. Make sure to be on time, because it’s a very popular place to start the night. The audience is very diverse: hip and happening mixed with all kinds of tourists. Bouncers will screen your outfit, but you should have already paid attention to your clothing if your plan is to visit The Standard and/or Le Bain.

The Standard Grill

The Standard Grill is a great place to eat. They serve tasty dishes and it’s a nice place, especially for a date or other special occasion. The portions are American sized. The ‘whole roasted chicken’, said to be enough for two persons, can easily satisfy three. Unless you are already accustomed to American sized dishes that is! Hence it’s just too bad they’re pretty uptight about sharing food, which usually isn’t a problem at all in New York.

Le Bain

After visiting Biergarten and The Standard you can visit Le Bain next. Be prepared for the door bitches, but don’t be put off by them. Yes, they do refuse people at times but it is not impossible to get in. Make sure to wear hip clothing and don’t come in big groups or a group consisting of more men than women. Waiting time on a Saturday night just before midnight is about fifteen minutes.

Once you’re inside, they’ll bring you up in the elevator to the club. The club is huge according to New York standards, but compared to our English standards it’s not that big. The nice thing about Le Bain is that people are dancing there, something that’s quite unique for New Yorkers, who normally prefer chatting with each other with a drink in hand. Getting a drink at the bar yourself isn’t too bad either. The bar is built against the window, offering impressive city views.

Do visit the rooftop terrace the club is famous for if the weather allows it. There you’ll find a bar and even a small stand selling crepes (thin pancakes) if you like to have some at 01:00. On cold days, make sure not to hang your coat in the downstairs cloakroom right away!

Plunge Rooftop Bar + Lounge

The Plunge Rooftop Bar of the Gansevoort Hotel is not really known as a big dance club, but it has a really good atmosphere. The club is on the roof of the Gansevoort Hotel, together with a swimming pool and has magnificent views of New York and New Jersey. It is a great spot and just walking around on the roof is already quite an experience in itself.

The dress code is ‘dressy casual’; meaning neat clothing, and do pay special attention to your shoes. This dress code seamlessly fits the atmosphere, being quite exclusive. During the week you can often sit on one of the sofas with a simple $15 cocktail or $10 beer, but on weekends you have to order a bottle of liquor in order to get a seat. This bottle must be at least $250 (plus tax and tip) and shouldn’t be shared with more than four people. Admission is always free.

Besides the fact that you’ll spend less money on a great night out during weekdays, it’s also much easier to enter with no long queues. Would you still like to try it on weekends? Then try to arrive before 23:00 to save yourself the trouble and wait. Do always take your passport with you!

TAO Downtown

Nearby you find TAO Downtown, a luxurious restaurant and club. It consists of several spaces, where you can eat, drink and party. The centrepiece of the restaurant is a huge statue of the goddess Quan Yin. She is situated on top of a koi pond and often changes her appearance due to light projections. The music in TAO is very loud, so don’t go here for a romantic dinner. Prepare yourself for a large bill and a great evening! You might even spot a celebrity here and there.