Happy Ending

Lower East Side, New York – A former massage parlor that ended up on the wrong side of the law, the aptly named Happy Ending is now a rollicking little bar that has kept the irreverent attitude of its ill-fated predecessor.

Despite the deceptive pink awning that reads “Health Club,” patrons know they’re in for a good time when they step into the long hallway and see nothing but twisted Zen branches stemming from illuminated glass walls and a conspicuous punchbowl filled with condoms waiting by the exit sign.

Once past the corridor, the titillated clientele of hipsters, young professionals, and everyone in between filters into a bar decked out in neon lights, streamers, and a divey décor of tufted red banquettes, black leather seating, and glittery orange tables.

A clear acrylic bar jutting into the already small dance space means rubbing up against other patrons is inevitable, which only makes it more difficult not to succumb to the venue’s drunkenly infectious vibe.

Downstairs, an open-plan lounge with a neon orange bar provides more space for hard-partying singles to drink, mingle, and flirt before writhing into the cramped dancing den complete with disco balls and a smoke machine.

There, a DJ spins beat-centric music from a corner station, making it easy for the sweaty masses to dance up and shout out their requests before checking themselves out in the bar’s famous ten-foot “Naked Lady with the Swan Mirror,” a leftover from its massage parlor days.

Those in need of a breather or a place to make out can down their custom cocktails in one of the original tiled sauna rooms, still intact with sliding glass doors and seductively bathed in red light.

Besides the general mayhem and uninhibited vibe created by the bar and the guests themselves, Happy Ending also hosts some great theme parties that whip the crowd into an even crazier frenzy and leave no doubt that this is one of the best places in town to let loose, dance like nobody’s watching, and end the night in a very happy mood.    ← read less