Supper Club Jaunt
Looking for something to do in the dead of winter? Consider seeking out a Supper Club.
Supper Club Scavenger Hunt
January and February can be bleak in the Midwest. You can only afford so many ski trips and watch so many movies before you need to find some other way to pass the time in an interesting way. And whether the weather is below zero, or more likely, that crummy, high 30s/low 40s, not-cold-enough-to-snow-but-too-wet- and-sloppy-to-have-fun-outside-weather, something you can always do is dine out. And this time of year, a particular type of restaurant feels just right—the supper club. It’s a rare breed of throwback restaurant that mainly exists in small towns of the upper Midwestern states. They’re typically warm, welcoming, and often times totally off the beaten track. They can sometimes be a bit rough around the edges, but their homespun funk is a welcome antidote to slicker chains and restaurant groups that have fine tuned every kink.
One may argue that a “supper club” is really just another word for “restaurant,” but there are indeed subtle differences…
The Vibe
A supper club is a “fine dining” experience, albeit one that does not come with a Michelin Star. These are normally family-owned, rather old restaurants found in small towns you’ve never heard of. Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. Stevensville, Michigan. Anaconda, Montana. They are gathering places for the community which means you see all ages, all occasions, and a well worn ambiance abounds. The decor, dishware and dining furniture haven’t been replaced since pre-Y2K. Actually, pre-Challenger explosion. Actually, pre-Carter administration. There’s lots of brown. Sometimes carpet. Maybe paintings of castles on the wall. If you’re lucky, the bar will be padded or you’ll be seated near a fireplace, but by and large the setting tends to skew more “uncle’s basement” than “downtown chic.” As far as hospitality goes, sometimes you may encounter short-staffed gruff, but far more often you will find neighborly, small town charm. And you might come across some uniforms such as a tuxedoed bartender or pilgrim-era dress which adds a little kitschy prestige to the meal.
The Food
Prime rib. Broasted chicken. Fish on Fridays. Wedge salads. Shrimp cocktail. Relish trays. Crocks of cheese. Baskets of bread(sticks). Menus feature rather traditional American fare, but every now and then you’ll come across the occasional dill sauce or frog leg. Entrees always come with a potato and a salad, and though you likely will want to stick to more turf than surf, there’s some small sense of wonderment when you discover crab cakes, oysters, or escargot on a menu in a place so far removed from open waters.
The Drink
Cocktails are a must—before and after the meal—and they tend to be elaborately garnished. If you are in Wisconsin, a chart that maps all the possible variations of an Old Fashioned would resemble the Periodic Table. Brandy, Sweet, Press, Brussels sprouts, etc. And all supper clubs will speak the language of frozen dessert drink: Pink Squirrel. Grasshopper. Golden Cadillac.
The Sequence
Like a lot of dining establishments, there’s a bar and a dining area. But at a supper club, these sections are used more purposefully and meant to be enjoyed in succession. If you’re doing things right, you begin your evening sitting in the bar or lounge and you place your entire food order while leisurely enjoying a cocktail. When the meal is ready, you are escorted to your table in the dining room where your food is almost instantaneously served as your are seated.
The Places
These kind of establishments dot the northern reaches of the country, but below are some supper clubs that are within 90 minutes drive of Chicago. Most of these spots have a look that gives you zero reason to think there’s a functioning restaurant inside. The architecture tends to skew more “humble dentist office” or “former veterinarian” in style. And most of the towns are ones that you’ve never considered stopping in. But that just adds to the fun because when you muster the courage to venture out of your comfort zone and settle in, your low expectations are more than likely to be exceeded.
Heston Supper Club, La Porte, IN - Truest form of a supper club in the region. Middle of nowhere location. Wonderful service. Classic ice box bar. Plenty of prime rib to go around.
Brewery Lodge, Michigan City, IN - A bar, lounge, restaurant, and lodge all in one. At the end of a private road in the middle of a forest.
Town Club, Highland, IN - Old school intersting.
Farina’s Supper Club, IN - Newer supper club set in an old lakeside lodge. Menu is mostly Italian. A drink in the cozy bar is a must. If dining on a packed weekend, you might have to park a mile away in the church parking lot, but the restaurant offers free shuttle service in an 80s era Mercedes which is rather amusing.
Grand Mere Inn, Stevensville, MI - Set atop a bluff with views of Lake Michigan way off in the distance, you might catch a good sunset during dinner here. But be sure to grab a drink in their bar which feels like its own alpine chalet.
Tosi’s, Stevensville, MI - How this wonderful Italianate compound exists where it does, for as long as it has, is beyond me. There are many areas to discover from the loggia garden to the dining room with central fireplace to the ambiant bar. Kids get invited into the kitchen to scoop their own ice cream.
The Village Supper Club, Pleasant Prairie, WI - Family run since 1927. Locals here are referred to as “Village People.”
Hob Nob, Racine, WI - There’s lots to look at when visiting the Hob Nob from the great neon signs to the wildly-dated interior to the views of Lake Michigan from the bar. Place feels like the output of a brainstorm between Liberace, George Jetson and Sammy Davis Jr.
List of other names associated with Supper Clubs:
• Eatery
• Nightery
• Roost
• Joint
• Hideaway
• Inn
• Stop
• Watering place
• Dining den
If you are interested in purchasing a print of any of the above illustrations—or perhaps have something else in mind—shoot me a note (ryanmaconochie@gmail.com) and I can get something going.