David Hammond wrote:jnm123, what a beautiful little find. The odds of my ever making it up that way are slight, but this looks like a very pleasant place to stop for a drink and a steak. The homemade look of this "club" is quite inviting.

I'll echo David's compliment -- that looks worthy of a long drive. Thanks for sharing.

David Hammond wrote:It was interesting that many of the restaurants in Hoesktra’s and Faiola’s books do not have the words “Supper Club” in their titles (Faiola told me his personal ideal of a supper club is “Ishnala” in the Dells).

Ishnala's website has a video posted from the Wisconsin Foodie episode where they discuss supper clubs: http://www.ishnala.com/wisconsin-foodie-video

If up north in Wisconsin, near the UP, here is a thread devoted to Vilas County eats, many supper clubs listed: http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1015

Sister's in St Germain is a personal favorite: http://sisterssaloon.com/
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BR wrote:

David Hammond wrote:jnm123, what a beautiful little find. The odds of my ever making it up that way are slight, but this looks like a very pleasant place to stop for a drink and a steak. The homemade look of this "club" is quite inviting.

I'll echo David's compliment -- that looks worthy of a long drive. Thanks for sharing.

Actually BR, it's merely 68 miles from my home in Mundelein, so quite the impetus to return.

Interestingly, not a chicken dish on the menu, but specials were broiled rainbow trout and coconut shrimp. And, AND...after we had finished, I heard the waiter mentioning morels to a larger party that had just been seated. Can't understand why they hadn't been offered to us. I make it a point not to identify myself as a writer, and take most pics in a surreptitious manner. But I guess was satiated enough by that point that it didn't really matter.

For another day...

OH--one mo' thing. No credit cards, just cash or check. There's a no-fee ATM by the bar.

Jay

Alas, I really think their numbers are dwindling...which is a damn shame...

But because folks like myself and David Hammond deem it important, whenever I'm up in the area--really only a hop, skip & a jump from Mundelein--I try to find a untried-and-true supper club on the way back...

...as it was tonight for Colony House in Trevor, just south of Bristol. Locals galore on a lively Saturday night. Strong, good drinks, absolutely classic dishes. Killer beef barley soup. Walleye pike on a special, with homemade tartar sauce. A wonderful medium-rare bone-in ribeye with Bearnaise. Chocolate walnut pie, with whipped cream and ice cream--the veteran-but-great waitress said the extra charge for ice cream may be the best thirty cents you'll ever spend. It was. A pictorial, better than words:

Colony House
25811 119th St.
Trevor, WI 53179
(262) 862-2076

Wow! Just across the line from Antioch? Good find, Jay! I thought I knew about whatever supper clubs were close to the state line, but this is welcome new news.

When Cathy2 put on a weekend conference about Wisconsin supper clubs a while back, Colony House in Trevor, WI, was her choice for Friday-night fish fry. It was a great choice. And I figure anything with a C2 endorsement has to be pretty high on the list of places to eat.

Katie wrote:Wow! Just across the line from Antioch? Good find, Jay! I thought I knew about whatever supper clubs were close to the state line, but this is welcome new news.

Apparently, our esteemed, erudite friend Cathy2 already knew about this joint. I should've known...

Yeah, Colony House is about a mile west of 83, so it was maybe a 40-minute drive for me. Heck, sometimes it takes me that long to get to Deerfield.

Great value, too. Entrees come with a round loaf of fresh bread, soup, choice of tossed, Caesar or spinach salad, then either fries, baked, twice baked potato or 'upon request', honey-baked carrots. Helluva buildup, we should've gotten some out of curiosity if nothing else!

Only thing--if we are talking within the immutable strictures of the Wisconsin supper club--is that there was no classic WI salad bar, with the celery stalks & three-bean salad & chicken salad & whole radishes, whole scallions...weird-but-wonderful items only seen together in this state it seems. Minnesota, maybe?

The Colony House 20 oz Prime Rib will feed four people!
At my last visit, it was enormous.
I took half of it home in a Doggy Bag.
Shiela (Australian Cobberdog) and I had a great time.
But I would put the Grade at less than Choice.
Otherwise I agree, as Classic a Wisconsin Supper Club as you can get.
Reasonably priced, good atmosphere and nice people.
-Richard

budrichard wrote:But I would put the Grade at less than Choice.

Would you say that's true of all the steaks on the menu, or are some better-grade cuts?

Heck, I'm jonesing for the shrimp deJonghe next time up there. Haven't had a good one since Myron & Phil closed. Need the good garlic burp--that's the litmus test!

Katie wrote:

budrichard wrote:But I would put the Grade at less than Choice.

Would you say that's true of all the steaks on the menu, or are some better-grade cuts?

