Out-o-Town Supper Club

Last spring, when we were looking for houses, there was one in serious contention located in the Town of Kaukauna. Not far from the house was a little place called Out-o-town Supper Club. Ever since, I have always wondered what could have been.

So we called up a friend who lives near by Out-o-town and met her there. Out-o-town, or as I like to say, Outtatown, has a giant bar area. Perfect for a supper club. We took a seat in the bend and I ordered the usual. Brandy old fashioned sour with olives.

The bartender grabbed a highball and filled it with ice. Then carefully began pouring the brandy followed by their in-house mix. The drink was topped off with a few spritzes of soda and olives.

I HAD to know what was in their mix! Turns out, simply 10 lbs of sugar, 3 bottles of bitter and water.

All I could taste was brandy and sweetness, but at $3.50 a drink, I really couldn't complain!

...So here's the deal. Since the beginning, it hasn't just been about the drink. I mean, it is...and it's the highest factor, but it's also about whether or not I want to come back to the place.

Don't get me wrong! Everyone at Outtatown was super friendly. The prices were great, but honestly, my food was mediocre and the drink was very sweet. Less mix and more soda would go a long way.

If you find yourself at Outtatown, get yourself a super cheap old fashioned. After dinner, get yourself a $4 ice cream drink, you deserve it. The place is worth experiencing once, but only if you're in the area, there's no need to go out of your way.

Rating (out of 5 olives)


Out-o-Town Supper Club
N2161 Town Club Rd, Kaukauna
outotownclub.com

Biggar's Supper Club

 

In a previous entry, I told you about how I crashed the girl's night out at Ruby Owl. While we were hanging out, we were talking about supper clubs and how, for all of us, it had been awhile since we had been to one. They were listing off a bunch, all which I had never been to. So, we decided we needed to go to one.

My friend chose Biggar's Supper Club in Winneconne. So we made the trek.

What a cute place! It 100% felt like a supper club in all the best ways. A huge bar and with small dining area. Behind the bar was a nice, updated wood paneling wall with tasteful Thanksgiving decor. A giant chalk board was in the center that listed all of the specials. On a small bar in a wall nook was a bowl of community spicy, snack blend.

We were pleasantly surprised that the tables in the bar area had a waitress. So we had a few cocktails before dinner. I, of course, ordered the usual. A brandy old fashioned sour with olives.

The drink was made with ice, then a squirt of simple syrup, 3 shakes of bitters and topped off with a nice long pour of brandy and soda.

Because of the simple syrup, the drink was pretty sweet. Surprisingly, it also wasn't very aromatic. Perhaps it needed to be shook to release the bitters?

Even so, the atmosphere of the club required that I keep drinking the old fashioned cocktails. They were definitely good (just not great). Plus the pour was good at $4.25 a cocktail.

Other things to note about Biggar's that makes is special is that they give out 50 cent pieces for change. Plus the bread comes in a koozie (like a drink koozie). Just like Cedar Lodge, you order in the bar, before you are seated in the dining area.

Very quaint. I would go back, no questions asked.

Rating (out of 5 olives)


Biggar's Supper Club
204 W Main St, Winneconne
biggarssupperclub.com

Idlewile Inn

On a rainy spring day, we decided to take a road trip and try out a supper club that our friends love to rave about. Tucked away in small town is Idlewile Inn. The Inn still has it's original tile floors and ornate woodwork from 1868. The place has floor to ceiling windows in the dining area and is simply gorgeous.
Before dinner, we had a few cocktails. I ordered a brandy old fashioned sour. The bartender made it by first adding two shots of Aristocrat brandy, topped it with a splash of grenadine, a few shakes of bitters, ice, and topped it with soda and olives.

It was boozy and not finely crafted. But the price was right at $4 for two full shots in a tiny cocktail glass. I switched to wine after having two cocktails. I wouldn't recommend making the drive out to Idlewile for their old fashioneds, but the rest of our experience was wonderful!

In true super club fashion, the table had crackers, breadsticks and butter waiting for us when we sat down. After we ordered, we had home-made breads, then soup. I ordered the sinfully delicious chicken enchilada. Then came the salad—I requested the home-made parmesan peppercorn. For my main course, I ordered the shrimp scampi and it was amazingly garlicky.

The experience was definitely a 5, but the old fashioned was only mediocre.

