Maxwell's Plum was a bar at 1181 First Avenue, at the intersection with 64th Street, on the

Upper East Side The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the boroughs of New York City, borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded approximately by 96th Street (Manhattan), 96th Street to the north, the East River to the e ...

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

in New York City. A 1988 New York Times article described it as a "flamboyant restaurant and singles bar that, more than any place of its kind, symbolized two social revolutions of the 1960s – sex and food". Owned by Warner LeRoy, it closed abruptly on July 10, 1988. It was opened on April 1, 1966, by Warner LeRoy, son of

Mervyn LeRoy Mervyn LeRoy (; October 15, 1900 – September 13, 1987) was an American film director and producer. During the 1930s, he was one of the two great practitioners of economical and effective film directing at Warner Bros., Warner Brothers studios, ...

the Hollywood producer ('' Wizard of Oz'', '' Mister Roberts'', ''

Quo Vadis ''Quo vadis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you going?". It is commonly translated, quoting the KJV translation of John 13:36, as "Whither goest thou?" The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Peter's fi ...

''), it was initially part of his theater, providing a cafe with good wine lists and hamburgers for the 1960s swinging singles crowd. It became a favorite gathering spot and within a few years the theater was closed in 1969 to expand the cafe with a luxury dining room reminiscent of Maxim's in Paris. Patrons enjoyed Maxwell's Plum mixed experience of a boulevard café or a second floor majestic restaurant that overlooked the first floor singles' bar. Maxwell's Plum rose rapidly to be one of the city's top venues grossing over $5 million by the 1970s, equivalent to $20 million when adjusted for inflation, with alcohol sales contributing more than a third. It was famous for its eclectic menu ranging from chili and hamburgers to wild boar and caviar, along with its first class service without snobbery and "outlandish

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

decor – kaleidoscopic stained-glass ceilings and walls, Tiffany lamps galore, a menagerie of ceramic animals, etched glass and cascades of crystal." Warner Leroy had two original Toulouse Lautrec paintings in frames screwed into the hall wall leading from mezzanine to upstairs toilets. Two large Tiffany lamps hung over the 2 large tables on the mezzanine level, three steps up from the floor level bar & sitting area. This was during the 1st phase of Maxwell's Plum. It soon served over 1,200 customers a day, including such celebrities as

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway theatre, Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers wa ...

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...

Bill Blass William Ralph Blass (June 22, 1922 – June 12, 2002) was an American fashion designer. He was the recipient of many fashion awards, including seven Coty Awards and the Fashion Institute of Technology's Lifetime Achievement Award (1999). Ear ...

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...

and

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career has spanned over six decades, and he has received an Academy Award and three Golden Globe Awards. He also received the Irving G. Thalberg Memor ...

, and becoming what ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' called "a favorite watering hole for the 'swinging singles' set." Other celebrities included: Myrna Loy, Buddy Hackett, NY Giants football players (who sat on 2nd floor area), and Vince Edwards (who played Dr Ben Casey). A second location opened in 1981

San Francisco, California San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

, at a cost of $7 million, then soon closed. LeRoy built Potomac, a similarly themed 850-seat restaurant in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, the largest in the city's history, which also closed soon after opening at a cost of $9 million. LeRoy closed the Plum in 1988 when he sold the First Avenue building. In January 1989, the furnishings and contents of Maxwell's Plum were auctioned off. At the auction, the Tribeca Grill acquired the Plum's large island bar.

References

{{Restaurants in San Francisco 1966 establishments in New York City 1981 establishments in California 1988 disestablishments in New York City Art Nouveau architecture in New York City Art Nouveau restaurants Defunct restaurants in California Defunct restaurants in Manhattan Restaurants established in 1966 Restaurants disestablished in 1988 Defunct restaurants in San Francisco First Avenue (Manhattan)