Homer Murray to Open 21 Greenpoint This Weekend — And His Dad Bill Will Be Pouring the Drinks

Syd Silver and Homer Murray are transforming the Brooklyn space that housed their restaurant River Styx into 21 Greenpoint, a more upscale dining spot. "We wanted to change it up,'' explains Murray. "We made it prettier, renovated the dining room, added a new bar, and updated the kitchen.'' The food, he says, will be seasonal and exclusively from local farms. "We try to use seconds like tomatoes or carrots that farmers can't sell because they don't look as good but they still taste great and are high quality. Then we make them look pretty.''

Sean Telo, formerly of Extra Fancy, has taken over the kitchen. Nachos and burgers are gone, and a new menu features steak tartare on roasted marrow bone, "ugly vegetable salad'' with cheese and pesto, wood fire-roasted whole porgy, hand-made tagliatelle with roasted summer squash, and salmon pastrami with smoked trout on marbled rye.

The new beverage director is Sean McClure, who bartended at Le Bernardin, Dirty French, and Daniel. This weekend, his libations will be poured by the actor Bill Murray, Homer's father. "We want people to come and have fun,'' says Homer. "People can walk in; just be nice. What my dad lacks in experience, he makes up for in tequila.''

Update: As it turns out, a lot of people are interested in seeing Bill Murray tend bar. A rep for the restaurant now sends word: "For overall capacity reasons, this is not an open door event, there will be a guest list." But if you're keen on seeing the Stripes star mix drinks, maybe there will be some extra seats for walk-ins, you never know.