The Los Angeles invasion of New York is not over yet. Following the recent openings of Maru Coffee in Williamsburg and Canyon Coffee in Prospect Heights, as well as the San Vicente Club in the West Village last year, the nightlife impresarios H.Wood Group — co-founded by Brian Toll and John Terzian — are now set to debut their first New York City concept, Lady Delilah, in the Meatpacking District this September.
The original Delilah opened in West Hollywood in 2016, as a supper club with nightly live music. It quickly attracted the likes of Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and The Weeknd, catapulting the venue to the top of the city’s nightlife scene. “I think our special sauce for H.Wood in general is the longtime relationships that John [Terzian] and I have put together,” Toll says.
“We are a real safe haven,” adds Terzian. All H.Wood properties — including L.A.’s Bird Streets Club — have a strict no-photos policy, which has helped maintain their status among a certain roster of the glitterati. “It’s our network of friends and their friends,” says Terzian. “That’s kind of what we focus on.”
But despite its well-connected pedigree, Lady Delilah is not another exclusionary joint. “The world has gone very far toward members clubs, which are great for the right people, but there hasn’t really been a fun, exciting new restaurant that’s ‘non-members’ in New York in a while,” says Toll, who describes the Delilah concept as more engaging than a restaurant but not quite a nightclub. “I remember going to New York years and years ago, when you had Acme and the Rose Bar and all these places that sort of filled that void,” he continues. These days, it’s Chez Margaux and The Twenty Two — exclusive spots that are more about getting in the door than what happens once you do.
At Lady Delilah, expect an evolution of the Delilah brand. Lush, art deco-inspired design will grace the roughly 10,000-square-foot space. The menu is still in the works, but will lean American bistro (think steak frites, burgers, shrimp cocktail) like the other Delilahs. As for the live music, Terzian teases “having some pretty A-list performer surprises, and a great Jazz Sunday.”
This story appeared in the May 6 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
