| Le Cirque | |
|---|---|
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1974 |
| City | New York City |
| State | New York |
| Country | United States |
| Website | Le Cirque Official Website |
Le Cirque is a French restaurant in Manhattan owned and operated by Sirio Maccioni. It first opened at the Mayfair Hotel in 1974. It closed and reopened as Le Cirque 2000 at the Palace Hotel in 1997. The latest installation of Le Cirque opened in 2006 in the Bloomberg Tower building at One Beacon Court (151 East 58th Street). The current flagship location is a 16,000-square-foot (1,500 m2) restaurant designed by interior designer Adam Tihany,[1] architect Costas Kondylis. The architectural lighting design was completed by Paul Gregory, principal of Focus Lighting Inc. There is a second flagship restaurant at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas that holds One Michelin Star and a AAA Five-Diamond rating.[2]. The Maccioni family also owns and operates Osteria del Circo in two locations: Manhattan on 120 W 55th St and Las Vegas in the Bellagio Hotel as well as Sirio Ristorante inside Aria in Las Vegas.
This is the third location for Le Cirque. Its first stood for 22 years on East 65th Street. From 1996 until its closing after New Year's Eve 2004, it was located at the Villard House at the Palace Hotel (it was then called Le Cirque 2000).[3] This location has been open since May 30, 2006. The family's efforts to transition the restaurant to its current location was featured in the documentary film Le Cirque: A Table In Heaven directed by Andrew Rossi.[4]
From 1986 to 1992, Daniel Boulud was executive chef.[5] He was succeeded by Pierre Schaedelin,[3] Christophe Bellanca, and Craig Hopson.[6]
In 2008, Gayot named the restaurant one of its "Top 40 Restaurants in the United States",[7] a status it has maintained to the present day.
In July 2009, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the former President of the Philippines was highly criticized for her supposed outlandish dinner at Le Cirque with the Philippine delegation during her visit to the United States.[8] President Arroyo and her group reportedly had dinner for the cost of $20,000 or P1,000,000 as reported in the New York Post.[9]