Absolutely wonderful experience. Came to celebrate a girlfriends birthday and was pleasantly surprised. Live music and a great ambiance. The service was friendly and knowledgeable. It was my first time but most definitely will not be my last. read more

Tortoise Supper Club - Supper Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Oysters gave entire party terrible food poisoning. My wife and two of her coworkers brought several clients to dinner - 4 of the 6 of them had oysters and all 4 got terribly sick. Her coworker ended up in the hospital and is still there now several days later. When my wife figured out that everyone got sick and called the restaurant - she talked to a manager and told him to make sure they stopped serving the oysters. Manager Dave seemed not at all bothered by her report, and told her he'd get back to her. He never did. I wouldn't be surprised if they kept serving those oysters given the complete lack of reaction, concern, or urgency. Nobody should visit a restaurant that cares so little about food safety except the health department. read more

In Chicago, this place still rocks!! I it's been a while since I have been here, but this place is like a fine wine which gets better with age. This time I did a full dinner and it did not disappoint. Don't forget to ask for the world famous bread for the table. Sour dough with Gorgonzola cheese among other great spices. This place is a classic old school place that keeps quality and service at the forefront. Don't miss this place. read more

for the price I expected much more from the food. Not Chicago steakhouse worthy. Also unhappy to be seated in the bar with an 8 year old granddaughter. read more

Had a very nice date at the Tortoise Club! We came to hear some jazz, and had fun hearing the combo playing that night. We sat on the opposite side of a wall from the band, and could still hear pretty well. And of course the band was good! The setting was a nice, white tablecloth atmosphere as expected, and some of the wall art was interesting. But I wouldn't say they go above and beyond in terms of place setting and ambience. There were a lot of tables, making it pretty close-packed, and we had the same silverware for all courses. The food was delicious. I got fish, my husband got duck, we shared some warm, buttered brioche rolls as an appetizer, and the Tortoise pie for dessert. Large portions. Our server was very nice and competent. He did pronounce Jarlsberg with a hard "J" but otherwise no complaints (ok I know I'm bougie). Definitely check it out for date night or to impress your coworkers! read more

Our server was attentive and had good recommendations. The octopus was smaller than we had thought but very tasty. Steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. There were multiple people walking to the restrooms without any mask- and no one addressed. Servers walked by them without mentioning it - also, a table of more than six was sat as we were leaving. I am not sure if management is disregarding protocol but unfortunately, it did seem like it. read more

It was a nice quiet place for lunch with my dear friends but was quite pricey. The food was good, some a little over thought to try and be trendy but good, not great. The tomato soup for instance had something in it that just didn't quite go and threw it off. Our waitress was the bar tender and was trying super hard to be funny, every single time she came to the table it got to be a bit much after a while and we just wanted her to say what she was going to say and go. There's a point where it becomes annoying. Would i go back? Maybe if someone brought me, but not by choice. UPDATE: they commented to make it look like someone (a manager) would follow up but no one ever did. That's very disappointing. read more

Date night last night..thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Everything was perfect. Grilled octopus, split pea soup, braised lamb shank, lamb chops, rosemary frites, peanut butter pie!! Enjoyed the live Jazz in the bar after we ate. We will definitely return. Sergio was our waiter and he was very attentive and helpful with the menu. read more

Tortoise Supper Club - Supper Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My wife and I ate here regularly. Now with your mayor's new restrictions, that's all over. No more eating here.

Good food, excellent service, and jazz. I can't imagine anything better than that. We were a bit too early for the jazz on Saturday night (which starts at 8:30) and our waiter, Chad, generously offered to "slow the roll" of our dinner so that we'd be able to enjoy some music before our meal was finished. Frankly, we often prefer not to order our main course until after we've had our appetizers because too many restaurants are quick to turn over the tables faster than is comfortable for us. We trusted our waiter, however, and went ahead and ordered the appetizer, salad, and entree right away. I first ordered a cocktail: I had a delicious, traditional Manhattan. Perfectly prepared and presented in a lovely old-fashioned glass. We had oysters for our appetizer. There were two selections: east coast and west coast. I always prefer east coast, so we each had four absolutely delicious, succulent, briny oysters. After we had time for some conversation, Chad presented us with our salad: heirloom tomatoes with goat cheese and a subtle vinaigrette dressing. The tomatoes were perfectly ripe; I'm not sure how they manage that in November, but they did. Chad waited a while to put in the order for our entrees. I can't tell you how much we appreciated this waiter. He was animated when he described the specials. I thought perhaps he had made the dishes himself from the physically descriptive way he told us about them. The fact that he offered to slow down the service in order for us to enjoy the music later was well appreciated by us. Our entrees were the crab-crusted cod with rice pilaf and vegetables and I had the seared scallops, service with an amazing pea and asparagus risotto. Both dishes were perfectly prepared, presented beautifully, and were immensely flavorful. I had a glass of the sancerre with my meal and it was perfect. For the finale, we ordered a piece of the cherry pie -- my all-time favorite desert. It did not disappoint. By the time dessert was served, the jazz had started and we were able to enjoy a bit of it before we paid our check and left. Tortoise Club is reliable for excellent, straight-forward (but not boring) food, a cozy atmosphere, exceptional service, and jazz that makes the visit a real pleasure. We have enjoyed coming here for years and will continue to do so. read more