Rating (out of 5 olives)


Idlewile Inn
1306 Main St, St Cloud
idlewilesupperclub.com

Tally Ho Supper Club

I think we all have one of those places that we’ve driven past several times and always thought to ourselves, “Hey! We should stop there sometime..” Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t.
I’m here to report—my places still go unvisited, but a good friend of mine has finally checked off her place. Tally Ho in Hayward.

When I woke up that morning, it was 64 degrees in the house. By the time we entered the bar, it was above 70 out, the cool wind of Fall made it old fashioned season once again. While the other two ladies opted for a Bloody Mary, I ordered the usual. Brandy old fashioned sour please… well, it didn’t quite roll off the tongue that easily (it’s been awhile), but it was ordered.

I was asked what kind of brandy I wanted—I went with Korbel. What size? Tall. So a pint glass was grabbed and 2 sugar packets were added. Then came a two cherries, an orange slice, just slightly more than 2 shots of Korbel. The shots of brandy was measured simply by feel from this veteran bartender (and probable owner). These ingredients were muddled before the bitters were added. Then came the ice, soda and elaborate garnish.

The drink was quite sweet, I'm not sure that an actual sour soda was used. The drink could have had more bitter for being a pint glass. The drink was average and a slightly over-priced at $7, but the service was great! The atmosphere was fun and their french onion soup was on point.
It was a fun little destination in the middle of nowhere. It didn't hurt that I won $50 on a bar slot machine and the weather was perfect. If you ever pass by Tally Ho, it's worth a pit stop.

Rating (out of 5 olives)


Tally Ho Supper Club
10432 WI-77, Hayward
tallyhosupperclub.com

Dale & Candi's Cedar Lodge

Dale & Candi's Cedar Lodge is one of my most favorite locations. It's just far enough away, to feel like you are going on an adventure, but not too far where it feels too out of the way. This time of year, it could be a quick jaunt if you're brave enough to venture the ice. If you head over during summer, a stop at Little Farmer on the way is also a nice delicious bonus. They also have boat pick-up, if you are lucky enough to have that option.

Upon entering Cedar Lodge, it wasn't as packed as it usually was--we just got lucky on that night. We managed to score a spot at the bar within a couple of minutes of being there. I ordered the usual, a brandy old fashioned sour. The bartender grabbed a glass, filled it with ice, a homemade mixture, 2 solid shots of Artisocrat brandy and topped it off with a couple of squirts of soda. The drink was garnished with olives, like I requested.

The drink was perfect. A nice balance of sour, sweet and essence from the bitters. I found out that their homemade concoction is merely water and bitters--no sugar like I thought it might contain. Which, I suppose makes perfect sense, and the drink was not at all sweet. I didn't miss the fruit at the bottom of the class at all. I think I actually might prefer it that way, as the residue doesn't get stuck in the tiny straw. The drink was only $3.50, which is a steal! To top off the experience, they serve Gardetto's -like snack mix. I love those dang rye chips!

 

Cedar Lodge is a small family establishment with a friendly staff and wonderful homemade food. It is truly a treasure and worth the short trip to get there. 

Rating (out of 5 olives) 

Dale & Candi's Cedar Lodge 

N10872 US 151, Malone 

thecedarlodge.com

Wendt's On the Lake

A Journey to Van Dyne Strikes Back

After our fun escapades at Lakeshore Mart (remember? The bar in the gas station? How could you forget?), we ventured across the street to Wendt’s On the Lake. I’ve passed this super club many, many times and have heard varying reactions. It was time to try it out myself. The restaurant was packed, which was not surprising for a Friday night. We waited awhile to even get close enough to the bar to order a drink—but during that entire time, I watched several bartenders make my classic drink. It was not looking good.

In fact, when I finally ordered my brandy old fashioned sour, it was déjà vu. Apparently, Wendt’s On the Lake, a Wisconsin tradition for over 50 years (their words, not mine), have the exact same recipe as their “competition” across the street.. you know.. the bar in the gas station. Except, Wendt’s was not so generous with the brandy. They seemed to have smaller than usual cocktail glasses, which the bartender filled with ice, a shot and half of Christian Brother’s brandy, a splash of Jero mix and topped with soda.

Wendt’s confuses me, for several reasons. The top reason—there was a giant bottle of Angostura bitters on the bar rail. Come’on folks, we are halfway there. Second reason—on their Facebook page, they advertise they make their own Tom & Jerry mix for Christmas. Really? That takes FAR more effort. Speaking of Facebook, my last reason. They recently posted on their Facebook page that they have olives, mushrooms, Brussel sprouts AND cherries for garnishes. WHY would you have so many garnish choices for a poorly made drink? At least the drink was only $3.50.

