Tortoise Club Review

During my stay in Chicago, I had the opportunity to try the Tortoise Club‘s seasonal menu, located on 350 North State Street. (So rewind back to when I first moved to the city 5 years ago, I always thought this restaurant was for “club members” only, so thinking you can only eat here if you are a club member, lol) I was happy I finally had a chance to cross this place off my list of restaurants! It’s been on my list forever! 🙂

Anywhoo, the restaurant had very dim lighting, the perfect setting for a date night with that special someone! As I walked in, I was greeted right away by the friendly host and manager. The manager lead me right to my seat, and as I waited for my guest to arrive, I started off with a glass of pinot noir while admiring the beautiful ambiance. Eventually, the waiter came over and informed me with the various seasonal items on the menu. For the first time I actually did not look up the menu prior, and did not know what I wanted to try, so when my guest finally arrived, we went with the waiter’s recommendations.

First was the Lobster Bisque;

It was their soup of the season and as Jen and I regretted splitting the soup and not getting our own; it was very flavorful and totally hit the spot! It was the perfect item to start off with on a cold, windy Chicago night.

Jen and I then ordered a few appetizers, ‘the warm bread‘ and the ‘shrimp cocktail‘.

You can obviously never go wrong with shrimp! But Jen and I really enjoyed the bread; it was warm and also was well seasoned. Bread is always a hit or miss at restaurants, but Tortoise Club’s is definitely a must!

Then there was the entrees: Chilean Sea Bass, Pheasant Pie, with sides of brussel sprouts and mushrooms.

This dish was my favorite entree and Jen really liked the rice part. 

The Pheasant Pie is there signature dishes; it was definitely not something I would have chosen on my own, but I am glad that our waiter did!

And last but not least was the dessert; Turtle Chocolate Cake

By then, we were already full but we never can say no to dessert, and this one was definitely memorable. If you know me, my weakness is chocolate, and I would definitely come back just for this!

Overall my experience was delightful, from the staff to the ambiance to the delicious food; I would recommend trying it if you’re living in Chicago or visiting Chicago, add it to your list! 🙂

After dinner, you can always go get a drink down the street too!

What are your favorite spots to eat in Chicago?

xoxo,

Nancy