We recently booked a business dinner for 40 people in the Red Room and the event was wonderful!! We had many compliments about the food and service! I was especially impressed with the quality of the staff; they were engaging and knowledgeable, ensuring our guests were informed in a fun way. In this environment where good service is hard to find and retain, you have many treasures at the Tortoise Club. The event managers were patient and easy to work with as we finetuned the details. And the warm feta-stuffed bread was amazing!! read more

Tortoise Supper Club attracted me because they have live music on the weekends. The downside was that even while in the dining area the music was so loud and the chatter drowned out the music. From the dining area the music is unintelligible at best. I was starving so I ordered a dozen oysters as an appetizer. They were very fresh and were delicious. I was hopeful the rest of the meal would follow suit. The menu seemed to be very small but at most places with a small menu it means nothing but knock-out choices. Here the typical fare of seafood and steaks were present, but nothing truly excited me. I had the salmon which was cook nice with some asparagus, but the piece of fish was really small for the price point that at a similar restaurant would have been double the size. My side of french fries was the winner of my meal and I could have just had the fries (and saved about $200). The thing that turned me off about this place was the service. My waiter seemed like a typical Gibsons/Mortons style guy, but he was extremely slow. Maybe that is where they get the name - Tortoise. I ordered a drink when I sat down and didn't get it until after I was done with my appetizer. The weirdest part was I order a bourbon neat, so you just pour it in a glass and serve it. Why was there a crazy long 15 minute delay? Then when I kept eyeing my waiter over to order he finally came over and asked if we were ready to order and I said yes. He responded ok, I'll give you more time to think things over and immediately walked away. I just sat there and didn't understand what just happened. Why would that mean I want more time? The food came out fast, but nothing truly excited me. I will stick to Hugo's Frog Bar, Gibsons, Mortons, or any of the other similar Chicago Institutions. I guess this place is just for tourist that don't know of the true Chicago dining scenes. I just wish I didn't waste my time and obviously lots of money here. read more

A real gem in Chicago. Great food, terrific service (Chime was wonderful), very intimate and special atmosphere with live music. We enjoyed the special -halibut - and prime rib as well as the tart cherry pie. Everything was delicious. read more

We made reservations and the entire evening from arrival through dessert was perfect. The live jazz was at just the right volume to be heard but not interfere with conversation. Sergio was the consummate professional waiter. An unexpected bonus was that they had restaurant week specials. The food was timely, perfectly cooked, perfect temperature when served and as described on the menu. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a special occasion or just a night out on the town! read more

Came here for dinner. We all got martinis (highlighted on their menu). It was fine -- not in the least dirty, and the blue cheese olives barely had blue cheese. I ordered the shrimp dip, which was great, followed by the burger. The burger had too much char -- from the bun, to the meat, everything felt way too smokey and charred. Fries were solid, dessert was solid, wine list was solid (albeit overpriced). You come here for the drinks and the live music, recognizing it is going to be overpriced and mediocre. read more

My husband and I had the ultimate pleasure of dining at the TSC for our 1st wedding anniversary. We were visiting from Denver and looked at restaurant after restaurant before landing on the Tortoise Supper Club; we chose wisely. From the moment we walked through the door, I felt like I had returned to my childhood in Wisconsin. The restaurant has a real old-school feel - red leather, moody lighting, wood accents. Our table was set up with an anniversary card from the owners, a single tapered candle and two glasses of champagne. It was lovely. We had the ultimate treat of a cozy crescent-shaped booth facing the entire restaurant. It was excellent for cuddling and people-watching, two of our favorite things to do. Our server, Luke, greeted us with fantastic recommendations and a warm personality. We liked him instantly. Throughout the night, we dined on a seafood platter served on a Lazy Susan (pure Wisconsinality), scallops, and filet mignon. They even managed to find a way to make me enjoy carrots! For dessert we had cherry pie and, to quote Twin Peaks, it is damn fine. And we drank, too. First, the aforementioned champagne then a fantastic Rioja, and the best GD whiskey sour we've ever had. We stayed at the TSC for over three hours due mostly in part to a super tight jazz combo playing in the bar. It was honestly the best experience we could have hoped for on our anniversary. As we are Cubs season ticket holders (Go Cubs Go) we will be traveling back to Chicago often always making a stop at the Tortoise Supper Club. Thanks again to Luke, the kitchen, and the rest of the staff. You're all gems. read more

