Every Wisconsin resident thinks they know what a supper club is. But ask them to define it, or tell you whether a restaurant does or doesn’t qualify, and it might spark a serious debate.
To help settle the arguments, Madison Magazine editor-in-chief Andrea Behling asked her readers to come up with a list of “essential supper club criteria.” City Cast Madison podcast host Bianca Martin talked to Behling about what readers came up with, from wood paneling to French onion soup.
Here’s a list of Madison-area restaurants that definitely qualify for supper club status.
Behling wrote that she knew within the first few seconds of entering this iconic restaurant that it qualified as a supper club. Hit the restaurant for a perfectly cooked ribeye or a shrimp cocktail, or crowd at the bar for the perfect martini.
A step inside this far east side spot is like a trip back in time, from the complimentary relish tray and bread bowls to the cheese curds “fried until the cheese screams to escape.” The key lime pie martini is the club’s signature cocktail.
Madison’s oldest supper club was the subject of some controversy earlier this year for some behind-the-scenes ownership drama. Back under family ownership, the north side restaurant prides itself on traditions like bacon-wrapped steak filets and the Friday fish fry.
The Waunakee supper club has stayed in the family for decades, with son Austin Andres taking over for his late father Rex. The Innkeeper is a particular favorite for special occasion banquets and large groups, including upcoming Easter and Mother’s Day banquets.
For over 40 years, the McFarland restaurant has embodied the essentials of the supper club experience, from a full salad bar to prime rib specials.
You’ve only got until Aug. 30 to try this half-century-old restaurant on Lake Mendota, as the two sons who inherited the spot from their parents are retiring. In addition to Canadian walleye and salmon Florentine, the Mariner’s Inn prides itself on perfectly aged and seasoned steaks.
This Sauk City institution is worth the drive, putting an Old World Bavarian spin on the supper club tradition with schnitzel, sauerbraten, and oompah music on the speakers.
Does a high-end restaurant envisioned as a “celebration of Wisconsin’s iconic supper clubs” count as a supper club itself? Hard to say, but with its retro decor and innovative reimaginings of supper club staples like wedge salads and Pink Squirrels, it’s not to be missed.
