Two New Hollywood Supper Clubs Show the Genre Isn't Purely Midwestern

Supper clubs have become a point of Midwestern pride, reminiscent of a huge slab of old-fashioned prime rib or a crisp fillet of fried fish. But they are not entirely products of the central time zone.

Credit for the first supper club goes to Beverly Hills, where a Milwaukee native opened the first supper club in the 1920s, blending aspects of entertainment, dining and a cocktail lounge. Fans of the film Swingers (with Chicago-area native Vince Vaughn) will understand. Apologies for getting Squirrel Nut zippers stuck in your head. For those who don't know, Youtube if you dare.

While it's not new to Chicago (for example, the Untitled Supper Club opened in 2012 in River North), two Prohibition-era supper clubs have recently opened their doors. Everyone attacks gender. In the South Loop, the owners of Entree, the meal kit service that debuted in 2022 in the former home of the Michelin-starred Acadia, renamed its space in Olivier, giving the area a much-needed table service restaurant at 1639 S. Wabash. Neither offers platters of relish, a staple of Midwestern supper clubs. People won't find taxidermy on display either.

In River North, the duo behind Italian Minos in the suburb of Winnetka opened its doors Charlie Martins at 736 N. Clark St. In Minos, the group revived an urban favorite from years ago, the takeout pies that Chicagoans enjoyed at HomeMade Pizza Co., a chain founded in 1997 and closed in 2014.

Here is a brief overview of the two restaurants.

Olivier

Velvet seating and vintage artwork meant to remind visitors of the 1930s is what visitors to Olivers will find. While Entrees' goal, according to co-founder Jason Weingarten, was trying to solve dinner time for busy people, Olivers is to make people happy and give back to a community that would constantly ask if dining dining would one day be open to the public (they have held pop-ups and private events).

Weingarten touts the resume of its culinary director, Alex Carnovale; he is quick to mention his time as a chef at Thomas Kellers French Laundry.

Carnovale gushes from the martini, garnished with a golden Castelvetrano olive stuffed with Beluga caviar. These types of touches are intended to show customers that Olivers does not serve the same product as Entree. They have a patio and will eventually open up the entire dining room; they only opened the bar. Carnovale plans to expand the menu when the new space is unveiled. A thick burger and a notable roast chicken Pennsylvania Farm are some of the current lighthouses. Publican quality bread sourdough, toasted in beaten beef fat with whipped egg yolk, crème fraîche and truffle and served with butter made from caramelized shallots, thyme and garlic, is a great way to eat bread and butter with a glass of wine.

The chef says his philosophy is not to overdo it: I think the more you touch the ingredients along the way, the more they start to deteriorate, Carnovale says.

The growing popularity of women's basketball and the Chicago Sky, with stars like Angel Reese, coupled with the need for more options near McCormick Place, has Oliver's staff excited for the future.

It'll be really interesting to see what happens to South Loop over the next couple of years, as we find out what happens with the Bears and White Sox, in particular, Weingarten says.

Charlie Martins

While Olivers' owners say they're celebrating the 1930s, Charlie Martins moves forward a few decades to the '50s and '60s. The central difference between the periods is the end of Prohibition in 1933. Veteran Chicago chef Matt Williams, who worked at Hogsalt, runs the kitchen here, inside a space where restaurants like Marvel have opened.

Williams plays all the hits with an oyster bar (including a seafood tower), crab cakes and a whole roasted Dover sole. There are a few steaks on the menu, bone-in dry-aged rib eye and steak fries.

Partners Glenn Deutsch, Eric Fosse and Audrey Fosse are city dwellers at heart, and although they opened their doors in Winnetka, they say they longed to return to Chicago. Eric Fosse also opened Guildhall in the suburb of Glencoe.

Deutsch believes the restaurant's small, intimate environment will resonate with diners. There is a little mystery when visitors approach the entrance: once you walk in, you have found a comfortable place and a unique environment.

There are 60 seats and many red leather booths. The soundtrack is mostly jazz. The drinks are mostly riffs on classics. Charlies Martini is made with Sipsmith gin, St. George basil brandy, Lillet Blanc and extra virgin olive oil.

Fosse takes pride in the food, saying they incorporate modern techniques into classic supper club dishes. The result is exceptional, he says.