Lane 23 at The Exchange TRX, KL
Kuala Lumpur has something for every kind of night owl looking to get lit till late – mamaks for late-night hunger pangs, cinemas for after-work boredom strikes, and clubs for dance-fueled hedonistic nights.
If losing yourself on the dance floor with a drink in hand trumps the call for teh tarik and a movie, there’s a new nightclub in the city for raves and good grub. Meet Lane 23, a swanky 2-storey destination encompassing a cafe, cocktail bar, and glitzy nightclub at The Exchange TRX.
A new venue for food, drinks, and music
Lane 23 is the kind of place you see in music videos.
In the dimmed lobby, an entrancing art installation acts as the backdrop for the reception counter. A wall is adorned with a hundred or so orb lights that flicker in gold and twinkle in the adjoining mirrored walls, drawing patrons in from the very moment they step through the doors.
Kanye West’s Flashing Lights might just start playing in your head.
Image credit: Lane 23
From here, guests can decide to swivel to the left and head to Lane 23’s Cafe Lounge for some pre-clubbing grub, or downstairs to dance and drink the night away at the underground club and bar.
A cafe by day, nightclub by night
At the cafe, a collection of refined Malaysian-Western fusion dishes refuel patrons in a stylish space inspired by popular listening bars in Tokyo.
The intimate dining space features an open kitchen that allows you to peer over the counter and peek at chefs skillfully shucking oysters, and a bar area for casual drinks enjoyed over burgundy marble tabletops that exude a quiet elegance.
There are just over 10 tables set indoors, with an alfresco dining area along the mall’s Market Lane offering more seats.
The cafe opens till 10pm daily. While it says farewell to the last diners of the day, the nightclub underneath the dining area begins to greet clubbers for the night
Opening hours (Cafe): Mon-Fri 10am-10pm | Sat & Sun 11am-10pm
An underground club with two bars
Image credit: Lane 23
Lane 23’s basement nightclub is L-shaped. So whether you’re clinking glasses at a table at the end of the club or shouting your order over the loud music at the bar, you’ll always have a view of the club’s centrepiece – DJs spinning sick beats at a lifted DJ booth facing the dance floor.
There are two bars helmed by bartenders busy shaking and stirring cocktails like Whiskey Sour (RM68) and Lychee Martinis (RM50) to order – you can expect to be served your poison of choice for the night quickly.
Image credit: Lane 23
The entire club is super ‘Grammable too – a spherical cage over a bar and a moon in a ‘throne room’ photo spot replace the usual disco ball here.
Image credit: Janet, Lane 23
As for seats, clubbers can congregate at dining nooks in the bar area, chat at conversation pits, or lounge on sofas by the dance floor to pop in and out of dance mode easily.
When it comes to music, DJs spin an eclectic collection of high-energy tunes, from techno to funk, so there’s never a dull moment for after-hour raves here. There are also special DJ nights – R&B and hip-hop tracks are spun on Wednesdays and Sundays for Urban Collective, and deep techno on Thursdays for Alter Ego.
Opening hours (Cocktail Hours): 6pm-10pm, Daily
Opening hours (Nightclub): 10pm-3am, Daily
How to get to Lane 23
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Lane 23 is located at The Exchange TRX’s Market Lane. To find it, make your way to the entrance on the ground floor that’s next to the Prada outlet, exit, and take a right. Lane 23 is the only operating establishment at Market Lane at the moment, so it’ll be pretty easy to spot.
You can conveniently get to Lane 23 by alighting at TRX MRT Station, heading to the exit, and taking the escalator up to the mall’s ground floor. Alternatively, you can be dropped off at the closest drop-off point to Lane 23, which is the ‘TRX Mall Utara Entrance’.
If you’re coming by car, park at the ‘D’ pillars in the parking bay and take the lift straight up to the ground floor.
Dance the night away at Lane 23, KL’s newest after-hours venue
KL’s party scene has made a comeback following the pandemic, and Lane 23 is here to help cement that fact. The glitzy new venue for music, food, and drinks is set to become super popular on the weekends.
Walk-ins are welcomed at Lane 23, but reservations are recommended on the weekends and special events nights when crowds are expected.
Address: C.02.0, C.03.0, GS.03.0 & GS.04.0., Market Lane, The Exchange TRX, Persiaran Tun Razak Exchange, 55188, Kuala Lumpur
Contact: 011-2111 2323 | Lane 23 website | Instagram
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Cover image adapted from: Lane 23, TheSmartLocal Malaysia
Photography by Janet.