[1] Longchamps restaurants were known for their natty art deco furnishings and decorations by Winold Reiss,[2] and a number of designs for elements of their physical surroundings were drawn up by New York architect Ely Jacques Kahn,[3] originator of a colorful version of art deco architecture.

[4] In the early 1960s, Longchamps was the first – and perhaps the only – restaurant to introduce complementary Metrecal at luncheon,[citation needed] and was otherwise known for such specialties as Oxtail Ragout, Crabmeat a la Dewey, Nesselrode Pie, and "21-Percent Butterfat Ice Cream".

In 1967, with a total of eight locations existing in Manhattan at that point, he sold a controlling stake to Murray and Irving Riese.

[5][6][7] Restaurateur Larry Ellman, owner of the Cattleman Restaurant, soon became partners with the Rieses and was named president of the chain.

[8] In 1971, the chain sold four of its remaining restaurants to the Riese Organization, also controlled by the Riese brothers, mostly removing it from the "white tablecloth" restaurant business, and a number of the old locations had been turned into steakhouse-themed outlets.