In the heart of Wisconsin, nestled between Lake Winnebago and the great Lake Michigan, in the quaint town of St. Anna, lies Schwarz’s Supper Club, a testament to time, tradition, and the art of the perfect steak. Founded in 1957 by Ziggy and Evelyn Schwarz, what began as a humble country tavern has matured into one of the state’s cherished culinary landmarks.
Schwarz’s Supper Club is a multi-generational, family-owned enterprise that has been part of the community since 1957, when it began as a modest country tavern established by Ziggy and Evelyn Schwarz. Over the years, the ownership has transitioned through the family. John, the son of Ziggy and Evelyn, and his wife Lisa took over as the second generation. They managed the club for many years before passing it on to their son Charley and his wife Stephanie. Currently, Lisa and Stephanie, together with their family, continue to own and operate Schwarz’s Supper Club, maintaining its legacy and family tradition.
St. Anna is an unincorporated community that stretches into Calumet and Sheboygan counties, in between the the towns of Russell and New Holstein. In 1848, as Wisconsin was becoming a state, seventy emigrants from Hamburg, Germany, laid the foundations for what would later become New Holstein by settling in the area. Development in St. Anna started that same fall when some of these German Roman Catholics constructed a log church.
At Schwarz’s, every meal begins with a ritual as old as the club itself. Guests order at the bar, often sipping on a brandy Old Fashioned, before being summoned to their tables. Here, they’re greeted with the classic supper club starters: a crisp salad, a colorful relish tray, and warm, homemade bread.
The menu is a celebration of meat, with steaks cut on-site, ensuring freshness and flavor. Their signature sirloin for two is a spectacle, while the seafood offerings remind diners that even in a land-locked state, fresh fish can be found. Friday nights bring out the locals for the popular perch fry, a testament to Schwarz’s commitment to tradition.
Each week, Schwarz’s Supper Club processes an enormous amount of meat, including 900 pounds of prime rib alone. Their steaks are meticulously hand-cut in-house to a one-inch thickness and then seasoned with the exclusive Schwarz’s Family blend of spices.
After your meal, you can choose from a variety after dinner ice cream drinks like a Brandy Alexander, Grasshopper, Pink Squirrel, and more.
What sets Schwarz’s apart isn’t just the food and drink but the experience. There’s the no-reservation policy, harkening back to a simpler time. The ambiance, with its wood-paneled walls and history-soaked air, conjures nostalgia for supper clubs of yore. The clientele is the perfect mix of regulars and people passing through, many who made St. Anna a destination purely because of Schwarz’s. It’s a place where the stories you share and memories you make are as much a part of the meal as the food itself.
Schwarz’s Supper Club isn’t just a dining destination; it’s a slice of Wisconsin culture. It’s where families celebrate milestones, where travelers find a taste of Wisconsin’s Holy Land, and where every meal is a nod to the past, present, and future of the great supper club tradition in America’s Dairyland.
Enjoy Schwarz’s year round, but be aware, they are closed Mondays and Tuesdays as well as on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