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We recently held a rehearsal dinner (40 guests) in the Red Room at the Tortoise Supper Club. The evening was beautiful. Guests were particularly thrilled with the quality of the food - absolutely delicious and impeccably and professionally served! We had been somewhat concerned in advance about the possible noise from the jazz bar outside the room, but we were all amazed by the privacy and quiet within the room. We easily conversed, and although there was a glitch with the wireless mic, we were able to deliver toasts without it. Kelli worked with me for more than a year, as we reserved the spot in August of 2021. She was terrific, the value was excellent, and we felt well taken care of throughout the process. I highly recommend the Tortoise Supper Club for private parties in the area. read more

The Tortoise Club is a touch of East Coast elegance in the heart of Chicago. I have been to the restaurant on several occasions, mostly on Wednesdays because of the fabulous specials they offer that day. While the food is solid overall, what sets the Tortoise Club apart is its Happy Hour specials. Every day during the week from 4:00PM-6:00PM they have $1 oysters and shrimp, which is an absolute steal! And these are not the flavorless, unappetizing morsels a number of other restaurants in Chicago try to pass off as oysters. They are large, just the right amount of briny, and go down smoothly. The shrimp are also excellent. In addition, on Wednesday's they offer $6 cocktails. Normally these go for around $12. So it's really one of the best Happy Hours downtown. I recommend everyone stop by after work or if you live in the neighborhood. You won't be disappointed. read more

A fantastic experience from start to finish. Our lovely server Jorge M, suggested the best dishes - scallops for myself and a steak special for my husband. Both of which were incredible! He even got us set up in the lounge after dinner for drinks and jazz. The food and hospitality far exceeded our expectations for our anniversary dinner. Can't wait to come back to Tortoise the next time we are in town! read more

I haven't yet been in for dinner, but if lunch is any indication of how it'll be, there'll be no need. Lackluster and underwhelming are the first things that came to mind with the first bite. The food wasn't very fresh - particularly the avocado toast I had. Even the bread that came with our appetizer was - though warm - quite stale. The only redeeming factor was the service. We had a member of our lunch group requiring wheelchair accommodations and we found it to be fairly accessible, and the staff were attentive. read more

Restaurant week 2018. Great ambiance, lively but cozy. The cocktails were fantastic and the bartender was equally so. The food was traditional steak and potatoes but it had a chipotle cherry gastrique which completed the dish to perfection. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly and had a sense of humor to go along. My fiance and I had a wonderful time. The tortoise pie at the end was the most decadent way to end an amazing evening. Would recommend to anyone! read more

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Great spot, great food, awesome service! Love jazz band till midnight. You can't beat it.

Basically- the food and ambiance was stellar. however- I have never felt more unwelcome at a restaurant before. I understand it was happy hour and fairly busy.. but it seemed as though they wanted us to leave as soon as we walked in the door. My friend and I sat down for a drink before dinner and our bartender was just SUPER unfriendly. It is just a shame because I honestly would like to go back. the atmosphere was warm and swanky for a cold Chicago night but we just felt so uncomfortable the whole time it feels hard to justify going back. read more

I am a sucker for this place. I want to live here it's so perfect. The ambiance keeps you present and cozy (and the occasionally have live jazz!), the food is so fresh--oysters too--that you feel like every moment is a treat. If you don't know what to get, their weekly specials have never disappointed me once, and if you get their steak you'll be so well fed that you may say "no thanks" to the Tortoise cake but if you even have a remote sweet tooth, you need this in your life. I am obsessed with their cake as much as I am everything else there. There's something about how they put together the layers of chocolate, bourbon caramel, and nuts that makes every moment heaven on earth. I've always gone with a reservation but I do notice they handle everyone very well and quickly (I've never seen a long wait). Service is always stellar. If you want a full experience of good food with good company, drop everything and go here now! read more

