A crazy New York restaurant that banned cellphones has finally let a TikTok creator back in in an attempt to redeem itself after a flood of bad reviews.
Frog Clublocated in the West Village, opened on February 14 after being conceived by former Hollywood chef Liz Johnson, 33, who previously co-owned popular California eatery Horse.
The mysterious cafe quickly made headlines for its strange rules, such as not using a cell phone, not lying about your birthday, no selfies in the bathroom, and not getting “dangerously drunk.”
There is also a menu item where guests can kiss the chef for $1,000.
But after months of not letting anyone film, food critic Jeremy Jacobowitz got the first invitation to take the tape off his phone camera and show people what it really looks like inside.
Frog Club, located in the West Village, opened its doors on February 14. Jeremy Jacobowitz got the first invitation to take the tape off his phone camera there
In a review in The New Yorker, writer Helen Rosner criticized Frog Club’s bizarre rules
In the introduction to his review, Jeremy acknowledges that after “a lot of hype,” the restaurant received some “not so great reviews.”
One review in The New Yorker saw writer Helen Rosner criticize the bizarre rules of Frog Club.
She was so impressed with the place that she took a selfie in the bathroom, not caring if the photo would get her banned.
Meanwhile, a review of Frog Club on the Frenzyread more like a tragic comedy.
Editor Bryan Kim wrote: “With so many rules, it’s only natural to expect a memorable meal.
‘You do get one, but for all the wrong reasons. Emaciated chicken wings leave you hanging on bones that look like they were donated by sparrows, and shrimp scampi arrives with a tiny pyramid of rice that tastes like it came out of a box.
‘Not to be outdone, a $27 spinach soufflé quickly devolves into a gummy frittata the color of a plastic-wrapped pistachio muffin, and a green pepper dip with six melancholy baby carrots.’
But in his new TikTok review, Jeremy Jacobowitz says the place doesn’t deserve such a bad reputation.
In the introduction to his review, Jeremy acknowledges that after “a lot of hype” the restaurant received some “not so great reviews”
The restaurant has a crazy interior, with stuffed animals everywhere
Before he starts tasting the dishes, he tells viewers: ‘I finally had to see it for myself and it seems like a lot has changed since the first reviews.
The restaurant is weird [and] idiosyncratic, and I mean that in the most positive way possible.
‘There’s a stuffed frog on one of the tables and you can still pay to kiss the chef, but I think it’s gone down a lot.
‘You can now book on Resy, it’s not a secret address.
‘The menu has been stripped of what many people didn’t like. You’re still not allowed to take photos or videos, but I was pleasantly surprised when I sat at my table and the staff came to remove the stickers from my phone.’
Jeremy turns his attention to the food and talks about some of the dishes he tried.
First, he praised the spicy coconut fried shrimp, which he said he couldn’t resist. “A little sweet, a little spicy.”
Next up was a Caesar salad, made using the same recipe as chef Liz’s Horses. Jeremy says it’s his ‘favourite’, with the chicory adding a ‘lovely, refreshing crunch’.
The $111 lobster perogies “swimming in brown butter” and topped with a dollop of caviar also got a big thumbs up, as did the juicy “thick boy” burger served on an English muffin with whipped butter and sidewinder fries.
Finally, Jeremy opted for the Banana Chiffon Pie, which he called “light” and “sweet,” with a little salt.
“The perfect combination,” the foodie mused.
He concluded: ‘Listen, this restaurant is pricey, but I was charmed by the quirkiness, the great staff and the food. I really enjoyed it.’