Perhaps I wouldn’t have been this cranky if the bartenders would have been a bit friendlier. I guess after coming from Cheers (bar in gas station), this was kind of a letdown. Other let downs include:

• Cash only establishment.
• Plastic plates for dinner.
• Extremely limited Friday menu, including some deep-fried options not available.
• Flavorless fish.

Some of the items listed above are personal preference or not really huge deals—it was a columniation of items things. Same thing I said about Waverly Beach, holds true for here. If my plate of food costs more than $10, don’t serve it to me on a plate you stole from the local cafeteria.
There was nothing egregiously wrong with Wendt’s. It’s simply not a place I would choose to go again.

Rating (out of 5 olives)

Wendt's On the Lake
N9699 Lake Shore Road, Van Dyne
wendtsonthelake.com

Jimmies White House Inn

I had never even heard of Jimmies White House Inn prior to a friend asking me if we wanted to go out again for another fish fry and old fashioned night. I doubt I would have found out about this place except for word of mouth, as it truly was a supper club tucked away in the corner of Butte des Morts (butt of the dead).

Jimmies White House Inn is a quick jaunt from Oshkosh and is a legit white house. Upon walking into the foyer, there is a long bar and a polite hostess. We checked in and was told there would be a bit of a wait for our party of 6. Just about an hour. That is not at all egregious on a Friday evening—we expected longer.

There weren’t any spots at the bar, but we still managed to order a round of drinks. Brandy old fashioned sour with olives for me. The bartender grabbed a highball and added a sugar cube, a couple of dashes of bitters, an orange slice and two maraschino cherries. They quickly muddled it building a decent froth. The bartender then added ice, a little over one shot of E&J Brandy and then topped off the drink with soda. She then stirred the drink with a long silver spoon, making it frothy again.

The drink was a bit sweet, but not overly. I could pick out the bitters and the citrus tones in the drink. I don’t mind E&J brandy as a rail bottle at all. It was a very proper Wisconsin old fashioned. My only criticism is that the drink needed about a half of a shot more of brandy and could stand for a couple of more dashes of bitters; however, I am a self-proclaimed bitters-whore. The drink was $4.25.

The drink probably deserves to be only rated at 4 olives for some of the factors listed above. As I stated before, my review is not solely based on the drink, but also the entire experience. Everyone that I encountered at Jimmies White House Inn was overly nice and welcoming. The bar, was gorgeous and offered the most buttery, salty popcorn I’ve had in a long time. The place is a true Wisconsin supper club, only missing a salad bar with cheese spread and a dessert cart—which to be honest, really wasn’t missed. While there was varying opinions on the quality of food, the experience was fun and enjoyable. This place deserves the 5 olive rating.

Rating (out of 5 olives)


Jimmies White House Inn  
5776 Main Street, Butte des Morts
https://www.facebook.com/Jimmieswhitehouseinn

The Roxy Supper Club

The Roxy is an Oshkosh landmark. I remember back to my days as a poor college student at UW-Sloshkosh and hearing about the Roxy. I was always told that they have the best steaks in town. I've been to the Roxy on numerous occasions throughout my years living in Oshkosh, but I have to admit that 95% of the visits have been for breakfast on Sunday. Country fried steak with sausage and gravy? YES PLEASE.

This time around, I made it a point to visit on a Friday night for a fish fry and a brandy old fashioned sour. A-typical Wisconsin situation.

After putting our name in with the hostess, my husband and I were lucky enough to spot two stools at the far end of the bar. We snagged them and I ordered my mainstay.

The bartender grabbed a high ball and began generously shaking bitters into the glass. Great start. Next came a squirt of clear liquid from a squeeze bottle and a squirt of a red liquid from another squeeze bottle. My guess that it was simple syrup and maraschino cherry juice. This was followed up by a heavy-handed pour of Aristocrat brandy, in fact, I would guess almost two shots worth of brandy was added to the glass. Next came ice and the drink was topped off with soda.

Sitting at that bar, waiting for our table, I can't tell you how many old fashioned drinks that bartender served. But what I can tell you is that each and every drink was made in the same consistent manner.

