Los Angeles’s conquest of New York is far from over. After recently opening Maru Coffee in Williamsburg and Canyon Coffee in Prospect Heights, as well as the San Vicente Club in the West Village last year, H.Wood Group, co-founded by Brian Toll and John Terzian, is now set to launch its first New York City concept, Lady Delilah, in the Meatpacking District next September.
The original Delilah opened in West Hollywood in 2016 as a supper club with live music nightly. The party quickly attracted the likes of Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and The Weeknd, propelling the venue to the top of the city’s nightlife scene. “I think our special connection to H.Wood in general is John’s longstanding relationship [Terzian] “I put it together,” Toole says.
“We are a real safe haven,” Terzian adds. All of H.Wood’s properties — including the Bird Streets Club in Los Angeles — have a strict no-photo policy, which has helped maintain her status among a certain A-list of celebrities. “It’s our network of friends and their friends,” Terzian says. “That’s the type we focus on.”
But despite her well-connected lineage, Lady Delilah is not another exclusionary joint. “The world has gone a lot towards members’ clubs, which are great for the right people, but there hasn’t been a really fun and exciting new restaurant for ‘non-members’ in New York in a while,” says Toole, who describes Delilah’s concept as more inviting than a restaurant but not quite a nightclub. “I remember going to New York years and years ago, when you had Acme Restaurant and Rose Bar and all these places that kind of filled that void,” he continues. These days, Chez Margaux and The Twenty Two are exclusive spots that are more about getting in the door than once you do.
At Lady Delilah, expect the Delilah brand to evolve. The Art Deco-inspired design will adorn the approximately 10,000-square-foot space. The menu is still being finalized, but it will feature an American bistro (think steak fries, burgers and shrimp cocktails) like the other Delilahs. As for live music, Terzian spoke of “some great surprises among the front-line performers, and a great jazz concert on Sunday.”
This story appeared in the May 6 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
