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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, Old TownSedgwick (Purple Express, Brown)
Clark/Division (Red)
Don't Just Wish Someone A Good Holiday, Give Them One With Chili's.
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Here's the deal - the food is good, the drinks are good, the decor is good. The clientele was like something out of a Star Wars bar -- from your midriff shirt wearing, muffin top baring (for real) suburban ladies, to families with toddlers, to couples on (seemingly) awkward dates to boisterous middle aged men complaining they wanted better tables (likely to be more "seen"), I cannot recommend a place where there's better people watching. That said, it's almost a scary sight.
The waiter was REALLY friendly, and by really friendly I mean over the line inappropriate and blatantly flirtatious. All that flirty on his end and he didn't comp any of the $13.50 martinis? You will be single forever, my man.
Had the tuna special - sashimi grade with a delicous au poivre sauce drizzled on it. My friends had the whitefish filet and the other had the steak, which they both loved despite looking like they barely touched it - the portions were huge! However, the dessert was definitely the highlight of the evening, definitely recommend the brownie sundae topped with peanut brittle, vanilla ice cream and a raspberry. Lucky for me, the other two didn't like peanut brittle (shhhhh, it's the best part).
Probably a place I would return to with a group of friends or (if I had) a long term boyfriend, but not a great "first date" locale due to the noise level. Hopefully by then they will have been able to weed out the weirdos.
I have no idea who Jerry Kleiner is but I like his restaurant. I, too, came for the after hours/Carol J party and had a really good time. The staff was friendly and the drinks were stiff--that alone gets a few stars. Then I went for lunch with a girlfriend before heading to the Field to see the Diamonds exhibit (omg, you have to see it!) and that sealed the deal for me.
I had somehow missed the swanky decor upon entering the first time (uh, too many free Yelp party drinks?!). When we went for lunch we were brought into the main dining room and I was in love. The chairs are to die for; a mixture of alligator (?) and red, black and white fabric, and the art covering the walls kept me straying from my companion's conversation. There is a huge, huge neon green painting with what looks like a charred human heart splattered on the corner--LOVED that one. A completely eclectic mix of decor but the place still had such an old school gorgeous feel. I totally want to have a date there. Yeah, okay, I would settle for just a date at this point. :(
I have not even told you about the food yet! Our server, Brian, seemed a bit nervous when we asked questions about the wine and menu but maybe it was because we were the first table of the afternoon or maybe it was because we two were just so pretty he couldn't focus! ;)
Once settled on, we ordered between us, the mac and cheese (which isn't on the lunch menu but we begged), the tomato soup with mini grilled cheese sandwich, and the mozzarella, tomato and basil omelet, served with toast (super dry) and potatoes (with onions and peppers--so good!).
That mac and cheese, which I think was made with truffle oil, was so good, I mean it..tasty! I did not sample my friend's soup/sandwich because my omelet was so big and came with the sides but what I had was really good. The omelet was really fresh and fluffy and those potatoes were perfectly seasoned.
After all of that food it was on to the Field to study our favorite topic, as mentioned previously, Diamonds! A perfect way for Sarah B. to spend her day off, great food, lovely company and those rocks. Now if only I can find some handsome gentleman to take me back to 33 Club so I can try out the dinner service!
I'm with my lovely twin on this one. I am not usually a fan of Jerry Kleiner restaurants. And when Matticakes and Carol J. disclosed the location of a post masquerade soiree, I was curious and wanted to check it out. I was nicely surprised!
The decor is very nicely done. I imagine it will be even better during warmer months. It is not like his others, in that dream like/alice in wonderland/over the top way, and is very much toned down, yet still rich, decadent and fun.
We headed downstairs to a private room, and it was a charming lounge with dark, sexy wood, comfortable seating, fabulous bartenders and delicious cocktails.
We did not do dinner here, but I did have a few of Carol's handcut fries. If I wasn't wearing a skin tight dress, I would have indulged more. I will be back to try their menu!
Admittedly Jerry Kleiner restaurants have never been my fav... all of the muss, fuss and over-the-top kooky ambiance are lost on moi; they manage to never translate as whimsical and posh, but underwhelming and distracting. Yeah, I'm a buzz kill. Perhaps a purist? And apparently definitely a convert?!
Had no idea these were even Kleiner's digs... nope, not even once smack dab inside the dark, luxe and uberlovely surroundings. Not a trace of that signature gaudy kitch, well save for those velvet Louis Vuitton luggage handle chairs that have been resurrected from the ashes of the failed Room 21 - and hey, I actually always liked those! The Kleiner formula has been refined and toned down with 33 Club to reveal a truly beautiful, classy and impressively decadent space... a space that I actually can not wait to get back and dine in!
