Inside Metropolis, a New Cocktail + Seafood Canteen Under the Revamped Blue Water Grill

The crown jewel in the BR Guest empire, Blue Water Grill, got a head-to-toe revamp this summer. The red banquettes were swapped out for light green cushions, tables were removed to create more space between groups of diners, and the room has new oak and brass accents. Chris Meenan, who worked at Veritas and Vaucluse, added a slew of new dishes to the menu, including crispy cauliflower with tahini, and smoked eggplant and lobster Milanese. The 20-year-old Union Square restaurant reopened earlier this week.

Perhaps the biggest change at Blue Water Grill is the addition of a new downstairs bar and restaurant, pictured above and below. At Metropolis, Adam Raskin — a chef who worked at L20, Per Se, and Günter Seeger — is preparing a menu that’s a bit more eclectic and geared toward snacking than the one offered upstairs. The menu has six oyster preparations, caviar, shellfish platters, a "surf and turf tartare," sea bass pot pie, roasted chicken, and carabinero shrimp bouillabaisse. Metropolis will eventually offer live music five nights a week. If you happen to stop by this weekend, please let us know what you think.

Take a look around this new boîte on the lower level of Blue Water Grill, as well as the menus for both restaurants:

Dry-aged beef cheesesteak.

Oysters Rockefeller

Metropolis Dinner Menu by Eater NY on Scribd

Metropolis Cocktails by Eater NY on Scribd

Blue Water Grill Menu by Eater NY on Scribd

Blue Water Grill + Metropolis, 31 Union Square West, BWG: (212) 675 9500, M: (212) 533 2500.