The secret is out, and word is spreading: The Anvil Club is open to all, and not just for dinner. It’s also a prime location for social events including wedding receptions, showers, memorials, anniversaries and business meetings.
A fixture on the local dining scene for more than 65 years, this East Dundee landmark used to be reserved for members only. Since opening to the public two years ago, its richly appointed dining rooms invite anyone to come and soak in the atmosphere.
The Anvil Club features nine dining rooms, each one steeped in history. Parties of 10 to 150 can enjoy areas like the cozy wine cellar, the stylish turn-of-the-century bar, the dark-paneled Board Room, the outdoor veranda, and Sparky’s Lounge, where members once enjoyed drinks and smokes.
“People love the ambience and the food,” says Joe Robinson, general manager. “The chef is amazing. He doesn’t cut corners.”
Chef Tino Almaraz oversees a menu of classic dinner club fare anchored by prime steaks and seafood, but for private parties he accommodates a wide range of tastes. The banquet menu includes many options for appetizers, soup, salad, entrees and desserts in pre-selected plates, buffet-style settings and menu packages.
Banquet manager Harmony Feldbusch brings it all together, from arranging a menu to ordering flowers, cake and colored linens.
Details of the customizable menu are posted online at theanvilclub.net.
Founded as a private dining club for the area’s civic and industrial leaders in the 1950s, The Anvil Club is now “a club for everyone,” says Robinson. Wood accents and white-linen table settings still exude austerity, and periodic events make anyone feel like a vaunted member.
Patrons are encouraged to wear business casual attire, including collared shirts for men.
The dining room is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Reservations are highly encouraged.
The Anvil Club is located at 309 Meier St., in East Dundee, (847) 426-7710.