Janell Oleary of Nikki Midtown Gets Tipped $500 for Two Bottles

"It's a really classy crowd. People want to take pictures with you."Photo: Melissa Hom
You’ve worked at the Miami club also. What’s the difference between that scene and the New York one?
In Miami everyone is really dressed up and is going out to look good. Here if you go out, it’s more to have fun.
So what are people wearing in each city?
A typical outfit in Miami would be a teeny-weeny skirt with high pumps. Over here it’s something more stylish that's not just flattering.
What about your own outfit? Do you ever get the wrong kind of attention?
I thought that might be an issue, but never. It’s a really classy crowd. People want to take pictures with you.
Do you get hit on a lot? Do guys start killing bottles and act aggressive or pathetic?
I would say pathetic a lot, yes. But as far as aggressive — if someone touches your waist too long, even if it doesn’t bother me, security will be there in a second.
Do you ever get that sort of attention from women?
Yeah, it seems like everyone does. Sometimes women feel like maybe because they’re women they can get a little more aggressive.
Does anything wild happen on the beds?
Not so much. Every now and then you’ll see people kissing and making out. I’ve never had to call security.
So the party never gets out of control?
We have a long wooden table that’s kind of the dance floor. Every now and then you’ll see a girl fall off. A couple days ago there was a prince here — there was tons of Champagne and they were spraying it around on everyone.
Do the bankers who go there spend lavishly?
The bankers are cool and just want to have a good time. It’s more the people that have been to the other locations and want to spend a lot of money here. Last Saturday there was a group of guys from Switzerland. They only bought two bottles, but I got a $500 tip in addition to the gratuity.
What kind of dynamic do you see when guys come in groups?
You can always tell who’s going to pay the bill — the guy who is louder, does a lot of ordering, and will be the first to stand on the table. There usually is an alpha male.
When the check comes, are the arguments about who’s going to pay or whether or not something was ordered?
Sometimes we get big groups and I think, “Oh no, they’re going to split this twenty ways.” At other clubs people have been cheaper, they've wanted to split the bill between fifteen different credit cards.
Do office parties ever get out of control? The boss hitting on his secretary and such?
It’s always surprising. We’ll have a bank come in or a financial company — you think they’re not going to drink too much, but they definitely do their fair share of drinking. But they can definitely handle their liquor.
