The Empire Room
350 5th Avenue
New York, New York
Tel: 212-643-5400
Designer: Goodman Charlton

From post office to an emporium of post-office drinks, a 3,500-square-foot ground floor space at the Empire State Building is now home to The Empire Room, an Art Deco–themed cocktail lounge. Owner Mark Grossich, who has a penchant for merging lounges with landmarks—he also owns the Campbell Apartment in Grand Central Terminal and the World Bar in Trump World Tower—sought to create an upscale cocktail bar that would evoke the feel of a different era, and by his account he’s found considerable success: “Everyone who visits says it’s the sort of place that seems like it’s been around forever,” Grossich said. New York design firm Goodman Charlton completely renovated the former post office space, and worked with a palette of warm colors, rich velvets, mohairs, and embossed leather, which complement the Room’s crystal chandeliers and patterned carpets. In keeping with the posh ’20s vibe, the Empire Room caters to a professional crowd, so be sure to leave your cutoffs or flip-flops (just a few of the dress code’s banned articles of clothing) at home before downing a glass of Prohibition Punch.