[7] La Grenouille, the restaurant that now occupies the building, was founded in 1962 by Charles Masson Sr., a former Henri Soulé apprentice,[8] and his wife Gisèle.

[3] In 2014, Charles Masson Jr. stepped down from his longtime role as general manager amid a bitter, longstanding dispute with his younger brother Philippe, who then took over direction of the restaurant.

[4][5] Earlier in the 20th century, before La Grenouille occupied the building of 3 East 52nd Street, the French painter Bernard LaMotte has his studio in the upper floors.

An informal salon of creative people visited him, including Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Jean Gabin, and the writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who wrote a good deal of Le Petit Prince there.

[9] In 2000, La Section Americaine du Souvenir Francais, put up a plaque outside the restaurant, memorializing the aviator and writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery, who often visited the building while in exile from German-occupied France during World War II.

[21] Aside from its haute French cuisine, La Grenouille is notable for its clientele, and is considered a location of choice among New York, U.S., and international diners.

[2] A segment of this clientele includes designers from the nearby New York fashion district;[2] it has been spoken of as a hotspot for its notables, e.g. Elle magazine creative director Joe Zee.

[22] Throughout its history, La Grenouille's patrons and visitors have included Salvador Dalí,[9] Carolina Herrera,[19] Pauline Trigère,[3] former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Woody Allen and more.