The regal socialite you see showcased above is the newest, flashiest addition to the Nob Hill scene, Le Club. The '70s nightspot has been reborn in its old space in the swanky apartment building at 1250 Jones that went on to house the likes of Charles Nob Hill and C&L Steakhouse. Todd Traina and Gina Milano's reservations-only restaurant/bar consists of four small rooms: the main bar area, a dining room, a lounge room and a (purple) billiards room. Daily Candy described the design as "your long-lost rich aunt's living room" and with all the marble, onyx, and velvet around, that description isn't far off at all. The kitchen completes the picture, matching the upscale classicism of the design by putting out items like fondue, caviar and lobster. Hate it or love it, Le Club is a place that knows exactly what it wants to be. We even spied mirrors on the ceiling and pink champagne on ice.
The photos from the opening party at Le Club have arrived, and with the likes of Danielle Steel and other SF royalty holding court, it pretty much appears to be the San Francisco equivalent of F. Scott Fitzgerald's East Egg. Also on hand: the new editor of Daily Candy SF, Kimberly Miller, who (no joke) also holds the honor of being one-half of the Cutest Couple of the Month. [SFLuxe, previously]
Prologue: about a month ago, we had a conversation with a restaurateur of a relatively new, mid-upscale restaurant who shrugged off the idiocy of Yelp with the following line (or some semblance of it; drinks were involved): "[My restaurant] just isn't for Yelpers. It's made for people who like food, not for people who want to critique taquerias and bars." To this day, we think it a very fair—if a little broad—assessment of the Yelp demographic versus the demographic sought by many restaurateurs.
With this in mind, we are having quite. the. time. reading the early Yelp reviews from Le Club, the new, swanky reservations-only throwback in Nob Hill. Let's just say that amenities like a parlor rooms and lobster pot pies are decidedly not Yelp-friendly. For added fun, visualize the following gems of lunacy from the Yelp Le Club universe with the voice of a petulant teenager:
Valerie B: "No music, really old crowd, the bartenders weren't helping the waitresses out so you couldn't get a drink. I don't care who showed up here on the opening week, it's stuffy & aloof & BORING!"
7x7's blog has more on Le Club, Nob Hill's new reservations-only cocktail lounge and restaurant, including the first 50 Cent reference: "Though it is a reservation-only restaurant and bar (yes, that means that even if you just want a cocktail you have to plan ahead...sorry, casual Californians), its interior is more old-fashioned lounge than new slick club: intimate, sleek and polished, with marble floors, an onyx bar and a billiards room ... don't be discouraged when you arrive at 1250 Jones (at Clay) only to discover that the building looks more like a fancy apartment building than a club." [B+B, previously]
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Today's Daily Candy had the scoop on the return of Le Club, the posh, reservations-only diner/drinks spot opening tomorrow in the Clay-Jones building:
Housed in a posh apartment building atop Nob Hill, the former 1970s nightspot (of the same name) revived by Todd Traina and Gina Milano is breaking out the bubbly. The space looks like your long-lost rich aunt's living room, with onyx-topped tables, plush draperies, and decadent parlors for backgammon and billiards
Despite a possible run-in with Miss Havisham, Le Club is certainly an intriguing one. Classic cocktails, old-school menu (oysters, escargots, lobster, etc.) and billiards: it's the essence of Nob Hill in a room. But the location, we're told, is a difficult one ("cursed"), so do beware of the great expectations. 1250 Jones Street, at Clay, 415-922-2582; website
· Club Rules [Daily Candy]
Despite rumors of a late November opening, Le Club—the under-wraps Nob Hill restaurant/lounge by movie producer Todd Traina (and others)—won't be officially open until January. However, the former C&L Steakhouse space at 1250 Jones will host private parties throughout the holiday season. [EaterWire]
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