We went to a bar in 2025 — and not a single person was glued to their phone.
Not just our group. No one, in the entire bar. That is pretty unique in this day-and-age.
Well it wasn’t so much a bar as the Lawn Club in New York — an indoor bar with a very outdoor twist.
So what is it about Lawn Club that breaks the indestructible bond between humans and their smartphones?
It appears that the key to persuading individuals to put down their smartphones involves a combination of outdoor games, synthetic turf, a hint of luxury, and the innate human desire for triumph.
Despite its picturesque appearance, with its vibrant (fake) lawns, sophisticated beverages, exclusive club ambiance, and the presence of ‘Lawncierges’ donning stylish retro tracksuits, there is a noticeable scarcity of photos of Lawn Club on social platforms.
This is due to the fact that visitors immediately become engrossed in the competitive atmosphere that permeates the establishment. Rather than snapping selfies with their pals, they are focused on outdoing them in the gameplay.
Walking into Lawn Club feels like stepping right back outside to a posh tailgate for the Ryder Cup.
Indoor and outdoor lawn (and lawn-adjacent) games, including Bocce, Cornhole, Croquet, Shuffleboard, Beersbee, Kan Jam and Putting Pool
There is even a curling lane outside during the winter. In the spring, Lawn Club will swap it for a lawn with games for the summer
Co-founder Tony Berger
It mixes the nostalgic fun of a night at a bowling alley, with the delicious bougieness of a day at Wimbledon.
It’s like a tailgate for a royal garden party. Or if Martha’s Vineyard had a frat house.
Their vast indoor and outdoor lawns are filled with grass-friendly favorites like croquet, bocce, cornhole, and ‘Putting Pool’ and during winter they even have outdoor curling.
‘We wanted it to be somewhere you ahve a food or drink in one hand, and you use the other to play games,’ Tony Berger, co-fouder, told DailyMail.com. ‘They are too busy trying to beat friends of colleagues to be on their phones.’
Lawn Club is nestled away in the in New York’s historic Seaport neighborhood at the southern tip of Manhattan. It’s been such a hit, that another is lined up for Boston.
You’re greeted by a gorgeous clubhouse reception area where a lawncierge will lead you to your lawn (reserved by the hour).
On Saturday night the place was packed with a mixture of birthday parties like ours, bachelor parties, walk-ins lured by the giant beer pong and rare sighting of greenery in NYC during winter, and a surprising amount of Tinder dates.
Turns out a rousing game of cornhole over a few cocktails is a great way to break the ice. While we didn’t try the croquet, giant beer pong was a crowd favorite for our group.
Dedicated ‘Lawncierges’ – staff who usher guests from the clubhouse to court, set up gaming equipment, and provide tips on technique, rules, scorekeeping and more
On our trip, our friends got very competitive. The only time we picked up my phone was to take a few photos of each other in action
Instead of ping pong balls and red solo cups, Lawn Club’s offering features a basketball-sized ball and giant trash can sized cups set up a good 30 feet from each other. Much harder to bounce in this version but a lot less messy.
We also loved ladders, which after a few beers and three-way tequila shots – three shot glasses all connected to a single stick that must be enjoyed simultaneously – we ended up inventing our own rules to.
A lawncierge was always nearby, ready to explain the rules and keep the drinks flowing.
Next we headed outdoors to try curling. This is what I was most excited about.
Sadly, there is no sweeping in this version, but the game was so fun that half of the group ended up staying outside for two whole hours to play in the frigid temps.
The other – perhaps smarter – half of the group opted to watch from the warmth of the swanky greenhouse next to the curling lanes while devouring gourmet versions of classic hors d’oeuvres like pigs in a blanket and fried mac and cheese balls.
Afterwards it was back inside to the lawns where a couple golf enthusiasts tried their hand at Putting Pool, but this was probably the only game that wasn’t a hit even with them.
We didn’t get to try Beersbee or Kan Jam – a favorite amongst Gen Z frat bros – but will definitely be back to give it a try.
Lawn Club’s founder Tony Berger said one thing really surprised him about visitors – he said they were almost never on their phone, and were instead focussing on playing games or watching their friends or colleagues play
There are two large pars as well as the lawns
For those who are more into watching sports than participating, Lawn Club also has massive screens at every lawn where you can put on the game of your choice.
For big sporting events, look for dedicated viewing parties with games to match.
They book up quickly – especially during the week – so make a reservation if you want to play.
If you’re afraid of commitment, we suggest heading there on the weekend evenings to snag a lawn as a walk-in. Weekdays are awash with corporate outings booked months in advance.
Weekends bring more families, but don’t worry — there’s still plenty of room for day drinking.
More info at www.thelawnclubnyc.com . Indoor and curling lawns are $100 per hour on Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, indoor lawns are $125 per hour, and curling lawns are $150 per hour. Putting pool areas are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
