An exclusive and elusive West Village restaurant is 86-ing its hyper-strict no-photo policy.
“Kermit says photos are now allowed at Frog Club,” the trendy Frog Club announced in an Instagram post Friday featuring a Kermit the Frog plushie and Chef Liz Johnson.
This is a reversal of their stringent policy of no photos that was once atop their “10 Ways to get 86ed” list, which even outlawed bathroom selfies.
The furtive food spot had been providing diners with a square sticker that fit neatly over the camera space of the average smartphone.
Not everyone is happy — many commenters on the Instagram post bemoaned the rules change and potential loss of cultural cache.
“The kewl is gone now,” wrote one Insta user. “I liked the mystery,” someone else chimed. “Womp womp,” declaimed another.
Frog Club is the newest project of superstar Chef Liz Johnson, who opened the joint earlier this year.
The zany, highbrow-homespun joint has been a rousing success – even drawing the likes of one of the world’s richest men Jeff Bezos and his fianceé Lauren Sanchez.
Page Six reported that Bezos’ table even shelled out for the priciest menu item – “Kiss the Chef for $1,000” – where diners can pucker-up to kiss Johnson on the cheek.
When asked who bestowed the smackeroo, Johnson told Page Six, “It was a delightful evening, but I don’t kiss and tell :)”
Another practice deemed a bannable offense by Chef Johnson is “lying about it being your birthday.”
Frog Club, located at 86 Bedford in Manhattan’s West Village, bills itself as the “New Yorkiest Room in New York” and features murals of frogs in suits engaged in various revelries. Memorabilia dominates the decor and touching any of it “or thinking of touching any of it” will get you booted.
The menu boasts a hamburger in a homemade English Muffin with sidewinder fries, Lobster pierogies topped with caviar, and escargot casserole.
Frog Club did not respond to comment at time of publishing.