Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old Fashioned Experience

By Ron Faiola

Supper clubs guru Ron Faiola is back with updated chronicles and beautiful new photographs from the clubs that captured the attention of readers in Wisconsin Supper Clubs, and also features several new venues shaking up this midwestern tradition.

Wisconsin Supper Clubs, Second Edition is a resource for and about supper clubs throughout Wisconsin that includes charming photographs of the unique supper club interiors, proprietors, and customers, as well as fascinating archival materials. Also recorded in this book are the regional specialties served at these clubs, ranging from popovers and fried pickles in the northern part of the state to Shrimp de Jonghe in the south. One Northwoods supper club even features fry bread, a traditional Native American dish uncommon to most restaurants.

In this updated second edition, Faiola revisits many of the clubs across the Dairy State that starred in his first edition, recording their struggles and triumphs in the years following widespread pandemic shutdowns. New to this edition are fifteen extra clubs that have entered the scene in the past decade, striving to be a part of this custom that is hugely popular with Wisconsin locals and regularly frequented by all midwestern foodies in the know.

The "supper club experience" is a tradition embodied by many long-standing restaurants scattered throughout the small towns of Wisconsin. It is based around a bygone idea that going out to dinner should be an experience that lasts an entire evening, emphasizing food made from scratch, slow-paced dining, and family-run businesses. Combine this with stately dark-panel decor, complimentary relish trays, and the best brandy Old Fashioned sweet you'll ever have, and you have barely scratched the surface of the Wisconsin supper club's appeal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Agate Midway
• Release date: Nov 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9781572848801

Ron Faiola

Ron Faiola is an author and filmmaker who has produced and directed numerous critically acclaimed documentaries. He is the president and founder of Push Button Gadget Inc., which has been specializing in audio visual and business theater production for nearly 20 years. He is the author of Wisconsin Supper Clubs and Wisconsin Supper Clubs: Another Round, both published by Agate Midway. He lives in Milwaukee.

Book preview

Introduction

Welcome to the 10th anniversary of my first literary supper club adventure! It’s incredible how things have changed in the last decade. These days customers line up outside of their favorite supper club and wait hours for a table. Social media posts keep the enthusiasm—as well as the squabbles—going on a daily basis. There has been a sheer avalanche of supper club–themed souvenirs and tchotchkes for sale—maps, T-shirts, hoodies, candles, glasses, pins, and stickers—plus brandy old-fashioned–themed food—kringles, cakes, and candy—and what about those CONES? (Don’t ask!) I’ve been studying supper clubs since 2010 (and have been going to them since I was young). I’ve made the supper club trek around Wisconsin four times now—for one documentary film and three books. I know what I consider a supper club to be, and it’s here in this book (see sidebar). It was also in my first Wisconsin Supper Clubs book in 2013, although I was a bit fuzzier on the subject back then. However, after visiting over 150 supper clubs in my life, I’m much more enlightened on the matter now.

For myself, this adventure launched a new career just as I was turning 50. It’s a thrill, and something that I have been deeply grateful for every day. People I meet often say I have a dream job. I do—still, it is a lot of work.

When I was on the road in 2012 to do the first Wisconsin Supper Clubs book, it was just me and my camera (indeed, I’ve taken all the photos in my books). It was an unusually warm late winter/early spring, which made it ideal for traveling throughout the state. At the time, supper club owners were still feeling the effects of the Great Recession. Ten years later, they were once again being affected by another great catastrophe—the aftereffects of the Covid pandemic—some of which you will read about in this book.

My travels for this expanded edition took place in the summer and fall of 2022—just me and my camera again. The weather was perfect. It was marvelous to see the various regions of the state once more. Most importantly, there were some happy reunions with supper club owners I hadn’t seen in ages. I also got to meet some new owners—a younger bunch keeping the supper clubs thriving, I’m pleased to report. (I just turned 60 in 2022, so I can say younger bunch with impunity.)

As you follow along, dear reader, you will find that I revisited 24 of the clubs from the 2013 release of Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old-Fashioned Experience. I’ve updated the profiles of 15 of the remaining clubs, and sadly wrote the obituaries for the 11 that are no longer with us. The good news is that I added 15 new clubs to the book—more hidden gems and great dining destinations for you to visit.

Savor your own supper club adventures! Be sure to bring your books to get autographed, as many people have been doing. As Eric Freund at the Sky Club says, We’ve got our Sharpies—ready to sign!

WHAT MAKES A SUPPER CLUB A WISCONSIN SUPPER CLUB?

