Nightlife Report · Lillith Magic · Directed by Anthony Perlas
Tao Group Hospitality, led by Noah Tepperberg and Jason Strauss, runs two of Chelsea’s biggest nights. We reviewed both like games: scored section by section, with a verdict.
Scores: Marquee New York 8.0 · TAO Downtown 8.0
Nightlife Report Review
Marquee New York Review
289 10th Avenue, Chelsea, New York (Tao Group Hospitality)
Tao Group’s Chelsea flagship bills itself as “the most iconic dance floor in the city.” It is the big-room, big-DJ, big-table night in its purest form.
Door & Entry
Open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11PM to 4AM, with tickets sold for event nights (official site). A former bottle host’s advice for NYC doors: arrive half an hour before peak and “be nice to the door staff because we remember every face” (Reddit).
Atmosphere & Design
A concert-scale room built around the dance floor and DJ booth, with a mezzanine ring of tables.
Sound & Music
Touring headline DJs are the draw; check the event calendar before you go.
Service & Bottles
Named table tiers (Boombox, Beltwall, Front Row Mezzanine) with published minimums in the low-to-mid four figures (Best Parties). Tax and gratuity sit on top.
Value
A ticket gets you the room; a table is a serious spend. Get the minimum and fees in writing.
Verdict · 8.0 / 10
The definitive New York big-room night. Bring a plan and a budget.
The Good
- Headline DJs
- Iconic dance floor
- Clear table tiers
The Bad
- Expensive tables plus fees
- Only three nights a week
- Hard door at peak
Who it’s for: Dance-music fans and birthday groups ready to book a table.
Nightlife Report Review
TAO Downtown Review
369 W 16th Street, Chelsea, New York (Tao Group Hospitality)
Dinner under a towering Kwan Yin, then a nightclub downstairs. TAO Downtown is the two-act New York night under one roof.
Door & Entry
Book dinner and you are already inside. The nightclub sells tickets nightly and offers VIP reservations (official site).
Atmosphere & Design
The statue and the staircase are the photo. Few rooms in the city are this theatrical.
Service & Bottles
Table minimums are listed in the low-to-mid four figures (Discotech).
Value
Lucky Hour at the bar and lounge offers specialty-priced cocktails and dishes, and Endless Brunch runs Sundays 11AM to 3PM. That makes it the softest way in.
Verdict · 8.0 / 10
Dinner and a club in one address. Theatre first, nightlife second.
The Good
- Showpiece design
- Restaurant plus nightclub
- Lucky Hour and Sunday brunch as cheaper ways in
The Bad
- Table minimums run high
- Busy and loud at peak
Who it’s for: Date nights, out-of-towners and birthdays that start with dinner.
Who runs the room
Marquee and TAO Downtown are both Tao Group Hospitality, which runs TAO and The Fleur Room in Los Angeles. Read How LA Nightlife Really Works for the groups behind the night and our Hideaway-to-Warwick route.
Promoters and the door
“You do not need a promoter to get in,” wrote a former bottle host. Walk-ins are “totally ok” (Reddit). In the same thread another user said you “NEED” a promoter for places like Paul’s. Your mileage will vary by night.
RelatedTwenty Shows In: The Movement LA Fashion Week Outlasted the Hype
Getting home
The subway runs all night. Set a meeting spot for your group before you go in.
How we score: scores are the Nightlife Report’s editorial opinion, based on each venue’s published information and public reviews cited above. Prices change, so confirm with the venue.
Follow the Nightlife Report: Join the Discord · Get the newsletter · The Perlas Protocol on Spotify · Apple Podcasts · Watch Part One and Part Two on YouTube.
Lillith Magic · Directed by Anthony Perlas
You might also like
NightlifeTime Warp Lands in Boyle Heights: Can Techno Purism Survive LA?
GuidesLA Rooftop Nights in November 2026: Where to Go Up
GuidesHow to Get on the Guest List at h.wood Group Venues
GuidesLos Angeles After Halloween: Free and Low-Ticket Culture for Mid-November
FashionRunway Meets Dance Floor: The Fashion Afterparties of November 7 Weekend
VideoWhy Thursday Is Jupiter’s Day: Dies Iovis and the Spiritual Forecast
Leave a Reply