Our Masquerade after party hosted by the gorgeous Carol J and absolutely luscious Matt L in their private party room (complete with dedicated coat room, private potties, glorious bar and ample seating... swoon) was my 33 Club introduction and nothing short of pure revelry fabulosity. Our bartenders were lightening fast, sugar sweet and could sure pour one mean dirty martini! YUM. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to choose this venue repeatedly when looking for an ideal soiree locale, but the real issue is, who is going back with me for dinner? Hmmmm?? Because you know, I managed to spy the full 33 menu upon my departure and if their goat cheese-stuffed dates, braised veal ragout and seared maine lobster are anywhere near as good as the bacon popcorn (oh YES, bacon!) I munched on while sipping on a cold one, we're all in for a treat of Kleiner proportions!
The 33 Club is serving up a healthy dose of class and panache. And I like it!
Recently came here for an afterparty in a private room downstairs. Plenty of seating, fine bartending and good company to boot! I tried only a bit of someone's calamari and it was very good.
Cool atmosphere... it's evident that they put a lot of thought into the fine details here.
The service is top-notch! That alone warrants a return visit. I'll update my review after I do a deeper dive into their menu.
Mainly for the service:
I arrived from traveling to attend Carol J's after party. I was rained on, and surely looked at least as tired as I felt. The hostess immediately grabbed my luggage and briefcase from me and put it all away. I really appreciated that.
Parked right by the hostess stand at the end of the bar was a guy I'd not seen in a while - a friendly chance meeting that more or less blocked the traffic flow. The Hostess, whom I thought was going to quibble about where I stood schmoozing, simply patted me on the back and moved me ever so slightly out of the way as we continued the schmooze.
I then made my way to the party downstairs, which was serviced by bartender "Doc," who was sociable, efficient as hell, and a true professional. When I ordered my calamari appetizer, the party was already crowded. I expected it to take a while. Doc waved me over to the bar in less than ten minutes, and there was my calamari (which was very good enough; I was so hungry that it could have been average and I still would have liked it).
Someone turned off the Yankees/Phillies game and turned on the Bulls. I asked Doc if we could please have the Yankee game back. Done. Back to the World Series. Eh, Bulls....we have a few games yet to watch this year, don't we?
Doc had asked me if he could run a tab; that was fine. When I said I wanted to close out, he had my bill ready instantly, despite the crowd at the bar.
Just a real pleasure all around. Oh, and the Chopin martinis were perfect.
Came over on this past rainy Thursday evening for Matt & Carol's afterparty. The upstairs area looked like a great place to be, but the party I was attending was downstairs. The hostess was polite enough to show me where my party was located.
Nice classy room we had...the people attending of course enhanced the already smooth atmosphere. I had a nice vodka cranberry and a Stella, which did not set me back too bad. The server (don't know her name) was really fast with getting the drinks to us after she took the orders and she was really nice.
This seems to be a nice place and I would love to come back at some point
This restaurant was chosen for three reasons. 1.) It was close to our Second City event. 2.) It was on Chicago magazine's hot list and featured on Metromix. 3.) Sister restaurant, Il Poggiolo in Hinsdale was bad ass.
This place lived up to the hype. However, if you live in the burbs Il Poggilo, is better and the restaurant looks the same.
+ French onion soup
+ Great Table on the edge of the balcony
+ Perfect seer on my fillet
++ Nudey pictures on the men's room wall
+/- It seems like the hipsters stay in the bar and the old timers were in the dining room.... strange
- No glass for my beer
- Extremely awkward waiter
If you want to see some 70 year old men try to get in a fight with some 25 year old men, come here.
They at least had some decent beers. Pride and Joy is hard to find on the East Side. But the prices were also not hipster friendly, reminder you are not on the West Side.
I didn't have any food or cocktails or anything that takes any effort though, so I'll just end things here.
Admittedly, I have no hate for Jerry Kleiner or his restaurants. Why? Because I have only been to one and really liked it. Coming in here I had an open mind, an open heart and a hungry stomach.
