Mark Birnbaum, Partner of EMM Group

Mark Birnbaum, partner of EMM Group, has played a major role in transforming New York City’s Meatpacking District into one of the most sought after areas in the city.  Dubbed by Forbes magazine as one of the “New Kings of New York Nightlife,” he, along with partners Eugene Remm and Michael Hirtenstein, has created a number of successful restaurants and nightlife venues with a winning combination of atmosphere, entertainment, top-quality service and sophistication since the company’s incorporation in 2006.

In the past six years Birnbaum and his partners have built a strong venue portfolio and a solid reputation as leaders in the hospitality industry, organizing several hundred events and developing the company into a multi-faceted hub for successful venue ownership and operation opening restaurants including CATCH (2011), a multi-level seafood concept in the heart of the Meatpacking district, helmed by Executive Chef, Top Chef season 3 winner, Hung Huynh, Abe & Arthur’s (2009), an American restaurant which Zagat called an “instant success”, and Lexington Brass (2011), a New American brasserie located on the ground level of a new luxury Hyatt hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

Identifying a need for establishments that could offer multiple experiences within the same property, Mark Birnbaum and his partners opened nightclubs and lounges including SL (2009), its Hampton outpost SL East (2011), Catch Roof (2011), Tenjune (2006) and The Chandelier Room at the W Hoboken (2008), selecting locations above, below and adjacent to their restaurants whenever possible to ensure a one-two punch in dining and entertainment.

In the summer of 2012, EMM Group partnered into HQ Nightclub and The Social at Revel in Atlantic City. HQ Nightclub is a 40,000 square foot, four-floor nightlife behemoth located within the resort. The Social is an entertainment venue at the heart of the Casino’s floor; open 24 hours a day featuring daily live music. This winter, EMM Group returned to New York to expand its portfolio with the most ambitious project to date, opening a 20,000-square foot location on New York’s historical Bowery that houses different concepts, including FINALE (2012), a state-of-the-art nightclub and The General (2013), a Modern Asian restaurant.

In early 2013, Birnbaum is taking the CATCH concept and heading to the Miami market, opening a second location of the widely popular seafood restaurant in South Beach at the James Royal Palm. Also opening is a Miami outpost of SL at the hotel – SL Miami – that will be sure to attract the same stars and revelers that frequent EMM Group’s New York venues.

With over 1,000 employees on the EMM Group roster, Birnbaum and his partners continue to expand and infuse innovative energy into an ever-changing industry, pioneering multi-faceted hospitality experiences while working to maintain a balance between the operational and promotional principles in which the company was founded. Birnbaum lives in the Meatpacking District and is actively involved in charitable organizations including the Meatpacking District Initiative, Kids for Tomorrow, the John Varvatos Stuart House Benefit.