by Shivani Vora, May 1, 2026

I was first introduced to Steve Cohen nearly 18 years ago, when my husband’s company hired him to perform at the founder’s holiday party. A small group of us sat transfixed, asking the same thing after nearly every trick: How did he do that?

Almost two decades later, Cohen is still creating that same sense of wonder. Known as the “Millionaires’ Magician,” he has built a devoted following through his long-running Chamber Magic at the Lotte New York Palace. It’s the kind of New York experience you have to see whether you’re a local or an out-of-towner.

More than 500,000 people have seen the show, including admirers like Guillermo del Toro, Warren Buffett, Stephen Sondheim, and even the Queen of Morocco. For this edition of Through the Eyes Of, Cohen shares his rituals and go-tos in town.

Where do you live in the city?
I’ve been an Upper West Sider for over 30 years. Before I lived in New York, I lived in Tokyo. I guess I enjoy being around a lot of people all the time. That stemmed from growing up in the suburbs of Westchester County. It was much too quiet, and I could always hear the city beckoning.

What is your favorite neighborhood here and why?
I am an avid runner — so far, I’ve run eleven marathons, including New York, Chicago, London, Tokyo, Berlin and Osaka — so proximity to a park is a high priority. Our home on the Upper West Side gives easy access to Central Park, where I can train, walk the dog, enjoy nature and decompress. I’ve come up with some of my best magic ideas in Central Park and have included those ideas in my show.

Can you share some of your favorite spots in town and what makes them so great?
I have been visiting Tannen’s Magic since the 1970s. It is one of the oldest magic shops in the world, and sells professional-quality tricks, apparatus and books that contain precious secrets. The shop is hidden inside an unassuming office building, not at street level. After all, we must guard these secrets from the merely curious. The only clue I’ll give is that it is located between Macy’s and the Empire State Building. If you have even a fleeting interest in magic, it’s worth a visit. The demonstrators will gauge your level and sell tricks that are level-appropriate.

I also love visiting the Waldorf Astoria New York. My show, Chamber Magic, was held there for seventeen years before moving to the Palace. The newly renovated Waldorf feels like a movie set. Walk through the lobby and you feel as if you’ve stepped back into the Jazz Age, when mahogany gleamed and silver sparkled.

What is the best place for a pre- or post-show meal, and what should people order?
My shows are in Midtown, so I stop into Ess-a-Bagel every weekend. The Signature — smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, tomatoes and onions on a toasted everything bagel — is the one to order. On special occasions, I’ll order the Muriel, which is the same but with whitefish added. The store gets ridiculously crowded, so I recommend taking your food a few blocks south to a hidden garden on East 49th Street behind Instituto Cervantes. It is a true oasis from the city, and you’ll feel like you’ve found someplace nobody else knows about.

What’s the best watering hole near your show and the drink to get?
I have a magic teakettle that pours any drink you can ask for, one after the other, from the same spout. Why would I need to go anywhere else? I simply think “Old Fashioned,” and a perfect cocktail appears. You really need to see it for yourself. I’ve poured everything from Pappy Van Winkle to cardamom coffee to banana milkshakes. Beer, wine, cocktails, soft drinks — anything you can think of. That’s why the trick is called “Think-a-Drink.”

For mere mortals who don’t have a kettle like mine, I recommend the Gold Room in the Lotte New York Palace. It’s a stunning architectural marvel inside the Gilded Age mansion where I perform. For even more exclusivity, visit Rarities in the same hotel, where they serve impossible-to-find spirits.

What are New York City spots you love to go to and why?
I love visiting Kinokuniya New York across from Bryant Park. They have a large selection of Japanese magazines and books that make me feel like I’m back in Tokyo. If you want to learn Japanese, they have an extensive textbook department that will help you with katakana, hiragana and kanji, the three writing systems. There are also Japanese souvenirs, anime figurines, handicrafts and stationery goods that are otherwise hard to find. After all the shopping, I usually head to the upstairs café for matcha and a pastry.

What other shows are on your radar right now?
I don’t go to many other shows because of my own show schedule. I do enjoy going to classical music concerts when I have an off night. My favorite is Anne-Sophie Mutter, who often commandeers Carnegie Hall several times a year. Also, Juilliard holds free 45-minute Rush Hour concerts throughout the year. You can hear talented musicians mashing out their next masterpieces. I love experiencing an artist at work.

Insider tips for enjoying a show like yours? Anything to make the experience better?
My recommendation is to be well-rested and alert. Chamber Magic is completely interactive and has been designed so that every member is engaged throughout the show. If you’re tired, tipsy or tripping, you will not be able to keep up. I don’t think of my audience members as spectators. Rather, you are all participants.

We have a dress code that goes along with the historic mansion venue. Everyone dresses up in cocktail attire: suit and tie for men, and fancy wear for ladies. The Lotte New York Palace was completed in 1882 and is the setting for Gossip Girl. The posh environment demands some glam, so we highly recommend everyone follow the dress code for the full experience.

What is the best part about running your own show?
When I created Chamber Magic twenty-six years ago, I had hoped it would serve as a showcase so I could appear at private parties around the city. As time passed and the show’s footprint grew, I’ve been able to make my entire living by working just two days a week. I rarely have to travel to other people’s events. Instead, they come to me. The show has turned into a destination, with thousands of online reviews.

One of my favorite stories is about a 31-year-old woman who came to Chamber Magic last year. She told me she had been to the show twenty years prior, when she was just eleven. Since then, she said she often recalled my magic teakettle, “Think-a-Drink,” and thought she must have dreamed it, that it couldn’t be real. When she found out the show was still running, she returned as an adult just to make sure she hadn’t imagined the whole thing. She said it was even better than she remembered. That may partly be because this time, I poured her an espresso martini.

The biggest challenge?
Summertime is a slower season, because New Yorkers tend to hit the road on weekends. Since my show is held on Fridays and Saturdays, we find fewer locals and more tourists attend during that season. But as soon as fall arrives, Chamber Magic tends to sell out weeks and months in advance.

We’ve also seen changes in international tourism, likely due to the political environment and the cost of jet fuel. I have a strong international following, but have seen fewer overseas tourists in recent years.

As a long-running show, the biggest challenge is to keep visible and top of mind. The media loves to highlight the newest shows and hottest attractions. My show may not be the flavor of the week, but it is the flavor of the decade.