
It’s exclusive. It’s sexy. It’s rebellious. It’s XIX—New York’s latest “it” hotspot of the moment.
Far from the gaudy Meatpacking District, which has regrettably been usurped by the dreaded B&T (that’s “Bridge & Tunnel”) crowd, the underground SoHo lounge resides unassumingly on Kenmare between Bowery and Elizabeth Street. And when we say “unassumingly,” we mean invisible. It doesn’t even have a sign. But not to fear, the lone burly bouncer standing outside the displaced, medieval-esque wooden front door is a clue you’ve made it… at least to the door. That’s only half the battle.
XIX is certainly reveling in its New York nightlife scene supremacy. With the lifespan of a Manhattan nightclub rarely lasting longer than two years, XIX and its select club promoters are soaking up its pretentious exclusivity for all its worth.
Ironically, once you’re in, XIX loses most of its supercilious nature. Upon entering the premise, an abrupt staircase leads you down a gloomily red-lit flight of steps to yet another wooden door behind which the sound of music can be faintly heard. The anticipation rivals that of a brace-faced 12-year-old girl about to meet Justin Bieber. Then, you enter.
Accept beforehand that your clothes will be temporarily embalmed with the heavy scent of cigarette smoke. One of the first things you’ll notice as you enter the dimly lit, surprisingly small, square-shaped main room is the impossibility of XIX’s patrons smoking (GASP!) indoors. Badass.
The ceilings are low and the models tall. Fortunately, for every semi-enviable ethereal 5’11” stick figure, there’s a normal-sized human being to salvage your self-esteem. Essentially, everyone is hot, unless they have enough money not to be. And the wealthy will buy you drinks until they look hot, too.
As you make your way through the crowd of Manhattan’s elite dancing hypnotically (and drunkenly) to the latest and greatest in Top 40, hip-hop, dubstep, and mainstream rap blasting at full volume, you may recognize one of the bartenders as dreamy Australian musician Jay Lyon—most notably, ex-lover of Miranda Kerr and Whitney Port, respectively.
As the night rolls on at the sinful playground, you’ll notice XIX transform into a modern-day speakeasy before your very eyes. Let’s just say the less innocuous substances discreetly make an appearance, and some will swear they partied with a little green fairy.