The New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge is slated to unveil its redesigned ballrooms and meeting space on Wednesday, the latest chapter in a $43 million renovation to the borough’s largest hotel. Other improvements to the downtown Brooklyn property include a redesign of the M Club Lounge and the industrial-chic Bar. Overall, the hotel has more than 40,000 square feet of meeting space. The renovations, including renovations to all 667 rooms, are slated to finish in 2016.
One of the most anticipated restaurant openings is Jams by Jonathan Waxman. The restaurant, a reincarnation of the chef’s 1980s-era restaurant, opened at 1 Hotel Central Park in August. Like the original, it serves California-inspired farm-to-table cuisine, fitting in with the hotel’s eco-minded mission. Natural light from the two-story windows fills the 110-seat dining room, which was designed by AvroKo. White oak, exposed brick, and visible ducts add to the relaxed yet upscale atmosphere.
Vaucluse, an Upper East Side brasserie from Altamarea Group, opened September 2. Chef Michael White and Marea executive chef Jared Gadbaw collaborated on the French menu, and Meyer Davis provided the interior design. The restaurant is split into two dining rooms that each seat 80 and offers seating in its bar and a lounge. A private dining room on the lower level seats 12 at one round table and includes space for a pre-dinner reception. Additionally, the restaurant has a townhouse available for private events. It seats 32 or holds 40 for receptions. Its amenities include full audiovisual equipment as well as a separate entrance.
Located below STK Downtown is One Manhattan, a private event space. The meatpacking district venue, accessible via a private entrance, features a dance floor, a DJ booth, a main bar, and a separate lounge called the Marble Room. The space has audiovisual equipment including three drop-down screens and a sound system. The venue holds 200 guests for receptions and can be divided into several private rooms.
The Mexican restaurant Hecho en Dumbo debuted a new look in early July. Located on the Bowery, the eatery features colorful hand-painted floors, exposed brick, and wooden ceilings. The menu offers chef and co-owner Danny Mena’s inventive tacos and entrées such as barbacoa grilled baby lamb ribs. The beverage menu has an extensive margarita list and other classic and house cocktails. The dining room seats 45 or holds 70 for receptions; the space also has a 14-seat bar and an eight-seat chef’s counter. Next door is the restaurant’s private event space, a lounge and performance space called Salon Hecho. The space has its own look with curved banquettes, antique lamps, and a mix of marble and wood tabletops. It seats 40 or holds 70 for receptions.
Hailing from Japan, the restaurant Yakiniku Futago opened this summer in the Flatiron district. The stylish eatery features yakiniku—or grilled meat—and can pair meals with craft cocktails, sake, or wine. The main dining area seats 64; a 10-seat private dining room is accessible behind a soundproof curtain and features its own glassware and dining ware.
For a holiday party in the Hamptons, the Sagaponack winery Wölffer Estate Vineyard has opened a restaurant in nearby Sag Harbor. Under the direction of chef Deena Chafetz, Wölffer Kitchen serves Mediterranean-influenced American cuisine, that, naturally, pairs well with wine. The restaurant, which opened in July, seats 60 in a dining room with wood tables, cozy banquettes, and a vibrant mural based on the summery design of the winery’s popular rosé. The winery also hosts holiday events.
The critically acclaimed Empellón Cocina from chef Alex Stupak finished a renovation in July. The new look at the East Village Mexican eatery comes from Glen & Company Architecture and features exposed wood beams, glossy white tiling, and colorful Day of the Dead paintings. The restaurant seats 65 or holds 100 for receptions; a chef’s table in the open kitchen seats four guests.
A beer garden and restaurant, West End Hall opened on the Upper West Side in July. The concept, from KES Hospitality and the Lure Group, offers a welcoming interior that mixes old and new, such as the space’s rediscovered original terrazzo floor and vintage mirrors that hide LED televisions. The menu features classics such as bratwurst and sausages, pretzel bites, and mussels, as well as extensive bottled and draft beer options. Beer geeks can marvel at the flux capacitor, a tool that regulates the gas blend of each beer. In warmer months, the space also features an open-air backyard garden that has heat lamps. The venue holds 250 inside and 100 outside for receptions.
Big Deal Casino—a 13-table gaming room with craps, blackjack, roulette, poker, and baccarat—opened in May just north of Madison Square Park. The casino, which uses play money, has a contemporay feel with white walls and red and black accents. In addition to holiday parties, the venue is available for teambuilding events, receptions, and social events and also offers classes on how to play the games. The space holds 150 for receptions.
