Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Food

New Restaurant And Bar Openings: XVI, Beerparc, Hospoda, The Highliner

By

Jamie Feldmar

Published May 26, 2011

Modified Apr 28, 2014

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

XVI: The word "decadent" gets tossed around a lot these days; at the moment you'll find it staring back at you from the website for XVI, where the custom furnishings "are reminiscent of an era of decadence." Yes, it seems like just yesterday we were enjoying that crazy era of decadence, until that Obama got elected and made us put away all our childish things! Now we all live in vegetarian renewable energy labor camps and wear uniforms made out of recycled plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Gyre. :( At any rate, this rooftop lounge is named for both the 16th floor it occupies and that King of France who was executed for his elitist decadence. XVI, atop the Hilton Garden Inn, is not without a sense of irony: their logo is a guillotine. We recently braved the horrors of Times Square to visit the place, and were received by an attentive staff of pretty young cocktail servers who graciously comped our drinks. And a good thing too, because their specialty cocktails clock in at the $18 range. (Beer costs between $6 - $8.) And yet, despite the free booze and the friendly staff, we couldn't stop wondering, "How could a rooftop bar be so depressing?" Was it the nightmarish multi-colored lighting behind the bar, flickering sickeningly "like the first rising vibes of an acid frenzy?" The long, dark winding tunnel on the ground floor that leads to the "express elevator," but seems more like the narrowing entrance to an abattoir? The garish LED candles atop giant silver tentacles? Why tentacles when they have guillotines? The stingray sofas in the style of Louis XVI, chosen because the owners said they wanted to "create Versailles in the sky—a place enveloped in hospitality?" One begins to suspect the press release for XVI is nearly copied and pasted from the Book of Genesis, which recalls a not dissimilar time when "the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech... And they [the club owners] said, Let us build a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven."Part of the problem is that you're up on the roof but there's not much to look at; the walls are too high for good views and the surrounding buildings are just unrepentantly fugly. So you sip your $18 cocktail and try to ignore the hyena-like laughter of the bachelorette party to your left, and repress that urge to take a running jump off the edge. Maybe order some food? There is a selection of crostini, flatbreads, panini, and Salumi & Artisanal Cheeses. Of these, you'll want to avoid the sloppy, gooey mess that is the Latham Farm’s Heirloom Tomato flatbread, made with fresh mozzarella, basil, sea salt ($14)—unless your plan is to "come to your date's rescue" when it drips all over her skirt. Also inedible: the Lobster and Basil Crostini ($18). They say it's made with "local tomatoes," but something tasted alarmingly tangy there. If places like the Pink Elephant and Juliet Supperclub don't overwhelm you with homicidal/suicidal urges, you'll probably feel right at home in the "decadent" surroundings of XVI. Don't worry about that guillotine either; if the angry plebes ever rise up in revolt, the Hilton is the last place they'll think to look. It's all good, bro. Chances are that Russian "model" speaks your language! 251 West 48th Street, open 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. nightly

 

Gothamist

View all 4

By

Jamie Feldmar

Published May 26, 2011

Modified Apr 28, 2014

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Click through on the photos for the scoop on the latest bars and restaurants around town, which include BeerParc, The Highliner, and XVI. And check out our photo feature on Birreria, the big new beerstaurant opening on the roof of Eataly!

Tagged

dining

gallery

new restaurant and bar radar

restaurants

Jamie Feldmar

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MORE food

Why NYC restaurants are playing coy about sustainability

Though it has multiple benefits, the practice remains popular for one basic reason: it saves money.

By

Samantha Dady

Published Oct 26, 2026

Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.

The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.

By

Hannah Frishberg

Food

Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.

The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.

By

Hannah Frishberg

North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.

By

Robert Sietsema

10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

By

Robert Sietsema

Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.

By

Sonia Rao

Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .