The 33 Club

As if we would expect anything less.

The latest and greatest brainchild of the one, the only Jerry Kleiner has been born. Its birthplace: Old Town. Its personality: Boisterous. Delicious. A statement. A “scene.” Its looks: Traditional high ceilings. Velvet art-deco chairs adorned with Louis Vuitton straps. And those bad-ass lighting fixtures. The vibe: It’s what gives this particular baby the edge. Its name: The 33 Club.

The 33 Club is no doubt a throw-back to the great supper clubs and speak easies of Chicago’s dirty past. Perhaps, if John Dilinger were still around, you would find him at the bumping bar, throwing back a whiskey – or, a Firefly Cocktail- amongst all the beautiful ladies. On second thought, Johnny Depp himself wouldn’t be out of place here either. The crowd is well-dressed, see-and-be-seeners, taking up space in the enormous bar that spills out onto Wells Street. It’s obvious from the layout of the room (it’s practically half bar/half restaurant) Kleiner intended it to be this scene-y. And we don’t mind. Old Town’s been calling for some new blood and The 33 Club is searing hot and ready to go.

With all the hoopla, it’s almost easy to forget how good the food is here. Almost. Right in step with the restaurant’s theme, the menu serves accessible yet upscale American cuisine that doesn’t bore nor intimidate. Start with three words: Bacon. Wrapped. Dates. (And stuffed with goat cheese.) Served in a piping hot mini crock pot and doused in a spicy red pepper sauce, this is one app that is a must-devour. A close second was the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake — yes, expected and slightly unoriginal – but sided with an avocado relish and a remoulade sauce, not to mention the perfectly cooked and well-seasoned fresh crab meat itself — don’t be surprised if you duel with your dinner date for the last bite.

The 33 Club is being hailed everywhere for its burger. So we took the people’s word for it and ordered fish. Entrees shine with the Miso Glazed Sea Bass, buttery and light, accompanied by long grain rice and bok choy. And the Roasted King Salmon with braised white beans, escarole, roasted tomatoes and finished with a red wine sauce was pretty darn close to perfection in portion size, flavor and presentation. That’s not to say the burger wouldn’t be a great choice here. (So would the Pork Chop, the Seared Maine Lobster, the 12 oz. Sirloin or the Cobb salad, for that matter.) Just know that no matter what you order, (Kleiner’s) baby’s got your back.

A word to the dessert-wise: skip your traditional chocolate choice here and go for the blueberry pie. Ahem – homemade blueberry pie. A la mode. Gooey, warm, flakey crust sandwiches ripe, sweet gooey blueberries. Trust me on this one: it’s the best dessert on Wells Street.

Kleiner may have found the baby formula to all his restaurants and we all know they grow up to be successes.

But this one – as sassy as it may be – is his star.