The Return of the Social Salon: Inside DEJAVU’s Day-to-Night World in the West Village
Luxury today is no longer defined by excess alone—it’s defined by time, atmosphere, and the ability to linger. In the West Village, DEJAVU is quietly reviving an old-world idea with modern relevance: the social salon.
Located on West Street, DEJAVU is conceived as a single destination that evolves throughout the day, moving effortlessly from a European-inspired Caviar Café by morning to a candlelit, jazz-infused Supper Club by night. The result is not simply a restaurant or lounge, but a place designed for presence—for conversation, ritual, and connection, from espresso to encore.
The vision belongs to restaurateur and nightlife entrepreneur Barış Köroğlu, whose career spans fine dining and immersive nightlife across Europe and New York. Known for co-founding the experiential nightlife concept The Lullaby, Köroğlu approaches hospitality as cultural curation rather than category. At DEJAVU, his philosophy comes to life through rhythm and mood, not schedules—an intentional departure from the rush that defines much of modern dining.
Images courtesy of Dejavu
A Daytime Ritual, Reimagined
By day, DEJAVU operates as a refined Caviar Café, open daily from morning through late afternoon. Drawing inspiration from the grand cafés and tea salons of Europe, the space encourages guests to slow down. Plush seating, warm illumination, and understated detailing create an atmosphere of cultivated ease—elegant but never formal, luxurious without pretense.
The daytime menu centers on premium, sustainably sourced caviars served in the classical manner, by the tin with blinis, crème fraîche, and refined accompaniments. Guests may enjoy traditional service or explore guided caviar tastings throughout the day, allowing for an intimate appreciation of provenance, texture, and nuance. Complementing the caviar program is a thoughtful espresso offering, elegant breakfast selections, a light luncheon menu, and traditional afternoon tea service—an homage to ritualized dining that feels increasingly rare.
“Our intention was to restore the café as a true social salon,” says Köroğlu. “A place where people can begin their day slowly, return for conversation, and experience luxury as part of everyday life.”
Images courtesy of Dejavu
An Evening Transformation
As daylight fades, DEJAVU undergoes a subtle but unmistakable transformation. Candlelight replaces sunlight, music deepens, and the space shifts into a sexy Supper Club, open Wednesday through Sunday until 2:00 a.m. Live jazz anchors the night, creating a cinematic backdrop where dinner blends seamlessly into performance and late-night revelry.
The 2,800-square-foot interior unfolds across three distinct rooms, each designed to evolve with the evening. The Emerald Room, a lively green-and-gold front bar anchored by a nine-seat centerpiece, draws guests in for cocktails and conversation. Beyond it, the Golden Room serves as the main dining space, where soft cream tones, antique drapery, and warm light frame an unhurried dining experience. Hidden behind velvet curtains lies the Red Room—also known as the Desire Room—an intimate speakeasy with just ten seats, hosting private tasting menus and immersive burlesque performances from Thursday through Saturday.
Images courtesy of Dejavu
Cuisine Designed for Lingering
The culinary program reflects DEJAVU’s Mediterranean-inspired identity, weaving together coastal, Modern Turkish, and Italian influences through a distinctly New York lens. The menu is designed for sharing, balancing comfort and sophistication with familiar flavors elevated through technique.
Highlights include scallop crudo with fennel and orange zest, tuna tartare with yuzu ponzu, shrimp carpaccio finished with caviar, hamachi accented with blood orange, and signature pastrami croquettes filled with dry-aged spicy beef and Turkish sausage. Hand-crafted pastas—such as lobster ravioli, fresh truffle pappardelle, and tagliatelle with bottarga—anchor the menu, alongside refined mains like steak frites, grilled lamb chops, pan-seared seabass, and filet scallops finished with caviar beurre blanc.
The cocktail program mirrors the salon’s sensibility. Using modern techniques such as sous-vide infusion and fat-washing, the bar delivers drinks that feel both nostalgic and contemporary. Signature offerings include the DejaVu cocktail with white rum, lychee, yuzu, pineapple, and matcha foam; a truffle coffee Negroni with lingering depth; and the Emerald Dream, a basil-forward tequila cocktail served in a coupe.
Images courtesy of Dejavu
A New Kind of Luxury
More than a restaurant, DEJAVU represents a return to intentional hospitality—one that values time, atmosphere, and human connection. From morning coffee and caviar to jazz-filled nights that stretch well past dinner, it offers continuity in a city that rarely pauses.
In reviving the social salon, DEJAVU doesn’t look backward—it reframes tradition for a modern audience that understands true luxury as the freedom to stay a little longer.
DEJAVU: https://www.instagram.com/dejavuny/
Images Courtesy of DEJAVU
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
