Where is the best place you can't eat?

Over the years I have been to various private clubs for meals. Country Clubs, private dining clubs and the ilk. The food is always been pretty mediocre.

Has anyone ever had a real good meal at one of these places?

There used to be pretty good food at The Standard Club. These days, to get the same quality you've got to cage an invite to the Casino Club from one of the Ladies-Who-Lunch.

I dined at a country club for the first time in my life last night, Skokie Country Club, and the food was pretty awful.



The house salad to start the meal was of comparable quality as to what I would find at my college dining hall, wilted leaves and all. The balsamic vinaigrette had no trace of balsamic flavor.



Grilled cod was overcooked and in a sauce that was reminiscent of spaghetti-o's, with olive tapenade that I really suspect was leftover from some event with hors d'œuvres.



Not sure why I ordered dessert, since I had really no expectations at this point, but everyone else did, so I played along. The housemade pumpkin ice cream had no one trade of pumpkin flavor, and had me longing for a pumpkin pie concrete from Andy's.

The fireplace and ambiance was nice, but I'll never again be fooled by country club decor. I know this thread is supposed to be about the best place you can't eat, but I just felt the need to warn LTHers about one of the worst.

No idea what the food is like, but the ambience of this place looks beautiful.

Club 33 is pretty good.

The University Club.

I've dined in at least three of the Loop private clubs over the years, plus a suburban country club here and there, and I would say consistently they were like any large facility serving banquets and the like, like the better hotels. Which is to say, the quality is usually quite good, but the cuisine is never going to be wildly adventuresome— there's no hidden Achatz concocting exotic molecular gastronomy feats, that's not what this (older, moneyed) crowd is looking for. What there is, is a lot of very well prepared grilled salmon and steak. Certainly for me, the architectural interest of the buildings, and sometimes the art (particularly the Union League Club in that regard), outweighed the food. They're great old buildings and, well, let's just say that when your six-year-old is taking a Saturday morning yoga class for kids, the place is pretty empty and you can roam with a freedom bordering on breaking and entering, soaking up weird history (why did I not snap a picture of the elaborately hand-painted list of ping pong tournament champions of the 40s and 50s in one stairwell?)

Apparently the fine dining club was more of an institution back in the day when classical French food was the gold standard, but truly excellent dining was still something of a rarity. Les Nomades opened as that kind of dining club in the early 80s, but it seems to have been one of the last attempts at that sort of thing, and soon went public. I believe there's one still in the Drake, Club International, but it seems to me that the dining club focused on food would be an unworkable concept today, because foodies want to have been to the latest and hottest, not to be compelled to return to the same place.

The Union League Club does some things pretty well. The tomato bisque is a tasty soup option. The chili is a good midwest (tomato/bean/ground beef) version -- add hot sauce. Lunch in the bar area includes fresh roasts (beef, turkey breast, etc) carved at the time of order for sandwiches. Steaks in the dining room or bar are good. I had once ordered the black pepper crusted duck breast for a banquet crowd (f 'em if they can't take duck). It was the best meal I've had in a club like this.

We got married at the Standard Club and the food was pretty outstanding, and not just for "club food". Of course, that was under the old LTH-affiliated regime.

I'm a sucker for anything with "spicy club sauce"...

Several years ago I had dinner at the Plaza Club in the Prudential. The food was actually pretty good, but the views were spectacular. I'm an infrequent visitor at the Union League Club for working lunches, and it's not bad.

I think Les Nomades must have been pretty awesome back in the day.

It's not a private club, but it might as well be...has anyone been to Rao's?

kl1191 wrote:I'm a sucker for anything with "spicy club sauce"...

Several years ago I had dinner at the Plaza Club in the Prudential. The food was actually pretty good, but the views were spectacular. I'm an infrequent visitor at the Union League Club for working lunches, and it's not bad.

I think Les Nomades must have been pretty awesome back in the day.

It's not a private club, but it might as well be...has anyone been to Rao's?

My parents ate at Rao's last year. They weren't nuts about it. They described at as fairly ordinary "red sauce" Italian. But the atmosphere...

Mike G wrote:I believe there's one still in the Drake, Club International,

I've had occasion to eat at Club International on several occasions. I found the food to be good for what it was, which is staid preparations of some classic dishes. It was pretty much on par with the Cape Cod Room. One time I got to witness a patron loudly berate a waiter for picking up a man's plate before his female dining companion had finished her plate. Ah, refined society.

I'm a member of Union League, and I have to say the food is consistently above average. I really like the salad bar during the weekdays for $10. Really nice with cold salads, two soups, couple choices of proteins. Lobster Friday nights are especially popular with us.

I've done company events at the Union League Club, the Metropolitan Club and the University Club. I'd say the ULC is the best of the bunch but for me it was a few items that seemed decent -- and some very delightful little mini croissants at breakfast. In fact, breakfast was the best meal I've been served there. Almost everyone I work with thinks it's a treat to go the ULC and I find that difficult to understand. I'd much rather be sitting at the Chicago Hong Kong Cafe on Jeweler's Row for fresh tasting food with some flavor than to have odd potato preparations at the Union League Club. One meal we had was "British" in origin as a theme and almost everything on the table was white. Seriously. Heavy and white. Very weird. They usually have good desserts though. And I really agree with Mike G about the art collection -- it's stunning.

I find the The University Club of Chicago to be the most overrated of these places. I've had overcooked meat, unflavorful salads and side dishes and cold entrees that were supposed to be hot. The architecture is beautiful but the chef is obviously not influenced by it. Of course, my loathing of the place might have to do with the guy I worked with who was a member -- he was not a nice guy so everything he liked made my stomach turn.

