DREXLER'S
From 2008 to early 2015, Ella was a landmark on Avenue A off Houston (around the corner from Boulton & Watt), with its jet-black building face dappled with white windowpanes and a sign out front spelling the venue’s name in white fluorescent script. The black and white theme continued into the art-deco interior with red velvet seating and vintage chandeliers, creating the feel of a dynamic Hollywood speakeasy in Ella Fitzgerald’s jazz age. The interior design was helmed by the legendary Carleton Varney of Dorothy Draper & Co., pioneers of the Modern Baroque style.
Of course, the bar was a frontier for stiff traditional cocktails as well as a number of fruity offerings like Ella’s eponymous specialty that featured muddled watermelon, and three champagne-based blends for the adventurous. Latin-inspired snacks like chicken tinga arepas, short rib empanadas, and papas a la provincial were on offer, as was bottle service in the half- moon banquettes for those that preferred an exclusive nightclub experience. Music brought the main floor piano lounge to life, be it a classy acoustic act or one of the city’s elite DJs. The bottom level was a standing room performance space with a vaulted, black-and-white striped ceiling that provided a surreal atmosphere for a raucous party or rock show.