Strip Clubs in New York: What to Expect on a Night Out

Strip Clubs in New York and How a Night Unfolds

A strip club, often called a gentlemen's club, sells a show. You pay for the door, the drinks, the dances and the time in a VIP room or booth. The dancers perform on a stage and a pole, and between stage sets they walk the floor to talk with guests and offer table dances. In New York the format is much the same from the Midtown rooms near Times Square and the Theater District to the larger places in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, though the size of the stage, the number of dancers and the food and drink on offer vary a great deal.

First Visit, Door Policy and Etiquette for a Gentlemen's Club in New York

Most clubs admit guests aged 21 and over and ask for ID at the door, and many set a dress requirement, so smart casual is the safe choice. Some charge a cover and some do not, and bottle service or a booth is usually arranged on arrival or in advance. Once inside, take a seat, order a drink and watch a stage set before you decide about dances.

Tipping is a custom rather than a rule: guests tip dancers on stage and agree the cost of a table or private dance with the dancer before it begins. Treat dancers with the same courtesy you would show anyone at work. Ask before you touch, accept a no without pressing, and keep your hands to yourself unless invited otherwise. Groups and bachelor parties are common, and larger parties should call ahead so the club can arrange seating and a booth.

Getting there is straightforward. Manhattan clubs cluster around Times Square, the Theater District, the Garment District and Bryant Park, near Madison Square Garden, on the far West Side near Hudson Yards, in the Flatiron District, in Tribeca and on the Upper East Side by the Queensboro Bridge. Others sit in Long Island City, Woodside, Elmhurst and Jamaica in Queens, in East Williamsburg and Coney Island in Brooklyn, in Hunts Point in the Bronx and on Staten Island. Many stay open until four in the morning, so a late start is rarely a problem, and a taxi or car service is the easy way to reach a club and to get home afterwards.

Before you go, confirm the practical points with the club: the age policy and the dress code, whether a reservation is needed for a group, whether there is a cover, whether food is served, and how late the doors stay open. One new club on the far West Side has only announced its opening, so check before you plan a night around it.

Good to know

Clubs in New York