Tao Downtown
Tao Downtown is an Asian bistro restaurant and nightclub venue in Chelsea, NYC, operated by Tao Group Hospitality. It serves individual diners, nightlife guests, and private event clients via on-premise dining, brunch, nightclub, delivery, catering, and event hosting.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Tao Downtown does
Tao Downtown is a multi-level subterranean Asian bistro and nightclub venue located at 92 Ninth Avenue at 16th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, operated under Tao Group Hospitality. The venue was designed by Rockwell Group and opened in 2013 as the first TAO venue where guests descend into a multi-level space, featuring a long corridor with a dragon scale patterned screen and Chinese calligraphy murals mounted on weathered brick walls intended to evoke the feeling of an archaeological site recently unearthed. The interior is designed for a seductive, discovery-driven atmosphere and serves as a flagship of the broader Tao Group portfolio.
The venue operates as a reservation-based hospitality business combining fine dining (Asian bistro menu including signature dishes such as Spicy Tuna Tartare, sushi, and specialty cocktails) with entertainment (ticketed nightclub access and VIP reservations), supported by complementary revenue streams including Endless Sunday Brunch (Sundays 11AM-3PM), Lucky Hour bar specials, private event hosting, and off-premise delivery and catering services. Operating hours span Sunday-Thursday 5PM-12AM and Friday-Saturday 5PM-1AM for dinner, with delivery available Sunday-Wednesday 5PM-10PM and Thursday-Saturday 5PM-11PM. The venue leverages digital channels including a 360-degree virtual tour, integration with OpenTable for restaurant reservations and SevenRooms for VIP nightclub bookings, the Tao Group mobile app (iOS/Android), and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube).
Customer segments include general consumers seeking dining, nightlife, and brunch experiences (primary), and private event hosts including corporate clients, wedding parties, and full venue buyout customers (secondary). Menu pricing is not publicly disclosed on the official website; comparable Tao Group sibling venues (Beauty & Essex Las Vegas, Sake No Hana NYC, Cathédrale NYC) price prix fixe menus in the $60-$68 per person range, indicating Tao Downtown's premium positioning. The venue received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2024 and operates within Tao Group Hospitality's broader network of 30+ NYC venues, enabling shared marketing, cross-promotion, and operational coordination.
Tao Downtown firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tao Downtown
- Legal name
- Tao Group Hospitality
- Website
- https://taodowntown.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tao Downtown is an Asian bistro restaurant and nightclub venue in Chelsea, NYC, operated by Tao Group Hospitality. It serves individual diners, nightlife guests, and private event clients via on-premise dining, brunch, nightclub, delivery, catering, and event hosting.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tao Downtown industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family-Style Restaurants (THAFACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nightclubs (Dance Clubs) (MPAGAIAA), Nightclubs & Dance Clubs (CRANACAG)
Keywords
Where Tao Downtown is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tao Downtown business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant Dining: In-restaurant dining revenue from Asian bistro menu items including signature dishes, sushi, and specialty cocktails. Dinner service Sunday-Thursday 5PM-12AM, Friday-Saturday 5PM-1AM.
- Nightclub Access: Nightclub operations with ticket sales and VIP reservations for entertainment and nightlife experiences
- Brunch Service: Endless Sunday Brunch offering at $XX per person (Sundays 11AM-3PM)
- Private Events & Catering: Private event bookings including intimate dinners to full-scale venue takeovers, plus off-premise catering services
- Delivery & Takeout: Delivery and takeout service for off-premise consumption. Available Sunday-Wednesday 5PM-10PM, Thursday-Saturday 5PM-11PM
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dinner Service |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Endless Sunday Brunch |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Nightclub |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Tao Downtown product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tao Downtown is a single Asian bistro restaurant and integrated nightclub located in a multi-level subterranean space in Chelsea, New York City. It sells dine-in Asian bistro cuisine, weekend prix fixe brunch, happy hour bar service, nightclub tickets and VIP table bookings, private event hosting, and off-premise delivery and catering — all centered on a single physical venue operated by Tao Group Hospitality.