My drink was overpowered by the cheap brandy, in a warming way. Even still, I wanted more of the squeeze bottle ingredients. The aromatics managed to battle through the brandy, as I got closer to the bottom of the glass. For a $4 drink, I appreciate the heavy hand on the liquor, but this isn't one of those old fashioneds that you want to necessarily savor, at least not on the first round.

The drink fit into the entire atmosphere of the Roxy. A place to meet with friends, have drinks, decent food, reasonable prices, slow service (but friendly!)---nothing extremely special. However, I'll be sticking to breakfast.

Rating (out of 5 olives)

The Roxy Supper Club
571 North Main Street
roxysupperclub.com

Dick and Joan's Supper Club

I entered Dick & Joan’s not knowing what to expect. D&J’s is surrounded by industrial buildings; however, conveniently located close to the mall and other commercial buildings. Entering D&J’s I was immediately reminded of a large ski lodge, with tall ceilings, wooden rafters wrapped with white Christmas lights and plants. There was a huge bar in the center of the room, with the dining room off to the side. The walls were banked with the typical supper club slot machines and bar tables. It was packed for any restaurant on Monday night.

We sat at the back corner of the bar, which gave us a great view for people watching. I ordered a brandy old fashioned sour. The bartender grabbed a glass and filled it with ice. I winced. Next came a generous pour of E&J’s brandy, a half dash of loose sugar and a quick shake of bitters. The drink was topped off with soda and garnished with olives.

The olives were slimy. The drink was less than mediocre. It was only called an old fashioned by name, the taste made it a brandy & soda. I would have rather had a drink made with a mix, than this one. The price was fair-enough at $3.50, but suffice to say, my next drink was a 7&7. I quite disappointed by the drink, considering we were in a typical supper club—where you order your food at the bar and get a salad bar with all entrees ordered. I wasn’t disappointed by the number of mullets in the bar, nor was I disappointed by my meal.

My recommendation is to skip the old fashioned, don’t order a fancy drink here, but DO order the stuffed shrimp and tenderloin special. My husband also recommends the bacon & cheese stuffed steak.

Rating (out of 5 olives)


Dick and Joan's Supper Club
220 N Lynndale Drive
Appleton
dickandjoans.bravehost.com

Blanck's Lake Aire

Blanck’s Lake Aire is the poster child for a Wisconsin supper club. Blancks offers a fairly simple menu—but a tasty one—featuring steak, fish and pork chops. In classic fashion, a salad bar is offered with most entrees. It is a quaint supper club with a huge bar to gather with old friends and an even larger dining area. Bonus: it over looks Lake Winnebago and I believe they have dock parking for your boat. The most unusual thing about Blancks is ordering your food at the bar and being seated when it is close to being ready.

We met up with some friends mid-week and I took the opportunity to order a brandy old fashioned sour. The bartender grabbed a glass and filled it with ice. That is always a bad start. He then added a splash of bitters, filled the glass half full of a commercial mix, followed by 2 shots of Aristocrat brandy and topped it off with soda. The drink was garnished with three olives (one was a little sad looking).

There is not much to elaborate on when you get an old fashioned made with a mix. The drink was quite sour (I believe they used 50/50 for their soda choice) and tasted mostly like a sugar solution. However, the bar area was very clean, the bartenders and wait staff were pleasant and we were provided with a crunchies mix to munch on while waiting for our table. The drink was $3.50.

Blanck’s might be a classic supper club, but they don’t make a classic old fashioned.

Rating (out of 5 olives)

Blanck's Lake Aire 
N8751 Lakeshore Drive 
Fond du Lac 
blanckslakeaire.com

George's Gaslight Inn

George’s Gaslight Inn is hidden in north Oshkosh down some side streets and stuck between a quiet neighborhood and old industrial buildings. A friend and I headed over there late Friday night for drinks and dinner. The parking lot is dimly lit and with a cold winter breeze at hand, we hurried inside.

Inside of George's isn't much brighter. It has an old school, gangster supper club feel. There is jail-style bars separating parts of the bar from tables. It is definitely a 70's motif. We took a spot at the bar and ordered. My friend, a connoisseur of bloodies ordered one of those and myself, I ordered the usual. Brandy old fashioned sour.

The highball was filled with ice, followed by 2 shots of Christian Brothers, 2 dashes of bitters, several squirts of soda and then olives. The drink was good, light, but nothing special about it. It was an average drink worthy of a 3 olive rating. But the story doesn't end there.

