Chloe 81 Bar / Lounge / Speakeasy

Lower East Side, New York –

Although its days as a hush-hush in-spot famous for its Ivy parties are gone, Chloe 81 maintains its reputation as an exclusive upscale haunt for a fashionable and moneyed clientele ready to drink and dance the night away.

A strict and rather arbitrary door policy – overseen by bouncers with phantom guest lists – still puts patrons through the gauntlet before they’re allowed to descend the unmarked stairs and pass through the heavy iron doors to the inner sanctum.

Once inside, however, guests find an incredibly loud subterranean lounge featuring a sleek décor of white subway-tiled walls and striking red banquettes and tufted club chairs, where affluent downtowners, Wall Street types, and folks from the fashion and art scenes mingle at candlelit tables, yelling to be heard over their cocktails.

A DJ positioned near the shiny white bar pumps out deafening rock and pop classics that get the posh crowd sweating on the dance floor, while guests more interested in lively chatter can slip into a comfy booth beneath the seductive glow of globe lamps.

Despite its slight fall from grace, there’s no doubt that Chloe remains a destination for upscale cavorting for anyone sleek and savvy enough to make it past the door.