Welcome Back to the Bronx, Andy!

Let's do it AGAIN this year! #28!

The 10 Toughest Doors in NYC....

After an estimated 35-40 hours of labor for the average American, Friday has finally arrived. Thoughts of the extensive possibilities that can fill your night up are constantly running through your mind and become the greatest distraction of the work week. Your phone keeps vibrating with text messages from friends who share the same thoughts and excitement. As soon as 4:30PM (or 6:30PM in my case..) rolls around, papers are shuffled, IM windows are shut off, and the weekend officially has begun.

To help you all out, I have made a list of some of the hardest places to get into in New York City. These are the most exclusive and elite bars around. Getting past the bouncer is all about who you know in these places. If you are up for a challenge, and don’t mind waiting outside all night with only the slight possibility of actually stepping foot inside the door, then check out this list and try your luck. But unless you’re a celebrity or know the owner, chances are you won’t be seeing the inside of the door.

1. QT aka The Boom Boom Room

Formerly known as The Boom Boom Room, QT is the toughest door in New York City at the moment, if not the world. The Standard’s glitzy penthouse bar sports views to rival the Empire State Building and offers a level of hospitality on a par with Ian Schrager’s Rose Bar. That’s if you can make it inside. The Boom Boom is hard on most comers, including celebrities and models.

Expect things to only get worse when the Black Room opens, but who really wants to go there anyway? It has been said that QT, located in the Standard Hotel, has even turned celebrities and models away at the door. Unless you know Andre Balazs, the owner, don’t even waste your time trying to get into this place or Simyone Lounge (SL) downstairs.
Who you need to know: Andre Balazs, Kamil Parchomienko
Civilian Chance of Entry: 0%
848 Washington St., MePa.


2. The Rose Bar:

The Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel, is yet another one of the hardest places to get into on this list. The Rose Bar prides itself on being very exclusive and they are intending to stay that way. When it comes to this posh New York City lounge, the question to ask is: What celebrity hasn’t been to Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel …at least 3 or 4 times? The answer: not the Olsen twins, Chace Crawford or David Beckham. Hell, Cruz, Romeo and Brooklyn Beckham have most likely had a late night at Rose Bar. Point is; Rose Bar is the place of places in New York City. Ask anyone; the intriguing drink menu is as sweet as its floral repute implies. Word on the street is that Calvin Klein model Jamie Burke has been known to show up for a round of Pool or two. Lessons anyone?
Who you need to know: Nur Khan, Damian Luayie, Ian Schrager, the hotel employee who guards the bathroom door.
Civilian Chance of Entry: 25%
2 Lexington Ave., Gramercy.



3. 1 OAK

The owners of this club, Richie Akiva and Scott Sartiano, have said to be tired of the same old club scene in New York City. With that said, they only let the most selected people inside the doors. The max capacity for 1 OAK is only 250 people so if you don’t know the owners, it is next to impossible to gain entrance. You can try paying the doorman off, but depending on how much you give him and his mood, it’s a tossup with if he lets you enter. If you make it past the tough door, you’ve probably already committed to two bottles of Dom Perignon at one of the few, coveted $2,000 tables. As one the city’s glittering clubs du jour, 1 Oak is stuffed to the gills with bottle mongers - i.e. models, fashionistas, and bespoke bankers. But just because 1 Oak is usually flooded with these types, doesn’t mean its all bad - in fact, it is good, quite good. If you do make your way into the expansive room beneath the raw, oak-lined ceiling, don’t forget to make your way down to the pimped-out bathrooms—the pitch-black individual stalls feature gold basins and an oversized image of a gold gun on the wall.
Who you need to know: Richie Akiva, Scott Sartiano.
Civilian Chance of Entry: 25%



4. Avenue:
Owner Noah Tepperberg is on a mission to try to make this club different then all the rest. With a strict door policy, Avenue will only let the most rich and elite people through its doors. The more you are willing to spend, the more you are likely to be let in. So if you are a ‘nobody’ who isn’t looking to spend a fortune on a night out, expect to be turned away at the door, and turned away rudely. The doorman gets annoyed if you try to waste his time, and he will have no problem letting you know this.
Who you need to know: Noah Tepperberg, Jason Strauss, Wass Stevens, The Beatrice Crew
Civilian Chance of Entry: 60%
116 Tenth Ave., Chelsea


5. Tenjune

Up for a challenge? Tenjune is it. One of the doormen from this New York City nightclub has been said to even turn away celebrities such as Entourage’s Kevin Connolly. (So much for a bro-code, right?) The Meatpacking District has a reputation for difficult doors and Tenjune is nowhere near an exception. This vicinity is habitually teeming with all walks of celebrity vying for a way in.