The Metropolitan Club (located in the Sears (whoops..excuse me..WILLIS) Tower is decent enough. A bit better than the UCC but not by much. Very unimaginative food, mediocre and definitely laden with Sysco type ingredents.

Years ago I worked for a man who had a membership to the Tavern Club and that was the worst of the bunch. He'd say -- "Let's go to lunch," as a treat but then he'd drag me to the Tavern Club which was mostly inedible as I recall. Also -- not particularly attractive to sit in.

As the membership of these places changes and goes younger -- I wonder if the food will improve? People still get memberships at these places, although it's not nearly as "de rigeur" as it used to be. Mostly I find the memberships are sought in order to use the facilities for meetings. And they do a good job service wise for those. If you can stand a plate of white food.

Wagner's in Porter, IN. I can't eat there because 99.9% of the time that I am traveling through SW Michigan/NW Indiana I have my kids with me. Apparently (not sure why) kids aren't allowed in Wagners. They have eaten at taverns with me all over the world, and yet Wagner's in the only one that I have ever heard of that won't let kids in. I ate there once when I was in my 20s, and I thinking it was really good.

And while I have heard its the best place for ribs, I have changed my mind on what good ribs are. I do recall that they were the fall off the bone type, and I have grown to appreciate smoke rings and a nice healthy "tug" on ribs.

But anyway, many consider Wagner's to have the best ribs making it the best place for ribs, and I place that I can't dine at with the family, therefore can't eat at.

CM2772 wrote:Wagner's in Porter, IN. I can't eat there because 99.9% of the time that I am traveling through SW Michigan/NW Indiana I have my kids with me. Apparently (not sure why) kids aren't allowed in Wagners. They have eaten at taverns with me all over the world, and yet Wagner's in the only one that I have ever heard of that won't let kids in. I ate there once when I was in my 20s, and I thinking it was really good.

But anyway, many consider Wagner's to have the best ribs making it the best place for ribs, and I place that I can't dine at with the family, therefore can't eat at.

the "no kids" thing is rare, I ruun into a similar dilemma with Bristol Tap in Bristol, IL.

They are rumored to have the best hamburger anywhere, but havent gone there yet as I am always with my family. Went one time to check out where it was and there were signs on the door saying: "no kids, no exceptions"... Someday ill get in there to try a burger.

Bristol Tap
46 S. Cannoball Trail
Bristol, IL.

Hi,

Charlie Beinlich's in Northbrook does not allow unaccompanied minors in what is essentially a tavern serving some food.

Younger members of my family tried to go anyway. They were asked for identification, then turned away until they had someone 21 or over with them.

***

I once went to Hyde Park, NY to see FDR's home and the Vanderbilt summer cottage (40,000 sq feet, some cottage). I never once thought about Culinary Institute of America until I saw the signage. I thought it was a golden opportunity until I was told dressed in jeans and tennis shoes, I could only visit the cafe and gift shop. I bought a muffin and bypassed the gift shop, which was my wee bit of rejection to them.

Regards,

That is one of the reasons that Wagner's puzzles me so. We have gone to Charlie Beinlich's with the kids, and it is exactly what you say...a tavern that serves food. Wagners is a tavern with a seperate restaurant attached (small, but seperate from the bar area). But anyhoo, my wee bit of rejection to Wagner's is understanding that when reviews compare you to "better than Tony Roma's", that this really isn't something to crow about.

I've eaten at the Union League club and also once at the University Club. The food at the clubs was very very good. The room at the University Club is outstanding. Very Harry Potterish. Artwork at the ULC is great.

The best place I can't eat is Alinea. I would love to go but have to get my nerve up to spend that much money for dinner.

Knollwood Club has the best cuisine of any private club on the north shore, hands down, and
probably better than any club in the Chicago area. The chef is consistent and creative, doing the classics well and showing imagination in new dishes.

Perhaps as a member I'm biased, but I think that Michigan Shores in Wilmette does a nice job with the standards (as it has been mentioned, country clubs are generally not in the forefront of new dining trends). I just ate there and had the whitefish - simply but well prepared. My uncle had calves liver and he said it was tender and good quality (I'll have to take his word for it - I'm not a fan). Plus, you can't beat the 4 lane bowling alley, beautiful indoor pool, and the building designed by Daniel Burnham. Drinks are pretty reasonable too (and nice pours!).

I belong to Midlothian CC. Food is outstanding. Mostly standard fare and nice choices of seafood. Chef does great job.

We belong to Columbia Yacht Club. For the longest time, the dining room struggled with menu and food quality issues. Then, a couple of years ago, Breanna Beike came aboard, bringing both great skill and a wonderful sensibility to the kitchen. I can honestly say the food now rivals many of Chicago's most popular restaurants.

One of Breanna's more recent innovations is a Wednesday night prix fixe. Here's tomorrow's menu:

$30 p/p
Course One:
Maryland Sea Bass with Acorn Squash Puree, Serrano Ham, Red Wine Jus and Pedro Ximenez Gran Reserva Drizzle
Course Two:
Paprika Dusted Lamb Spare Ribs with La Jalancina Nispera Jam (Citrus Jam), Moscatel Vinaigrette, Rosemary Panoleta Goat Cheese and Baby Lettuces
Course Three:
Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil Poached Alaskan Cod with Wilted Leeks, Fingerling Potatoes, Crimini Mushrooms and Shaved Garrotxa Cheese

She also does killer fried lake perch on Friday.

Sorry to make you press your nose to the glass and drool, but I suppose that was the OP's intention...