Weekend Hotspot: Hotel Griffou
Tap It!
By Emily Kropp
in Culture Features
on January 29, 2010
Head to the Hotel Griffou for a stiff drink, hearty meal, and maybe even a chat with Kanye.
While the early reviews of downtown hotspot Hotel Griffou were mixed, there are still plenty of reasons to stop in and sit down. Owned by a team of restauranteurs who have had their hand in such successes as the Waverly Inn, Freemans, Balthazar, and Pastis, Larry Poston and Jonny Swet know a thing or two about what makes a great dining experience. 
The standout feature of the Hotel Griffou (aside from the fact that it is not, in fact, a hotel) is the incredible design of the dining rooms. The Library is stuffed with books and a typewriter, the Salon has a glowing, cozy fireplace, the Palm Terrace greets you with greenery and the Studio is brimming with art supplies. We can just picture the likes of Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe and Edna St. Vincent Millay, some of the building's original residents.
Hotel Griffou has delicious signature drinks like the Scotch Bishop, featuring Dewar’s White Label and Grand Marnier with a splash of orange juice & lavender and crème de violet float; or the Trophy Wife, with Matusalem rum, passion fruit, key lime juice, sugarcane syrup and nutmeg. The bartenders are helpful and friendly, and while it does get a little raucous at times, Griffou is a great spot to see and be seen, sip sometime spirited, and make new friends.
Hotel Griffou 21 W. 9th St., nr. Fifth Ave. 212-358-0228.