By Bruce Klauber
The idea of the private dining club is nothing new. One of the oldest of these organizations, simply called “The Club,” dates back to the mid-1700s. In an April 2019 article in Food Magazine, writer Ward Hazell detailed the history of the private dining club.
“In 1764, writer Samuel Johnson and artist Joshua Reynolds set up their own dining club for artistic and literary gentlemen,” Hazell wrote. “With the aim of providing good food and even better conversation, the group originally consisted of fewer than a dozen men, all of whom were called ‘good fellows.’
“The club met in the Turk’s Head Tavern in Soho, London, and members ate a hearty supper followed by lots of talking and drinking. Membership continued to grow, much to the disgust of the founding members. They were particularly annoyed by the intake of politicians, which seemed to put the founders off their food.”
That’s probably not an issue in today’s clubs, especially the ones in existence in the Atlantic City/Ocean City area.
One would think that, with the hundreds of dining options available in this region, the very idea of a private dining club just doesn’t make sense today. But that’s not the case.
Classic private dining clubs like Philadelphia’s Pyramid Club and Messina Social Club, offer features that most restaurants do not, including exclusivity and the relative ease of making reservations. Furthermore, members of such clubs frequently decide who will be admitted as a member and who will not, what chef will be hired and what food that chef will put on the menu.
When it comes to dining out, Ocean City’s situation is unique. The city has been a dry town since 1879 and a liquor license has never been issued. Furthermore, the city ordinance says that “restaurants are not permitted to allow customers to bring their own alcohol.” This, obviously, has long been an issue for restaurants and diners who want to enjoy an adult beverage with their meal.
One way around this is the establishment of membership-only private clubs which permit members the BYOB privilege within an already-existing restaurant. Ocean City establishments have been using the private club concept for several years.
“In recent years, dinner clubs have begun to appear, offering annual memberships that allow customers to bring and consume their own wine,” notes a 2020 piece in the Ocean City Sentinel. “The participating restaurants can host club members on certain nights, or hold the club in rooms only accessible to members. Exclusive clubs charging member fees have legally circumvented the city’s stringent laws regarding alcohol.”
Despite protests, private clubs continue to operate, and continue to operate successfully.
Dockside Dinner Club
Ocean City’s Dockside Dinner Club, within The Dockside Kitchen restaurant, is described by the proprietors as “Ocean City NJ’s only bay front dining experience that offers private memberships, so guests can BYOB while enjoying our delicious seafood entrees. Memberships are exclusive, on a per party, per year basis.” Family memberships are $250 annually.
The Epicurean Ocean Club
The Port-O-Call is a Boardwalk hotel in Ocean City that has a dining room, Adelene, which is open to the public, but also houses the seasonal private eating club called the Epicurean Ocean Club. The promo material says that the EOC, as it is called, “is a casual, members-only club for people looking for an unparalleled private dining experience in Ocean City.”
Although the EOC actually happens within the hotel’s Adelene restaurant, the $25 membership fee entitles those who join to enjoy BYOB spirits with their meals.
Supper Club 1923
Ocean City’s historic Flanders Hotel, long known as “the jewel of the southern shore,” has been around since 1923. It hasn’t always been easy, as the hotel has weathered fires, storms and more than one financial disaster. But the Boardwalk landmark is thriving today, and has remained very much up-to-date.
In line with remaining current, the Flanders Supper Club 1923 was established in order to, as the club’s literature states, “enjoy the flexibility to compliment dinner with the adult beverage of choice.” A lifetime membership to the weekends-only club is $100.
Club Madrid
Atlantic City has no such legal issue with alcohol, so the two private eating clubs that do currently exist in the city are basically selling the exclusivity concept.
The idea of Club Madrid, within the revamped and recently reopened Angeloni’s restaurant, strives to recreate what the owners describe as “Atlantic City’s 1980s glory days.”
Now owned and operated by the owners of Atlantic City’s venerable Tony’s Baltimore Grill, reviews have been mostly enthusiastic about the club and the restaurant itself.
Membership fees range from $250 to $2,000, but posted information about just what a member gets for those fees is scant, save for the fact that members dine and drink within Angeloni’s “private area.”
Sirens Bar and Grill
Sirens Bar and Grill, located in Atlantic City’s Marina District, specifically in Kammerman’s Marina, is said to have been in operation by the Kammerman Family for more than 60 years. Stacey and Chris Kammerman, who live at the marina, operate the relatively new Sirens Bar and Grill and the Carson Club.
“Sirens is a hidden gem and a favorite hangout among the locals, with new customers usually discovering it through word of mouth,” say Stacey and Chris. “The restaurant doesn’t advertise, but frequent comments about Sirens include, ‘It’s like being in Key West!’ or ‘It just has an awesome vibe!’”
Private membership is limited and there is a waiting list. The club, especially during the season, hosts a number of special events – most of them musical – is open to members only.
“Our private club is designed to be a welcoming and happy space where members can feel appreciated and become part of an amazing community of like-minded people,” said Chris Kammerman. “By limiting membership, we can ensure intimate affairs and keep crowds to a minimum, even on the busiest summer weekends. Additionally, our boating clientele can enjoy access to our many boat slips to dock and dine.”
The Margate Log Cabin
First-time visitors to the Atlantic City area who just happen to travel on Jerome Avenue in Margate might be puzzled by what looks exactly like a log cabin. Is it a roadside attraction? An historic building of some sort? The vision of an eccentric architect?
The answer to all the above is “no.” It’s called the Margate Log Cabin because that’s exactly what it is. Beyond that, it’s a private meeting club which was established in 1935 by the Margate Fire Company as a secondary meeting place.
In 1956 it became a private club, and prospective members must be sponsored by existing members. There is live entertainment most weekends throughout the season. Membership at the Log Cabin is coveted. As of this writing, according to the website, “Membership is currently closed.”
Those who may be thinking about joining one of these clubs may be wise to heed the message in the classic television commercial: “Membership does have its privileges.”
