B.E.D. New York
Founders of the successful Miami hotspot opened their west Chelsea outpost in January, with 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space. There are 23 beds made for dining—a suggestive concept that might not work for every group, naturally. Not far away is Duvet with a similar eat-in-bed idea.
Freeman's
It may be hidden away in a narrow alley off Rivington, but since its October opening, this 50-seat bar and restaurant has been bustling with downtown types. The joint—decked out like a retro hunting lodge, with wood-plank flooring and taxidermy decking the walls—serves traditional American cuisine, and despite its low profile, it’s always full, with a crowd of cool kids spilling out into the alley for smokes and laughs. It’s not for everyone, but fun for some.
Ono
The three semiprivate rooms in Jeffrey Chodorow’s Japanese restaurant in the Hotel Gansevoort—each seating between four and six—are decorated with large, sexy photographs of intricately tattooed body parts. And if that doesn’t get people talking, the family-style food will. For bigger groups, there is also a large table downstairs (for 20), the Red Lounge (15 to 20), an upstairs space (45), and a garden in the warmer months (40), where smokers can light up.
Public
Design firm AvroKO won a James Beard award for best restaurant design for NoLIta’s hip spot Public. Sitting amongst the antique furnishings or ordering grilled kangaroo from a clipboard menu will definitely give clients something to talk about. The semiprivate wine room seats 20, and is an elegant, minimalist spot with a wall of wine bottles. A lounge in the rear accommodates 150 for cocktails, and has a fireplace—always a cozy touch in the winter months.
Shaburi
Shabu-shabu is a Japanese dining tradition in which diners cook pieces of raw meat and vegetables in a pot of boiling broth at the table. At this first American outpost of Taiwan’s Shaburi chain, the pot sits atop a tabletop burner shared between two people, making for a good icebreaker between guests as they swish their dinner around in it. A small private room seats eight.
—Anna Sekula, Alesandra Dubin & Suzanne Ito
This story originally appeared in the April/May 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.
Posted 05.31.05
Founders of the successful Miami hotspot opened their west Chelsea outpost in January, with 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space. There are 23 beds made for dining—a suggestive concept that might not work for every group, naturally. Not far away is Duvet with a similar eat-in-bed idea.
Freeman's
It may be hidden away in a narrow alley off Rivington, but since its October opening, this 50-seat bar and restaurant has been bustling with downtown types. The joint—decked out like a retro hunting lodge, with wood-plank flooring and taxidermy decking the walls—serves traditional American cuisine, and despite its low profile, it’s always full, with a crowd of cool kids spilling out into the alley for smokes and laughs. It’s not for everyone, but fun for some.
Ono
The three semiprivate rooms in Jeffrey Chodorow’s Japanese restaurant in the Hotel Gansevoort—each seating between four and six—are decorated with large, sexy photographs of intricately tattooed body parts. And if that doesn’t get people talking, the family-style food will. For bigger groups, there is also a large table downstairs (for 20), the Red Lounge (15 to 20), an upstairs space (45), and a garden in the warmer months (40), where smokers can light up.
Public
Design firm AvroKO won a James Beard award for best restaurant design for NoLIta’s hip spot Public. Sitting amongst the antique furnishings or ordering grilled kangaroo from a clipboard menu will definitely give clients something to talk about. The semiprivate wine room seats 20, and is an elegant, minimalist spot with a wall of wine bottles. A lounge in the rear accommodates 150 for cocktails, and has a fireplace—always a cozy touch in the winter months.
Shaburi
Shabu-shabu is a Japanese dining tradition in which diners cook pieces of raw meat and vegetables in a pot of boiling broth at the table. At this first American outpost of Taiwan’s Shaburi chain, the pot sits atop a tabletop burner shared between two people, making for a good icebreaker between guests as they swish their dinner around in it. A small private room seats eight.
—Anna Sekula, Alesandra Dubin & Suzanne Ito
This story originally appeared in the April/May 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.
Posted 05.31.05

Ono