I stopped by today with my elderly parents to make a reservation. The two men there in their mid 50's early 60's front desk were sooo rude. No hospitality manners. They didn't even greet me and my parents. I will never go to this restaurant again. Such a negative environment. read more

Loved everything about the experience at Tortoise Supper Club! Authentic supper club experience from the sport coat that the host wore to the three piece band and wood paneling on the walls. Food for the theme with sizable portions of supper club classics. We started with the calamari and French onion soup. For dinner, my husband had the meatloaf and I had the stuffed walleye - both were perfection. We capped the night with another supper club favorite - a grasshopper adult milkshake. Well done and one of my new favorites in Chicago! read more

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We went for their $1 oyster/shrimp happy hour on wednesdays and it was soooo good. We ended up splitting the calamari and lobster bisque as well. Also half price cocktails during happy hour. Definitely will be back for another and to try their dinner! Menu looks great read more

First time in Chicago and we wanted a good dinner and steak. There are so many restaurants here in the area but we decided on the Tortoise Supper Club. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! Great service that was quick and the food and drinks were phenomenal. We will definitely be back!! Thank you again for the amazing experience! read more

I just hosted a private event in Tortoise Supper Club "Red Room" last Saturday night. Kiiiiller venue! It was the perfect place to have a party on a cold winter evening with the real fireplace going on. The event planner Becky was awesome! I kept calling her tweak the food that was being served and the room set up. I expected her to get frustrated with all my last minute changes. Nothing could be farther from the truth. She always had a warm, positive vibe about her. Food was great! Staff was great! And the place looks amazing in the evening. read more

Celebrated a BIG birthday at Tortoise with friends from the suburbs on Aug 8 and we chose TSC because of the great meals we've had the previous two times we'd been there. Unfortunately, and typical of the Covid-age, TSC offered a reduced menu. While normally not an issue the quality of the food had also reduced. Both orders of Prime Rib, at over $40 each, were basically inedible as my leather belt would've been easier to cut, chew and swallow. We both left over half of it at the table but not picked up on by the waiter. And the "fish special" must've been delivered from the local Long John Silvers,,,something deeply fried with some french fries. Close to $500 for the group but thank goodness for a decent wine selection but it's a shame that our friends thought that the local chains in the 'burbs offered a better meal. Note to the bartender who became visually upset when we accidentally knocked over a martini glass - for the 10th time we're very sorry! This is one club that lost a few members. read more

After looking around at a number of places to host our wedding rehearsal dinner, my husband and I just weren't finding it. Thankfully, our amazing wedding coordinator suggested the Tortoise Supper Club. It was 2 blocks from our venue and so we went to take a look at it. We were welcomed by Mike and Bruce and they could not have been nicer. They showed us the Red Room and we loved it. The red walls and the decor was nothing like we had seen anywhere else. It was very dramatic and we could definitely see ourselves hosting our event there and the size of the room was perfect for our guest count.  One of the major perks was the add-on entertainment options for our event. It was hard to choose with all of the great selections, but we decided on the caricature artist. Our guests loved it! We had such a great experience and the night of our dinner Mike came in to say hello and to give us a hug. The entire staff at the Tortoise Supper Club makes everyone feel so welcome and they take such good care of their guests. Thank you to Kelli for helping us plan such a memorable night. We will definitely be back soon! read more

The food was good but, honestly, I've had better and paid way less. The waiter was attentive but was very impersonal. Also, although the restaurant wasn't very full, it seemed like we were being rushed through dinner. The soup came about 5 minutes after ordering. The entree came a couple of minutes after finishing the soup, and dessert came literally about a minute after we placed the order. Things came so quickly that it felt like we were at a Jimmy John's rather than a nice restaurant. We were in and out of there in about 45 minutes and I was really hoping that it would be spaced out more because my wife and I made reservations a little on the earlier side to sit and enjoy dinner before going to the opera. Back to price - all in, this was very expensive for what we got and for the relative lack of a "quality" dining experience. You're really paying a significant upcharge because this place is downtown. If this were a place in any one of the neighborhoods on the north side, you'd be paying half to 2/3 the price that's currently on the menu. So, would I go back here again? Probably not. Would I recommend this place? It depends. The ambience was nice but we didn't get to sit for very long to enjoy it. Also, I just can't get over the overall cost to dine here. read more

