“Supper club.” It’s a phrase that evokes a hospitality era from yesteryear, but in a conveniently unspecific way.
Restaurant concepts with retro vibes and nostalgic references do well these days, and “supper club” conjures up a certain level of midcentury coziness and a whiff of exclusivity. The nuts and bolts of its definition can easily take a backseat to a pretty setting, a hearty yet slightly elevated menu, and a collection of classic cocktails, all of which are present and accounted for at the Statesman, a New American “supper club” that opens in Downtown Austin on January 19.
The concept of a supper club in the South generally centers around potluck gatherings in private homes. But in the Upper Midwest, supper clubs serve as traditional restaurants that double as communal gathering spaces. The menus include classic, frill-free tavern fare with cocktails to match, and special-occasion energy coexists with an approachable and welcoming spirit.
At the Statesman (710 W. Sixth), the closest visual reference to the supper clubs of Wisconsin and Minnesota is a throwback mural along the rear wall featuring hands holding martini glasses, rocks glasses, and cigars. It’s a dose of kitsch that brings a welcome sense of place to the venue. Otherwise, the decor at the Statesman seems to be going for “Mad Men meets Prohibition speakeasy”: We’ve got a tin ceiling, exposed brick, a chandelier, a copper bar top, and leather booths equipped with buttons labeled “Press for Champagne.”
The food menu – sampled at a Jan. 17 press preview – highlights comfort-food dishes that one might imagine Don Draper or Roger Sterling ordering after (or during) a whiskey bender. Executive chef Dan Kennedy – an alum of Trois Mecs in Los Angeles, Avance in Philadelphia, and VOLT in Maryland – serves up shrimp cocktail with horseradish and cocktail sauce, fresh oysters with mignonette, meatballs with smoked parmesan, a wedge salad with bacon and blue cheese dressing, warm Parker House rolls, and a peppercorn-encrusted ribeye steak, all of which fit into an all-American steakhouse vibe, while more playful items like avocado pizza with pistou and an upmarket spin on mozzarella sticks offer a touch of whimsy. Also, because this is Austin in 2024, the Statesman provides a well-conceived vegan menu that fits into the general theme, with dishes like “chicken” parm and a loaded Impossible burger.
But where the Statesman really finds its thematic footing is on its cocktail menu. Crafted by veteran Austin bartender Bill Norris, the list uses classic cocktails as its foundation, but each drink features a subtle twist that sets it apart. The Statesman’s S.S. Margarita, for example, includes premium tequila and lime, but the bar team infuses the orange liqueur with ghost peppers, which delivers a well-integrated heat that feels essential to the drink’s overall balance. And the bar’s take on an Old Fashioned, the Añejo Anciano, trades in whiskey for aged tequila and brings a touch of theatricality by live-smoking the cocktail prior to serving.
The Statesman seems poised to offer an attractive dining room, a satisfying menu, friendly and genuine service, and cocktails that are more interesting than they need to be. Is it a “supper club” in any meaningful sense of the term? That’s difficult to say, and it’s also somewhat difficult to determine what niche the Statesman might fill in the Austin restaurant landscape. “Who exactly is this place for?” remains a question that the Statesman will need to answer in the months to come. But in the meantime, a great drink and some tasty bites are there for the ordering, and the Statesman’s guests can anticipate a pleasant night-out experience at this West Sixth Street spot.
This article appears in January 12 • 2024.