VENUE FACTS
Beauty & Essex — Lower East Side
Status: Open — official Tao Group page current. Not a late-night venue: closes by midnight at the latest and is closed Mondays.
Last verified: 2026-08-25 — every fact below is sourced; anything we couldn't confirm is marked as reported or unverified.
The facts
| Address | 146 Essex St, New York, NY 10002 |
|---|---|
| Neighborhood | Lower East Side, Manhattan |
| Type | Glam multi-room restaurant/lounge behind a functioning pawn-shop front (Tao Group) |
| Music | Lounge/party playlist; weekend nights get loud and scene-y |
| Nights & hours | Closed Mon; Tue–Wed 5–10pm; Thu 5–11pm; Fri–Sat 5pm–12am; Sun 5–10pm |
| Cover / entry cost | No cover — it's a restaurant/lounge. Small plates add up fast; $78/pp tasting menu offered |
| Dress code | None enforced; smart casual recommended — the weekend crowd dresses up |
| Age policy | All ages for dining; 21+ to drink |
| Tables & reservations | OpenTable/Resy for dining; larger parties by email |
| Peak times | Weekend evenings turn party-loud; weeknights are calmer for the reveal-moment dinner |
| Official site | taogroup.com/venues/beauty-essex-new-york |
| @beautyandessexnyc |
How to get in
Walk through the pawn shop at 146 Essex to the hidden staircase. Bar/lounge areas take walk-ins; dining rooms via OpenTable/Resy (bookable 45 days out; parties of 15+ by email).
The honest take
The pawn-shop reveal and chandelier staircase still land for dates and birthdays — but go for the scene, not the food, which recent reviews call loud, touristy, and overpriced.
Plan the night around it
Sources
- taogroup.com venue + reservations pages (fetched 2026-08-25)
- OpenTable listing
- recent reviews (2026)
Spotted something out of date? Nightlife info rots fast — tell us and we'll re-verify.