First off, while a relish tray is a welcome sight at a supper club, they are somewhat of a rare find these days (and they’re not always free). So, the presence—or lack of—a relish tray does not make or break a supper club. Second, enjoying a brandy old-fashioned (not fashion, please) is practically de rigueur at supper clubs in Wisconsin. However, one can get a decent old-fashioned at just about any tavern, which doesn’t automatically make it a supper club. With that in mind, here is my list of what makes a supper club a supper club.

You know it’s a supper club when:

1The sign outside says SUPPER CLUB. (Naturally!)

2It’s family owned—usually they live on the premises.

3It’s open seasonally, or has different hours for summer and winter.

4It’s closed for a week when the owners are on vacation or deer hunting.

5You’re asked to place your order at the bar while you are waiting for your table.

6Specials include fish fry on Friday, prime rib on Saturday, and chicken and ribs on Sunday.

7The price of the meal includes everything—entree, side, soup and/or salad, and bread. It’s not à la carte, where you pay separately for each item.

8It’s cash only, no credit cards.

9It has one or more elements of what I call the Holy Trinity of supper club decor—dark wood paneling, twinkly lights, and taxidermy.

10It’s in one of my books.

Of course, there are slight variations to all this; however, this is just Supper Clubs 101 (there will be a quiz later). For a list of over 250 Wisconsin supper clubs, be sure to visit WisconsinSupperClubs.com. Bon appétit!

Southeast Wisconsin

SUPPER CLUBS

THE MOST POPULATED AREA OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN includes metropolitan Milwaukee, known by many monikers—the City of Festivals, Cream City, and Brew City, among others. This region includes the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge, the Basilica at Holy Hill, the Lake Country area to the west, and Lake Geneva to the south. The iconic Milwaukee Art Museum overlooks the Lake Michigan shoreline, and the many recreational activities available along the shoreline include swimming, fishing, and boating.

THE COPPER DOCK Hubertus

ORIGINAL VISIT: MARCH 6, 2012 | UPDATED VISIT: JULY 9, 2022

Tim and Heather Leffler are standing behind the bar at the Copper Dock, reflecting on what they’ve accomplished in the 20 years since they bought Anderson’s on the Lake in 2002 and opened their supper club. Aside from serving delicious food and wonderful drinks, they’ve also raised two children, Max and Maggie, and a lovable dog, Rocco.

The Copper Dock supper club is located in Hubertus, on the eastern shore of Friess Lake, near the Basilica at Holy Hill. The spring-fed lake is small at only 120 acres but deep, with a top depth of 58 feet. It is surrounded by winding roads and houses along the shoreline and up in the hills.

The building that houses the Copper Dock was built in the 1930s as a resort and ice cream stand for the public beach. It was also a dance hall and speakeasy, and there is still a secret door buzzer behind the bar. A dance floor remains in the bar’s small dining room.

The original owners were the Friess family, who ran the Friess Lake Resort for three decades, followed by the Anderson family, who ran a supper club called Anderson’s on the Lake from 1974 until it was sold to the Lefflers.

The name Copper Dock came about when Tim and Heather were looking to buy the property. It was a summer evening, and as the sun was setting over the lake, it caused a reflection that Tim saw as a gleaming copper line—a copper dock.

The Lefflers lived in the apartment above the supper club for eight years before moving to a house nearby. The apartment now houses one of their chefs.

Heather said she enjoyed living upstairs, but their dog Rocco had a frustrating time smelling the delicious aroma of bacon, sausage, and roast beef during the summertime brunches served on the outdoor deck. Rocco would make sad faces in the window and the customers would beg to have him come down for a treat.

Grilled ribeye with baked potato and green beans.

When customers enter the bar area, they are given a hearty greeting—usually by name—by either Tim or Heather. We feel like we’re inviting people into our family room, because this is our house, especially when we were living upstairs, recalled Heather.

When the Lefflers were looking to purchase the place from the Andersons, regulars were concerned that the young couple would change the place. People thought we were going to be a biker bar, or we’d put in condos, Tim recalled. But we really wanted to continue with the traditional supper club atmosphere. In the last few years, Tim has added two new patios on the lawn behind the club. He also updated all the rooms but made sure to only use wood, leather, copper, and stone, so as to maintain the image of a country way of life, something customers have appreciated.

Something that hasn’t changed is their dedication to serving the supper club basics—steaks, seafood, ribs, and fish fry—scratch-made, quality food. We look at every plate to make sure it’s photo-ready, said Tim, referring to customers posting images of their dishes on social media. People want you to know where they are spending their money. They have gotten more savvy and their expectations are higher. We try to exceed those expectations.

