Inside Coveteur's First Mahjong Speakeasy With Green Tile Social Club

On Wednesday night, team Coveteur welcomed tastemakers, influencers, designers, and creatives to Opera House in New York City for our first-ever mahjong speakeasy, in partnership with Green Tile Social Club. The intimate evening was thoughtfully planned to showcase what mahjong has been about for centuries: bringing people together.

Upon arrival, guests, including Allina Lu, Isaac Boots, Coco Bassey, Alyssa Coscarelli, and more, were offered an array of cocktails, Chandon, and bites from Opera House's sister restaurant, Chinese Tuxedo. As drinks began flowing, guests entered the speakeasy, where they were met with tables set up with green and white mahjong tiles, Green Tile Social Club gaming mats, and pamphlets explaining the rules of the game. Once guests were settled in, Editor-in-Chief Faith Xue kicked off the gameplay with a toast, thanking guests for joining us and sharing her personal connection to mahjong: "I watched my parents play mahjong for years, and it's a game that's near and dear to my heart." Xue then introduced the group to Jo, one of the club's founders, who shared a bit more about mahjong's history, how it facilitates community, and introduced the group to the evening's instructors.

Then, gameplay kicked off, with each table getting an in-depth lesson on how to play Hong Kong mahjong. After the lesson, guests began to play on their own (instructors stayed close by for supervision), and soon enough, many "sik wu"s—the Cantonese phrase used to declare a win— were heard throughout the speakeasy.

As the evening came to an end, attendees exchanged phone numbers, created group chats, and scheduled their next games. Before making their way back outside, they received curated gift bags, which had Malapop popcorn, Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Salt Eau de Parfum, Mimi Time konjac jelly snacks, and a bedazzled Coveteur lighter inside.