So, get ready to do one of two things: 1. wrangle a harem of beautiful women; or 2. bust out the AmEx and spring for three bottles. That’s the only way you’re getting past the uber-snobby doorman and gaining access to Tenjune, which is currently enjoying its status as a top-5 “It” destination in New York. Tucked underneath the equally glam and overpriced STK Steakhouse, it ’s like an Us Weekly spread brought to life, with celebs like Diddy, Lindsay Lohan, Sienna Miller and Kanye West spotted on a routine Tuesday. And you know, the only way they party is by poppin’ bottles.
411 West 14th Street
New York, NY 10014


6. Hudson Terrace

With long lines every night, The Hudson Terrace is one of the hardest places to get into in New York City. If you happen to be important enough to gain entrance to this hot spot, it would be recommended to go to the roof deck. The roof deck of the Hudson Terrace is spectacular, with its leather couches and magnificent urban vista, is an unparalleled entertainment destination. Discreetly tucked at the edge of midtown along the Hudson River, this spectacular haven of serene opulence offers unforgettable venue amenities, bottle service included. The thing about Hudson Terrace is the view. When coupled with a bottle of Grey Goose atop your very own table, nightlife unequaled by any other bungalow of a club in Manhattan ensues.

Only problem: you need a wrist band to get up there. Wristbands are given out randomly to whomever the bouncer thinks is important. These wristbands are the golden ticket to going upstairs to the roof deck. If you aren’t given one when you enter, you are out of luck. The good news, for girls anyway, is that throughout the night the bouncer will walk down the line and pick out only attractive girls to come in. Sorry guys.



7.Goldbar

Even if you ain’t a celebrity, you will feel like one, once allowed past the heavily guarded gates of this glitzy and entirely exclusive West Village bungalow. The interior’s arcing gold ceiling, gold chain link curtains, gold skulls covering the walls with mesmerizing texture and light play. There are even gold turntables in the DJ booth. Along the walls, sit a small sampling of tables to enjoy a lavish evening.
Spotted here on any given night are New York City’s industry types galore… ala the Hills’ Olivia Palermo or Lia Sophia’s Dani Stahl. If these ladies aren’t high enough on your celeb list, try your luck at getting in when Diddy hosts one of his out-of-this-world soirees at Goldbar. But you’ve got to be in the game to get through the colossal NoLita doors; the velvet ropes are tight and, for the most part, require a reservation
389 Broome Street
New York, NY 10013


8. Chloe 81

Pegged, by many, as the Lower East Side’s counter to the West Village’s Beatrice Inn, Chloe 81 is semi-secretly situated beneath the restaurant, Canasis. Chloe 81's walls covered with cream-white tiling, glowing as if shellacked with a splash of Dom Perignon, provide a richly serene juxtaposition to the blood-red leather couches where Lindsey Lohan is said to camp night after night. The beer is reasonably priced for the select status that Chloe 81 claims. However, it is hardly the reason for Lohan’s frequent appearances. If not for the scene or the cheap beer, go to catch the bar-closing fight that will inevitably keep the tabloids speculating of another SamRo/Lohan split.
81 Ludlow Street
New York, NY 10002


9. The Eldridge
Model types, socialites, celebrities, oh my! The Eldridge is a fantastic New York City spot to rub elbows with an off-beat, eclectic mix of the elite, and more recently, a great place to have your belongings pawned. And, not by riffraff that slink through the door – ahem, Paul Johnson Calderon. Whichever end of the material spectrum you find yourself on, owner or thief, The Eldridge has your name and many celebrity’s written all over it. Lydia Hearst, Aubrey O’Day and Top Chef’s Padma Lakshmi have been spotted at this Lower East Side locale.
247 Eldridge Street
New York, NY 10002


10. THE JANE BALLROOM
Located in the Jane Hotel, The Jane Ballroom’s popularity went through the roof when it first opened. More and more people were flocking to this place, and for the most part, they would not have to wait a while before getting through the door. That was until Jane Ballroom was raided by agencies, saying they were way past their capacity. They were allowed to remain open but was told to keep capacity to a minimum. So now, The Jane Ballroom is limiting the number of people they let through the doors, making it pretty hard to get into.


HONORABLE MENTION:

ABE & ARTHURS

Located where Lotus use to be, this new restaurant/lounge is one of the easier to get into venues on this list. This being said, one still might be waiting outside in line for hours. We would recommend arriving early so you have a better chance of entering. Just because you get a spot in Abe & Arthurs, that does mean you will be allowed entrance in Simyone, the exclusive club connected to the restaurant.


Stanton Social

There is no place in New York City that does celebrity quite like The Stanton Social. This Lower East Side destination is known for its delectable tapas and imaginative, alcoholic inventions, as well as the notable names it attracts. (I.e. Jessica Alba and Cash Warren) Opened in 2005, it is still almost impossible to get a reservation at this tri-level, late-night scene. The space, with innumerable, closely-situated tables to accommodate around 200 guests, may find you sitting on top of a celebrity, rather than near one. (Pending celebrity appearance on any given night, arguably, a win-win situation.)
99 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002

2009 Nightlife Awards...