A Worthwhile Drive for Dinner at Heston Supper Club

At Heston Supper Club, dinner can begin with a bubbling bowl of French onion soup, its cheese melted across the top, and end with a carryout box containing a good share of prime rib. This is a full-scale, sit-down supper-club meal, built around the pleasures of a big plate, a proper drink and enough time at the table to enjoy both.

The restaurant sits in a rural, out-of-the-way setting, the sort of place that turns an ordinary drive into a dinner plan. Its rustic exterior gives way to an older, traditional interior with a dark, club-like atmosphere rather than a sleek contemporary look.

Heston works nicely as a stop on the road, but it also has the gravity of a destination dinner. Couples settle in for steak and cocktails, small groups gather around the table, and birthdays have a natural home here.

Prime rib is the house specialty that keeps the conversation focused. It is known for being tender, well seasoned and cooked with care, and it arrives in portions that do not seem shy about taking up space on the plate.

The Heston cut is especially substantial. Leftovers are common enough to be expected, making the ride home a little more pleasant if you have a refrigerator waiting at the other end.

Even the petite cut has a generous reputation. That gives diners who want prime rib without committing to the largest portion a sensible middle route, though this is still supper-club food, not dainty tasting-menu food.

Prime rib may lead the menu, but there is plenty of room for steak loyalists. Filet, ribeye and strip steak give the table several directions to go, and the steaks are noted for a charred exterior that gives way to a juicy, properly medium center.

A six-ounce filet has been paired with a well-liked salad, a reminder that a smaller steak can still make a complete dinner here. The ribeye also holds its own, especially alongside summer zucchini and crab cakes.

Lamb chops and ribs expand the land side of the menu further. For a group with different appetites, that broad selection keeps one person from having to order the same dinner as everybody else.

The appetizer list follows the old-school steakhouse mood in the best way. Rockefeller oysters and Blue Point oysters bring a little ceremony to the opening round, while escargot and stuffed mushrooms offer the familiar pleasures that have never needed much updating.

Pork belly bites add a more playful starter, with a tangy-sweet, caramelized finish. On some visits, a sample basket has included broccoli cheese bites, another small, comforting flourish before the main event.

Chicken Kiev is one of the more theatrical entrees: cut into it and the butter runs out. It is a dish from an earlier dining era that still knows exactly how to get a table's attention.

The seafood selection also goes beyond the appetizer course. Perch and walleye bring regional fish-dinner appeal to the menu, while lobster is there for diners inclined to make the evening a little more lavish.

For some meals, a complimentary spread of bread, cheese and crackers has arrived at the table before dinner. It is a small welcoming gesture, but one that suits a restaurant where lingering over a meal is encouraged.

Dessert does not get treated as an afterthought. Coconut pie has its fans, as does raspberry cheesecake, and either is a fitting finish after a rich steak, seafood plate or a sizable serving of prime rib.

The generous portions make sharing dessert a reasonable idea, though nobody will object if the table decides that pie and cheesecake are both worth ordering.

Heston has a separate bar area as well as its indoor dining room, and the bar is fully stocked. Craft beers are available on tap, wine is on hand, and the cocktail list stays close to the classics.

An Old Fashioned made with Maker's Mark is a particularly appropriate choice for the setting. It has the right sturdy, unhurried character for a dinner that may include oysters, a steak, or a plate of prime rib big enough to revisit tomorrow.

The service style is attentive without hovering. Drinks are kept moving, empty plates are cleared efficiently, and the rhythm supports a relaxed full-service dinner rather than a rushed turn of the table.

The restaurant handles intimate dinners, small groups and birthday meals. On a birthday occasion, staff have placed candles on a guest-provided cake, then cut and served it—a thoughtful old-fashioned service touch that fits the room.

Conversation is usually comfortable in the dining room, though the mood can get livelier when nearby tables are in a celebratory frame of mind. That variation seems entirely in keeping with a place built for long dinners and gatherings.

Free parking is available in a lot, with some street parking also available. Since Heston is set away from the usual restaurant clusters, it is best understood as a dinner stop with its own destination appeal rather than a place encountered on a downtown stroll.

Reservations are often a good idea when the dining room is busy, although walk-in seating has also been available. The restaurant's mix of bar space and dining room makes it workable for a spontaneous stop as well as a planned evening.

A final practical note: leave a little room in the car. The Heston prime-rib cut has a habit of sending diners home with tomorrow's lunch.