Today, Eugene Remm, Mark Birnbaum, and Michael Hirtenstein—the trio behind hospitality management company EMM Group and clubs Tenjune and the Chandelier Room—will open their first restaurant. Replacing Lotus on West 14th Street, Abe & Arthur's occupies a bilevel, 6,000-square-foot space designed by iCrave and named after the grandfathers of Birnbaum and Hirtenstein. In the kitchen is executive chef Franklin Becker, who previously worked at Brasserie and Sheridan Square and serves his take on classic American dishes.
Mixing modern design with some antique pieces, the 202-seat eatery also highlights some of the site's original structure with exposed brickwork and steel beams. In the front, the bar's dark blue wood paneling, zinc bar, marble floors, and vintage stools contrast the oak flooring, tan leather upholstery, and patinaed mirrors in the adjacent main dining room. Upstairs, a mezzanine reflects the bar area's inky color palette and overlooks the meatpacking district on one side and the dining section on the other.
Abe & Arthur's is available for buyouts, but for smaller events and meetings the mezzanine has a separate bar, coat check, and bathrooms. Toward the rear of this level, a 36-seat room is separated from the rest of the space with curtains and can be divided into two. The entire 1,800-square-foot floor can be booked for 150-person receptions or seated dinners of 110.