Frank Sinatra And The Rat Pack Dined At This Iconic Supper Club That's Still Open Today

Frank Sinatra traveled across the United States during the course of his long and illustrious career, and he had favorite restaurants scattered all over the map. In his hometown of Hoboken, New Jersey, he dined at a classic Italian restaurant called Leo's Grandevous, while in Chicago, he frequented the Twin Anchors Restaurant and Tavern (so much so, that his regular booth even had a personal phone line just for him). When in Los Angeles, he and his friends would visit an upscale restaurant called Chasen's, but in Palm Springs, California, the entire Rat Pack (of which Sinatra served as chairman) would hang out at the Purple Room Supper Club.

Supper clubs were somewhat of a mid-century phenomenon that often combined cocktail lounges with full-scale restaurants and live entertainment venues. Although not as popular as they once were, supper clubs are still alive and well in the Midwest (especially Wisconsin), while the Purple Room is still holding down the fort in Palm Springs. It first opened back in 1960, and Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. considered it their go-to spot when golfing in the desert. Not only did they dine and drink there, but they would sometimes even take the stage to put on a show.

The Purple Room isn't exactly a time capsule, since it has changed owners and undergone renovations over the past six decades, but its current feel is very much a throwback to the glory days when the Rat Pack was in residence. The bar stocks an extensive collection of bourbon (200 bottles at last count) in homage to Sinatra's favorite tipple, while every Wednesday the club hosts a Rat Pack-themed cabaret.

The menu carries that vintage vibe by featuring steakhouse classics from back in the day. These include shrimp cocktail, escargot, arancini, and Caesar salad on the appetizer menu, while Steak Diane (a dish that's said to have been one of Sinatra's favorites) is available as an entrée. The menu does have more than one nod to the modern era, however, as it also includes such items as ahi tuna tataki, short rib sliders, and vegan Singapore noodles, as well as the über-trendy Basque cheesecake for dessert.

The bar menu, however, is pure nostalgia, in the names if not the ingredients. Among the offerings are an old-school mai tai called Play It Again Sam, a cosmopolitan re-dubbed The Bacall, and a number of Sinatra-themed drinks. These include Old Blue Eyes, a classic cocktail made with Buffalo Trace bourbon or Sazerac Rye; A Date With Frank, a cocktail made with date syrup; and Frank's Final Word, which combines bourbon with green Chartreuse, lime juice, amaretto, and burnt sugar syrup.