Sunness Supper Club is a new type of restaurant in Ft Lauderdale – a mix of classic American dining and a tribute to the owner’s fondness for a traditional supper club. Michael Stanley created Sunness in honor of his grandfather and memories of dining with him, shaping a neighborhood eatery that blends nostalgia with today’s modern tastes.
The restaurant aims to make “special-occasion energy” feel accessible: a well-decorated dining room, classic-leaning menu, thoughtful cocktails, live entertainment, and a wink of mystery with an upcoming speakeasy upstairs. If you like old-school charm with modern details, this is the kind of place you’ll appreciate (and want to put in your regular rotation).
As for the food, the owner partnered with James Beard Award-winner Allen Susser on a menu of staples touched by global flavors. I was lucky enough to try 3 starters and 1 main, beginning with the Oak Roasted Rock Shrimp Fajita.
A coastal twist on the classic, this is the perfect example of the fusion the menu promises.
A sizzling cast-iron skillet comes with rock shrimp, sautéed peppers and onions, and cilantro. Rock shrimp have a natural lobster-like sweetness and a firm snap, and the oak roast adds gentle smoke. Charred peppers and onions turn sweet and silky, while cilantro lifts the richness. All soaking in the pan juices of garlicky butter with citrus. That secret bit was my favorite. I could use the fajita shell to scoop up those juices as the meal itself.
All the flavors together move from smoky and sweet to bright and clean. It’s a craveable, sizzle-at-the-table fajita built around great shrimp rather than filler. I appreciate that! Unfortunately, I don’t see this on the menu today. Sunness changes with the seasons, and it looks like Fall’s over includes Shrimp & Anson Mills Grits and a Wood-Fired Shrimp Romesco. If the Summer menu is any indication, these shrimp dishes will be winners as well.
Oddly, we decided to pair the fajitas with the Cesar Salad for Two.
An item I would normally ignore, this Cesar Salad is special in that it is made tableside. An item I didn’t think I needed to see made tableside!
The server takes the time to explain each ingredient (romaine hearts, garlic croutons, anchovies, and dressing items), why they work together, and how Sunness Club came to source or use them. A nice touch I appreciated! And the taste- really good. You can taste the freshness, which you can clearly see. A bit too much dressing for me, but otherwise an excellent Cesar.
While we both enjoyed the salad itself, this is an item I’d likely skip, as it was too safe. There are so many unique offerings, such as Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice or Ceviche, that would pair much better with the shrimp fajitas and likely lead to exploring a new dish. Save the Cesar Salad for any ole lunch.
Speaking of exploring, something that I rarely see on menus but have always had an excellent experience with, Roasted Bone Marrow.
The roasted bone marrow almost feels like a secret, and it is too good to gatekeep.
A canoe-cut bone is blasted in a hot oven until the center turns molten and custardy, then finished with flaky salt and something bright for lift. The flavor reads like concentrated beef butter with roasted, nutty notes. The best part is the texture. It’s lush and spreadable, pairing perfectly with the grilled bread. A smart plate adds acidity and crunch, think a lemony parsley salad, pickled shallots, capers, or a quick gremolata, so each bite moves finishes. Sunness provides that as well.
The team here nails down a flawless execution of bone marrow. It’s a deep and delicious dish, leaving you wanting more even though one is enough. You can tell there is training on house-smoking marrow and that the kitchen treats it as a signature. It may not be top of the list of appetizers, but when at a supper club, I must recommend it! (Although nowhere beats a steakhouse for this dish.)
And finally, Blackened Red Snapper with crayfish succotash and green herb rice (I think).
The uncertainty because, as mentioned, the menu changes! And unfortunately, I didn’t write down which Red Snapper was on offer in September. The Fall Menu alternative is the Red Snapper with Mango Salsa.
But back to our Snapper, it has much more sauce and is almost sloppier than the new item. Being a big lover of dipping anything and everything, the extreme sauciness doesn’t bother me one bit. Soaked up by that rice, I probably would not have complained if there was even more.
The taste, was delicious. A fresh snapper fillet is coated in a Cajun spice blend (paprika, cayenne, garlic, thyme), then seared hard in a hot cast-iron pan with butter. That creates a smoky, mahogany crust while the fish stays moist, flaky, and slightly sweet.
Crayfish succotash is a warm ragout of crawfish tails tossed with sweet corn, peppers, onions, and celery (sometimes a touch of okra or light cream/butter). It’s juicy, a little spicy, and naturally sweet from the corn and crawfish. These together work. Red snapper is lean, mild, and slightly sweet. It loves bold seasoning but needs moisture and richness. Crayfish succotash brings buttery brine, juicy vegetables, and just enough fat to make each bite feel complete.
Overall, really solid food in a restaurant that delivers on all its promises. On my list for next time: Caviar Tater Tots and the Grilled Filet Mignon Bearnaise for dinner, but the Brunch menu and content make me think an earlier meal might be best. Or, I suppose, why not both!?
