When first announced in November 2022, the Flyfish Club was to be the city's first NFT restaurant. However, ownership (including Resy co-founder Gary Vaynerchuk) pivoted to a more traditional membership model.
The pricing follows: a standard individual membership costs $3,500 annually (with a $1,500 initiation fee). 
And here's what you get:
Nestled in the bustling heart of Manhattan's Lower East Side, Flyfish Club extends over three expansive levels, covering more than 11,000 square feet of meticulously designed space. Members enjoy private access to a variety of curated areas, rooted in elevated dining and social experiences.The club boasts a restaurant, a lounge, a private dining room, and for select members, an exclusive omakase counter.The club's interiors are the creation of Garrett Singer Design, a distinguished leader in the design industry.
Eater has more on the place here.
Previously at this address: The five-screen Sunshine Cinema closed in January 2018 after 17 years in service.
Landmark reportedly had the opportunity to buy the property but decided against it after CB3 voted down a proposal for a full liquor license for a cafe in the theater in 2012 for pre- and post-movie drinks and dinner.
As The Lo-Down reported then, "residents in attendance ... expressed serious concerns about the application in an area already teeming with nightlife activity." Moviegoers out to see the latest from, say, Jim Jarmusch are well-known to get cranked on the craft beer.
Today, alcohol sales at multiplexes are as common as soda and popcorn, including at the AMC Village 7, Village East by Angelika, Regal Union Square, and Regal Essex Crossing.
Built in 1898, the Sunshine Cinema building was formerly the Houston Hippodrome motion picture theatre and a Yiddish vaudeville house. After sitting abandoned for many years, it was renovated, and the Sunshine opened on Dec. 21, 2001.
Good grief… err Grieve… the Ready Golf Club should have paired up with Flyfish. Same tech bro crowd.
ReplyDeleteThis is insane, and IMO only a matter of time until we hear what will go in there next. But meantime, if they can corral the bro's in one place, that helps keep them off the streets. Just more proof of how clueless the fratty ones are.
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents would be howling with laughter at the idea of a "curated" membership club at this location.
I can’t believe we lost the Sunshine for this all for the sake of a liquor license. Sigh
ReplyDeletepaying money for the privilege of paying more money is peak capitalism 🤦
ReplyDeleteBarf
ReplyDeleteHahahah
DeleteCurate some sick new tik tok contacts and literally watch your cryto soar, bros
ReplyDeleteAnother step closer to turning NYC into the next Dubai. The last movie I saw at the Sunshine was the The Eagle Huntress. What a great movie!
ReplyDeleteAnd in the meantime elected officials like Mark Levine keep lobbying for more development (like City of Yes) so there is supposedly additional “affordable “ housing.
ReplyDeleteYet they conveniently ignore gentrification tsunami projects like this and loss of housing as residents are pressured to leave, apartments held vacant and buildings torn down for luxury housing
Just sad. Or sickening, if you think about it too much.
ReplyDeleteApparently this is a fairly common business in the city. Pay to play, pay for access. ERRRRRPPP.
ReplyDeleteGated community. Stuff it.
ReplyDeleteI've always railed against One Party Rule. But both Dems and Repubs are owned by the real estate and hospitality industries. And this is what we get... a useless building. And the beat goes on... the city council and the mayor recently passed the City of Yes. The law will destroy zoning laws to build more apartments... in every neighborhood in the city... It will be especially harmful in the EV where real estate prices are low. And our low rise neighborhood will disappear.
ReplyDelete"....citing an incomplete application and concerns about the scale of the proposed liquor permit, CB3’s SLA Committee sent them away with a tongue-lashing and the threat of rejection..."
ReplyDeleteyou reap what you sow....
Great - we can all pay a "membership" (cult fee) to watch "Invasion of the Bro-dy Snatchers". I think it's time to admit defeat, the "Pod-People" have taken the form of Bros and Bro-ettes. If you wake up in the middle of the night and find a pod at the foot of your bed....well it was just a matter of time. Oh, and the word "Elevated" was a dogwhistle marketing buzzword that was already tired three years ago.
ReplyDeleteGreat job CB3; I hope you are happy.
ReplyDeleteCounting the days until it closes. But if it survives it will be because of rich foreigners. I can't believe people from this neighborhood would join a place like this. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteOne of the last movies I saw at sunshine was “the wrestler”. I only wish old Mickey Rourke was around to pounce on this elevated nonsense masquerading as culture?
ReplyDeleteMy version of a good time was a film at Sunshine Cinema followed by a knish at Yonah Schimmel. This membership fortress could have been plopped down anywhere else.
ReplyDelete