I have always found the title “Supper Club” sexy. It evokes a sense of nostalgia that draws me in. The Turf Supper Club in Golden Hill has been doing just that for as long as I can remember, and no membership is required.
The Turf Supper Club is a great date night. The experience is interactive and a welcome break from the norm.
You sense stepping back in time when you step into the supper club. Picture a bar circa 1940-1950, dimly lit by vintage sconces, with a grill smack dab in the middle of the space where guests cook their own steaks. The horseshoe-shaped booths are black leather, dimpled with metal studs, creating the classic tufted pattern that screams jazz club or gentlemen’s parlor.
The Turf Supper Club’s primary draw is the unique communal grilling experience. The offerings are delivered to you raw and ready to cook. The grill becomes a social hub where guests gather to cook their meals. You can’t help but be social, and that’s the whole point. Once you are off your bar stool or have slid out of your booth and are in the mix grilling, you are part of the club.
When you arrive at the grill, it will be populated with kebabs, steaks, burgers, fish, and large wedges of garlic bread, crisping to a golden brown. Everything you need to grill with is provided, from spatulas and tongs to sauces and seasonings.
The drinks are strong, and the service is on point. Everyone is welcome here, and the crowd is always a vibrant cross-section of people, old and young, hip and more conservative. It’s where everyone can come together for a common purpose: food, drink, and a heaping portion of just plain cool.
On our most recent visit, we got seats at the bar and ordered a couple of cocktails. I had a slightly dirty martini made with Tanqueray gin, and my date had a Fernet on the rocks while we perused the menu. We settled on a top sirloin and a hot link sausage. The bartender suggested the sausage, and I am glad we agreed. We had had a late lunch, so we passed on all the sides.
Once the food arrived, I ordered a Miller High Life, and we made our way to the grill. It was a tight fit, but the crowd ebbed and flowed. We found a corner of the grill and got to work. Once the food is cooking, you can’t help but talk with others; everything about the Turff Club is social.
Two condiments present make the experience so nostalgic for me: Worcestershire sauce and A1 steak sauce. I purposely ordered the Top Sirloin, the opening price point steak, so I wouldn’t feel guilty using A1 all over it. That flavor immediately transported me back to my childhood. I used the Worcestershire sauce on my steak while grilling.
The Turf Club had fallen off my radar in recent years, but my last visit brought this gem back into my sights, and I can’t wait to go back. The Turf Supper Club is open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., and food is served until 1 a.m. This information is golden, as there isn’t a kitchen on the island that stays open past 10. Am I the only one who likes to eat late?
too bad I live so close by – =:)
Love this write-up—and Turf Club definitely sounds like a great late-night spot! Can’t wait to try it. Just a quick note: Night & Day Cafe on the island also serves food until 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on weekends! It’s so good to see more late-night dining options.
1116 25th St, San Diego, CA 92102
turfsupperclub.com
Where is it?????