Le Club

Le Club
Interactive map of Le Club
Restaurant information
Established1960
Food typeFrench cuisine
Location416 East 55th Street (original location), New York City, New York, United States
ReservationsMembers only
Other locations
313 East 58th Street; Waldorf Astoria New York

Le Club was a members-only restaurant and nightclub located at 416 East 55th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It was considered one of the first American discotheques.

History

On New Year's Eve in 1960, French expatriate Olivier Coquelin founded the members-only discotheque, Le Club. It was frequented by the elites of New York City, including the Vanderbilts and Kennedys, and members of royalty. As a young man in the 1970s, Donald Trump frequented the club, particularly associating with Roy Cohn.

In the 1970s, the club repeatedly failed New York City health code inspections despite its status among socialites. The club was cited for mouse excrement in storage and locker areas.

The club moved to 313 East 58th Street in 1981, then to the Waldorf Astoria New York in 1996.

An early board of directors at Le Club included Oleg Cassini, the then-Duke of Bedford, Ian Russell, Rex Harrison, Nicholas Biddle, and Alan Jay Lerner, among others.

References

  1. ↑ "The Birth, Proliferation, and Death of Disco". AMERICAN HERITAGE. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  2. ↑ Braunstein, Peter (November 1999). "Disco". American Heritage. 50 (7).
  3. ↑ Andelman, David A. (July 9, 1974). "Le Club, Restaurant of Jet Set, Cited for Health Code Violations". The New York Times. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  4. ↑ Times, Alberto @ Adorable (September 7, 2024). "Adorable Story #80: Olivier Coquelin and the invention of the modern discotheque". Adorable Times’ Newsletter. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  5. ↑ Trump, Mary L. (2020). Too Much and Never Enough. Simon and Schuster. p. 100. ISBN 9781982141462.
  6. ↑ Andelman, David A. (July 9, 1974). "Le Club, Restaurant of Jet Set, Cited for Health Code Violations". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  7. ↑ Haden-Guest, Anthony (March 12, 2019). "Donald Trump's Nights Out at Le Club With Roy Cohn". The Daily Beast.
  8. 1 2 Andelman, David A. (July 9, 1974). "Le Club, Restaurant of Jet Set, Cited for Health Code Violations". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
  9. ↑ Sharp, Christopher (April 28, 1981). "Le Club Picks Up Le Czech: Eyeview". Women's Wear Daily. Vol. 142, no. 81. p. 18. ProQuest 1445501083.
  10. ↑ Gelder, Lawrence Van (November 7, 1996). "Chronicle". The New York Times. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

40°45′23″N 73°57′46″W / 40.75639°N 73.96278°W / 40.75639; -73.96278