thumb|Postcard for Larry Potter's Supper Club, North Hollywood, between circa 1930 and circa 1945

A supper club is a traditional dining establishment that also functions as a social club. The term may describe different establishments depending on the region, but in general, supper clubs tend to present themselves as having a high-class image, even if the price is affordable to all. In the 2010s, a newer usage of the term supper club emerged, referring to underground restaurants.

Other names

Supper clubs, when used in the newer context of underground restaurants, are also known as home bistros, guerrilla diners, secret restaurants, paladares, puertas cerradas, pop-up restaurants, guestaurants, speakeasies, and anti-restaurants.

In the United States

thumb|right|Village Bar Supper Club 2012 in Wisconsin

In the U.S., a supper club is a dining establishment generally found across the United States, but currently concentrated in the Upper Midwestern states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa. These establishments typically are located on the edge of town in rural areas.

History

The first supper club in the United States was established in Beverly Hills, California, by Milwaukee, Wisconsin native Lawrence Frank.

Traditionally, supper clubs were considered a "destination" where patrons would spend the whole evening, from cocktail hour to nightclub-style entertainment after dinner. In recent years, a new meaning for "supper club" had taken root in various places.They are now often used to refer to restaurants which feature a relaxed and fun atmosphere, rather than the all-night entertainment destinations of the past. Relish trays with items such as crackers, cheese, carrots, green onions, pickles, cherry peppers, radishes, and celery are typically served at the table on Lazy Susans. Some supper clubs were purely informal dining societies, while others incorporated musical acts to complement the atmosphere. There was also a form of supper club which acted as an informal dating platform. Both have largely been replaced by modern nightclubs.

The term "supper club" is enjoying a revival with slightly different meaning – generally a small underground club (often with roving premises which are only revealed to the guests when they buy a ticket), where guests eat from a restricted or set menu, and are expected to fraternise with other guests whom they may not know.

In the 2020s in the UK 'underground restaurants' and 'supper clubs' started to blossom, with reviews in leading newspapers such as The Times and The Guardian.

In Latin America

In Latin America, a supper club is typically an underground restaurant known as either a paladar or a restaurante de puertas cerradas (locked-door restaurant). Although technically illegal, this type of restaurant is built into the culture.

The attraction of the underground restaurant for the customer is the ability to sample new food at low prices outside the traditional restaurant experience. For the host, benefits are making some money and experimenting with cooking without having to invest in a restaurant proper. As one host told the San Francisco Chronicle, "It's literally like playing restaurant... You can create the event, and then it's over."

See also

  • Dining club
  • List of supper clubs
  • Song and supper room

References

  • Mount, Ian. Buenos Aires: Psst! Want a Discreet Dinner?, The New York Times, December 17, 2006.
  • Williams, Zoe. The secret feast, The Guardian, February 10, 2009.
  • Fairfax The Age article on underground restaurants
  • Omidi, Maryam. Top table: Moscow's fine dining supper club is now serving, The Calvert Journal, February 6, 2013.
  • Are Supper Clubs Helping the Allegedly Lonely Adults of Texas?. Entrepreneurs around the state are curating dinners that encourage breaking bread with strangers. By Meher Yeda, January 16, 2025, Texas Monthly.