Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
Elevated Dining: The Resurgence of Revolving Restaurants with Skyline Views
Ascending in an elevator to the 47th and 48th floors of the New York Marriott Marquis, the subtle ear pop signals your arrival at The View, a distinctive revolving bar and eatery. This Times Square establishment offers a unique dining experience, captivating patrons with panoramic city vistas that shift gracefully as they dine. The View, a recently revitalized gem in New York City’s vibrant restaurant scene, exemplifies the comeback of revolving restaurants, blending nostalgia with modern sophistication.
A旋风般的美食体验
On a recent Saturday evening, The View buzzed with activity. Families, groups of companions, and couples populated the space, savoring Champagne and indulging in lavish seafood platters while absorbing the dynamic skyline panorama. The lounge completes a full 360-degree rotation every 45 minutes, providing ample time to leisurely enjoy a cocktail and witness the cityscape transform.
The View: A Retro Concept, Reimagined for Today
Originally launched in 1985 in the heart of Times Square, The View closed its doors in 2020. Its recent reopening marks it as the latest in a series of revolving restaurants experiencing an unexpected renaissance. This revival is spearheaded by the renowned restaurateur Danny Meyer and celebrated architect David Rockwell. The redesign has ushered in a sophisticated ambiance, replacing dated elements like pleather dining chairs and flamboyant carpeting with refined blue velvet banquettes, a sleek black marble bar, and chic Art Deco-inspired glass artwork.
Patron Perspectives
“These are truly unparalleled views,” remarked Joseph Mirrone, a former New Yorker revisiting the city with his son for a post-theater coffee and dessert. “You can remain seated and observe the entire metropolis encircle you.”
Danny Meyer’s Vision
Mr. Meyer, recalling fond childhood memories of Stouffer’s Top of the Riverfront, a revolving restaurant in St. Louis, expressed enthusiasm for reimagining the concept. “When Marriott approached us, it felt like an unprecedented opportunity,” he explained. “It’s not every day someone asks, ‘Would you be interested in developing a revolving restaurant in the theater district?’”
Revolving Restaurants: Novelty to Nostalgia and Back Again
Revolving restaurants are often perceived as novelties, reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s. During this era of rapid urban expansion, as skylines reached new heights, architects sought to offer the public an immersive perspective of the burgeoning cityscape.
Historical Precedents
La Ronde in Honolulu, situated atop the Ala Moana shopping center, holds the distinction of being the first revolving restaurant in the United States, opening in 1961. Its architect, John Graham Jr., also famed for his design of Seattle’s Space Needle, patented the innovative rotating mechanism. This design necessitated the construction of a wheeled platform capable of circulating around a fixed central core, akin to a train on tracks.
Imitators and Iconic Venues
La Ronde’s success sparked a wave of similar establishments across numerous cities, both large and small. These restaurants often incorporated names that highlighted their signature feature: The Changing Scene in Rochester, N.Y., Spindletop in Houston, the Eagle’s Nest in Indianapolis, and the Summit in Detroit all guaranteed a dining affair unlike any other.
Architect John C. Portman Jr. integrated revolving restaurants into several hotels he designed in cities such as Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, including the substantial $400 million Marriott Marquis.
Critical Reception and Shifting Tides
“Revolving restaurants, akin to numerous other aspects of this edifice, represent a spectacle that has played out elsewhere for an extended period without being particularly missed on Broadway,” noted Paul Goldberger, The New York Times architecture critic, in a 1985 critique of the hotel. “However, this will at least provide a novelty.”
Challenges and Closures
This review may have foreshadowed future difficulties. La Ronde ceased operations in the 1990s due to mechanical failures. The Summit became prohibitively expensive to maintain and closed in 2000. Skies, located in the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City, Mo., shuttered in 2011 as hotel patrons increasingly chose to dine off-site. Stouffer’s Top of the Riverfront permanently closed in 2014.
Adaptation and Continued Operation
While some have closed, others remain operational but have discontinued the rotation. Both the Sun Dial in Atlanta and the restaurant atop Reunion Tower in Dallas experienced tragic incidents. The former Summit space in Detroit now houses a stationary restaurant, remaining static for over 25 years since it stopped turning.
Revivals and Reinventions
However, trends often circle back. The Polaris in Atlanta resumed rotation in 2022 with a focus on a sustainable, farm-to-table menu. In 2024, the Equinox, the revolving restaurant at the peak of the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco, was reactivated after an 18-year standstill, employing hydraulics to restore its motion. The San Francisco Chronicle reported last April on plans to relaunch it as a bar named Club Revolve.
The Complexity of Restoration
Reactivating a revolving restaurant is seldom as simple as activating a switch. When the architectural firm Olson Kundig was commissioned to renovate SkyCity, the revolving restaurant atop the Space Needle, “we were encouraged to explore extravagant possibilities,” stated Alan Maskin, the design principal.
The firm dramatically transformed the experience by replacing the entire rotating floor with glass and a metal framework resembling a Ferris wheel lying on its side. In 2021, SkyCity was rebranded as the Loupe Lounge, an upscale seasonal cocktail venue.
Post-Pandemic Dining and Experiential Demand
For Mr. Meyer, the resurgence of revolving restaurants aligns with the post-pandemic shift in dining preferences. Patrons are now seeking “intimate bistros and neighborhood spots, alongside venues that amplify the overall experience, offering something unattainable at home,” he observed. “We are catering to both desires.”
Mr. Rockwell, who first visited the Marquis lounge in 1986, found the chance to work on The View “irresistible.” After only a brief period of inactivity, the restaurant’s mechanics remained in excellent condition. His primary focus was imbuing the restaurant with a “‘Mad Men’-era aesthetic” while thoughtfully considering the unique aspects of dining within a moving structure.
Navigating the Rotating Space
To aid diners and servers in locating their tables – as it is common for guests to feel slightly disoriented upon returning from the restrooms – the firm incorporated prominent visual cues. These include a striking spiral staircase connecting the lounge and restaurant levels, a designated area for a live pianist, and a highly visible raw bar.
“People hear ‘rotating restaurant’ and often envision rapid movement, like a carnival attraction,” explained Charlie Stoop, a bartender at The View. “However, it’s quite the opposite. It’s a remarkably gradual journey.” (The lounge rotates at approximately eight feet per minute.)
Positive Initial Reception
Thus far, the revamped View has garnered positive feedback. Julio Montalvo, enjoying cocktails with a friend in the lounge, mentioned he frequented the restaurant prior to its 2020 closure but ceased visiting due to perceived declines in food quality and service. The elevated cocktails offered in the new iteration have won him over.
Lois Blank and Keesie Spector, both 83 and friends since adolescence, also stopped by for a drink. They last visited The View over a decade ago but, upon learning of the renovations, decided to return.
“It’s very delightful,” Ms. Blank commented. “Lovely,” Ms. Spector echoed.
A Potential Renaissance?
Perhaps The View, the Loupe Lounge, Polaris, and similar establishments may inspire a broader resurgence of revolving restaurants. “There’s an inherent allure to dining as the world gently revolves around you,” stated Daniel A. Nadeau, a general manager at the Marquis. “I am eager to see if this ignites a minor revolving renaissance.”