BRUNO JAMAIS RESTAURANT CLUB BRINGS THE FRENCH RIVIERA TO MANHATTAN’S UPPER EAST SIDE

Having dinner at Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club is an experience. The restaurant named for its very charming French owner Bruno Jamais is a hidden treasure where one feels like he or she has been transported from the streets of New York as you walk up the steps of the historic brownstone. Once inside, patrons are lead through a dramatic wine cellar entrance and through an automatic “Star Trek” door that gives patrons the feeling of entering the set of a James Bond movie.

Tables are spaced generously, the dark chocolate crushed velvet banquettes and chairs have a sensual feel to them, service is attentive yet unobtrusive, and low lighting and piped in background music helps to create an intimate ambience. This is a place where couples can come to share and intimate dinner or regulars can mingle as if it were a “country club at night.”

Executive Chef Hok Chin focuses on French cuisine with Asian flavors where his creative presentations are a perfect complement to the artistic style of the restaurant. Not only do guest enjoy delectable cuisine. The restaurant also features signature drinks such as “The Sexy Back,”, and “The Crème Brulee Martini,” and The Platinum “Bruno Jamais Martini.” The latter is a collaboration between Bruno Jamais and Sommelier Benjamin Maury. Bruno wanted a signature cocktail using his favorite liquor, Patron Platinum. He wanted something strong yet smooth. Bruno liked the way orange flavor is often used to complement tequila using liqueurs such as Cointreau or triple sec but to refine the taste Maury suggested that they use fresh orange instead. The peach schnapps were then added, blending perfectly with the orange while adding a hint of sweetness. Initially this drink was to be served in a glass over crushed ice following the tradition of the Caipirinha but in keeping true to New York style they decided serve it up. Thus, creating the "Platinum Bruno's Martini." Owner Bruno Jamais is the quintessential French Restaurateur with suave good looks, charming accent and debonair demeanor.

Prior to opening Bruno Jamais Restaurant and Club in 2002, the 48-year-old Parisian born Jamais was an important fixture in the culinary world as the Maitre D at restaurant Daniel. He is indebted to world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud for not only teaching him English, but also giving him the opportunity to preside over one of the country's finest venues for classic French cuisine. While at Daniel, he wielded a powerful position catering to patrons that included world leaders, society matrons, and A-list celebrities. It was during his tenure at Daniel that Jamais learned the art of 'managing the floor,' assuaging egos, and making regular clients feel special. Part of his incredible success is his understanding that, "a great Maitre' D is a good therapist." Bruno recognized that when dealing with some of the most powerful people in the world, one must meet their level of expectations. He was savvy and knew that is was essential to do his homework and keep abreast of the individuals who comprised the movers and shakers in New York. Daniel Boulud trusted Jamais because of his keen intuition and his uncanny knack for handling people and making them feel important. Bruno believes that one of the key qualities in being a successful restaurateur means, "having respect for people and having them respect you." He is pleased that many of his customers consider him a friend.

Following Restaurant Daniel, Bruno moved onto Alain Ducasse and then opened the eponymous Bruno Jamais Restaurant and Club in a beautiful 4,500 square foot townhouse on East 81st street that formerly housed Parioli Romanissimo. Bruno was well aware that to please an elite clientele, he had to deliver something extraordinary that surpassed a regular dining experience.

To set the right ambiance, he enlisted renowned architect Tony Chi who combined a clubby living room style environment with the comfortable luxury of a first class dining room. The restaurant received the "Best Restaurant Design" Award by Hospitality Design Magazine for 2004. Bruno is a favorite discreet destination for luminaries such as Keanu Reeves, Former President Bill Clinton, Kim Cattral, The Gastineau Girls, and Spike Lee to name but a few. Jamais was inspired to combine a first class restaurant with a nightclub during his time at Daniel when regular customers would inquire where they could go to drink and dance without leaving the Upper East Side. Bruno sought to model the ambiance of his restaurant after those in the South of France that effortlessly combine fine food with a sexy, glamorous and fun environment.
Bruno has obviously achieved his goal.


Every night from Monday through Saturday after the dinner crowd has finished their meals, the restaurant transforms into a supper club with DJ music and live bands. Bruno Jamais Restaurant and Club is unique because it does not solely attract the usual twenty something crowd, nor does it aspire to. Instead, it has an eclectic mix of patrons of all ages who appreciate an atmosphere that evokes memories of the legendary Regine's nightclub.



Bruno Jamais is also the ideal spot to book any type of private party from weddings, corporate events, Bar Mitzvahs, or birthdays. The restaurant can accommodate 80 people for a formal seated event or approximately 200 for a buffet dinner. For those who want true intimacy, the downstairs boasts its own wine cellar and can seat 15 people. Bruno Jamais has played host to exciting media events featuring Sting, Russell Simmons, Supermodel Carol Alt, and Bravo TV’s “The Real Houswives of New York City.”

The restaurant business is in Bruno's blood, working from the age of 15 in his father's restaurants in Paris and eventually moving on to other notable Parisian establishments such as Lucas Carton, and Le Doyen. Bruno Jamais Restaurant and Club was his first foray as an owner. He says that the most stressful part is, "maintaining the quality of the food and the dining experience, effectively promoting the establishment to an elite clientele, and the ever present awareness that in the cut-throat world of Manhattan dining, there is no room for mistakes."


Bruno Jamais is generous with praise of colleagues and admires the skills and successes of others in the industry. He cites legendary Sirio Macioni of Le Cirque, the business strategy of Gramercy Tavern owner Danny Meyer, and Blue Water Grill owner Steve Hanson. He also acknowledges the consistent quality of Daniel's food, and the expansion of Jean George as inspiring. During the rare nights when Bruno is not tending to his own establishment, his favorite restaurants to visit include Nobu, Café Boulud, Alain Ducasse, and Le Bernardin.

Located in the heart of Manhattan Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club is elegant and truly sumptuous. Reservations are required. Casual Chic attire is requested. Open for dinner Monday through Saturday from 6:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. with Live Music on Mondays. For night owls the restaurant also serves a gourmet late night menu until 3am. The restaurant also serves as the exclusive New York City Exhibition for St. Tropez artist Cyrille Margarit. Artman-Agency

Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club
24 East 81st Street
Between Madison and Fifth
New York, New York
Ph: 212 396-3444
http://www.brunojamais.com/