We came in for dinner while in town and really like the Tortoise! We were met with a sweet card and champagne to celebrate my birthday and jumped into the bustling Saturday night crowd (reservations are a must!). Restaurant week was a great way to try a variety of the menu options, all were great! And the desserts. I would go back just for the peanut butter pie. Service was a bit slower but should be expected on a full weekend night. Definitely worth a look if you are in town! read more

Nice place, decorated well, cool vibe. Dim lighting which I like. A little too warm inside for me. The server really talked up the Lazy Susan appetizers. They were okay. The main dishes were tasty. The stuffed walleye with asparagus was plenty, fresh and flavorful. Work associates said the steaks were really good. I was too full for desert but they looked yummy. Expensive place. If I go back I would just order a main dish. read more

Not impressed at all. When you get yourself hyped for what is expected to be one of the best restaurant experiences in Chicago they better deliver. Staff was a 10. Ambiance was a 10 food fell way short. Nothing was wrong with it just was not anything special. Chicago is a very competitive place and the restaurant scene is especially competitive. So not the best but can now cross them off my hit list. Chicago is now a food cultural where you have to over deliver on everything and they just deliver. read more

Nice location and ambiance. The seasonal soup was tasty on a rainy night. I enjoyed the steak frites and there also appeared to be many delightful menu choices. Having Allagash on the menu, especially in the Midwest, gets bonus points. Had a nice little alcove table with impeccable service by Chelsea. I would return if I get the chance. read more

Came here for a company happy hour. Chad took care of us, was very attentive and had an impressive eye for details. Lobster rolls and risotto bites were yummy, old fashioned and whiskey sour were delicious. Will come back and bring friends. read more

Tortoise Supper Club - Old fashioned - Supper Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really great experience! We were there celebrating our anniversary and we were welcomed with a nice note on our table and a free champagne toast! The live jazz music was also a wonderful touch. Our waitress was great as well! We started with an appetizer of steak tar tar which was heavenly and then we got he filet and New York strop both of which were delish! read more

Four of us went to dinner last night after speaking how highly of this place from a previous visit earlier this year. Unfortunately this visit wasn't the best. The server was training someone else and we ordered two wedge salads to split and only received one wedge salad to split. Our cocktails were made incorrectly, One of our wineglasses was chipped and cut the lip of one of my friends. Then to top it off one of the busboys bumped her arm (which has severe permanent nerve damage and bumping her will cause it to swell up and can deactivate the battery in her arm that allows her to move it). Needless to say I doubt she's moving from her couch today: The busboys also took the forks and plates away from one other guest who wasn't done eating and tried to take mine but I had to hit his hand to say no. read more

Good drinks. Great starters. Fair-to-middling entrees. Went here for a joint birthday dinner. While we weren't disappointed, we weren't gushing either. I did really like the decor, which reminded me of RL. The large dining room has lots of dark wood and tartan plaid, and the servers are all dressed in preppy clothes. The female staff wear their hair in ponytails tied with grosgrain ribbons. We started with a round of drinks. I had the Southside, which is the perfect summer cocktail. No complaints there. We then ordered four east coast oysters. We were brought six, and decided not to say anything about receiving two extra. I forgot to look to see how many we were charged for. Oysters were fresh and pleasantly briny. The tuna tartare was excellent, and had some diced cucumber and avocado, which added a nice contrast. Get the pretzel bread with a 312 beer cheese dip. So snackable and delicious! The tomato soup had a very pronounced, deep tomato flavor and was served with a goat cheese crostini. Excellent. We were quite full after the appetizers so we opted to share a ribeye and a side of creamed spinach instead of each of us ordering full entrees. After waiting almost 40 minutes for our entree (this is when they really lived up to the "Tortoise" part of their name), our steak was served, and they split it in the kitchen, which was nice. Now granted, we were sharing this, so we weren't expecting huge slabs of meat, but we got only about two bites each, so I guess it's good we weren't that hungry. The steak was not that good. It was thin, had no discernible "char," and very little flavor. I expect a filet to be bland, but not a ribeye. Truthfully, I've had better steaks from Jewel. The creamed spinach was downright awful. I'm not sure how they can legitimately call this "creamed" spinach because it was just leaf spinach sitting in a coagulated pool of gloopy white stuff. The spinach wasn't incorporated into the sauce at all. Pretty disappointing. I wasn't all that keen on ordering dessert, but they offered to buy it since we waited so long for our entree, so that was appreciated. We ended up with the Michigan cherry pie a la mode. Again, decent. Not fantastic. Tortoise Club is okay. I would definitely go back for a drink or an appetizer, but for dinner, there's a ton of other places in the area that do it better. read more