La Grenouille, a once-fabulous French restaurant on East 52nd Street, has closed its doors for good. Owner Philippe Masson made the announcement on Instagram, mentioning that he was moving on to pursue new dreams after putting an enormous amount of love and dedication into making La Grenouille an iconic destination. La Grenouille was one of the last restaurants to carry on the old tradition of snooty French establishments with restricted reservation lists and antiquated dishes.
Opened in 1962 by Charles and Gisèle Masson, La Grenouille quickly became a hotspot for New York’s power players and celebrities. Over the years, it attracted a wide range of famous guests such as Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Madonna, and many others. Famed chef Daniel Boulud recalled that La Grenouille was the reference point for French dining in NYC with its old-world elegance, charm, cuisine, and service that no other restaurant could imitate.
La Grenouille’s popularity began to decline when Philippe Masson took over as manager in 2014, replacing his brother Charles Jr. who had been credited with giving the restaurant a second wind. Many longtime customers felt that Philippe’s changes made the restaurant a sad version of its former self, turning it into a part-time cabaret at night. Despite maintaining the flower arrangements and frog legs, patrons left in droves as the restaurant made efforts to attract a younger crowd.
The decline of La Grenouille was evident through dwindling patronage and months of closure last year due to a gas leak and other issues. Philippe attempted to revive the restaurant earlier this year, but the sparse crowds and rumors of a potential sale added to the air of impending doom. While the restaurant’s dining room remained its key feature, the state of the structure and lack of interest from diners highlighted that its time had long passed.
As La Grenouille faded into obscurity, it paved the way for more modern and welcoming French restaurants in the city such as Le Bernardin and Restaurant Daniel. The closure of La Grenouille brought an end to an era when snooty French eateries dominated the scene, making way for a new generation of French dining establishments. While the closure of La Grenouille marked the end of a chapter, some like Boulud hold out hope that maybe one day, the iconic restaurant will have a chance to come back to life.