Like quite a few people who have reviewed this place I came here for the after party, except I did not attend the before party. I came here a wee bit early to sit down with a friend, catch up and heave some tasty vittles in my mouth. Yes, the place is slightly over the top, but good lord do I believe this area needed something different and I like the style here. An updated version of an old style bar. Big bar, big mirrors, loads of space and well, the place was jumping and pretty full. I was hushed to the downstairs private party room. Lovely and not over the top, I spied with my little eye my friend and an open seat next to her at the downstairs bar. I nestled up with a glass of Pinot Noir and gazed longingly at the menu... tracing every word with my finger, achingly imaging every descriptive morsel being wrapped around by my mouth... oh wait. Sorry about that... I sometimes tend to romanticize the past.
But here? No romanticizing the hefty and delicious burger I got. Cheese? Check. Bacon? Sweet Mama. Fried egg? Sorry for that pool of water there, that's my drool. Medium please and off my order went. Doc, (the bartender), was nice and informative on life. Never overbearing, forceful and could pour a mean glass of spirits, just like a good bartender should be.
Then out came my burger. The fries were good, the burger was infinitely better. Nothin' says lovin' like a classic breakfast combo on a cheeseburger , (or an artery clogging meal), than this burger. Prices aren't horrible and pretty apropos for the area. Certainly a welcome new face for the Old Town area and a place I can be happy coming back to.
Hands got a little messy, hungry stomach got satisfied, a growing smile on my face appeared as old friends drew near, I have to say, it was a good night.
Went on a Friday night with 5 other people for a birthday. Atmosphere is VERY nice. Lots of dark wood everywhere, high ceilings, fancy light fixtures. Bar area was very lively at 9pm. Main dining area was very striking, I kind of felt like I was on a cruise ship with the big wooden staircase.
Service - just okay. For the prices they charge and the neighborhood, I expected much better service. Server took a long time to come over and take our order. Also, they brought the birthday girl a brownie sundae, which we did not ask for. At the end of the night when we got the check, they CHARGED US for the sundae! WTF! Who does that! But we kindly pointed it out and he said he would remove it.
Food - they gave us 2 nice bread baskets while waiting. LOVED the soft onion bread. I got the Whitefish for my entree, it was a HUGE portion of fish, probably like 10-12 oz of fish. Entree cost $18 and it came with mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach. Can't beat it when the sides come with the entrees! Everything was very good, but it needed salt. Nice size serving of mashed potatoes, and the fish was served on top of the spinach. My bf got the short rib which I tried. While the flavor was good, after he salted it, it was very fatty. Disapointing for a $30+ entree to have bits of fat every bite.
33 Club is nice, but they are trying too hard, I think they think they're better than they really are. I doubt I'll be back, there are much nicer places in the city, for the money and the service.
I live in Old Town, so I am always trying to find a new place where i can be established and hang.
Oh, I am also trying to do this without really spending much time or money at the place. I do not think that 33 Club will be that place.
Four of us went to dinner at 8pm last Saturday. Naturally the place was going crazy, and honestly, they did a pretty good job.
I did not get to see what Kerry J saw when 70 year old men were fighting with 25 year old men, but ithat would have been fun!!
Overall, a standard menu, that is fairly priced, with a decent wine list, that too is fairly priced.
Great chicken dinner $18--plenty to eat and nicely done. Naturally the rest of my group ordered a ton of food and drinks so the tab was typically steep--but this is not a place where you really need a big multi course chow-down.
Review the other yelp comments, there is a lot of validity--nice place--menu is on line, etc- check it out-or not
If there was a 2.5, I would have given 33 Club that score, but in this case I don't mind rounding down.
For decor, I would give the restaurant probably 5 stars. There are lots of dark woods, and rich colors. If you have been to RL, think that, but with a lot more color (and youth). So, in terms of decor, the room doesn't disappoint (if you like a clubby feel). Plus, there is a nice separation between the front bar and the dining room in back, so it was easy to actually have a conversation during dinner on a Friday night.
That being said, the front bar area is nice also, with a 30 something crowd the night we were there (and the time before when I was there). Also, think Kleiner groupies, and older preying types (of both kinds).
The food was decent, but not phenom. I had the salmon ceviche app, which was quite good. 3 good sized pieces of salmon on top of jicama and an avocado pure -- all for $8. However, it was essentially raw salmon, with no evidence of any significant citrus marination (which was fine by me). Then, as I had read about the Chilean sea bass entree in the paper the other day (in the Trib's write up), I gave it a try. It might have been a touch overcooked, but otherwise, I thought it was pretty good, and not unreasonably priced (at $28 I think). There was an apple pie at the table, which seemed to be appreciated.
