52 Supper Clubs in 52 Weeks

Our friend from Montana, Dave Schwalbe, joined us for our trip to Krabbe’s Kountry Klub in Seymour on Sunday evening.  Dave is originally from Wisconsin and has an appreciation for the Wisconsin Supper Club tradition.     Krabbe’s was opened in 1985 by Steve and Cheri Krabbe.  After Steve’s employer abruptly closed, Steve looked for a business to start.  Cheri was supportive as long as it was not the bar or restaurant business, because she was a child of restaurant owners and did not want that.  As it worked out, he did not listen to Cheri.  Steve bought the Coachlite Supper Club in 1980.   The Coachlite burned down in 1985.  With the insurance proceeds, they purchased Frank’s Supper Club (where they had had their wedding rehearsal dinner) and turned it into Krabbe’s.  Krabbe’s location is typical of rural supper clubs sitting at a crossing of two county roads.       When we arrived around 6:15pm, i...

On this Tuesday evening we made the drive to Kiel to visit the Millhome Supper Club.   We don’t know much about this establishment except that it is named after the town of Millhome, which is about three miles away from Kiel on the Sheboygan River, and has been family owned since 1979.    It is a large place with three banquet rooms for weddings. We arrived about 7:15 and it was very quiet at the bar.   We ordered our usual BOF’s, sweet for Paul and press for me.   Unfortunately, our bartender was very busy doing other things so we didn’t get a chance to ask about the history of the place. The menu is large and has some interesting dishes.   After finishing our drink, we entered the dining room and observed that there was some kind of meeting going on in one area as all the tables were filled with men.   Our waitress seated us away from the group and informed us that it was the mink breeders association.   I didn’t even know there was...

Following a nice drive up to Neopit to help deliver food donations to St. Anthony’s food pantry, we stopped in Bonduel at Antlers Supper Club.    We arrived much earlier than usual, actually shortly after it opened at 4:00, and were surprised to see a pretty full parking lot which was quickly explained by the Bonduel High School Class of 1960 reunion.   According to the bartender, they meet there every year. We took some seats at the bar and Paul ordered his usual BOFS and I had a vodka tonic.   True to its name, the bar and dining rooms are full of antlers (with heads attached or not) – deer antlers, ram and bighorn sheep antlers.   Antlers everywhere. I don’t know much about the ownership of Antlers, except that our bartender was the owner and she grew up in Seymour. She provided us with menus and a number chip and told us she would summon a waitress, one of her daughters, to take our order whenever we were ready. I opted for the broiled haddock ...