Product overview
Tao Downtown is a restaurant and nightlife venue operated by Tao Group Hospitality. The venue offers a unified hospitality experience combining Asian bistro dining (TAO Downtown Restaurant) with nightclub entertainment (TAO Downtown Nightclub). Supporting services include Endless Sunday Brunch, Lucky Hour bar specials, holiday-themed dining (Harmonized for the Table), delivery and takeout, off-premise catering, and private event hosting. The venue also provides a 360-degree virtual tour for guest exploration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TAO Downtown Nightclub: Nightclub component of Tao Downtown offering tickets, VIP reservations, and special events.
- Endless Sunday Brunch
- Lucky Hour
- Harmonized for the Table
Companies that use Tao Downtown
Customer profileSegments2 records
Tao Downtown technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Tao Downtown partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Tao Downtown competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Catch NYC: Upscale seafood restaurant and nightlife venue in Manhattan's Meatpacking District offering high-end dining with adjacent lounge/nightclub programming. Closest direct competitor on geography (adjacent neighborhood) and on combined fine dining + nightlife model.
- Mr. Chow: Iconic upscale Beijing cuisine restaurant with locations in NYC, LA, and Miami. Comparable as a long-running premium Asian fine-dining brand targeting affluent and celebrity clientele in major US cities.
- 1 OAK NYC: Upscale Manhattan nightclub with VIP table service and celebrity clientele in the Meatpacking/Chelsea area. Comparable on premium nightlife positioning, VIP reservation model, and target demographic overlap with Tao Downtown's nightclub component.
- Lavo NYC: Sister Tao Group Hospitality venue combining an upscale Italian restaurant with a nightclub/lounge component in Midtown Manhattan. Directly comparable on dual-format restaurant/nightclub model and shared parent infrastructure.
- TAO Las Vegas: Sister venue under the same Tao Group Hospitality brand operating as an Asian bistro + nightclub concept at The Venetian, Las Vegas. Directly comparable on cuisine, dual restaurant/nightclub format, and parent brand support.
- PHD Midtown: NYC rooftop lounge/nightclub concept combining bar service with nightclub programming in Midtown Manhattan. Comparable on Tao Group-adjacent nightlife positioning, VIP reservation infrastructure, and target demographic.
- Avenue NYC: Upscale restaurant and lounge in Manhattan's Flatiron/Chelsea corridor combining American cuisine with high-energy nightlife programming. Comparable on dual-format restaurant/lounge model and NYC premium positioning.
- Catch Steak NYC: Adjacent concept to Catch NYC operating a high-end steakhouse with adjacent nightlife/lounge in the same Meatpacking corridor. Comparable on premium price point, NYC nightlife integration, and corporate/private events focus.
- Buddakan NYC: Stephen Starr-operated upscale Asian fusion restaurant in the Meatpacking District with dramatic multi-level design and strong private events business. Closely comparable on Asian fine-dining cuisine, theatrical venue design, and Chelsea/Meatpacking customer base.
- Beauty & Essex NYC: Tao Group Hospitality sister venue combining a speakeasy-style restaurant with a lounge/nightclub in the Lower East Side. Closely comparable as another dual-format venue within the same parent group.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tao Downtown social profiles
Digital presenceTao Downtown financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tao Downtown leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Tao Downtown subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Tao Downtown funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tao Downtown M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tao Downtown
What does Tao Downtown do?
Tao Downtown is a single Asian bistro restaurant and integrated nightclub located in a multi-level subterranean space in Chelsea, New York City. It sells dine-in Asian bistro cuisine, weekend prix fixe brunch, happy hour bar service, nightclub tickets and VIP table bookings, private event hosting, and off-premise delivery and catering — all centered on a single physical venue operated by Tao Group Hospitality.
Is Tao Downtown a public or private company?
Tao Downtown is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Tao Downtown founded?
Tao Downtown was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tao Downtown based?
Tao Downtown is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tao Downtown make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Dining is the primary driver. The others are nightclub Access, brunch Service, private Events & Catering and delivery & Takeout.
Who are Tao Downtown's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Catch NYC, Mr. Chow, 1 OAK NYC, Lavo NYC, TAO Las Vegas, PHD Midtown, Avenue NYC, Catch Steak NYC, Buddakan NYC and Beauty & Essex NYC.
Does Tao Downtown have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tao Downtown.
What industry is Tao Downtown in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAC, Family-Style Restaurants, with a secondary code of MPAGAIAA, Nightclubs (Dance Clubs). Its NAICS code is 722410 and its SIC code is 5810.