NYC: All the Week’s Parties, Basement Edition

An unassuming tourist type at an unassuming football bar tells me this: "New York restaurants are crazy! There's a club in every basement!" I nod my head. He means RdV, the bass-thumping club below Bagatelle. "No," says the unassuming tourist, "We were in some East Village pizza restaurant or something!" Jesus, it can be tough keeping up with the NYC Jones. There seems to be tons of hidden gems that try to stay away from the people like me who can write about them, Twitter about them, Facebook about them, and ultimately ruin them. Some things are worth keeping a secret, but when the party is in the basement of Coffee Shop or some media lunch spot that regularly gets off on decent press, it's easy to broadcast. Some other things will remain a mystery, until I can fully understand if it's an actual basement party or simply a couple of bus boys getting high between shifts.

SUNDAY

Lowdown: It’s been a while since the playing field has leveled, but it seems as though there are some new sketchy Sundays in our future.
Hot Now:
● GoldBar (Nolita) - Some say this is as good as Sundays could get.
● Sway (Sway) - Moroccan-themed rocker. Share in the angst with La Lohan on Sunday-night Morrissey fests.
● Greenhouse (Soho) - Though it may have a troubled door, Green’s Sunday night has been thriving.
Worth a Look:
● White Slab Palace (Lower East Side) - A pretty awesome Sunday-nighter, taking the back door while we all were watching the front for their awesome Friday-night party to return. Sunday is one to stumble into; don’t expect boldfaced names like on Fridays.

MONDAY

Lowdown: The Monday party is a Manhattan mainstay, but let’s not forget about Monday Night Football; we did, and accidentally found ourselves having an awesome time at sporty spaces.
Hot Now:
● Antik (Greenwich Village) - Okay, so Le Royale’s former party isn’t actually in Antik, it’s in the basement of Antik. We swung into the small, rock ‘n’ roll space it was small enough to feel really full, even on a slow night. Naturally, it heats up on the late side, after Monday Night Football has dissolved. Go to make friends.
● Stanton Social (Lower East Side) - Yes, still a great place to have a fun bite/Monday night drinks.
● Butter (Noho) - Monday night was packed again, though curiously the party is getting to be a bit more hipster.
Worth a Look:
● Black & White (Greenwich Village) - Restaurant becomes cramped, sexy, sweaty hotspot after ten.
● Warren 77(Tribeca) - Just right for football fans with a bit more flair.
● Johnny Utah’s (Midtown West) Those huge TVs! It’s like a co-ed college party for industry folks (and half of them are not watching football).
● Diesel Presents Danny Clark’s Monday Nights at The Ainsworth. It’s hosted every Monday Night by Giants Linebacker Danny Clark, and admission to the football party includes cocktails, beer, and food. All proceeds are 100% tax deductible and support the Danny Clark Foundation.