Now, you might ask, why in the world would only 2 stars be awarded? Picture fruit flys buzzing your table all evening. I swear, they were all over our table, and there is nothing worse then having to swat at fruit flys all night, not to mention when you actually get one on the table that leaves a really artful blood streak (I guess the color matched the decor). Even if that wasn't the worst part, when this was brought to the attention of the server, he said he would "bring it to the attention of the big man immediately." Well, not that I was expecting anything major, but that was the last we heard about it, as if I hadn't even said a word. Not even an apology? C'mon.
So, for the simple fact that our table seemed to have an unfortunate amount of uninvited guests, 2 stars.
Let's cut right to the chase - there is no reason to come to this restaurant unless you are 25 and on the make.
As you can tell I was unimpressed with 33 Club. The menu was boring and lacking in anything imaginative. It had aspirations of greatness, which clashed horribly with the 100% pedestrian dishes on the menu (steak, chops, and the same old fish you see everywhere else). If I want comfort food I'll go to a comfort food place. This place aspired to Prada but was serving Eddie Bauer.
Service was poor and bordering on weird. Our waiter creeped us out (four seasoned veteran diners, so it takes a lot to creep us out) and left us alone for long periods of time when we needed to order wine, food, and other things you usually do in a restaurant. Not good for a place purporting to be fine dining.
I knew it was going to be a long evening when I walked in to the bar (which at first glance looked well stocked and ready for a good evening) only to see the Bulls game on the big screen. Fine dining and the Bulls are not a match made in heaven. However, the scenesters picking each other up at the bar seemed fine with it. I seem to have missed the memo that said that people over 25 years old should not eat here.
In short - boring food, adequately prepared, with an emphasis on the bar scene and not on the food scene. I won't be back.
After party, a sexy, sexy private room. Attentive bartender, well made cocktails. Way motivated to come back again.
Hey, nay-sayers, there is a Chilis and McDonalds downtown if you want something predictable.
8 of us (couples) went to Club 33 Friday night.
8 of us had a blast and are still raving about it.
We loved the cougars.
We loved the interesting atmosphere.
We loved the bacon popcorn.
We loved the entrees (I had a fabulous sirloin).
We loved it for being a fun night out and I'll be wishing I was there the next time I'm with my kids ordering Happy Meals.
Stopped in here for a cocktail that was pretty weak. The crowd ran the gamut from people in their 20s to those in their 60s. Nice men's room.
But, most importantly, the BACON POPCORN rocked.
3.5 stars. Like any other Jerry Kleiner restaurant, Club 33 was beautiful. A nice, classy open space with beautiful decor... looks like an old-school (but new) supper club. I went there for a special occasion and had thought it would be a little bit more upscale than it really was. (It was nice, don't get me wrong, but I think it is more trendy than anything.) It was the new place to try. We had gone a tad overdressed thinking it was a fancier place. But still, it wasn't like we felt totally out of place. The prices are a little bit more expensive than his other restaurants.
For an appetizer we had the tuna tartar. It was good but not the best tuna I have had. We shared our two entrees: first was the chilean sea bass with a miso glaze. I thought it was a tad salty and my boyfriend thought it was a tad mushy. So overall, not the best. We also ordered the filet mignon on the bone which was a special that night. The steak was good... pretty large size and cooked medium rare. But, of course, they don't tell us the price of the specials and it turns out the steak was $50! Yes, it was a prime cut of steak and huge... but if we had known it would be that much more than the regular menu (around the $30 range for entrees) we probably wouldn't have ordered it.
Overall, it was a pleasant night but we both left thinking that it probably could have been better somewhere else.
After reading reviews I was skeptical about this place but wanted to try it out either way since it's right on our street. We ended up very pleased with the lunch. It wasn't incredible but definitely can say it was good and left us satisfied and wanting to come back. The fries, I do have to say, were very oily but the sandwich I ordered (fish) was cooked perfectly and the fish and chips my husband ordered were great as well. We received a generous amount of fish with our order.
I'd recommend this place for lunch.
I was impressed.
A friend and I went there for a "girls'-night-out" after-dinner-drinks. As a 30-something professional in Chicago, we like to have fun but don't like the bar scene.
This place was nice regarding the decorations, the environment and the atmosphere. The dark wood and recessed waffled ceilings reminded me of an English manor's library - but warm and inviting.
But most of all, what impressed me the most was the crowd...not the teeny-bopper 20-somethings who are living the extended sorority/fraternity life.
