Partying all night with Elon Musk and saying no to Madonna: 20 years of NYC hotspot Employees Only

nypost.com:

When the West Village speakeasy Employees Only opened two decades ago on Hudson Street, a flood of stars poured in, wanting VIP treatment.But that’s not the bar’s M.O.Months after the splashy watering hole opened, Madonna’s handlers tried to clear out the place so the singer and her crew could imbibe in private.“We were happy to welcome her, but they didn’t like the layout of our dining room because it was too open.

There were no separate booths. Her team was concerned that she would be bothered,” co-founder Dushan Zaric told The Post.“She was turned away because she wanted the whole dining room to herself and we couldn’t accommodate.

We felt awful, of course,” he said.It wasn’t anything against Madonna. Zaris also recalled the team turning away the Olsen twins’ party of 12 because they didn’t have a reservation. (Prince William and Kate Middleton, on the other hand, dined in the back garden after nabbing a reservation, while Elon Musk stayed until last call at 4 a.m.)This week, Employees Only — which has been dubbed one of the best cocktail bars in the world by the Spirited Awards — is celebrating its 20th anniversary by welcoming guest bartenders from around the globe.And usually tight-lipped staffers also told The Post about treating celebrity guests such as Bill Murray, Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Cuban like any other New Yorker who managed to get in the door.“We never wanted to make a big deal if a celebrity comes in.

It’s just not our style,” Zaric told The Post. “A lot of these people are used to being in places where everybody kisses their ass.”Murray first showed up because he wanted to get his palm read by the restaurant’s resident psychic.“He came in to get his palm read by our psychic in the front.