Jbird Cocktails: A New Level of Sophistication Opens in Williamsburg
More and more of New York City’s trendy hotspots are now found across the river in ever-evolving Brooklyn. That is why it’s no surprise that adjoining the iconic Wythe Hotel, which has been anchoring hospitality in Williamsburg since 2012, that another former factory has been reimagined, redeveloped and debuted for New York society to revel in. Hosting private events such as HBO series premieres, Airbnb press releases, top fashion shows and celebrity birthday soirees, 74Wythe is an 18,000-square-foot, multi-level spectacle. With breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline, several kitchens, a collection of full-service bars and a custom, 150-ton retractable glass rooftop system, the entire project is inventive and thoughtful, grand and impressive. None of this should be unexpected from hospitality operator Joshua Kaiser, well-known for championing indulgent design, meticulous service standards and most of all, producing fun. He brought the Pink Elephant nightlife brand from New York to top international destinations over the years and deployed dozens of top food and beverage brands. 74Wythe, however, represents a new sort of hybrid-model. In addition to its robust private events business, under a separate brand called Superior Ingredients, the team turns in a full second act, igniting late night hours with live music entertainment including global DJs, burlesque, aerialists and jazz festivals. So, with all this under one roof, what could possibly be next?
Kaiser’s third act brings to life a disused back corner of the building to create Jbird Cocktails, opening to the public in late spring. Concealed behind a mop closet door, Jbird presents a level of absolute opulence that takes leave from any attempt to preserve the industrial architecture elsewhere in the project. Detailed brass metalwork adorns a 20-foot backbar, and a truly shocking Murano chandelier made of 100+ hand-blown, glass icicles (each illuminated from within) casts a warm glow atop the Patagonia-marble horseshoe bar. Speaking of icicles; where to keep hand-cut custom drink ice? In a custom, ice vault display, of course. Where to safeguard your arranged allocation of Pappy Van Winkle? Why not in the lounge’s library-style bottle lockers? A DJ booth adapted from a 200-year-old church pulpit? Naturally. A private dining room with a reserve wine cellar? Without a doubt. And, original art commissions, custom fragrance added to the HVAC system, and monogrammed bartender coats all adorn the space.
Still, while certainly nothing has been overlooked in the stunning creation of this masterpiece, Kaiser insists that the physical objects and setting, regardless of refinement, are entirely secondary, believing that only people can produce hospitality. This outlook likely originates from his earliest pedigree in the business world, having worked for years at the original Waldorf Astoria Hotel where a uniformed service staff of more than 2,000 were elevated to peers with the clients, and taught that every team member, from Lobby Porter to General Manager, was to consider themselves “ladies and gentlemen, privileged to be serving ladies and gentlemen” and that each were empowered to be accountable for elevating the establishment’s customer experience.
Jbird Cocktails will be fully open to the public, but for a select group, the brand is offering (by-invitation-only) an exclusive access option called Jbird Premier, where, in exchange for $2,500, guests will gain VIP invites to the full building’s programming. This will including enjoying private bathrooms, being able to fast-track into the venue though a reserved back door, ordering drinks which will then be waiting en route from the car, and access to private curated dinners, part of the Jbird Supper Series. There might not be a curtain divider, but this is definitely First Class.
The beverage program is one designed with careful intent to hold your attention. In addition to the Jbird Classics menu, which presents the core specialty cocktails that have evolved from hundreds of iterations since 2013, and continue to be the mainstay drinks presented in all Jbird locations, guests are also presented with seasonal lists from the Jbird Residency program, which brings new talent from the international beverage space into Jbird. The cuisine options also beautifully all the sipping concoctions and include truffle pizza, a proper shrimp cocktail, charcutier boards, and salted-caramel Sundays.
The savvy teams operating 74Wythe, Superior Ingredients and Jbird Cocktails have decades of combined experience in the hospitality business, which is immediately felt. Whether it’s planning a private event, attending a summer rooftop concert or enjoying a more sophisticated, grown-up evening out, this organization understands and maintains impossibly high standards.
Kaiser shares with me the original Waldorf’s service pledge, which hung in the hotel’s kitchen: “the difficult immediately. . . the impossible may take a few minutes longer.” And he assures me that while this massive project continues to evolve and take time to create, blending carefully gorgeous materials and imaginative service to elate our senses, it will be well worth the wait.