My husband and I were at the restaurant for our anniversary and really loved the cool atmosphere there. It was really trendy and the Louis Vuitton chair handles were really awesome. How Creative! The painting in the main dining room reminded me of a giant olive getting ready to fall into my Martini that I had. Our server ,Todd was really friendly and effecient! The food was delectable. We started with the crab cake and onion soup which were both great.I had the braised beef chop, mmm good and sooo tender! Our wine our server picked was an excellent choice and we finished with the famous red cake dessert! Raul, I think he is the general manager, came by our table several times to see how we were doing and was very friendly and professional. We'll be back for sure!
33 Club brings a certain sophistication to Old Town. The area has always been hoppin but there has never been anything like 33 Club. The decor is great, front bar reminds me of my fathers den with all the dark wood and the back restaurant lightens up the place with a bit of charm.
The crowd is anywhere from 20-60. Usually crowded early but I have always found a spot at the bar or gotten a table. Summer time is great because they have outdoor seating.
Owner's Sam Madonia and Jerry Kleiner have done it again. First Carnivale and now 33 Club.
This is definitely somewhere to try and if you like it great, keep coming back and if not then fine walk somewhere else on Wells.
Jerry Kleiner Always Outdo Himself.
The decor just great, Jerry find a way of outdoing himself, he is the best.
The food is awfully! sorry, I cannot rate it. 0 stars
The bar area very pleasant very Jerry kleiner, the restaurant excellent setup.
The service need a big help.
There was a gentleman with grey hair, it seem he was part of the ownership, our waiter told us his name is SAM, he should not be in the restaurant, he looked very miserable, he really should stay away from the establishment.
Jerry! why do you get associated with a dead weight like this gentleman that goes by the name SAM? you are very good at what you do and deserve better!!!!!
Will try it one more time, I hope you can bring in some new faces!!!!
I hope you will make it Jerry, you are truly good at what you do, but you need better people with you.
Jerry Kleiner's new place, 33 Club, in Old Town, has all the magic of many of his other signature restaurants (Carnivale, Marche, etc) but done in a more understated way. The space alone warrants 4 stars in my book.
Kleiner took an old gym, removed part of the ceiling of the second floor to create a sweeping, open space with 20 foot ceilings, added a grand staircase to the second level with a beautiful oriental runner and furnished the walls and ceiling in rich mahogany. If you liked the chairs at the now closed Room 21- they are back in force at 33 Club right down to the leather seats, the velvet upholstered backs and the Louis Vuitton signature handles.
The artwork is another wow. In the main dining area- there is a piece of modern art by Wesley Kimler that a server told us cost $200,000 alone. (Must have really liked that piece!)
We went on opening night- knowing that not all the kinks would be worked out but knowing that most things would be in place. We were a large group (10) so we were seated upstairs with great views of the main floor dining room.
The menu is American with steaks, chops, chicken and fish. The chef is Daniel Kelly who most recently was at the now closed Avenue M. And the prices? Reasonable for a restaurant of this caliber. Entrees were in the low $20 range.
Since there were so many of us, we pretty much were able to taste the full range of the menu. The appetizer winners? The lamb chops, goat cheese stuffed bacon wrapped dates and the crabcake with the avocado salsa.
As for entrees- the Chilean sea bass and the chicken and lobster rose to the top. The steak probably would have as it was perfectly done but it was cold to the touch. And the salmon probably would have as well but it was over done indicating a couple of timing issues in the kitchen as they work to find their cadence. The fries that came with one of the entrees were also way over salted- to the point we couldn't eat them.
And the sides? Well this carb loving girl was in heaven with the "Macaroni and cheese stuffed baked potato". It was like the gods knew the two perfect foods to combine. As for the creamed spinach? More spinach than cream which I loved but the creamed spinach aficionados at the table were disappointed.
As for desserts- go with the key lime pie or the peanut brittle sundae- the latter served with two kinds of chocolate sauce that you can pour over it yourself.
Parking in this area is pretty easy- but there is also free valet parking (yes, I said free!)
I loved the understated feel and club like atmosphere. 33 Cub is still so new that there is no sign and the big sweeping velvet curtains for the front windows are not yet hung but they are finding their way in an area that needs a place just like this.
Oh . . and if you know Jerry Kleiner- you know there is always a story connected with the naming of his places. 33 Club? 1933 is the year prohibition was repealed in the US. What better year to name a clubby, American restaurant after?
The decor and atmosphere were lovely, but unfortunately my compliments end there.
I went to 33 Club on a Saturday for lunch. We ate at the bar thinking that would be faster, because we were in a bit of a rush - which we told the bartender upfront. There were maybe six tables eating, max. The bartender was very sweet, and attentive - for the first five minutes.
