NYC: Tao Downtown – Clubbing in Chelsea

Clubbing in Chelsea is fun when you are in your 20s, but nowadays, I feel too old for most of the venues. However, the nightclub at Tao Downtown is an exception. Not because the club is full of old cougars, but because it’s a really cool place with a non-pretentious, yet super-chic vibe that I haven’t found at any other place in this part of the city. I think you can say that Tao is good looks without the attitude.

Now please note that it’s the nightclub and not the restaurant/lounge I’m talking about. A lot of people don’t even know there’s a nightclub, as it is tucked away in the corner of the huge Tao complex, away from the dining area. The club is located one stair down and it’s so intimate and dark, it almost feels like a speak-easy.

If you start your night at the restaurant, you can enter the nightclub from within (if you get past the bouncers), but if you only come for the club, you’ll have to use a separate entrance around the corner from the main entrance to the restaurant, and this is the spot I’ve marked on the map below.

It can be tricky to get in on weekends, even if you’re dressed up and with a group of girlfriends, so I would recommend that you get in touch with a good promoter and make sure to get your name on the guest list. Arrive just when they open at 11pm, as the line outside quickly builds up after midnight.

• The price level is quite standard for Chelsea, so expect to pay around $20 for a cocktail.

> Read my blog post about my night out at Tao Downtown

Tao Downtown, 92 9th Ave at 16th Street, Chelsea, New York