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To get to the 20th floor of 230 Fifth Avenue you need to walk past security, through turnstiles ready for keycards, past all the stores on the ground floor to a nearly private elevator and the cheetah in the foyer will let you know you’ve made it. And by “made it” we mean “are ready to spend $12 for a well cocktail” or $9 for a beer in a very, very narrow glass. The vitriol you are feeling may be because you’re still in the building — our gimlet didn’t get any cheaper up one flight to the roof but it did taste better with the best view of the area we’ve seen.
The management of 230 Fifth asked that no photos be taken of the interiors so we can only say and not show the total Miami Vice take on grandeur. It includes, but is not limited to, chaises by Karl Lagerfeld, ridiculous metal on the wall and mirrors, that aforementioned jungle animal and one ugly carpet. And up on the deck are nearly private tables, all with resort umbrellas and menus — fingerfood (by 5 Ninth's Zak Pelaccio) includes lamb tea sandwiches, spring rolls and sliders, all entrée priced. What management did allow, though, were shots of the views, and they are worth it (even if next time we’d stick to Diet Cokes).
Photos courtesy of Brian Van.
230 Fifth Ave., 20th fl , between 26th and 27th Streets, 212-725-4300.
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Yuck, really? This place is pretty lame. It's just an expensive place that tries to be cooler than it is. Far too crowded to enjoy a nice summer night, as well.
I must say, I have mixed thoughts about this place. My first visit, just as it was gaining popularity, was great because it wasn't yet too crowded. The drinks are pricey, but stiff and well-made. And the view is great. But now...everyone apparently knows to get there before they turn the lights off at the Empire State Building at midnight. The crowd starts to die down after that, but the wait at the elevators to get downstairs can be longer than the wait to get in.
They seem to always have bathroom issues. This one time on a weeknight, it was uncrowded, but the bathrooms were disgusting. All the toilets in the ladies' room were overflowing. The upstairs toilets were out of commission.
If you don't mind the crowd or go on a drizzly evening (they do put up tents and you still get a nice view), it's worth a stopover before your next destination. All my out-of-state friends enjoy it, anyway.
This place was cool for the first month it opened. Now its all B&T and fat 40 somethings. There are much cooler places to go, but no way would I ruin them by writting about it here...
BTW the line to leave is normally longer than the line to get in.
went there last night and would not go again if you paid me. the view was nice -- especially of the lightning behind the empire state building -- but the scene was just made my skin crawl. guys in suits and sex-and-the-city ladies all packed in like cattle. the music was dreadful as well, 80s pop and 90s rock.
Joe, you're a smug idiot.