We ordered the plate of olives, the 33 Burger and the Roasted Tomato Soup with a Petite Grilled Cheese Sandwich (sounds fun, right?).
Twenty-five minutes later, the food arrived.
First of all, why not bring the olives first? I know you have them prepped behind the line - just send them out so we've got something to snack on. Nope, they came with the food.
Second, the food was really meh. The soup was ok, but the "grilled cheese sandwich" looked as though they'd melted the cheese and slapped it between two un-toasted pieces of bread. It was soggy! Unforgivable, in my book. If you can't make a good grilled cheese sandwich you shouldn't be cooking.
The burger was completely under-seasoned and, while cooked correctly, tasted like cardboard.
And all of this took almost a half hour to prepare - with six tables in the place! Since I work in the industry I'm typically very willing to forgive slightly slow service (I understand that things can get backed up, cooks can get stuck in the weeds, runners on smoke breaks, etc) but I thought that was a bit crazy.
I don't think I'll return - given the other reviews of this place it sounds like my experience was not uncommon. It's too bad - the decor really is lovely. If 33 was a furniture store?? Five stars!
33 Club is a fairly new restaurant on Wells, from Jerry Kleiner and the guys behind Opera, Carnivale, Marche and other fun, high end places where Chicago's upper and upper middle class dine.
The interior has soaring ceilings, mahogany everywhere and a grand staircase at the back of the restaurant. It's decor is reminiscent of an expensive lawyers office, yet it's warm and inviting.
The menu isn't large and contains typical American fair. Everyone was more than pleased with the food. We had the Chilean Sea Bass. It was glazed in a teriyaki, and was excellent. The pork belly was "life changing", the bone in New York melted in your mouth, and my prime sirloin was cooked to perfection. We ordered the garlic mashed potatoes and creamed spinach, probably the best creamed spinach I've ever had. For desert the red velvet cake stole the show and the brownie chunks came in a close second. Overall, we were thoroughly impressed with the food.
The service was on par, but they brought out the wrong entree, which they quickly remedied, and forgot our wedge salad.
The clientele is an interesting mixed of young, well to-do ex fraternity guys, stylish women out for a girls night, and old men looking for their next ex-wife. The bar area up front has a few plasmas to catch the game and is always filled with a group of early thirty year old women looking for their next sugar daddy. Definitely a cougar and cougar-in-training den.
I enjoyed dinner with my girl friend an another couple and loved the food, but could have done with out the creepy old man stares and whispers from the catty women trying to defy age and gravity. Overall, a fun time, great food, good ambiance, interesting crowd, and a new, well needed place in Old Town.
They serve RC Cola here. No Diet Coke - are you serious?
Also watch out for the turkey burger - the spicy peppers are almost inedible and the actual burger was dry and awful.
Oh and another weird thing is that they fry the chickpeas that they put on the salads. Fried chickpeas are not a good idea.
The service was really slow, but this could just be because my friends and I were ordering off the bar menu and more attention is generally paid to higher margin customers.
I do love the interior and the location though - I'm sure I'll return at some point since I live right around the corner.
Went here post work on a Thursday and sat outside- I only got a quick glimpse of the bar inside for a second as I walked out which looked quite swanky and fun. Definitely a "scene" it was packed.
Outside was lovely right on Wells a friend and I had a few glasses of champagne and ordered a couple of apps for dinner- we started with the shrimp and crab "cocktail" assuming that meant shrimp cocktail with some crab as well- but it was like a crab and shrimp salad/spread with flat breads. Not what we expected but was actually yummy. We also had the bacon wrapped-goat cheese stuffed dates. An attempt to copy Avec's flavors with a red pepper sauce, not quite the same but definitely good. Then we had a special heirloom tomato salad with red onion, Gorgonzola cheese and some orange flavored oil- I really liked that it came with a cute little spoon of sea salt. We also had the skirt steak appetizer with polenta- that was fine but nothing special at all or even really that good.
The service was quick. All in all a good experience but a little pricey for what we had to eat.
This place is always filled up, the people were all dressed up, very interesting atmosphere, we ordered a great meal and a bottle of wine. A bit too high on the price.
The minute I walked into 33 Club I was impressed. I have been into many of Jerry Kleiner' restaurants - and I believe that this is the most impressive. The front bar is nice, the wait staff is on top of their game - the drinks are great - then the dinner in the main room was interesting as well. I am not a fan of the two top tables, however my friend and I found it comfortable and not too crowded. I ordered the pork chop, he had the NY Strip. I have to say the chop was one of the best that I have ever had.
