Charming supper club that I passed by probably 100 times before dining at. I always figured it was some type of tourist trap but I was happy to find that it's actually something of a gem in River North. Classic interior, reasonably priced menu that notably still includes cents, old school service--just very good execution here. Lacking the new-age decadence of RPM Steak, I'd still rather come here over either of the two other steakhouses located on the same block as Tortoise Supper Club.

We had a small reception dinner at Tortoise Club in the private library room , and between the ambience , service of Jorge and event planning with Kelli , it exceeded our expectations ! We dine frequently here and now highly recommend any event venue as well ! Thank you again for a beautiful venue !

I liked the ambience of this old style restaurant and the staff was nice. The complimentary bread boule was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The only downside was that it was loaded with gorgonzola cheese that we didn't like. The best thing we ate was the peanut butter pie. It was rich but oh so good. The bisque was creamy and flavorful. The Mac and cheese was meh. As were the steaks, no flavor and on the dry side. that's why I took off a star. I will return for dessert and to try something else aside the steak.

Amazing happy hour and great romantic ambiance! I highly suggest sticking around for the live jazz music in the lounge. Service was great even in the bar area as well. We started with some shrimp cocktail and oysters - for a $1 each during hh this was a steal! Especially along with the half off wine glasses. The pull apart bread was cheesy and delicious and only $4 for a huge size. I also got the ceasar salad, which was crisp and tasty (a little too much dressing) - I liked that there were anchovies on this. The fries were also super tasty and thick, as was the cheeseburger! Everything was amazing. Definitely would recommend.

Food: if your looking for THE best filet in Chicago look no further. It comes out cooked to perfection with the most delicious butter I've ever had. It really melts in your mouth. Going back to the start, the buttered bread is to die for. I always enjoy a nice bowl of lobster bisque to start off the night. The sides are delicious and the drinks are note worthy. They have a great chamomile tea. You can sometimes get in without a reservation but I suggest making one as this is the spot on the weekends. We have been here many times and only one time was my steak over cooked, I mentioned it and it was fixed right away. Be ready to spend some $$$$, and for that reason, I expect my steak to come out as I ordered it. Service: always on point!!! Ambiance: They have a live piano player and jazz music in the bar area on some nights that is great. There's several rooms with this great red lighting that lifts your mood. This would be a great location for a date night, drinks with friends or a great spot to bring out of town friends and say, this is the best filet in Chicago, the bread alone with win them over. When out of town visitors ask ( as you know they do) what restaurant do you recommend? I always say Tortoise Supper Club.

By far the best live bar & food place I've been to in Chicago! We made a reservation and got seated right away when we got there a bit earlier. Their cocktails are all made from scratch, and our waiter gave us great recommendations for the food! Oyster: the oysters are very fresh but a bit blend so you should def mix it with the sauce and vinegar that come with it. Caesar salad: adding anchovy was a good call! We thought this was the best caesar salad we had in awhile. Def get it if you're debating! Lobster bisque: it was very flavorful and was perfect on a cold weather when we wanted something warm and soupy. Seabass: our waiter recommended the seabass and we thought it was amazing! Including the rice that came with it. We were so surprised the rice was cook perfectly and seasoned sweet that went well with the seabass. The seabass was not salty at all, which was the way we wanted. Prime rib: the portions are pretty big that it's shareable. It was very tender and the jus was on par. Live bar is first come first serve, so we hopped over to the bar section after dinner. You can separately order more food/drinks there. The music was great too! I would definitely come back here with my family or friends. Highly recommend for a date spot as well!

Came Saturday night for restaurant week dinner and was thoroughly impressed. As soon as you walk-in you hear the live jazz music and feel taken back to another era - dark wood, low lighting, and very lively. The hostess was very attentive and they have complimentary coat check. I loved the ambiance, especially the real candles dripping wax onto the tablecloth. Tortoise Club does a really good job creating an amazing dining experience. From beginning to end the food quality and service were top-notch. For my appetizer I ordered the lobster bisque and was pleasantly surprised to find large pieces of lobster claw meat sitting in the bottom of the bowl. The bisque was creamy and super flavorful and would definitely order again. My entree was the Chilean sea bass, which was topped with a shrimp ragout and was accompanied by a delicious sauce that you pour on top. For dessert I ordered the tortoise pie, which is fantastic because of the texture and crunch in the crust and candied walnuts. Cocktails are pure quality and spot-on. Lastly for food items, they offer their highly addictive signature bread that is loaded with garlic butter and cheese as a complimentary app for the table. I can't rave enough about the perfect dinner because they pay attention to all of the details. Water glasses never went empty - timing of food was impeccable - never felt unattended - amazing and hard working staff. I will definitely come back for regular dinner service to try the beef wellington. Highly recommended!!

