I was lucky enough to be invited to a dinner at the Tortoise Supper Club to celebrate the holidays. On the food side I ordered the Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes and it was absolutely the best meatloaf I’ve ever had. It was freezing cold this week in Chicago, and it was the perfect comfort food to warm me up, and to pair with a a drink.
They have a decent menu of bourbon, Scotch, and Irish Whiskey, so deciding on what I actually wanted to drink was not easy. One of bosses ordered a Manhattan, and that sealed the deal for me.
With my decision made, I ordered a Manhattan, which has become my go to when dining out.
Tortoise Supper Club Scoring
My Manhattan was made with Bulleit Rye and a decent shake of bitters. It was wonderfully dry, woody, and the swallow ended with a nice dry bitter finish. There was sweet vermouth in it, but it was very mellow and really let the Bulleit Rye shine through. I’m not a huge fan of Rye, and this still scored an 85/100, so if you are a Rye lover, this will likely score even higher for you. If your in Chicago, and have deep pockets, I highly recommend the Tortoise Supper Club. It is all dark wood, class, and live music, at least while I was there. They had two lovely young woman walking around and singing Christmas carols and it was wonderful.
| Place | Location | Score | Price Scale | Drink |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cinder Bar | Clarksboro, NJ | 96 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| Saltgrass Steakhouse | Orlando, FL | 91 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| The Irish Whisper | National Harbor, MD | 90 | High Cost | Irish Whiskey |
| McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks | National Harbor, MD | 80 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| The Dead Rabbit | New York, NY | 75 | High Cost | Multiple |
| Iron Hill Brewery | Wilmington, DE | 71 | High Cost | Kentucky Connection |
| Cadillac Ranch | National Harbor, MD | 70 | Moderate Cost | Multiple |
| Harry’s Savoy Grill | Wilmington, DE | 67 | High Cost | Manhattan Boulevardier |
| Ted’s Montana Grill | Newark, DE | 66 | Moderate Cost | Newly Fashioned |
| Creekside Inn | Woodstown, NJ | 65 | Low to Moderate | Manhattan |
| Alewife | Richmond, VA | 63 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| roanoke | Chicago, IL | 55 | High Cost | Black Manhattan |
| Blue Line Lounge & Bar | Chicago, IL | 53 | Low Cost | Manhattan |
| Da Andrea | New York, NY | 50 | High Cost | Manhattan Negroni |
| Iguana Cafe | Chicago, IL | 45 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| The Greene Turtle | Newark, DE | 40 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| Restaurante Montserrat Manor | Punta Cana, DR | 35 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| Dave & Buster's | Deptford, NJ | 30 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| Cock'n Bull | Lahaska, PA | 26 | High Cost | Manhattan Old Fashioned |
| The Brass Tap | National Harbor, MD | 25 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| Carrol's Creek Cafe | Annapolis, MD | 21 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| Big Fish Grill | Wilmington, DE | 10 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| The Legend | New Castle, DE | 5 | Low Cost | Manhattan |
| TGI Fridays | New Castle, DE | 1 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
Cost Scale
Up to $30 per person – Low Cost
$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost
$51 and above per person – High Cost