This place will probably be a lot better in a couple months once the kinks are worked out. For starters, for a place naming themselves after the year Prohibition was repealed, you'd think they'd have awesome classic cocktails. Not so. The Manhattan tasted like soap and one of the specialty bourbon cocktails was rather flat. Even worse, we asked for a Sazerac and they didn't know how to make it. For a place as beautiful as this, the cocktails should be top notch.
As for the food, the truffled deviled eggs were great. The bacon popcorn was good too, but would have been better fresh from the popper. I had the burger with bacon and a fried egg, and while passable, it was a bit salty. The lambchops were good, however.
Overall, this is a great place for the neighborhood. I suspect it will get better with time, but for now, they have to iron out a few kinks. One thing, though, our service was exceptional. Our server was great and made some good suggestions, so they're on the right track.
Exactly what Old Town needed. I was getting a little bored with that area but this place has really stepped it up and offered something that fits perfectly with the surrounding area. It's in a league of it's own as far as ambience is concerned as the other bars and restaurants around are a little played out.
I will also say that there is better food than 33 Club in those surrounding restaurants. The prime sirloin was boring.
However, I did have a great view from the top of the steps. Lots of great looking people and rich mahogany. Will definitely go back for drinks in the front section on a nice day. Not sure if I'll go back for dinner anytime soon, but it's pretty new, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
i am giving the 33 club 3 stars...although i am a little conflicted about doing so, and what i probably mean is 2.5 stars. but they are new so i'm giving the benefit of the doubt.
the 33 club has a great atmosphere, okay service, an apparently spotty wine list, and pretty good food.
here is what was good: spinach salad, chicken, rib-eye steak, the pasta, and this fish...i think it was chilean sea bass but i can't really remember...either way i would go back just for the fish, which is saying a lot as i never order fish.
the bad: sort of slow service, way too noisy, the fact that my steak came with no sides (it's one thing when i'm at a steak place - quite another when most people aren't ordering steak, and as a result no one else wants to share one of the side dishes), and finally - the fact that they were out of the wine we ordered - which would have been fine had they offered another bottle to us at the same price (which is what i think any good restaurant should do if they are out of a bottle of wine).
...i might come back again, but it's likely i would only do so if someone invited me. hopefully they will improve things a bit because it's a really neat spot that could be a great addition to old town.
Two stars for the location. FINALLY a swank place opens in the quasi-shithole ghetto stretch of Old Town.
Being in my 20s, I was WAAAYYYY too young to go here! It was a clone to Tavern on Rush (aka desperados looking for tush). I was very dressed up, as was my date, who is 11yrs older than me (almost 40!). So every raisin-faced, cellulited cougar took predatory shots at hitting on my hot man! I'm sorry, just 'cuz I'm not dry-humping his lap does NOT make him prey for your tasteless, overweight hornball talons!
Overpriced wine does not impress, nor does the impossibly loud, fire-hazard narrow bar area. ALL of our 30-something friends have been here & eaten, NONE would recommend or return.
Go to Perennial. It is enchantingly gorgeous & worth the prententious price tag. There list of $5 microbrews are impressive for such a flawlessly designed ambiance. Oh, and the food is edible there, too!
Otherwise, former-divebar, Saluki, across the street, serves insane grilled calamari. Yes, you heard me! Food blows 33 Flub's disaster outta the water.
The decor and ambiance were beautiful but the servings we had were tiny. We are two petite females (not linebackers) and we both left hungry after we dropped 120- at the 33 Club. The scallop appetizer we ordered, just for an example, came with a measly two scallps. Two scallops....really?? Anyway, the food was actually good. The portions, however, were ridiculously small. If you are thinking of coming here, do stop in for a cocktail as the crowd and ambiance are worth it. Do not waste your money or time ordering any food...take it from me...I had to go home and make a sandwich....120- later and still hungry...there's something fundamentally wrong with that picture.
GOOD
All the staff are gracious and accomodating.
Dramatic lounge and cool dining rooms.
Food simple and tasty.
Good looking crowd
NOT SO GOOD
A little loud on Friday night but not too bad.
I will start with the great stuff, the drinks. Amazing, they were all good, if i were to go back it would only be for drinks and the bar food, which sadly i did not get to try. The regular menu food was good but, I can't say anything really wowed me. I may gave given a better review if the French onion soup wasn't way over salted, I have to admit I make a much better version. The decor is beautiful and the service top notch, but sadly this a drinks only place for me.