I inquired the bartender about the price of the drink, as I paid for the first round and wanted to be able to report back the exact price. It was $4 and he noted that I was typing this on my iphone. "Are you posting this on Facebook?" the bartender intrepidly asked. I explained to him what I was up to and he nodded. I couldn't exactly read his feelings on this, but my friend and I continued to immerse ourselves in conversation.

Moments later, the Jesse Williams look-a-like (think Dr. Jackson Avery via Grey's Anatomy), came back and began to defend the bar--something to admire. "Jesse" explained that 90% of George's patrons are regulars and prefer their old fashioneds not muddled. Later my friend commented -- "probably because they are alcoholics and they can't wait". But who am I to judge? Anyways, the conversation shifted to good places in town (and not so good places) to order an old fashioned at.

When I finished my drink, "Jesse" the bartender insisted on letting him make me a muddled old fashioned and I couldn't resist, so I let him. One packet of sugar (2 if I had ordered sweet, he later told me), an orange slice with rind, a cherry and 3 dashes of bitters were vigorously muddled. Then two shots of Christian Brothers, ice and soda were added together. No garnish, but I didn't remind him for it.

This drink was aromatic the moment it was placed in front of me. It was strong. I should have asked, but I think soda water was used instead of a sour soda.. which I didn't mind; however, then this drink would be an old fashioned pressed with brandy. The drink had great flavor, a heavy hand on the brandy and lots of depth. I would rate it 5 olives.

However, with that said. George's has a weird supper club ambiance, while "Jesse" was quite friendly, it wasn't warm and welcoming. The price was fair for the 2 shots of liquor, but the food was mediocre. Plus, the decor is hard to digest. With that said, I am going with a not-so-confident low-4 olive rating, but be sure to request your brandy old fashioned muddled.

Rating (out of 5 olives)


George's Gaslight Inn
1903 Harrison St
georgesgaslight.com

The Red Ox

My husband and I were going to see a show at the PAC and asked a co-worker for a restaurant recommendation, as we wanted to try a new place. Knowing my husband, I specifically asked for a steak joint. Immediately, my co-worker recommended The Red Ox—besides their steaks, they were known for their hand-crafted cocktails. Online reviews and FourSquare comments endorsed this. Lots of the comments raved about the old fashioneds at The Red Ox. I was getting excited! I made my dinner reservation and we arrived 30 minutes early, so I could make sure I had the time to review this highly recommended drink.

Upon entering The Red Ox, I was overwhelmed by the typical Wisconsin supper club feel. This is a bonus, as good supper clubs tend to be found in the boonies, not in the middle of a city. The long, wavy bar was manned by three older, wiser gentlemen. My husband and I checked into our reservations, then bellied up to the bar. I ordered the brandy old fashioned sour and was asked what garnish I wanted. My choices were olives, cherries or mushrooms. I chose olives and the kind bartender began to make the drink right in front of me. He grabbed a high ball and added 2 dashes of loose sugar, three dashes of bitter, a slice of lemon and a squirt of soda. He then muddled the components. He then added ice and a long pour of Kesslers. He finished the drink off with soda and the olives.

My first sips were wonderful. The aroma of the bitters/lemon mixture consumed me. It was heaven. The cocktail was light and well crafted. It was smooth and was quickly imbibed. Even the olives were high quality. As I looked around, I noticed that a large portion of the bar, maybe 75%, was drinking old fashioneds! I overheard all types being ordered—brandy, whiskey, southern comfort, sour and sweet. The drink was a testimony to that reason. I was impressed that the bar didn’t even offer a lower quality brandy, Kesslers was their “rail”. I believe I spotted Korbel behind the bar, but I cannot confirm that. The bloodies looked delicious as well, as they came with hot sticks! The drink was so good (and our wait wasn’t even long), I had to order another one. This one was even better than the first! This bartender was heavy-handed on the bitters and the brandy—my two favorite components! Each drink was $4.50 and very much worth the price for the quality of ingredients, quantity of liquor and the muddled delivery.

For reference, I very much enjoyed our meal as well. The prices were fair, but not great. My husband’s steak was not cooked to his liking (under-done) and so was another tables. With that, dine with caution, but have no fear consuming the old fashioneds!

Rating (out of 5)


The Red Ox 
2318 S Oneida St 
Appleton
redoxseafoodandsteakhouse.com