Cro Magnon Steakhouse
Opened in December 2011, CRO MAGNON Steakhouse & Bar marked the triumphant arrival of the boisterous American glamor steakhouse to Beirut’s Zaitunay Bay Marina. Aptly named after the caveman era this carnivore haven is the epitome of hyper-macho OTT. Specializing in gargantuesque portions of Dry-aged USDA Prime Beef, bold cabernets, premium cigars, live jazz and an impressive array of fresh seafood. Developed by Montreal pit master, Joey Ghazal, CRO MAGNON is pure theatre and a destination hotspot for scenesters, surf n’ turfers, corporate expense accounters, accidental tourists and the Blackberry-pecking lunch crowd this bustling white-cloth eatery boasts an ambitious portfolio of International wine, a retail butcher, a felliniesque theatre kitchen, cigar bar and a hyper-attentive service staff that will tend to your every whim.
Architect extra-ordinaire, Nabil Dada and concept developer, Joey Ghazal have conceived a jaw dropping industrial aesthetic and meatpacking vibe, shrouded in a carefully calibrated neo-speakeasy gloom. Vaulted Brass ceilings crown darkly polished mahogany-paneled walls hung with oil paintings of tuxedo-clad jazz musicians. Chesterfield leather banquets line the space with crisp white tables and sparkling Chinaware, giving a sense of order being restored.
“We wanted to go for something very industrial, like a dockyard”, says Joey Ghazal in an interview with the New York Times. What will stun, fool, bewitch, and ultimately obsess you are the lethal modern touches to this institutional haunt, such as the towering 500 bottle wine cellar, the open exhibition grill and the back-lit bar displaying a plethora of single malts.
Inspired by the great steakhouse tradition of New York and Chicago of the 1930’s and 40’s, where bankers, politicians and mobsters would congregate to feast on the spoils of their success, CRO MAGNON is about living large. Big Steaks, big wine and big cigars, CRO is synonymous with a celebration of life and is a signature of timeless steakhouse TRADITION, STYLE, EXPERIENCE and VALUE.
Launch Date : December 2011
Size : 4,800 sq. ft.
Capacity: 160 covers
Scope : Concept Development, Branding, Marketing, Recruitment, Operation, Management, Construction Oversight
Location : Zaitunay Bay, Beirut, Lebanon
Category : Steakhouse, Bar, Terrace
“Cro Magnon Mahogany Panelling, Vaulted Copper Ceiling and Potted Palms Could be Straight Out of 1930s Chicago”- Wallpaper
