Two summers ago, modern French restaurant Ella Funt opened its doors in the East Village at 78-80 East Fourth Street. Now, it has plans to expand with a cellar space, which will be called The 82 Club Theater, according to paperwork recently filed with the community board. It will serve as a theater performance area so the restaurant can have a dedicated space for live performances.
Ella Funt’s concept pays homage to the legendary Club 82 that historically occupied the space, and its name is a nod to a Club 82 drag artist. Its modern French menu features dishes like oysters with lime vinaigrette, cured tuna with peppers and raviolo with foie gras.
“Ella Funt is a modern French restaurant serving a unique take on French cuisine in the heart of New York. Under the culinary guidance of Alexandros Gkoutsi, it uses French cuisine as a vehicle for the best in-seasonal ingredients with a twist, serving food that is expertly crafted to be both complex yet welcoming,” the Ella Funt website states.
The Club 82 Theater is expected to host theatrical shows, film screenings, poetry readings and stand-up comedy. Through the additional basement space, owners Reginald Robson, Lounes Mazouz and Ron Castellano hope to bring back the glory days of Club 82.
Robson brings experience in the theater and film industries to the team, and he has partnered with the producers of EMURSIVE at the McKittrick Hotel to bring a show called HYPNOTIQUE to The Club 82 Theatre in 2026. Mazouz has deep experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, working across markets like London, Paris and Dubai. Castellano has architecture and development experience, known for his work in reviving the Lower East Side.
The proposed menu for Ella Funt & The Club 82 Theater on the paperwork includes items like charred shishito peppers, cheese plates, prime angus beef tartare, braised baby back ribs, Wagyu burgers and martinis and other cocktails.
Plans call for 63 tables in the cellar in addition to the 16 on the ground floor, with 132 seats in the cellar in addition to the 42 on the ground floor. The hours of operation will be noon to 4 a.m., with extended hours from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
As of now, an exact timeline for opening The Club 82 Theater remains unclear. However, it appears that it is still in the construction phase.
