Supper Clubs in the upper Midwest
Tonight Channel 10, (Public Broadcasting) re-ran a piece about Supper Clubs in the Midwest.
The following is a description from Wikipedia, of just what they are:
"In the U.S., a supper club is a dining establishment generally found in the Upper Midwestern states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, and Michigan. These establishments typically are located on the edge of town in rural areas.[1] They were traditionally thought of as a "destination" where patrons would go to spend the whole evening, from cocktail hour to enjoying night club style entertainment after dinner.[2] They feature a casual and relaxed atmosphere.
Supper clubs generally feature "simple" menus with somewhat limited offerings featuring "American" cuisine.[2] Menus included dishes such as prime rib, steaks, chicken, and fish. An "all you can eat" Friday fish fry was particularly common at supper clubs in Wisconsin.
Relish trays featuring items such as crackers, carrots, pickles, radishes, and celery are typically served at the table on Lazy Susans.
Supper clubs can still be found in the Upper Midwest but they are now simply restaurants rather than the all-night entertainment destinations of the past."
I was amazed at what HUGE portions of meat they showed being served. 24oz or 36 oz steaks were not uncommon. Somewhere, in another article, it was mentioned that "value" was part of what patrons looked for, and everyone expected to take a lot home with them.
I found a little article from the Chicago Tribune, talking about visiting one with a Wisconsin relative. I guess they're pretty much fading into the past.
When we moved here (I was from Iowa, and had gone to school in Chicago) they were an unknown commodity. I guess they'll soon be "unknown" again.
The following is a description from Wikipedia, of just what they are:
"In the U.S., a supper club is a dining establishment generally found in the Upper Midwestern states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, and Michigan. These establishments typically are located on the edge of town in rural areas.[1] They were traditionally thought of as a "destination" where patrons would go to spend the whole evening, from cocktail hour to enjoying night club style entertainment after dinner.[2] They feature a casual and relaxed atmosphere.
Supper clubs generally feature "simple" menus with somewhat limited offerings featuring "American" cuisine.[2] Menus included dishes such as prime rib, steaks, chicken, and fish. An "all you can eat" Friday fish fry was particularly common at supper clubs in Wisconsin.
Relish trays featuring items such as crackers, carrots, pickles, radishes, and celery are typically served at the table on Lazy Susans.
Supper clubs can still be found in the Upper Midwest but they are now simply restaurants rather than the all-night entertainment destinations of the past."
I was amazed at what HUGE portions of meat they showed being served. 24oz or 36 oz steaks were not uncommon. Somewhere, in another article, it was mentioned that "value" was part of what patrons looked for, and everyone expected to take a lot home with them.
I found a little article from the Chicago Tribune, talking about visiting one with a Wisconsin relative. I guess they're pretty much fading into the past.
When we moved here (I was from Iowa, and had gone to school in Chicago) they were an unknown commodity. I guess they'll soon be "unknown" again.