Elaine's: The Rise of One of New York's Most Legendary Restaurants from Those Who Were There Paperback – October 27, 2020

Did you ever make it to Elaine’s restaurant in New York? Elaine was a formidable, much loved, much feared matriarch who ran her watering hole for writers, cops, celebrities, gangsters and assorted other luminaries from the 1960’s to the 00’s, When she died, Elaine's died, as it must without her ample prevailing spirit. Amy’s book is a romp through that charmed time and place, a fun and poignant riff down memory “line” (the tables along the wall were known as “the line” where the Woody Allens, Norman Mailers, Kurt Vonneguts, George Plimptons, Jackie Kennedys (and later Os) and all sat.ELAINE'S is a trip: to the remarkable alchemy of a fabulous joint that Elaine Kaufman created on 2nd Ave. and 88th. Amy and her fellow sharers evoke the madly unique experience—and character—that was Elaine. I’m particularly struck by the strong sense of family that people who were a part of it all felt in her establishment, in her presence—one and the same, I guess--and the many mentions of how she changed people’s lives. Elaine had a habit of encouraging writers and running tabs for them while seeing that the very well-to-do paid their fair share. Not a bad legacy for a tough broad who was able to punch guys in the face, give beautiful women the cold shoulder and expel the likes of Geraldo while sticking up for the little guy. The place was glamorous as hell, but also a neighborhood haven for the brilliant and gifted...and the rest of us. It was the Democratic Republic of Elaine's. Amy Penn, with considerable insight and pizzazz, brings the magic to us on a platter.

I liked the content and found it interesting. As just another frustrated author/English teacher, I found the editing appalling based on the lack of the correction of basic grammatical errors. Somebody got paid big bucks to throw this together and never took the time to read it and fix those errors!! Annoying!,

A quick read, easy to read episodically since it’s a collection of individual experiences of celebrities, journalists, ordinary people and a smattering of literati.

If I could stand and applaud.... It wouldn't be enough. I'm old enough to get Elaine's but never entered there, more of a West Coast guy than NYC which I can take only in small doses. Those doses getting larger as I age and slow down. First introduced to Elaine's through readings of Stuart Woods whose fiction I loved most of the 90s and always with a scene or two in Elaine's. So I knew it was an eclectic group of people, many famous. And I later thought of stopping by certain to be sent to Siberia. The next I know of Elaine's is reading or her and its death. The NYT had great articles of this iconic saloon/eatery.But NOTHING truly captures the spirit of Elaine's like this book. Of course there is one HUGE drawback: while right sized for most of my reading, it's half of what I would Iike to read by the inhabitants of Elaine's world in this essay based chapter by different writers. Where to start: Keith Hernandez in the restroom? No that's too sensational. How about the patron who Elaine helped through the death of his wife. No, not humorous enough even though it does show the true Elaine. How about Elaine in Europe? NOW we're talking!!! Total comedy, pandemonium and shenanigans much to the chagrin of travel companion Jessica Burstein. Still Elaine Madsen probably encapsulates it best with Elaine's quote, "I'm a f'ing legend". Yes, she knew it.Read this book to know a flavor of NYC, the culture of famous writers, the 60s through the 90s, celebrities. No, no, no. Read this book to receive a touch of Elaine and Elaine's. THAT is the gift and well worth it where this book and these writers try to convey their luck at being invited to Elaine's party. Even if she did eat off their plate and then charge them.

Very disappointed, very flimsy, nothing noteworthy that I haven't read before in the newspapers. Waste of my money.

Elaine’s really was a cultural icon, but you’d never understand why from this book, a collection of short pieces by the forgotten, near-famous and never-weres who used to patronize the place. No copy editor laid hands on this vanity project, a book as much about its author/editor as its subject, which refers to the Mystery Writers of America as “the Edgar Allan Poe Writers Guild” and to the legendary Oriole as “Cal Rifkin.”

Not really written like a book.Each chapter is a eulogy of their experiences at Elaine's. And they all say the same thing. Got tedious after a while. Definitely would have liked more of a straight non fiction history of the woman, the restaurant and what went down there.

testimonials, tributes, and memories from the lesser known luminaries among the regulars who frequented the eating/drinking establishment elaine’s, of the restaurant and the owner of the quintessential new york personality, elaine kaufman. if you were a nobody, say a budding novelist, if elaine liked you, she might send you to a table or barstool to talk to someone famous or established in the writing profession if she believed there would be a good conversation—elaine’s was about good conversation more than the food. the patrons who shared memories for this book, didn’t share private or overheard conversations into the dealings of famous people. this book is mostly atmospheric, with the occasional good story. for those who frequented elaine’s, the pleasure was in being there and privileged to hear good stories. elaine was known to guard the privacy of her clientele, and those who remember her paid her and the gatherers of her restaurant the same respect.