Manhattan seafood restaurant Seahorse is an elegant, convivial space that is way better than I expected any hotel restaurant to be — I honestly forgot it was even part of the revamped W New York – Union Square until I went to the bathroom, which is shared with the lobby. The restaurant is elegant — designed by the Rockwell Group, with bold blues and dark woods, split into the buzzy bar area and quieter dining room. It’s from restaurateur John McDonald and his Mercer Street Hospitality (best known for Soho’s Lure Fishbar), run by executive chef John Villa.
We shared a slice of the huge three-layer carrot cake ($18), without any raisins or carrots (just like carrot cake should be). It’s cut from cakes on display near the host stand. For those who like a little theater, get baked Alaska, which is carted to your table and then lit right there.
Take some time to explore the gorgeous mural above the dining room — the bottom curves into the back of the space, making it feel never-ending. Hand-painted by Brooklyn studio En Viu, it depicts an epic seafaring adventure. McDonald tells me that “it’s a bit surreal: There’s movement to it; there are all these small moments happening inside it.” His favorite detail is a whale that, at first glance, looks like a boat.
Seahorse is the splashy seafood brasserie from Mercer Street Hospitality and restaurateur John McDonald, which opened inside the revamped W New York – Union Square in September 2025. Designed by Rockwell Group, the 125-seat room leans nautical —scallop tiles, midnight-blue banquettes, and a sea-themed mural — while chef John Villa sends out a seafood menu that includes crudo, dover sole, and branzino, among other options, with flourishes like spicy lobster cavatelli, corn ravioli, and even duck a l’orange; a dessert cart and signature cocktails round it out.