Tim and Heather Leffler

Customers Brian and Mary Kuriga and Dick and Joanne Sheridan on the back deck.

Salmon Wellington

barbecue baby back ribs

pan-seared walleye with chive butter and mushroom risotto.

One of their most popular side items is the special pickled mushrooms they serve in their brandy old-fashioned. Tim marinates whole mushrooms in red wine vinegar, sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pickling spices. As far as cocktails, Tim noted that bourbons have taken off like crazy. He also makes more blended and infused cocktails than ever before.

When asked to reflect on the last two decades, Heather said, Customers love seeing us do well. We’re a big part of the community and we take pride in that. As for what the future looks like—far down the road, Tim said, Passing the torch to someone new.

The Copper Dock seats 200 people in the summer with their outdoor deck and 150 in the winter. With the huge picture windows in the dining room, there is always a wonderful view of the lake, no matter what the season. When it’s cold, the tables by the fireplace are a great place to warm up to a good meal.

DIAMOND JIM’S STEAKHOUSE Hales Corner

ORIGINAL VISIT: MARCH 8, 2012 | UPDATED VISIT: AUGUST 30, 2022

Diamond Jim has been an iconic Milwaukee name for decades, probably best known for his dirt track racing at area racetracks, including Hales Corners Speedway. He also owned Diamond Jim’s Auto Sales, Diamond Jim’s Sports Lounge, The Tower Restaurant and Bar, and Diamond Jim’s Stoneridge Inn.

He was born James Letizia on August 4, 1952. He acquired the nickname Diamond Jim in the 1970s when he was opening his first car dealership in Milwaukee. Jim and a friend were at the Marc’s Big Boy on 28th and National, thinking of names for the car dealership, when they saw a sandwich on the menu called The Diamond Jim Club. The rest is history.

In 2000, he branched out into the restaurant business and opened Diamond Jim’s Stoneridge Inn. It had been a supper club called the Stoneridge Inn, and prior to that it was Mia Casa. At one point, it was a funeral home, and in the 1970s it was Larry’s Steakhouse—a supper club and singles bar complete with thumping disco music, shag carpeting on the walls, and a mirror ball hanging from the ceiling.

When Jim and his soulmate, Susan Sue Young, ran Diamond Jim’s Stoneridge Inn, they had two dining rooms, separated by a bar. One room had a subtle, homey decor, and the other had an Italian villa theme. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, Milwaukee supper club entertainer Red Deacon would play soft country music in the bar area.

Michelle Emmons and Sue Young.

Jim and Sue met during a 1996 volleyball game between teams sponsored by The Rafters supper club and Diamond Jim’s Sports Lounge. She was introduced to Jim by his son Turk, and the couple were together ever since, yet never felt the need to get married. Sue said that Jim was a fun-loving man with a good heart, yet quite strict when it came to business. I was the good cop, he was the bad cop, recalled Sue. However, he was respected.

As much as Diamond Jim was known for his legendary racing career and auto sales, his passion was cooking. He used to come into the supper club’s kitchen and help out when things were busy. Although, according to Sue, It was: cook a shrimp—eat a shrimp! Then he’d suddenly leave, with everyone wondering where he went.

In 2015, he leased Stoneridge Inn to John and Diane Demopolous for three years. When Jim and Sue got the club back in the spring of 2018, they spent six months fixing up the interior and reopened as Diamond Jim’s Steakhouse and Supper Club. According to Sue, Jim figured that by calling it a steakhouse, it would attract more customers—and it worked. Many new customers came straight to Diamond Jim’s from the airport—businessmen, racing people, and others. Plus, all the same customers came back from before, she recalled. "It was amazing how business has boomed since

[seschend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great flashbacks to the types of restaurants we'd frequent when I was growing up. Now I'd not be able to visit these without growing out!

[etxgardener · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My family spent mot of their summer vacations in a little town called Chetek in Northern Wisconsin and we frequented a supper club called "The Spot" that was located down a county road in the woods. There my parents would warm up before dinner with an Old Fashion while my brother & I had "kiddie cocktails" loaded with maraschino cherries. Dinner was typically immense - batter fired fish caught in the nearby lakes or huge slabs of prime rib or steaks accompanied by a relish tray, rolls and abundant side dishes. The meal was rounded out by sumptuous desserts made in-house and then, for my parents a gooey after dinner drink, usually a grasshopper.

How great to know that in an age of dreary chain restaurants these family run supper clubs not only still exist, but are thriving. THank you Ron Faiola for writing this book & giving me an excuse to make a nostalgic road trip.