Butterfly Club — Restaurant in Medford

I have been wanting to try this place for the longest time - so I was beyond excited to hear my honey tell me he made reservations for our Valentine date last night. This is a really hard review to leave because half of our experience was amazing, and half was below sub-par.

To start, the experience of waiting outside of the "barber shop" to be let in and make your way through the "secret entrance" into the speakeasy was very cool. The decor and atmosphere were very spot on, and we loved everyone dressed in 1920's attire. The tables (we are NOT large) are very small for two people, but nothing we couldn't get over quickly. Our server was amazing, doting, and checked on us frequently.

The drink menu is SO fun, and I won't spoil how they come out for anyone who hasn't gone - but very unique, delicious, and worth the price. We had the cheese board (added meat) and the beet salad, and both were to die for! We were both starving, so after appetizers and a salad, we were very excited about our dinner. We both ordered the special (wagyu with some type of seafood surf and turf ravioli) and some sides - street corn and shrimp scampi. Presentation? Beautiful. Unfortunately, the follow-through just wasn't there. My ravioli and sauce was cold, I couldn't even chew my wagyu up all the way - either it was cut wrong or perhaps a piece with a huge line of fat through it but I had to leave every bite chewed up and spit out on my plate because after a few secretly wadded up in my napkin (I'm a lady) I didn't have anywhere else to put them. The flavor was there! The quality wasn't. The shrimp flavor also was INCREDIBLE, but they were SO over done. We both chewed them for about as long as I spent on my steak. It was difficult to feel confident ordering dessert after such a disappointment in the dinner, but we figured maybe we would end on a good note. The cake by itself was honestly a dud - BUT, we did order a side of the bacon ice cream to go with and it was so good it helped pull that little cake through to the finish line. Honestly, it wasn't TERRIBLE, I think because some of the experience was great, it just made it sub-par. But, for a $300 bill, I feel the game here needs to be stepped up. We had much better food with zero complaints next door at Tap and Vine, and we're both trying to process how they can nail it so well in one location but fall flat like this in the other. Will we go back? Honestly, more than likely. But we will only be ordering drinks and appetizers and staying away from anything else. They've got a great place, unlike anything else in the valley, and to be fair, the idea is truly there, but the execution was not. I expect to leave an establishment like this for the price with a better feeling than indifference.

In response to The Butterfly Club (maps won't let me reply to you): I did not mention it to my server. I know she saw my plate with chewed up meat all over it (ew, and I'm sorry) and I wanted to say something but my husband asked me not to. If you've ever seen the movie "Waiting" you'll understand the fear of sending a plate back and she was so wonderful, he didn't want her to take it personally. The flavor was there (along with the other dishes) and it was cooked perfectly medium rare, just unfortunately so so not digestible. Ravioli was cold, so was the sauce. Shrimp was also over cooked. My husband did order the same plate and his was luke warm but his meat was edible so I'm not sure what happened there. You guys have a really stellar place - very unique. We were just a little...

*Edit: Since I can’t respond directly to the owner’s response. It’s wild to think the corn didn’t come from a can because the quality and flavor of it was so poor that it resembled can corn. It’s also disrespectful to Cherry Street Meats, the finest meat distribution service in our area to cook a steak so poorly. I’d gladly donate my time to show staff how to properly cook a steak and get a nice sear/properly season it. Lastly, I’m not a baker so you’re out of luck there but hopefully in the future more attention will be paid. Tasting food while preparing it is key which if it was then someone’s palate is jacked beyond belief.

My wife and I can here for our anniversary and were really excited to try the Butterfly Club out. I seldom write negative reviews but figured I would have wanted to know what I know now about the Butterfly Club. First, the waitress and bar tender were the only saving grace. Truly spectacular service and they made our night feel special from beginning to end. The drinks were fantastic as well! You can tell he made our drinks with true passion and attention to detail. Our waitress checked on us regularly, making sure our night went well and gave us genuine attention despite being the only waitress for the whole place while we were there. Just for this dynamic duo, I’d return for drinks and ambience.

Now for the not so good part. My wife and I aren’t massive fans of Tap and Vine (the restaurant connected to the Butterfly Club). We quickly realized our food would be coming from the Tap and Vine kitchen which was worrisome; however, we still proceeded with open minds in hopes that the price tag meant an elevated quality of food. For reference, my wife often go to other establishments such as Decant, Chateauxbriand 36, and other comparable places. This food was far from the quality we expected. Started with the bone marrow appetizer which was okay, the onion jam could have used some more cooking down to let the flavors marinate better together. I got the ribeye which was not of good quality, lacked a good sear, and desperately needed salt (my worry is the person who prepared our food was afraid of salt). I also got the street corn au gratin which was clearly canned corn and lacked any flavor reminiscent of street corn; it also had the consistency of a watery soup. My wife got the chicken dish (can’t remember the exact name) but it came with a red wine truffle ju I believed. The sauce had some good flavor; however, my wife’s first dish had a hair in it (which happens). Our waitress was amazing and got a new dish quickly for her. The chicken was dry/overcooked but the stuffing in the chicken was good at least. A pleasant surprise was a complimentary dessert so we chose the molten lava cake. It tasted good but could tell that it wasn’t made in house and most likely from a food vendor like Sysco.

Overall, the ambience was great except for the shared door with Tap and Vine. The club was clean, the setting was comfortable and appropriately lit, not too much or too little lighting. I want to end with the staff being absolutely amazing! The staff alone would interest me in returning; however the food if not improved will continue to be a selling point of...

Wow, 12/10. Fantastic atmosphere. Super vibey and there are only about 8 tables inside plus the bar top so it’s very intimate. I will be back time and time again either when I am passing thru Medford, or visiting for a little vacation.

Food ordered: Pulled Short Rib. I failed to get a picture of this plate but it was probably one of the best plates of food I have ever eaten. The short rib was perfectly cooked and the Demi glaze to put on top is fantastic. I cannot say enough good things about the olive oil mash. Easily the best mashed potato’s I have eaten. Now I need to try and recreate them. We finished dinner off with the Persian Lime Tart. I guess they only make a few per day and we got the last one. It was heavenly and we would have ordered a second if they had one to serve. The lime was not overwhelming. It was a great balance.

Drinks ordered: Purple one = Butterfly Effect. White Cat Cup = Madame Butterfly. Red one = Mariposa (this was the best drink of the 3) but all drinks were tasty. The flavors that came together in the Mariposa were just chefs kiss.

I can’t wait...