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New York has never met a comeback it didn’t love—and this one comes dressed in a bomber jacket.
Nearly a half-century after Members Only became a uniform of American cool (seen on Frank Sinatra, Andy Warhol, Clint Eastwood and basically every Beastie Boy), the iconic '80s brand is stepping off the pages of Rolling Stone and into real life with a brand-new bar-meets-showroom in Greenwich Village. (And judging by recent sightings on Drake, Anne Hathaway, Mariah Carey and Zayn Malik, Members Only is still very much having a moment.)
The new three-level space at 53 West 8th Street feels like the brand distilled into brick and mortar: it’s part fashion moment, part downtown hang and part time warp. The ground-floor bar is the most obvious crowd-pleaser, anchored by dramatic black-marble and a mirrored back bar. Grey leather banquettes, a cozy 30 seats and subtle jacket labels stitched into the bar stools complete the overall mood.
Not surprisingly, the cocktails lean into the eras that made the brand a wardrobe constant. Classics like the Blue Lagoon, made with coconut rum, blue curaçao and lime, and the Rusty Nail share menu space with other old-school drinks with fresh flair—think yuzu vodka in the Long Island iced tea or a screwdriver spiked with saffron.
Even the shots go full retro in the form of a Brain Hemorrhage with peach schnapps, Irish cream and grenadine and a Yes Daddy, made with bourbon and chilled espresso. If you need a break from nostalgia, the global snacking menu has oysters with wasabi granita, gochujang fried chicken, steak tacos and a chocolate bread pudding.
Upstairs in the mezzanine showroom, both classic and limited-edition pieces are on display, including anniversary-edition golden jackets. Downstairs, there’s a 45-seat lounge with brown leather banquettes and a wall of cushy seating, plus a hallway lined with photos of celebrities wearing the brand’s signature racer jacket over the decades.
Though the name hints otherwise, you don’t need a secret handshake to get in. The space is fully open to the public starting November 21.