The best strip clubs in NYC

This 10,000-square-foot club took over the old Scores space, but it’s a much classier affair: Inside, you'll find VIP cabana lounges, a private Scarlet Room complete with mirrors, flat-screen TVs and leather upholstery and gorgeous dancers who are talented and courteous, whether you’re there by yourself or with a group of friends. Notably, there are "adult star" packages, in which you get the chance to hang with some of your favorite adult stars—if you're willing to drop $1,175 or more, that is. 

There is also a Sapphire in Times Square, and another on 39th Street.

With three floors spanning 10,000 feet, privacy is no problem at Rick’s, which boasts a 40-foot neon bar, four stages and plentiful VIP suites. Bonus: If you show up between 11am and 3pm on a weekday, the club offers a surprisingly tasty prix-fixe lunch (steak frites, salmon with asparagus and pistachio) plus cheap drinks—which is a steal even if you weren’t at a strip club. Expect to be treated well here, no matter how much cash you come in with.

If you recognize the inside of this Long Island City institution, that's because it was heavily featured in the Jennifer Lopez film, Hustlers. Show Palace feels notably less stuffy than strip clubs in Manhattan, and it lauds its own gaudy inside, which is decorated by "majestic chandeliers, bronze railings, plush carpeting, and granite accents." Poles tower over the main stage and reach the ceiling, making aerialists of the girls who work there. Our favorite detail is the neon quote plastered on one of its walls, attributed, unexpecetdly, to Maya Angelou: "I did work in a strip club, but I didn't strip," it reads. "I danced, and I became very popular."

There’s no stage at HQ KONY, but the black leather and plush red banquettes make getting comfortable easy, and the hospitable staff has a genuine appreciation for repeat customers, doling out birthday phone calls, promotional freebies like baseball tickets and discounted dinner packages at the upstairs restaurant. On a weeknight, it’s quiet enough that you can spend time chatting with an entertainer after you've paid for your lap dance. The ladies here are known for being extra nice.

It’s true that ladies are welcome at strip clubs where female dancers are the ones gyrating. However, there’s a reason Magic Mike is so popular, and Hunk-O-Mania exists to bring it to life. Don’t worry if you’re shy or happily committed: Plenty of women enjoy the show without getting harassed for tips. While shows run Thursday to Sunday nights and single tickets are $35 if purchased online or $45 at the door, it’s worth upgrading to VIP admission, which guarantees you a seat. Up for anything? Get in the hot seat—a chair onstage—for a lap dance from one of the best performers.

Pumps isn’t your traditional strip club—it’s a no-cover dive bar with topless dancers—but it’s every bit as fun and easier on your wallet, too, so you’ll have more cash to spend on the bikini-wearing beauties on poles atop the bar-length stage. There’s no real VIP room, but you can get lap dances in a private room in the back for about what you’d pay at a “real” strip club.

They're also a bit less self-serious than the strip clubs in Manhattan. Their slogan? There goes the neighborhood.

This neon-lit space fills up on Friday and Saturday nights, but by day it's still a popular destination for tourists and businessmen looking for a thrill. Neither skanky dive or executive club, Flashdancers is a clean, reliable place to appreciate beautiful women. Lap dances are affordable, but you can opt for a back massage if you’re in need of some extra relief.

Keep in mind they also have a sister location, FlashDancers Downtown, at 59 Murray Street.

Made famous by the 2019 dramedy starring Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu, Hustler is the rare Hollywood darling that actually delivers. With 13 club locations worldwide, Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club empire aims to be classy and approachable, and it succeeds by featuring topless women who want to show you a good time without the intimidation factor. The NYC location features private skyboxes, a cigar lounge and a roof deck—a welcome change of scenery if you want a view of the city along with your entertainment.