Courtesy Bar Blondeau
From the team at Le Crocodile comes Bar Blondeau
After less than two years—including a pandemic—comes a new eatery-with-a-view on the sixth floor of the Wythe Hotel
Opening July 30, on the sixth floor of the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, is Bar Blondeau, the latest endeavor from Jon Neidich, Aidan O’Neal, and Jake Leiber, who, less than two years ago, launched Le Crocodile, a Brooklyn brasserie that garnered widespread acclaim. The French style bar features floor-to-ceiling windows that offer impressive views of the Manhattan skyline and $17 cocktails created by bar manager Sörine Anderson.
Both the indoor and outdoor rooftop deck portions of the expansive bar—which hold around 70 tables each—were curated and designed by architectural studio Bonetti/Kozersk. The oak walls, gold-accented ambient lighting, and burgundy leather are designed to create a warm and alluring atmosphere with the goal of making, says chef O’Neal, “a bar or lounge space where you can come in for one drink and a snack and you feel great, or you can spend all night here.”
On the small-plates menu is French, Spanish and Portuguese-inspired seafood like Mussel Toast, Salmon Rillettes, and Swordfish. The menu is “a bit silly and offers a bit of spontaneity,” O’Neal told Eater, in order to create “a place where the food is playful and a little bit frilly. It’s mostly geared toward having fun.”
The beverage offerings are extensive and feature natural wines from across the world along with cocktails, frozen drinks, beers, and non-alcoholic options all curated by sommelier Rafa García Febles. Drinks are served from behind a green-tiled and marble-topped bar that is situated at the center of the room and alongside the floor to ceiling windows.
Leiber says that the Bar Blandeau team “wanted something with a strong identity and personality,” that could appeal to a broad audience including Williamsburg locals and international tourists staying in the hotel that houses the bar.
Bar Blandeau is now open from 5 p.m. at 80 Whythe Ave between Tuesday and Sunday.