I usually have the Prime Rib so I can’t comment.
Is the Colony House a Gourmet Steak Restaurant, no, but it is a good Wisconsin Supper Club. We go once a year as guests to celebrate a Birthday.
To me the Wisconsin Supper Club finally died with the demise of Radigan’s and it’s clientele.
My first experience was with Alex’s On the Water in Menasha.
The daily buffet had a carved Prime Rib as the center piece.
In1958 we had recently moved to Wisconsin and our house was being built in Neenah.
We stayed at the Menasha Hotel for 3 months which was conveniently located across the street from Alex’s.
Over the decades we stayed many times at Paust’s Wood Lake Resort (Tommy Thompson State Park) and ate at Rene’s. In fact every one in the area ate at Rene’s. Still in operation and a classic Supper Club. Just don’t order your filet rare, translates to raw at Rene’s.
https://twinbridgeresort.com/our-menu/
But times have changed, clientele have died and we have also moved on.
-Richard

Don't get me wrong; prime rib is my go-to at supper clubs, and I expect them to be choice grade unless stated otherwise, and that's fine with me. I looked at Colony House's menu on places.singleplatform.com, and it describes all of the steak cuts as USDA choice.

I'm going try out Colony House soon to do some prime rib comparison testing. I noticed that the prices at CH are $23.95, $26.95, and $29.95 for 10-, 16-, and 20-oz prime ribs, respectively. At the Hob Nob in Kenosha, my favorite nearby Wisconsin supper club and about the same driving time away for me as Colony House, a 13-oz prime rib is $38, and a "double cut" (26 oz?) is $50. The Hob Nob's menu does not state the grade for any of its steaks, so presumably they're choice too.

I’m with you on the Prime Rib!
I always ask if the cut is off a whole roast set up for carving.
Many places use portion control in individual wrapped Prime Rib and just heat n serve.
You can tell by the au jus, it tastes like Lawry’s seasoning.
The waitress at the Colony house assured me it was cut from a roast but I have never been into the kitchen to view.
The 20 oz I had must have actually weighed 32oz it was that large!
Something to behold, the largest cut of Prime Rib I have ever had.
My Dad’s friend would always order a double cut, “Run it through a warm room” he used to say.
Wisconsin Supper Clubs and Prime Rib hold some very fond memories for me.
We also belonged to Butte des Morts Golf Club, now Country Club, which alway had a spectacular buffet. Kenosha Country Club in the past had a great buffets but we have not been members for a number of years. Count North Shore in Mequon as another great Club.
I wonder if the finest Supper Club dining is now at Private Clubs?
-Richard

jnm123 wrote:Heck, I'm jonesing for the shrimp deJonghe next time up there. Haven't had a good one since Myron & Phil closed. Need the good garlic burp--that's the litmus test!

Trying to talk the husband into taking me to Colony for my birthday, so really appreciate this thread.
Hope it is appropriate to share this in this thread....
F-I-L had an incredible shrimp deJonghe the other night at Carson's in Deerfield. Had to stop him from eating the plate <grin.> Actually, our party of eight each had an absolutely incredible meal. Stupendous.

Hi,

For the first time in over a year, my family crossed over into Wisconsin.

We went to Colony House for a Friday night fish fry. We all went old school Icelandic Cod: two pieces fried with tartare sauce and the other two baked with drawn butter. The sides and/or appetizers were coleslaw, apple sauce, potato pancakes (nobody ordered fries), a light rye bread and butter.

My Dad was very complimentary of my restaurant choice, which may be his first time ever in a Wisconsin supper club. He was surprised how Colony House seemed almost in the middle of nowhere, which I told him was by design.

Those who selected desserts went for Key Lime pie, a walnut fudge pie and layered chocolate parfait-type cake.

Reservations are strongly encouraged by Colony House. We missed our appointed time due to traffic, they promptly called to see if they should still hold the table. When we arrived, I was reminded there was a reservation for our table at 6 pm. We finished up exactly at 6 pm, so all was well.

There were two people wearing masks: our waitress and busboy. I had backup masks in my purse in case they were needed.

On our way home we drove through downtown Kenosha. I never saw so many people out and about enjoying the evening. Most of my visits to Kenosha have been mornings or midday, though this evening the downtown area was full of life.

Regards,
CAthy2

The Duck Inn in Richmond, outside of Delevan dates back the Pohibition and is a really fun place to eat. Very nice staff, good food and a fabulous atmosphere.

I always go for duck and they have a number of duck options. Their name Duck Inn refers to their operation during prohibition.

Friday night, the 28th, we celebrated our return to Whitewater by going to the 831 Brewhouse for fish fry, first time in a decade back in the old stomping grounds, and soon after Wisconsin itself opened up post-COVID. Pal Kevin and Dr. Debbie both got the cod with fries, but I got the walleye and potato pancakes. Oh boy was that walleye *great*!! Hot dang have I been missing that in way Upstate NY.

And ahhhh, yes, the ambiance of a Friday fish fry in a Wisconsin joint! Just can't be beat. I recommend this particular joint for its friendly folks, and some pretty good beer, as well.

Geo
P.S. I totally second Tim on the Duck Inn: their duck is classic, and it itself is a classic Wisconsin institution. Just be careful leaving there: the road junction is tricky and at late night hours requires some caution, esp. if it's been snowing!

A lot of people rave about Donny's Glidden Lodge in Sturgeon Bay. I have not been but its on my list to try.

Our favorite in Wisconsin.
http://www.theguidesinn.com/index.php/home/pages/index

CSD