MADAME X IS PROUD TO PRESENT HER NEW, RED-HOT GARDEN!
Our lovely garden just got better - we added heaters for the colder months, so now you can stay toasty warm while enjoying a cocktail or a cigarette.
What The Critics Say...
New York Moves Magazine
Yes the name is supposed to evoke that kind of Madame, and believe me: the plush velvet chaises, lacy red lamps, and dark interiors will get you thinking about sex. It's like being at the Moulin Rouge sans absinthe, but if you ask the bartender nicely, he'll surely whip you up a comparable elixir.
Zinc Magazine
X marks the spot
Madame X is our favorite guilty pleasure and one of New York's well-kept, hidden treasures.
A Sweet Little Bitch and Pussy Galore are available any night of the week at Madame X on West Houston Street. Served over ice and under ten dollars, these selections from the sassy cocktail list are part of the lounge's enticingly naughty appeal. Drenched in red light and red velvet, Madame X's sinful atmosphere is in keeping with the space's checkered past. The upper level was once an early '90s whorehouse fronted by a nail salon, and the lower level was a reggae music store masking a marijuana dealership.
A luxurious yet quirky spot with a personality all its own, Madame X is full of old world style and hidden surprises. A funny little five-by-five nook with ladder access is so popular that as many as ten people have crammed themselves into it. Owner Amy McCloskey, a former event planner for Playboy magazine, jokes "I don't know where they put themselves, or if anyone was pregnant afterwards." Used frequently for private parties, the top floor features a cool atrium overlooking Madame X's outdoor back garden, sheltered by a leafy canopy and sporting a pretty fountain and ashtrays for New York's beleaguered smokers.
Open since 1997, Madame X is the brainchild of McCloskey's late business partner, Mimi Dimur, who set out to create a lounge modeled after a 1920s French bordello. McCloskey and Dimur found the space a wreck in August of 1997, and after a whirlwind few months of cleaning and decorating, opened by the end of the year. The lounge has a laidback vibe, a striking yet model-free staff, an eclectic crowd and DJs spinning a wide range of tunes every Wednesday through Saturday. "We have that velvet-rope feeling without the velvet rope attitude," says McCloskey. Although the club attracts celebrities - Prince was brought in a couple of years ago by a lady friend who insisted he try the Pussy Galore - "that's not the crowd we're going for," McCloskey says.
Those who like their drinks fruity are in for a real treat. The Sweet Little Bitch has Amaretto, Grand Marnier and pineapple juice, while the Pussy Galore includes Malibu, banana liqueur and mango nectar. Careful, though, ladies: Drink enough Blue Floozies (with Olifant citron vodka, blue curacao and lime) and you might just turn into one.
-Anne Cole
Shecky's.com (NY Guide)
Everyone looks hot in crimson light and the designers of Madame X’s seem to be well aware of that. This lounge is on fire with red lights, a DJ with the magic touch spinning the latest beats, and a crowd that seems to know they’re in the it spot. Downstairs a large welcoming bar is a perfect place to chat, or head to the back room where the vintage style furniture is reminiscent of grandma’s parlor only much cooler. Need some fresh air? A garden grows on Houston for you and your cronies to get your drink on. Weekend nights means the upstairs is open with even more nooks and crannies to tuck yourself away in and listen to some jazz. Maxwell look alikes, guys sporting Mohawks, and flannel shirt clad kids all nod their heads to neo-soul and hip-hop beats while socking back sexy cocktails like the Orange U Glad U Came or Lick the Peach. Those who like the hard stuff will appreciate the large scotch, tequila and cognac menu. Madame X is a mysterious creature worth visiting.
Zagat Survey 2000
A bordello-red color scheme (down to "dim lighting" that "makes everyone look good") and "plush", "retro" surroundings ("overstuffed couches", "lots of velvet") make this intimate, "sexy" Village lounge a "perfect escape", complete with "diverse music", rotating art displays and a lovely garden with a waterfall; "fabulous, original cocktails" make it even "easier to relax."
Time Out New York
Creating a successful bar doen
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