New York City has a short memory. One minute a basement in the West Village is the center of the universe—clogged with cigarette smoke, Olsen twins, and the kind of exclusive energy that makes people act a little crazy—and the next, it’s a quiet memory buried under layers of luxury real estate. If you’re looking for the Beatrice Inn NY NY today, you won’t find the same red door or the same chaos. Honestly, the story of the "Bea" is basically a history of how New York changes when nobody is looking.
Most people remember it as the place where you couldn't get in. That’s the legacy of the 2006–2009 era when Paul Sevigny and Matt Abramcyk turned a tired Italian joint into a fashion-world mosh pit. But if you actually walk down West 12th Street now, things look different. The original space at 285 West 12th Street is silent, a ghost of its former self, while the spirit of the restaurant has migrated and evolved into something entirely different.
The Evolution from Speakeasy to Meat Palace
The Beatrice Inn wasn't born as a nightclub. It started in the 1920s as a speakeasy. Legend has it Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald would hide out there, which feels almost too cliché for a West Village basement, but it’s actually true. For fifty years after the repeal of Prohibition, it was just a neighborhood Italian spot. Think veal Milanese and red checkered tablecloths.
Then came the nightclub years. That’s the part that still haunts the internet—the "be more famous" door policy and the disco ball that somehow survived through every renovation.
The Angie Mar Era
In 2012, Graydon Carter, the legendary former editor of Vanity Fair, stepped in to rescue the place from its shuttered nightclub status. He wanted a "grown-up" version. He hired Angie Mar as the executive chef in 2013, and things got... intense. Mar didn't just cook; she basically staged a takeover of the NYC meat scene.
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By 2016, she bought the place from Carter. This was the peak of Beatrice Inn NY NY as a culinary destination. We’re talking about:
- 45-day dry-aged burgers that tasted like blue cheese and funk.
- A $700 whiskey-aged tomahawk rib-eye wrapped in cloth.
- Duck flambé that literally set the table on fire.
Mar’s food was primal. It was savage. She famously said she wakes up thinking about meat and goes to sleep thinking about it. You could feel that in the room. It was dark, wood-paneled, and felt like a place where you’d plot a heist or a divorce over a very expensive bottle of Bordeaux.
What Happened to the Original Location?
The pandemic was the final blow for the subterranean version of the Beatrice Inn. Rent negotiations in the West Village are notoriously brutal, and the lease at 285 West 12th Street ultimately didn't pan out. In December 2020, the original Beatrice Inn closed its doors for good.
But Angie Mar didn't just walk away. She moved next door.
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The Transition to Le B
She initially planned to reopen the restaurant as "The Beatrice" in a more airy, window-filled space at 283 West 12th Street. But as things often go in the city, the vision shifted. She opened Les Trois Chevaux first—a hyper-luxurious, French-inspired temple where the staff wore Christian Siriano and you could borrow a vintage YSL jacket if you forgot your blazer.
Fast forward to late 2023, and that space morphed again. Now, it is Le B.
If you’re craving the old Beatrice Inn NY NY vibes, Le B is where you go. It’s a celebration of the Inn’s centennial. It’s got the neon sign, it’s got the "vibe," and yes, the burger is back, though it's restricted. You can only get one burger per bar seat per night. It’s that kind of place.
Why the "Bea" Still Matters in 2026
You’ve probably seen a dozen "resurrections" of old New York spots, but the Beatrice Inn is different because it represents the survival of a specific kind of downtown grit. It wasn't just a restaurant; it was a clubhouse.
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One of the biggest misconceptions is that the Beatrice Inn was just about being "cool." If you actually ate there during the Mar years, you knew the food was the real deal. Pete Wells at The New York Times originally gave it zero stars, but after Mar took over, he bumped it up to two. That’s a massive jump in the world of high-stakes dining.
Real Talk on the Current State
Honestly, the West Village is different now. It’s cleaner, quieter, and much, much more expensive. The current iteration at Le B is beautiful, but it’s a "grown-up" version. The chaos of the 2000s isn't coming back. You aren't going to see Mary-Kate Olsen necking with a tortured artist in a bathroom stall anymore.
But you will get a Pacific Dungeness crab Wellington that might change your life.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Diner
If you're looking to capture a piece of that history or just want a really good steak in the neighborhood, here is how you handle it:
- Skip the nostalgia search: Don't go to 285 West 12th expecting a host. It's closed. Go to 283 West 12th—that's Le B.
- The Burger Strategy: If you want the famous Beatrice burger, you have to sit at the bar. They won't serve it at the tables. And get there early; they run out.
- Dress the part: While Le B dropped the strict formal dress code of its predecessor, it’s still the West Village. Wear something that makes you look like you own a gallery or a very successful startup.
- Budget accordingly: This isn't a casual Tuesday night taco run. Between the whiskey-aged meats and the wine list, you’re looking at a significant bill. It’s a "celebration" spot.
The Beatrice Inn didn't really die; it just grew up, moved next door, and put on a nicer outfit. It’s a reminder that in New York, nothing stays the same, but the best stories—and the best burgers—usually find a way to stick around.
To experience the current evolution of this legacy, book a reservation at Le B through their official site or Resy, specifically requesting a bar seat if you want to taste the original dry-aged burger that started it all.