BR GUEST RESTAURANT GROUP
Evolving New York Hospitality, One Concept at a Time
President, SWAT by Kirshenbaum. BR Guest helped define an era of New York dining, operating iconic venues including Blue Water Grill, Blue Fin, Atlantic Grill, and Dos Caminos.
During a major period of renovation and expansion, I partnered closely with leadership, including Kiwon Standen, to help modernize two of the company’s flagship New York properties while simultaneously developing entirely new hospitality concepts within each location.
The iconic Blue Water Grill in Union Square was undergoing a major interior transformation, including the launch of a new downstairs concept built around a former bank vault space. At the same time, Blue Fin in Times Square was being refreshed alongside the introduction of a new Japanese-inspired restaurant below the main dining room.
Our team was brought in to help shape the positioning, naming, identity systems, guest experience, menus, environmental touchpoints, and overall creative direction across all four concepts.
UNION SQUARE: BLUE WATER GRILL + METROPOLIS
For Blue Water Grill, the objective was refinement, not reinvention.
We evolved the brand identity and guest-facing experience to better align with the newly redesigned interiors while preserving the equity and personality that made the restaurant a New York institution.
Downstairs, we developed Metropolis, a new jazz club and cocktail concept inspired by classic New York nightlife with a darker, more cinematic edge. The identity, menus, environmental graphics, and creative details were all designed to make the space feel immersive and transportive from the moment guests arrived.
Together, the two concepts created a more layered and contemporary flagship experience.
TIMES SQUARE: BLUE FIN + IZI
At Blue Fin, the work centered around modernization and clarity within one of the busiest hospitality corridors in the world.
We refreshed the identity system and guest experience while helping shape a more confident and elevated positioning for the space overall.
Below the restaurant, we developed IZI, a Japanese-inspired concept with a lighter, cleaner, and more playful personality. The branding intentionally contrasted the energy upstairs while still feeling connected to the broader BR Guest portfolio.
The result was a more cohesive hospitality system across both locations, with each concept maintaining its own distinct point of view.
HOSPITALITY IS ONE OF THE MOST FUN CATEGORIES TO BUILD
Hospitality projects always become bigger than branding alone. The conversations quickly move into interiors, lighting, menus, music, service flow, and the emotional energy of the room itself.
That’s what makes these projects so rewarding. You start with strategy decks and creative concepts, and eventually you’re sitting in a packed restaurant drinking a martini watching people experience the thing you helped build.
The work didn’t just resonate internally, it also helped open new doors for both BR Guest and SWAT. In November 2016, BR Guest was sold to Landry’s, Inc., marking a major transition for one of New York’s most influential hospitality groups.
Our strategic rebranding and design work also led to an important relationship with restaurateur Matt Abramcyk, which later opened the door to work connected to 1 Hotels and Baccarat Hotel.