Greatness, it is said, often skips a generation. When The Elephant opened in 2016 in the Mount Vernon mansion that once housed the legendary Brass Elephant, we hoped it would be a worthy successor.

It was not. In her review of the restaurant, Baltimore food and dining editor Jane Marion lamented that “the food is almost secondary to the space,” and “many of the menu items we sampled needed some sort of tweaking.” The Elephant closed in 2019, leaving the future of this hallowed restaurant ground in doubt.

Into that void stepped The Manor, a restaurant and “ultra-lounge” that has brought a new personality to the location and revived the spot’s status as destination dining. Co-owners Robert Gay and Josh Persing have created a beautiful oasis that maintains the location’s elegance and character while infusing a dash of liveliness into the old building, which once housed a furniture store.

A traditional chandelier still hangs over the foyer, and purple lights illuminate the bottles behind both the small bar downstairs and a larger marble one upstairs. A rainbow of colors gracing the walls, bar stools, rugs, and artwork makes the place feel fresh and fun.

In addition to the bars and dining rooms, there are spots for lounging and listening to DJs who perform on weekend nights and watching drag shows during brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. They’re wildly popular, so if you want to go it’s best to buy tickets online ahead of time.

Despite its striking setting, at The Manor, the food is most definitely not secondary to the space. We found the menu to be inventive and well-executed during our two visits this winter.

Club music plays throughout the building, but it isn’t so loud as to preclude conversation. We started each visit with a round of cocktails that were expertly made by a friendly and talented bartender who goes simply by “J.” The cleverly named Moira’s Rose (a nod to Catherine O’Hara’s sassy character on the television show Schitt’s Creek, we assume) is made with vodka, Earl Grey tea, hibiscus syrup, and a squeeze of lemon. It was just the right level of sweetness, as was the Solstice, a solid combination of gin, prosecco, and cranberry juice garnished with rosemary. The Oaxaca Old-Fashioned is made with mezcal, rather than the traditional bourbon, and its smokiness shines through. It would make for a pleasing after-dinner drink as well.

Appetizers tend toward the heavier side, with smoked mac and cheese, wings, crab dip, and sweet potato tots leading the way. The best among them was the burrata, which was perfectly creamy on the inside and served with a marinated sun-dried tomato compote and basil pesto.

We also absolutely loved the crostini, which were salted and not over-toasted, a common problem we encounter at restaurants around town. The pear and blue cheese salad was terrific—the fruit was ripe, and the blue cheese was plentiful. Oysters on the half shell and charcuterie and cheese plates are available as well.

All the entrees we enjoyed had one thing in common: Each ingredient on the plate made its presence known. The exterior of the lemon pistachio chicken was crispy, the inside nice and juicy. It was served with butternut purée, charred Brussels sprouts, and smoked cranberry bordelaise. In a world of bland chicken dishes, this one stands out.

The togarashi-spiced seared tuna is a star. It’s tempting to eat the beautiful slices of fish on their own, but take our word for it and try a mouthful with the kimchi slaw and stir-fried mushrooms.

Everything here is great individually, but the dish works best when all the components are eaten together. The pumpkin ravioli, stuffed with mascarpone, was also excellent. There’s a nice subtlety to the brown sage butter sauce, and the pumpkin ricotta is exceptional.

We didn’t get a chance to try the burger or crab cakes, but we did sample two of the four pizzas on the menu. The wild mushroom and basil pizza featured some of the tastiest toppings we’ve had (it also comes with basil pesto ricotta, pepperoncini, arugula, and a spicy honey drizzle) and a fresh, doughy crust. The duck and fig pie, though a tad too sweet for our taste, also was nicely executed.

With excellent service, a welcoming atmosphere, and consistently stellar food, The Manor is channeling the spirit of the Brass Elephant while creating its own history. Whether it will prove to be great years from now is an open question, but it’s off to a very promising start.

Back in 2015, Steven Rivelis and Linda Brown Rivelis began their journey to restore the famed Brass Elephant, the elegant Mt. Vernon social spot where the two were married in 1986. A 22-month renovation maintained the 19th-century mansion’s history—with Tiffany stained glass, intricate teak woodwork, dangling Waterford crystal, and golden chandeliers—while also updating the interior with a new marble bar and contemporary furniture.

The owners, along with co-owner Mallory Staley, have been candid with customers about their struggle to secure a bank loan to pay back investors who helped fund the multi-million dollar renovation.

“Without even looking at our financials, nine banks told us that they will not make a loan for a restaurant, especially in Baltimore City,” The Elephant team wrote in an open letter two months ago. “Unfortunately, we have run out of time. After two years, our friends and family who loaned us the gap funds deserve to be paid back.”

To remedy the matter, the partners put the building on the market for $2.9 million in January. Although the property would have new landlord, they assured the community that the restaurant was in it for the long haul. Sadly, those plans changed recently when one of the investors took legal action to seize the building.

“This individual’s legal action against us disqualified us from being eligible for a loan from the SBA,” Steven Rivelis said in a statement announcing the restaurant’s final night of service on Saturday, March 23. “In response, we will have to leverage all of our available resources to defend ourselves from this hostile takeover of our treasured property.”

Though this weekend will be the last to feast on The Elephant’s global cuisine (think everything from Moroccan meatballs to Shanghai noodles) inside its posh dining spaces, it will remain open as a private events venue. The owners will also continue to operate Sascha’s—the boutique catering company which they inherited from former owner Sascha Wolhandler in 2017—as well as their pre-show cafe at Center Stage.

“While these developments and actions are extremely painful, we feel so very blessed to have had this dream opportunity to open and operate The Elephant for almost three years,” Staley said. “We remain profoundly thankful to all of our guests for your ongoing support and contribution to this amazing journey.”

On the heels of an unfortunate year for Charm City restaurant closures, the news of The Elephant’s final night is yet another blow to the local dining scene. The historic and elegant Mt. Vernon space—adorned with pale pink walls, pops of gold, and vintage sconces around every corner—was one that locals flocked to for special occasions, as well as weekly happy hours and live jazz nights.

In a recent interview, Steven pointed out the importance of supporting local restaurants—especially those right in your own backyard.

“Businesses need our neighbors,” he said. “And neighbors need the businesses, or else you don’t have a thriving community. It’s a reciprocal responsibility.”