Is the Frog Club in trouble?

The unmarked door of the Frog Club.
Photo: Colin Clark/The New York Times/Redux

Rumors are circulating that the Frog Club — the amphibian-themed tavern that opened in the space of the old Chumley’s behind a smokescreen of bouncers and an opaque reservations-only policy — is on the verge of closing after just five months in business. As it turns out, the claims are likely exaggerated, and chef and owner Liz Johnson seems determined to keep the business afloat. Still, some former employees say all is not necessarily well behind the nearly windowless facade.

“The whole exclusivity thing backfired because they couldn’t fill the room,” said one former chef. Another employee estimated that the number of guests per night was only a few dozen, although she estimated the room could hold more than 100. Another added: “The current excuse is that the West Village is slow in the summer. That’s true, but given all the hype, I think people expected a full house every night.” That expectation may hold true for investors. At least one has expressed his dissatisfaction in writing; in an email to the lawyer for Johnson’s former partner Will Aghajanian, he wrote: “I, and probably the vast majority of investors, feel completely deceived.” (Neither he nor any other investor, Someone should feed Phil Star Phil Rosenthal responded with a comment.)

Another problem could be employee turnover. “A small core group has stayed since the beginning, but the rest of the staff has changed, especially in the service area,” said one of the new employees (who, like everyone else, spoke on the condition of anonymity to allow candor without jeopardizing his employment prospects). He estimated that at peak times there were about 25 employees in the service and support areas. The same employee speculated that eight to 10 had left the company or been laid off within a few weeks.

“Liz is not an asshole, she is not presumptuous, but there is more than one way to sow bad blood in the kitchen,” said one chef who recalled disagreements over recipes. (The disgruntled investor had noted in the same email that the food was “burnt and tasteless.”)

Johnson seems to be taking steps to change things for the better. Former employees say she’s added Horses’ popular Caesar salad to the menu, and also started offering happy hours and weekend parties designed to attract an influential arts crowd. But if you want to experience the restaurant’s eccentricities for yourself (a ceiling covered in bondage-style chains, a penny-stamp machine) or find out if we’re on the verge of a major restaurant industry comeback, there are tables available on Resy.