I had dinner at 33 Club last night and arrived with high expectations because I really do love Carnivale. I agree with the posts below - the decor, atmosphere, etc is great. But, until 33 Club works out a few kinks, I will not be returning, nor will be I recommending it to friends.
We walked in at 7 and promptly got seated...so far so good, right??
But then we started this whole sitting trend...sitting, waiting, watching for our waiter.
The menu is one page and the font is huge. Maybe the large font was meant to conceal the fact that the menu is limited, which is fine for the first few weeks of a restaurant, but maybe don't make it so large that you could read it from 20 feet away.
We ordered drinks first and that was the one high point of the night. My drink was called the Ruby and it was heavenly - it contained red peach vodka, lime juice and peaches with a big peach slice on the rim of the glass. I didn't mind that it was a little sweet because every sip tasted like a bite of fresh peach, so delicious. That was pretty much where my happy experience ended.
Our drinks came pretty fast, but disappointment started to set in when we waited a solid 10 minutes for our apps. I had the bacon wrapped goat cheese stuffed dates. Kind of made me think of Cafe Ba Ba Reeba...bacon wrapped dates are by far my favorite item on their menu. And maybe they should stay there. The bacon/cheese/date part was great but they were in a sauce that I couldn't really decipher and I'll be honest, it didn't really jive with the dates. Overall though, the app was good.
After waiting another 15 minutes, the entrees arrived. My pork chop was decent, but I could have used a teeny bit more sauce on the side to infuse a little moisture into my meat! I haven't a clue what came with it on the side and at that point I didn't want to bother the waiter to ask. There were some little gnocchi/potato looking things which were really good...but the "cabbage" almost looked like shredded beets and the taste was so pungent that I couldn't take more than one bite.
Fast forward about 35 minutes or so...we're done with our meal and this is when I realize that the restaurant is REALLY crowded and our waiter is literally missing in action. So we sit for a while and take it all in, identifying other people who are doing the same. Waiting. Watching the people around us who have just sat down, sipping water, hoping they get to order drinks soon.
The dessert menu, when it finally arrived with our flustered waiter, looked good...but ordering yet another course was way too risky. We asked for the check and I decided to check out the bathroom.
On my way down the grand staircase in the middle of the restaurant, I encountered a bus boy carrying a tub of dirty plates and a huge container of ice. Really, is that the only staircase? Because the classiness of the staircase was just downgraded to tacky. I don't want to see what goes on behind the scenes, that's what a back staircase is for. I also don't need to hear the bus boys shouting at each other up and down the stairs. And while we're at it,why there weren't there more bus boys to help my poor waiter who kept running from the second floor to the basement to get wine? Not great planning.
I arrived at the bathroom on the main floor only to find out it's a single stall. Interesting choice since there isn't a bathroom upstairs and the dining rooms are both packed, as is the bar. I guess that would explain why there were only a few sheets of toilet paper left. That can be forgiven. But the size of the garbage can cannot be. It literally was the size of a brown paper lunch bag and was awkwardly positioned in the corner near the toilet not the sink. If I was planning a single stall bathroom that was guaranteed high traffic, I'd probably get a larger can. I'd probably add more stalls too...but apparently those are downstairs in the basement. I wonder how large the garbage can is down there?
Feeling awkward from the bathroom arrangements, I walked back up the stairs only to find that our waiter hadn't returned with our bill. It's not his fault, so I'm really not trying to rip on him...but whomever staffed this place should have thought about the logistics!! We almost left cash and walked out.
Another 10 minutes later, we paid our bill...a little on the high side for a mediocre experience. For $28 I could have made my own pork chops with edible sides.
Since we were skipping dessert, I was banking on the fact that there would be candy or mints on the hostess table. On our way down, we did a quick walk by and it was empty. Nada. I mean, I'm not saying a mint would have erased the various transgressions and disappearing waiter, but it would have left me with a better taste in my mouth. No pun intended!
I'm not going to totally write 33 Club off , the atmosphere is great, but the food and service need some time. I'll give it 6 months or so and maybe try it again.
Good, juicy burgers. Great steak. Awesome Decor. And the best french fries ever, other than MK. It's something different on my block. But there are 100 better restaurants in Chicago, but only steakhouse on Wells between North and Schiller.
Visually, a pretty cool place. Slightly overpriced. The steak was much better than I thought it was going to be. Good service. I saw some fruit flys buzzing around like I read in some of the other reviews below. Nice restroom. Overall I liked it and will go back.
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