Nearly reaching the two-year mark, Tenjune is no less of a name as it was when it opened, a name that came about due to the fact that proprietor pals and nightlife bigwigs Eugene Remm (Level V) and Mark Birnbaum (Aer) share a birthday (the tenth of June—clever!). It’s a place that's managed to stay selective—quite a feat considering the overtake of certain outer-borough flock-ins the neighborhood draws on weekends. One can’t help but wonder how they manage keep the clientele they seek. What gives places like Tenjune staying power? We swung by on a recent Friday night to investigate.
Digs: Just to be clear, there’s nothing particularly flashy about the space—but that’s part of its success. It’s not rocket science to grasp that a simple celeb following (Jessica Simpson, Ellen Pompeo and Janet Jackson, recently) and a couple of clips on Page Six is what’s really needed to draw crowds and spark buzz, not scent machines, 9,000-square feet, or Roman servants serving you booze. In fact, there was nary a gimmick to be seen, just an attractively sleek space nestled under swanky steak joint STK, with a sunken horseshoe-shaped dance floor flanked by two tiers of tables (available for purchase, of course). The space is intimate and the capacity limited, to the point where the divide between "civilian" and literal “VIP” is narrow and critical—everyone feels Very Important.
Vibe: Though for many, getting inside requires patience, it’s refreshing to see that unlike other ‘name’ spots, the mixed crowd inside actually appears to be—gasp—having fun. They’re not sitting around waiting to be seen. Or waiting to see, for that matter. Speaking of which, we didn’t spot any celebrities this time around, although one of our companions did have an uninspiring faux-sighting: "That's Steven Colletti from Laguna Beach!" Turns out, it wasn’t.
Music: Featuring a changing roster of DJs, Mel DeBarge was at the table spinning a standard blend of danceable pop and hip-hop, with an appreciated departure from hackneyed throwbacks (no offense, Bon Jovi or Journey). Though we weren’t privy to any this time around, impromptu live performances have been known to break out on the lounge's stage, as Flo Rida, Kanye West and Timbaland recently proved.
Service: The service very well might be a key factor in the club’s success: the door folks are selective but not brutish, the bartenders are fast and actually sort of friendly and the coat check gal bid us an unexpected, upbeat “have fun!”
Bottom line: Whether or not it's the actual club or the notable celebrity following that’s responsible for packing in beautiful, banquette-dancing people is up for discussion, but does it really matter? The crowd is still hand-picked, the dance floor is still packed and, most importantly, people are still itching to get in and can’t. If those aren't at least a few of the Golden Rules when it comes to staying power, we don't know what is.
Cocktails: $13-$14
Tables: $400 - $7,500+
Tenjune
26 Little W. 12th St. (between Ninth Ave. and Washington St.)
646-624-2410
