Their signature kiwi martini - elegant, subtle - is served in stark contrast to the in-your-face house and hip-hop music that floods this club until 5 a.m.. There are just 22 tables, but no one stays seated when Enrique Iglesias is the DJ. Not even Shaq, who's known to frequent this hot hotspot.
For more information: Mokaï
"This is where artists emerge," says head Justine Delaney, who's more focused on musical innovation than gossip-page shout-outs. Her DJs are known for their prescient music selections, making this the place to hear the next Soulwax, LCD Soundsystem and Rapture. What's more, being hidden in a hard-to-find corner of Brooklyn means that only the die-hard fans are committed enough to show.
For more information: Studio B
The rich may come to Aspen to get away from it all, but they still want to party. Though the Caribou Club is technically members-only, anyone can pay their way inside. One-week memberships are available for $500-$2,000 per couple; become a member for life for $15,000.
For more information: The Caribou Club
At present, it's the most exclusive door in all of Gotham, according to Joshua David Stein, the After Hours editor at Gawker.com. "The Box is starting its last phases," he admits. "But even The Box on its deathbed is better than anywhere else in the city."
For more information: The Box
If it's Aspen in the winter, then it's the Hamptons in the summer. Dune is where the rich spend their hot summer nights. Sean Combs put this place on the map with the after-party for his annual White Party, held here last summer.
For more information: Dune
At just over two years old, this massive 42,000-square-foot club in the Venetian Hotel is an old-timer among hot clubs, but it still draws the A-list. Local ladies pay no cover, but women visiting from out of town must pony up $20. Visiting men pay $20 during the week, $30 on Saturdays. Bottle service starts at $375.
For more information: Tao
"It's very secondary for us to make money," says Mark Somen, operations director at this members-only restaurant and club in Manhattan's club-clogged Meatpacking District. There are currently 4,000 members, and another 2,400 waiting patiently for their turn. Outsiders are admitted only as a member's guest, or if they're staying in one of the 24 $700-a-night rooms. The rooftop pool is legendary.
For more information: Soho House
This Parisian-style eatery has been hot since the 1990s, thanks in large part to the huge open-air patio and massive bar. The house music thumps while projectors show foreign films and vintage fashion shows.
For more information: Les Deux
Tucked far from the subway lines in ritzy Georgetown, this spot is hugely popular with young Republicans who will be top Beltway players in 10 or 20 years. Just ask President Bush's twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, who were reportedly regulars in the past. While anybody is welcome, only insiders feel comfortable staying.
For more information: Smith’s Point
The crowd must be "curated," according to Stephen Kasuba, Goldbar's communications director. With room for just 100 guests, Kasuba's challenge is to balance the Wall Street types, entertainers and fashionistas and artists who hope to be seen among the 3,000 golden skulls that line the walls.
For more information: Goldbar