“What should I order?” says the first time guest sitting in a leather tufted banquette at a candelit table listening to live jazz and soaking in the swanky atmosphere.
Our first time guests often tell us they have researched Tortoise Supper Club on our website and they have made their ordering decisions before ever stepping foot in the restaurant! To that guest we offer some recommendations for signature supper club menu items to get the full, only in Chicago, only at Tortoise Supper Club experience. Many culinary delights will be mentioned, but the true Tortoise experience will be unique to each guest so imagine yourself stylishly relaxing in our swanky vibe, and consider these menu suggestions a mere starting point.
5 Menu Highlights for the Tortoise Supper Club Signature Experience
- First things first. A craft cocktail, fresh oysters, and a relish tray.
Order Oysters to start. No need to think about it, just request a half dozen Nonesuch oysters served with Bloody Mary cocktail sauce. Your oysters may arrive before your cocktail!
Craft Cocktail or Martini-Your-Way is next. Everything from our bar is made from scratch. The Manhattan, Old Fashioned, and Antique Whiskey Sour are three brown spirit drinks that are absolute best sellers 10 years and counting. Additionally, the Blood Orange Harpoon is an organic version and predecessor to the Cosmopolitan cocktail. We understand our Martini drinkers know exactly how they want their martini made, so the house martini on our menu is the “Martini-Your-Way” with a base of Prairie Gin, or Prairie Vodka for just $13.
Our Relish Tray. Presented on a crystal lazy Susan, offered with a little spin when delivered to the table, the Relish Tray is something special. The Relish Tray consists of marinated olives, white balsamic mushrooms, pimento cheese and pretzel toast, bread and butter pickles, golden beets, and house made mixed nuts.
- Soup, Salad, and the best complimentary bread in the city.
The lobster bisque, like everything at Tortoise Supper Club, is made from scratch. It is the only soup on our menu for a reason. You will love it.
We do offer a lovely Chopped Wedge Salad and Classic Cesar Salad which are both remarkable salads at Tortoise and very common in supper clubs and steakhouses. The Hydro Boston Bibb Salad deserves to be highlighted. A simple Bibb Lettuce salad, with a light but savory ranch vinaigrette, is delicately garnished with a “Parmesan Frico” which is a thin crisp cracker made only from parmesan.
We have been told on Tik Tok that we have the “best table bread in the city”. This French boule bread is just $3.95. Cut into 6 pieces, the freshly made bread is stuffed with mascarpone and gorgonzola cheese, dusted with herbs, garlic butter, toasted, served warm with an olive oil drizzle. It is not to be missed!
- The Freshest Seafood.
The Chilean Sea Bass is the crown jewel of our seafood menu. On the menu since we opened, the Chilean Sea Bass is served on a bed of coconut rice with sauteed watercress and ginger. The Sea Bass is then presented with a warm shrimp ragout to pour over the Sea Bass. The other notable signature supper club seafood specialty the Dover Sole Meuniere. From Dover, England, this delicate fish is lightly dusted with flour, pan seared, fileted in the kitchen, and served with a classic lemon butter sauce. A Dover Sole connoisseurs delight!
- 40 Day, Wet Aged, Prime Black Angus Steaks.
Allen Brothers is one of the oldest butchers in Chicago, and the purveyor for all of our steaks at Tortoise Supper Club. We proudly serve all Prime, Black Angus steaks. If you are of the “just go for it” mentality, your steak order will be the 10 oz. Prime Filet Oscar which is a 10 oz. filet topped with lumps of King Crab, crowned with Asparagus and Bearnaise Sauce. This beautiful, decadent presentation is definitely a signature supper club steak. Beef Wellington is another item unique to the Tortoise Supper Club menu. Also, a 10 oz. prime filet, the beef wellington is wrapped in a buttery puff pastry with Crimini mushroom, prosciutto, and chestnut duxelles. Of course, the best Prime Rib in Chicago deserves mention here! Our King Cut Prime Rib is offered Friday and Saturday nights. Chef Pablo seasons the Prime Rib with Lawry’s Seasoning, peels back the cap, seasons it again with lawrys and chopped rosemary, then slow cooks the beef for 12 hours and served is with silky, buttery mashed potatoes, horseradish cream, and Rosemary Jus.
- Dessert: Plan for it.
Pies are a staple to the supper club experience, and we are famous for our pies. The Cherry pie made with Michigan tart cherries, Almond Essence, and house made Madagascar vanilla ice cream — our staff’s favorite. Server Chime says, “our cherry pie will change your life”.
The Tortoise Pie is our namesake chocolate “pie” with candied walnuts, bourbon caramel sauce, and whipped cream. The decadent Tortoise Pie is not made with a traditional pie crust, rather the batter is poured directly into the pie pan creating crispy edges of chocolate.
No supper club visit is complete without the Grasshopper adult milkshake for dessert. This is an elevated presentation which includes house made Madagascar vanilla ice cream, brandy, crème de menthe, crème de cacao, mint cookie, chocolate straw, whipped cream, and fresh mint.
Live Jazz the night away.
Weekends, after dinner, adjourn to the lounge for live jazz and a night cap to soak in the swanky, candlelit, jazz era vibe at the best bar in Chicago right here at Tortoise Supper Club! Live Jazz is offered on Friday and Saturday evenings. Live jazz standards offer toe tappin, finger snappin’ jazz. The bar is open seating to the public and first come first serve. Wander into the bar after dinner to secure your spot.
A few helpful notes for your visit:
Feel free to peruse the website for general details on our different offerings from Live Jazz to Happy Hour and Holidays at Tortoise. We are well known for Business Dinners & Corporate Gatherings, Rehearsal Dinners, Weddings, and Milestone celebrations in Downtown Chicago.
Location: We are located in the heart of River North on the west side of State Street just North of the River.
Valet Parking: Valet is available beginning at 4:30pm Tuesday through Saturday evenings for $16 for 3 hours and $20 for anything longer. If you are headed to the Theatre, we offer complimentary valet with theatregoers with dinner. Simply show your theatre ticket and valet ticket to the host, and we will validate your parking ticket. Feel free to keep your car parked at Tortoise Supper Club for the duration of your show as we are just an 8-minute walk from multiple theatres in the theatre district.
Train: The closest EL train station is either the Red Line at Grand, or Clake and Lake.
Coat Check: We offer (and recommend) complimentary coat and bag check.
Attire: We are comfortable if you are comfortable, so dress according to your night. You will see TSC guests dressed in smart casual,
Lastly, if you have any questions about your upcoming visit. Don’t hesitate to call us at (312)755-1700. We would love to talk with you!