Employees Only

The original 2004 West Village speakeasy: psychic in the front window, bouncer at the door, cocktails walk-in only until 4am.

//Camera status

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//The line

Employees Only opened in 2004 at 510 Hudson St and runs like a speakeasy: a psychic sits in the front window, a bouncer works the door. Per the venue's own site, reservations are for dining only, 6-11pm; the bar and every cocktail seat are walk-in, first-come first-serve. So the cocktail crowd doesn't skip the door. It waits at it.

The reported wait is short but real. Time Out's reporter arrived at 2am, found 'a line was already forming outside,' and, after an initial rejection at the door, 'waited approximately 15 minutes' before the bouncer let them in. Inside was 'shoulder to shoulder.' The Infatuation says the room is 'still packed with people every time we stop by.'

The pull is late. The venue's site lists bar service until 4am, seven nights a week, with a free bowl of chicken soup going out at 3:30am. Time Out describes bouncers counting down to close as the last guests filed out. The bottleneck here is the door, not a reservation list.

//When the line peaks

▸Late night, ~2am onward: Time Out found 'a line was already forming outside' at 2am on a recent visit.
▸3:30am soup hour to the 4am close: room 'packed,' bouncers counting down to close, per Time Out NY.
▸Effectively every night: The Infatuation says it is 'still packed with people every time we stop by.'
▸6-11pm is the only reservable window (dining, via Resy); cocktail arrivals hit the walk-in door cold, per the venue's site.

Patterns as reported by press and regulars — not measured by damnlines. Sources below.

//Live lines nearby

No camera here yet — but these lines are on camera right now:

L'industrie Pizzeria · 3 min walkclosed Salt Hank's · 5 min walkclosed Breakfast by Salt's Cure · 5 min walkclosed

//FAQ

How long is the line at Employees Only?

damnlines has no camera at Employees Only, so there is no live count. Time Out's reporter, arriving at 2am, found 'a line was already forming outside' and, after an initial rejection at the door, 'waited approximately 15 minutes' before the bouncer let them in. The Infatuation calls the room 'still packed with people every time we stop by.'

Does Employees Only take reservations?

Its own site says reservations, via Resy, are for dining only, 6-11pm. Cocktails and appetizers are walk-in only, first-come first-serve. After 11pm everyone is seated first-come first-serve.

What time does Employees Only close?

The venue's site lists indoor dining and bar service 6pm-4am, seven days a week. Outdoor dining ends at 11pm and the kitchen runs until 3am.

Is there really free chicken soup at Employees Only?

Yes. Time Out reports a free 'light chicken soup' goes out at 3:30am near closing, served in small mugs with 'a single strand of the chicken.' Their reporter judged it not worth the late night.

What is the best time to go to Employees Only to avoid the line?

We can't measure the door in real time. By its own hours the bar opens at 6pm, and the reported crush is late, with Time Out finding a line already forming by 2am, so arriving earlier in the evening is the reported way to beat it. Dress code applies: no baseball caps, athletic wear, or gym sneakers.

//Sources