Came here for restaurant week- was not disappointed. The lobster bisque was phenomenal, and we were pleasantly surprised by the sheer amount of whole lobster pieces in it. I included a photo of how much was just in it at a glimpse! The sea bass was the favorite entree, and we were both impressed by the flavor and texture of it. The braised short ribs were great, but what you would typically expect from braised short ribs at a restaurant of this grade. As for dessert, we thought the cherry pie to be a bit too tart and strong for our liking, however someone who likes the tartness of cherries would really enjoy it. The tortoise pie was a show stopper. Really great mix of textures and caramel and chocolate was a delicious combination. To end it off, the ambiance was great and the decor was warm and inviting. Our server was very helpful and service was prompt. Will be coming back!

I had not been here for dinner, but decided it was now the time, especially since I am making rounds to check out all sorts of spots out of my usual go-to's during Chicago's restaurant week! Friday & Saturday nights are always notoriously tough to get a reservation in Chicago at an upscale establishment, but I got lucky! Found a few slots on Tock that aligned to times they have live jazz in the lounge area which is 8p-11p. Albeit I prefer to eat a big meal a bit earlier, I was eager to try the menu. We arrived right on time, but the foyer was jam packed with people waiting on tables or coat check. The host stand was also busy so we waited about 20-min to be seated. Not a big deal considering all factors. For reference, there are three rooms. The lounge/bar, the formal main dinning room and this sultry all deep red smaller more intimate space. The spaces definitely all carried a dark swanky speak-easy ambiance and most patrons were dressed up. I think though in the future, it would be best to enjoy a relaxing dinner in the formal main dinning room then migrate to the lounge/bar afterward for a nitecap and here's why: The food itself was fantastic! Started with Lobster bisque soup ($16) then coconut infused seabass ($50) with a side of vegetables a la carte. My friend had the ceasar salad ($14) then braised short ribs ($36). Every bite was full of flavor and the quality was all worth it! Unfortunately being surrounded by loud obnoxious drunk people houvering around the bar and being elbowed in the back by people passing by the teeny tiny walking space was annoying! One woman lost her balance and face-planted 2ft from me, and her friend had to help hoist her up lol. Another guy spilled his pink martini on my elbow ruining my blouse! The tables are high top with backless bar stools so there is no leaning back to relax and no place to set a purse. If the live jazz is playing (and don't misunderstand, they are really quite good) it's just far too loud to engage in any meaningful dinner conversation. And lastly, the waitstaff wanted to push cocktails but just not very good about checking on us during the meal. The waitress was super sassy whipping her pony tail around and never smiled. Had to ask separately for soup spoon, knife for the huge complimentary bread loaf, multiple water refills, and mostly lacking in what I'd only imagine would be professional level service in the formal dinning area, especially at this pricepoint! Now having said that, if you want a nice ambiance for live music and don't mind all I said, there is a lot of action and excellent people watching to be had in the lounge/bar area. Now let's go back to the FOOD for a minute: OMG the seabass is amazing!! I don't know what they put in the glaze but I could not help myself from licking up every last drop of it! I'd come back to just enjoy that dish all over again! The lobster bisque had actual chunks of lobster meat. Yes you read that right! Braised short rib was so tender and rich. I'm not a big sweets person so the desserts I only had a few bites. Honestly, considering it was all on the Restaurant Week menu, it was a sweet deal for 3 courses at $59pp - not including beverages! I'd definitely come back, and try some more of the menu and specifically request the dinning room for a more intimate experience. First Impression 8/10 Ambiance 10/10 Food 10/10 Service 5/10