Seahorse
Restaurant · Gramercy ·
Pristine seafood, vibrant crudo, global influences, in-house baking
Pristine seafood, vibrant crudo, global influences, in-house baking
"Inside the newly renovated W New York – Union Square hotel, this daylight-filled seafood brasserie from John McDonald’s Mercer Street Hospitality arrives as one of his most ambitious projects, more than three years in the making alongside the hotel’s $100 million overhaul. Designed by David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group, the 125-seat space leads guests through arches to a zinc-topped, wood-paneled bar and a dining room centered on a dramatic raw bar with mirrored towers, scallop tiles, midnight blue banquettes, and a whimsical sea mural by Brooklyn’s En Viu. Chef John Villa—whose Judson Grill earned two New York Times stars and whose Pico drew three—oversees an opening menu focused on oysters, crudo, and shrimp cocktail, plus cured and smoked Spanish mackerel with extra-virgin olive oil and colatura; olive oil–poached swordfish with baby carrots and artichoke; roasted branzino with salsa verde and charred chicories; seared tuna au poivre with triple-cooked fries; pastas like spicy lobster cavatelli and corn ravioli; and a standout duck à l’orange, with a roving dessert cart to follow. Cocktails range from the Seahorse Martini (gin, Lillet, Chartreuse) to the Ideal Unwind (tequila, strawberry, dry curaçao, sparkling wine). Distinct from the subterranean, buzzy sushi-and-seafood lair of sibling Lure Fishbar, this spot offers a broad, seasonal menu in a sunlit dining room steps from the Union Square Greenmarket, set in the landmark Guardian Life building that once housed Todd English’s Olives; it’s open for dinner now, with lunch to follow soon." - Melissa McCart
"The restaurateur behind Lure Fishbar will open Seahorse in the W Hotel in Union Square. Like its predecessor, the menu will be seafood forward, with dishes like crudos and tuna au poivre. In addition to the restaurant, they will open a rooftop bar and a lobby bar." - bryan kim, willa moore, will hartman, molly fitzpatrick
"The restaurateur behind Lure Fishbar will open Seahorse in the W Hotel in Union Square. Like its predecessor, the menu will be seafood forward, with dishes like crudos and tuna au poivre. In addition to the restaurant, they will open a rooftop bar and a lobby bar. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Will Hartman
"Scheduled to open in November in the Union Square flagship W Hotel, this 120-seat Seahorse from Mercer Street Hospitality will focus on a raw bar and a seasonal menu overseen by executive chef Paul Hargrove, formerly of Stone Barns at Blue Hill and Manhattan’s Standard Grill." - Melissa McCart
"Set to open in November in the former Todd English’s Olives space at the flagship Union Square W Hotel, the 120-seat Seahorse will be a seafood-centric, French-inspired hotel bar and restaurant from Mercer Street Hospitality. Executive chef Paul Hargrove (from Stone Barns at Blue Hill and Standard Grill) will lead a menu with a raw bar and greenmarket influences, alongside in-house baking (sourdough, flatbread, breakfast pastry) from Patrick Shaw-Kitch; David Rockwell has redesigned the space and the new location will include a just-built rooftop bar with a retractable roof." - Emma Orlow