It usually starts with a vintage neon sign on a rural two-lane road and a parking lot packed with cars. Inside, the lighting is low, wood paneling covers the walls, and the bartender knows your name, your preferred drink, and how to muddle fruit properly.
The Wisconsin supper club isn’t built for a quick turnaround. It is designed around the idea that dinner should be the night’s main activity—a tradition of Midwestern hospitality that has outlasted fast-food chains and changing culinary trends.
The Bar First Rule
In supper club culture, you never sit at your table right away. You walk in and head straight to the bar. Even if your table is cleared, taking time for a pre-dinner drink is standard procedure.
This pause lets everyone unwind and talk. In classic clubs, the host won’t chase you down when your seat is ready; a chime over the loudspeaker or a indicator light at the bar lets you know your table is prepared so you can finish your conversation without rushing.
Brandy is King
You can’t talk about Wisconsin dining without addressing the Brandy Old Fashioned. While the rest of the country builds Old Fashioneds with bourbon or rye whiskey, Wisconsin drinks more than half of Korbel’s total annual output. The state’s preference dates back to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where Korbel introduced its brandy to Midwesterners of German descent who already preferred fruit-based spirits over grain whiskeys.
When ordering, the bartender will expect you to specify your “wash” (the mixer):
- Sweet: Topped with lemon-lime soda (Sprite or 7Up). The state default.
- Sour: Topped with grapefruit soda (Squirt) or sour mix.
- Press: Half seltzer and half lemon-lime soda for a less sugary drink.
The Relish Tray
Before soups or salads hit the table, the server brings out a stainless steel or crystal platter set on ice. The relish tray acts as a communal opener that gets everyone passing plates around the table.
A traditional lineup includes:
- Raw Vegetables: Radishes, scallions, celery, and carrot sticks.
- Spreads: A crock of sharp cheddar spread (often Merkts) or liver pâté.
- Pickled Items: Beets, herring, or mild peppers.
- Crackers: A basket of saltines, rye chips, or breadsticks.
Friday Fish, Saturday Steak, and After Dinner
The menu follows a weekly cadence across the state:
- Friday Fish Fry: A tradition originally rooted in Catholic dietary customs that grew into a statewide weekly routine. Options usually include beer-battered or baked cod, yellow perch, or walleye—served alongside coleslaw, rye bread, and potato pancakes or french fries.
- Saturday Prime Rib: Slow-roasted cuts served in generous portions, typically sold as a Queen Cut or a bone-in King Cut.
- After Dinner: The meal ends with an ice cream cocktail—like a Grasshopper or Pink Squirrel—blended behind the bar, often accompanied by a round of pull-tabs at the register.
Three Notable Wisconsin Supper Clubs
While hundreds of clubs operate across the state, a few highlight different sides of the tradition:
- Ishnala Supper Club (Lake Delton): Set deep inside Mirror Lake State Park, Ishnala (“by itself alone” in Ho-Chunk) was built into the surrounding landscape, with pine trees growing through the roof and dining room floor. It takes no reservations, drawing large crowds who wait out multi-hour delays at the outdoor, lakeview bars.
- The HobNob (Racine): Perched along the bluffs of Lake Michigan, The HobNob retains a 1950s aesthetic with dark velvet booths, purple accents, and water views. It remains one of the few spots where guests still dress up for dinner.
- Schwarz’s Supper Club (St. Anna): Located in rural Calumet County near Elkhart Lake, this family-run restaurant turns out massive volumes of hand-cut steaks every weekend, drawing diners from hours away to a town with fewer than 100 residents.
Recipe: The Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned (Sweet)
Ingredients
- 2 oz Brandy (Korbel)
- 1 Sugar cube (or 1 tsp simple syrup)
- 2–3 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 Orange slice
- 1 Maraschino cherry
- Splash of lemon-lime soda (Sprite or 7Up)
Instructions
- Place the sugar cube in a rocks glass.
- Saturate the sugar with bitters and add a tiny splash of soda.
- Add the orange slice and cherry; muddle until the fruit releases its juices and the sugar dissolves.
- Fill the glass to the top with ice cubes.
- Pour the brandy over the ice.
- Top with lemon-lime soda and stir gently.
- Garnish with a second orange slice and cherry (or pickled mushrooms/olives for a savory variation).
